Should You Buy a Flesh Wood Guitar or a Pressed Wood Guitar?

While there are many factors that determine how an acoustic guitar will sound (such as bracing, body shape, etc.), this time we will explore the influence of materials, instruments, and materials. can be laminate and solid wood for your playing experience.

While this may not be the most important issue with an acoustic guitar, addressing the fundamental differences in build materials will help you understand how it affects tone, overall performance, and there, understand the price of acoustic guitar. If you are new to the guitar world or are new to its in-depth features, then this article is for you!

FULLY LAMINATE GUITAR

If you've ever been to a store to try on a "beginner" acoustic guitar, chances are you've heard the phrase "plywood" or "laminate" repeated over and over again. But what exactly is laminate?

Laminate refers to any material made by gluing multiple layers of the same material. Therefore, laminate in the context of a guitar refers to many layers of wood that are pressed together and held together by a strong adhesive or adhesive - a concept that is not too unfamiliar to those familiar. belonging to the furniture industry.

So what are the advantages of laminate wood? First, they are less susceptible to damage from environmental fluctuations (humidity and temperature). Stacking the layers together makes them quite durable and stable. Furthermore, textured laminate allows guitar manufacturers to reduce material costs and increase their output while using less wood - thus making them more financially accessible to the masses.

Cort AD810 is a good laminate guitar for beginners

Defect? Laminates tend not to resonate as sweetly as fleshy woods. In addition, laminate does not have the tonal enhancement benefits that come with age and regular playing compared to acoustic wood guitars.

However, don't take laminate guitars lightly. Modern laminate variants do a great job of playing and sound great. With solid wood increasingly becoming a more expensive commodity, laminate offers a cost-effective alternative - especially for those just starting out.

If you're looking for a less expensive guitar or you want one that you can carry around without worrying about moisture damage, you should definitely consider buying a full laminate guitar. set or at least partially.

TOP MEAT + LAMINATE HIPS:

Let's go up one level. You already know about the advantages and disadvantages of laminate, so how do you get a stronger tone while preserving the desirable aspects of laminate?

That's by making the top with solid wood - solid top!

To fully explain this, let's take a detour and learn what a solid top is and why it is so prized in acoustic guitar construction.

A harp is essentially a piece of wood that has been carefully selected, aged, carved and installed, but essentially a single piece of continuity - from timbre to instrument. Flesh wood is favored primarily for its tonal qualities as having a solid soundboard allows the tonal qualities of the wood to be fully represented. Whether it's spruce, cedar, mahogany or any other wood, the fleshy wood top can showcase the subtle tonal flavor and complexity inherent in the wood. This feature contributes to a unique blend of volume, fullness, and sweetness that composite materials have no match.

The Texan Masterbilt is a solid wood top, laminate back and sides

But does back and side laminate have an adverse effect on the tone of a guitar?

Well, the answer 'no' comes not as much as you think. The top plays the biggest role in converting the initial energy of the vibrating guitar strings into a rich sound, so the sides and back aren't too much.

The end result is a guitar with the rich tonal complexity of solid wood but with the added climate durability of laminate material - something that is mutually beneficial.

Laminate backs and surfaces are also a significantly more affordable option, priced in the mid-range while preserving many of the desirable aspects of the flesh wood. While the top construction method is a completely solid construction, there are many famous sound artists who prefer to have this combined structure because of the unique tone and reliability of their work.

FULL SOLID WOODES - FULL SOLID:

As mentioned throughout this article, wood guitars are the most desirable sounding guitars out there. Up to this point, we won't waste your time with a full monologue about how awesome they are. At their best, these guitars are absolutely magical - with a timbre that resonates with the brilliance of a "church choir". Chances are, most of your favorite music is recorded with a meticulously crafted wooden guitar.

Taylor Grand Theater

Furthermore, the wood guitars are a visual piece with beautiful wood cuts used only to the best effect both acoustically and aesthetically. But with great power comes great responsibility. Full wood guitars are probably fragile souls and need to be treated with care.

If you want to own one, it's best to store it in the right climate. To keep your equipment in top condition, it is important to have a humidity controlled room without direct sunlight. Excessive humidity can cause the top surface to swell leading to cracking; Too little moisture will cause the guitar to shrink and also crack. The same scenario also applies to cases of extreme temperature fluctuations and direct sunlight exposure.

Another disadvantage is the cost of production. Solid wood is more expensive than laminated wood simply because a larger log needs to be cut to make a musical instrument. Admittedly, trees of this scale are increasingly rare and contribute to the relatively high cost of finished guitars.

Thankfully, brands like Taylor are putting the environment first and are turning to more responsibly and sustainably sourced woods, like the woods used in their new Grand Theater models. .

So, with so many sound options, which should you choose? Laminate, a combination of the two, or an all-wood guitar? It all boils down to two things: How much do you want to spend and what sound do you like?

Our advice? Try out as many sounds as you can. While price is usually a good signal in terms of quality and sound, try out all kinds of constructions and see how they sound to your ears.

And finally, whatever instrument inspires you to play is important!