Acoustic Guitar Sides and Back?

Subject: Acoustic Guitar Sides and Back?
From: Henry Krinkle
Date: 02 Jan 13 - 04:05 AM

How do you tell if the sides and back of an acoustic guitar are solid or laminated?
Is a center strip of wood on the inside back an indication of a solid wood back?
I wouldn't think one would be needed with a laminated back.
=(:-( ))

Subject: RE: Acoustic Guitar Sides and Back?
From: Dave Hanson
Date: 02 Jan 13 - 05:57 AM

See if the grain on the inside [ if visible ] is the same on the outside.

Dave H

Subject: RE: Acoustic Guitar Sides and Back?
From: GUEST,Big Al Whittle
Date: 02 Jan 13 - 06:43 AM

In my case, i made the album -and ten years later, I had a listen - and sure enough - bloody laminated sides! Thats why it sounds crap!

Subject: RE: Acoustic Guitar Sides and Back?
From: alex s
Date: 02 Jan 13 - 07:41 AM

What you playing these days, Al. Still Faiths?

Subject: RE: Acoustic Guitar Sides and Back?
From: Henry Krinkle
Date: 02 Jan 13 - 09:15 AM

I'm eyeing a Yamaha classical for sale. I think it might have solid rosewood back and sides. The seller doesn't know what the model number is.
=(:-( ))

Subject: RE: Acoustic Guitar Sides and Back?
From: Bee-dubya-ell
Date: 02 Jan 13 - 09:42 AM

A center stripe is almost certainly an indication of a solid wood back, but lack of a center stripe doesn't necessarily indicate a laminated back. It depends a lot on what wood the guitar's made from. Mahogany is readily available in wide enough widths to make one-piece backs. (Martin's 15 series guitars are all solid mahogany and they have one-piece backs.) But rosewood in that sort of width would be prohibitively expensive.

Also, and this should go without saying, if the back has no braces, it's a 100% guarantee it's laminated. Braces aren't really needed on laminated backs. My Guild 12-string has a laminated maple back and there's not a brace in sight.

Subject: RE: Acoustic Guitar Sides and Back?
From: PoppaGator
Date: 02 Jan 13 - 04:33 PM

Absence of a "stripe" does not eliminate the possibility of a solid rosewood back ~ *IF* the guitar is old enough.

Subject: RE: Acoustic Guitar Sides and Back?
From: Murray MacLeod
Date: 02 Jan 13 - 06:41 PM

Just for the record, it should be noted that many of the most eminent luthiers today incorporate "laminated sides" in their instruments.

These should not be confused with low grade Chinese plywood laminates, they are usually comprised of two layers of solid wood with the grain direction of the inner layer running a few degrees off from the grain direction of the outer "show" layer.

This gives stability and longevity to the sides, and according to the luthiers who adopt this procedure, there is no loss in tone, in fact quite the reverse.

Subject: RE: Acoustic Guitar Sides and Back?
From: GUEST,Big Al Whittle
Date: 02 Jan 13 - 07:38 PM

No I had a row with Faith. Well Barnes and Noble really. I had a four year old saturn that I'd paid full RRP on from new. It fell to bits. I asked them to replace it. They refused and offered me another for half price - despite admitting that the construction was shite.

In a fit of pique I gave Sunjay Brain the bits to play with and gave him my Jupiter.. He likes the Jupiter and his main axe is a martinish Cort Parkwood that I sold him years back to make room in my bungalow for a new guitar. I had two of the black Faiths and swapped them towards a new fender amp - a couple of years back. Faith and me is so over!

I have two Yamahas - a concert size one, and a black Yamaha LLX16.

For gigs i generally play my variax, played through a Fender acoustasonic. Its not really a guitar, but its passable and you don't have to piss about retuning - standard, DADGAD, D major, G Spanish, D minor, whatever that tuning is that Carthy uses for Famous Flower of Serving Men, and twelve string - there at the press of a button.

I'm doing a support slot at Bob Kirkpatrick's folk club for O'Hooley and Tiddow on the 24th of this month. I promised to be all acoustic. So I'll play the Yamahas - without much enthusiasm. They're overbuilt, but at least they don't fall into bits like my Faith did.

Why can't I settle down with a nice girl....? Why do all the 'good' guitars have necks like cricket bats?

Subject: RE: Acoustic Guitar Sides and Back?
From: GUEST
Date: 03 Jan 13 - 08:16 AM

Big Al :
re "Necks like cricket bats"
What you need is a Gibson J45 or J50....

Subject: RE: Acoustic Guitar Sides and Back?
From: GUEST,Big Al Whittle
Date: 03 Jan 13 - 09:51 AM

In answer to your question Henry - the golden rule is to ask! You soon learn that some people really do know about guitar construction - and usually they don't play all that well! But they're interested.

If you're not obsessing about these things in the same way that guitarists obsess about music - then you really don't know. Theres alot of people who THINK they know, but generally they don't. These are the people who trot out the half baked shite that the salesman used to flog them their axe. Its an uncommon interest.

You have to find people who actually know - court them, buy them drinks, listen to their amazing tales of how they once found two pieces of brazilian hardwood. Don't forget their Christmas card. For they are jewels beyond price.

Subject: RE: Acoustic Guitar Sides and Back?
From: Will Fly
Date: 03 Jan 13 - 10:15 AM

Hi Al - here's someone who knows a lot about guitar construction - and plays pretty well - my old mate, fellow band member and Sussex luthier Ian Chosholm, playing one of his own guitars.

Ian Chisholm playing "No. 30"