Solid Tops

[Scoot82]

If in the description of an acoustic guitar it lists 'spruce top', without indicating it is a solid top, is it still solid? Like fore example...http://www.musiciansfriend.com/srs7...l/base_id/34644

Does this guitar have a solid top or will it always say blatantly 'solid top'?

[Light]

At that list, I would guess that it is a solid top with plywood back and sides.


Light

"Cowards can never be moral."
M.K. Gandhi

[gibs]

Non laminated tops can be referred to as "solid", if memory serves me...that doesn't mean. however that the top is necessarily one solid hunk of wood, it can be two, three, or more pieces glued together side to side, just not on top of each other (which would be laminate) .......somebody correct me if I'm wrong, I would consider it a learning process....I've been wrong lotsa times.....!.....gibs

[Major Tom]

"spruce top" = plywood made of spruce
"solid spruce top" = solid spruce wood

Solid spruce guitar tops are not made from one piece o' wood, but traditionally 2 pieces joined lenthwise in the center, often bookmatched. One single piece would just be too wide to get out of a spruce log, not to mention the tooling that would be needed. I don't know if any mfr's are using more than 2 pieces, that's a good question, not sure that it would be a real big detriment anyway - I'm sure it would be way better than plywood, though.

[Treeline]

Two piece tops are the standard, but it's not all that uncommon to see more pieces, particularly if it's a large guitar. You'd find them in the lower bouts at each edge. The only real downside to this would be with a cranky collector who has a thing about it. Otherwise, think of it as a responsible practice, particularly as it allows you to use smaller, high quality wood. People debate it, though.

"Bookmatching" simply means that they take a plank, slice it longitudinally and open it up like a book - right side pattern matches left. It's a nice way to ensure the best, most even and symmetrical distribution of features and structure for the top.

[freshmattyp]

I once read an interview with Dana Bourgeois where he discussed the 2 piece vs 3 piece question. He basically said he could buy a 3 piece top as shingle stock at the lumber yard, and there would be no difference in the sound at all. OTOH, very few customers wanted a 3 piece top due to perceived differences in tone and value.

[c7sus]

Some classical builders use one-piece cedar tops. They're out there...................

[cstockdale]

I believe Larivee uses single-piece spruce tops. They buy their spruce from the sort yards in Vancouver using old-growth Sitka spruce, which easily comes in 50-60" diameter logs, you can make a whole lot of guitar tops out of one old-growth Sitka log. As a forester, too, if they are going to log old-growth, I would much rather see it being used in value added products like guitars and fine furniture than being pulped or turned into 2x4's.

[tdukex]

Originally posted by Scoot82
If in the description of an acoustic guitar it lists 'spruce top', without indicating it is a solid top, is it still solid? Like fore example...http://www.musiciansfriend.com/srs7...l/base_id/34644

Does this guitar have a solid top or will it always say blatantly 'solid top'?

Like Major Tom said, if it has a solid top, it will say "solid top." If the description does not have the word "solid" in it, you have laminate.

[Light]

Originally posted by gibs
Non laminated tops can be referred to as "solid", if memory serves me...that doesn't mean. however that the top is necessarily one solid hunk of wood, it can be two, three, or more pieces glued together side to side, just not on top of each other (which would be laminate) .......somebody correct me if I'm wrong, I would consider it a learning process....I've been wrong lotsa times.....!.....gibs

You will never find a single piece top. All solid guitar tops are made with (at least) two pieces of bookmatched wood (which means that they are cut from the same filtch, and where next to one another).


Light

"Cowards can never be moral."
M.K. Gandhi

[Light]

Originally posted by cstockdale
I believe Larivee uses single-piece spruce tops. They buy their spruce from the sort yards in Vancouver using old-growth Sitka spruce, which easily comes in 50-60" diameter logs, you can make a whole lot of guitar tops out of one old-growth Sitka log. As a forester, too, if they are going to log old-growth, I would much rather see it being used in value added products like guitars and fine furniture than being pulped or turned into 2x4's.

No, they don't. Their tops are the same (book matched) as anyone else. Some of their high end guitars may be using old growth material, but most of them are using the exact same stuff as the rest of us (whatever size our shops). Out of a 50" log, you are only going to get (at most) a 15" piece of usable wood, and even then, it would not be consistent enough for guitar use. No reputable builders use single piece tops, and Jean is most certainly a reputable builder.


Light

"Cowards can never be moral."
M.K. Gandhi

[gibs]

Originally posted by Light
You will never find a single piece top. All solid guitar tops are made with (at least) two pieces of bookmatched wood (which means that they are cut from the same filtch, and where next to one another).


Light

"Cowards can never be moral."
M.K. Gandhi

I dunno, I always thought Paul Reed Smith was fairly reputable.....

Scroll down and enlarge PRS #35.........gibs

http://www.edromanguitars.com/featured/expensive.htm

(yeah, I know, it's not an acoustic but it is a guitar top ! )