Laminate or solid back and sides?

menamestom

 

I’m looking at electro nylons at the moment and wondering whether to go for a guitar with laminate back and sides or all solid. I’ll have to order a guitar un played as the ones I am looking at are not near.I want the best acoustic sound possible whilst being a usable live instrument and I’m thinking an all solid instrument may be more resonant and harder to control live.May be there’s not much in it and with a cutaway being all solid may make little difference compared to laminate. Any comments welcome, worth the extra for all solid?I’m looking at Alhambra’s 5p CW E2 or the solid 7P CW E2.  Whether I order Spruce or Cedar is a question for another day....

richardhomer

In terms of feedback, I don't think laminated backs and sides make any difference - it is the volume of air in the guitar which determines the frequency at which it occurs - so bigger (and deeper) guitars are more prone to it at low frequencies.

All things being equal, an 'all solid' guitar is generally held to be 'better' - but there are too many other factors to simply say this will always be the case.

It might be the standard 'cop-out' answer - but you really need to play a few and evaluate them yourself.

menamestom

Thanks Richard, problem is I'll be ordering from London or Spain, by the time I've made the round trip I'll only be able to afford the laminate anyway! Have checked all the shops in the North west and nowhere has what I'm looking for so I need to take a chance and order without playing.

richardhomer

menamestom;515332" said:

Thanks Richard, problem is I'll be ordering from London or Spain, by the time I've made the round trip I'll only be able to afford the laminate anyway! Have checked all the shops in the North west and nowhere has what I'm looking for so I need to take a chance and order without playing.

Just seen you're in Stockport. Have you been to Forsythes in Manchester?

They stock a pretty wide range.

ICBM

Go for all solid if you want the best acoustic sound possible. As richard says feedback is more a characteristic of the top and air volume resonances than the back and sides - it's usually quite predictable and occurs at two fairly narrow frequency ranges depending on the size of the guitar. That's why you'll often see two separate notches on acoustic guitar anti-feedback systems.

menamestom

richardhomer;515345" said:

[quote="menamestom;515332"]
Thanks Richard, problem is I'll be ordering from London or Spain, by the time I've made the round trip I'll only be able to afford the laminate anyway! Have checked all the shops in the North west and nowhere has what I'm looking for so I need to take a chance and order without playing.

Just seen you're in Stockport. Have you been to Forsythes in Manchester?

They stock a pretty wide range.[/quote]

Yes, went in today as I was in the office. They only have 2 cutaway's, one being a 2k Ramirez laminate b&s and a brand I'd not heard of. I'll give them a try next time I'm there, won't do any harm.

BigLicks67

Conventional wisdom states that an all solid is better than a laminated guitar. However it all depends on the skill of the luthier. Yairi makes a lot high end guitars with laminated brazillian rosewood back and sides and Torres (top classical guitar maker from back in the day) maintained that the soundboard only was responsible for the guitar's sound. To prove this he made a guitar with one of his specially braced tops and papier mache back and sides. Apparently it sounded top notch. So who knows?

maw4neu

My Taylor 414ce has solid wood back and sides and my Seagull S6 has laminated back and sides . . . Both of them have solid tops . . The Seagull resonates longer than the Taylor . . . ???? . . . . Not by much, but it definitely holds the notes longer . . The Taylor sounds better overall and has an amazing build quality but the Seagull rings like bell . . Love them both but I genuinely think it's the top that is the key to a good acoustic and not the back and sides . . . In my opinion of course :-)

John_P

Solid back and sides - last time I went acoustic shopping me and mate went to lots of shops and tried dozens of guitars - some played really nicely but comparing martin and taylors (and few others) it was obvious every time which one sounded better.  The difference was clear enough that I had to up my budget.    The notes had more definition and sounded fuller and more 3D - especially the lower notes.  

tonyrath

You can buy stoppers to block off the sound hole if you use the electro bit