Solid or laminate?

[nugsta25]

Does anyone know how you can tell if a guitar is solid top or laminate by looking at it?

[Thomas]

if i remember correctly, a solid top is made up two pieces of wood glued together. so you should see a "seam" right through the middle on top

[Pickles]

if i remember correctly, a solid top is made up two pieces of wood glued together. so you should see a "seam" right through the middle on top

eh.. part right. solid guitars often have a 2 piece top also.

anyway, solid topped guitars have a very distinct sound when you compare it to a laminate topped guitar. i can pick a guitar up and tell you if its solid or not. go to a guitar shop and compare a couple and youll see what i mean. thats the best way to tell.

[hcole]

If you are able to play a solid and laminate right after each other you will be able to tell which one is solid.

[Ricky the Pilot]

Look at the soundhole. Here's a link with some pictures that explains it.
http://www.musicfolk.com/docs/Features/ ... Guitar.htm

[dmbguitar718]

hey thanks, that's a cool link.

[nugsta25]

Look at the soundhole. Here's a link with some pictures that explains it.
http://www.musicfolk.com/docs/Features/ ... Guitar.htm

Hey thanks Ricky! That helped!

[c_tietze]

Does anyone know how you can tell if a guitar is solid top or laminate by looking at it?

Yes. Carefully look inside the sound hole and observe the wood grain (lines in the wood) if they continue smoothly inside the sound hole then the top is solid. If the wood appears to be in layers or if the grain stops inside the soundhole you most likely are playing a laminate.

The sides are difficult to tell by first glance.

Always play with a solid top guitar, the top is where most of the projection comes from, solid vibrate more freely.

Laminate sides don't age like a solid wood, but these axes are cheaper and more affordable and favored in road guitars.

Peace,

CJT

[Ranting Thespian]

solid tops are the better ones. Laminate verses good wood. You will get a much better sound out of a solid, in my opinion.

[c_tietze]

I agree, my very good friend, whom posts here once in a while has the good fortune of having a skilled guitar maker in his family. My friend is adament about solid wood guitars and about wood selection in general.

I care about sound, if I like the tone I'm sold when it comes to selecting a guitar. It's undetermined whether or not I feel this way due to the fact that laminate guitars are much, much cheaper. LOL.

CJT