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 The proper way to use laminates
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Patch |
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Joined: May 2006 Posts: 4221 Location: Steeler Nation, Hudson Valley Contingent | I've mentioned this on other threads before, but a discussion on another forum made me think to show the graphics of it. Almost everyone has an opinion regarding laminated wood in any guitar, but on Ovations, we're talking about the top wood in particular. Most folks seem to have an opinion ranging from indifferent to scornful regarding the tone produced by these guitars. But I've almost always found the panel masters to sound quite nice...nicer than many solid tops I've played. In the past, I've wondered about the discrepancy between what I heard from laminates and what others have said about them. As it turns out, Ovation USA (I can't speak about the imports) has been using a rather unorthodox approach to lamination. Look at the pics below. This is my Bubinga Custom Elite. I bought it used online from, believe it or not, Guitar Center. When it first came in and I was giving it the once-(or so)-over, I took a peek inside and Lo! to my wondering eyes what did appear? 'Twas bubinga 'neath the braces! I was astonished! Bubinga is a seriously hard, dense wood. It didn't make sense to make a solid top out of it. At least not to this amateur. After looking more closely, I noticed that the graining was different form the top. Hence, it must be two different pieces of bubinga. Curiouser and curiouser..... I called the factory and...come to find out...it may be called a laminate, but it's not. It's a double veneer. Laminates are typically glued together specifically so that the grains of the pieces cross each other to improve strength. A veneer is a very thin piece of a desirable wood laid over a slice of wood with more desirable qualities or attributes. A double veneer covers both surfaces of the attribute wood. What is in this guitar is a birch soundboard, just like on an Adamas, sandwiched between two thin slices of bubinga. This my friends, is how a laminated guitar should be done. the guitar sounds lovely with plenty of volume and a unique tone that I find quite appealing. And there you have it, not all laminated guitars are created equal.    | ||
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| CanterburyStrings |
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| CanterburyStrings |
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| WillaMuse |
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Joined: May 2009 Posts: 1433 Location: Right now? | |||
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| Mark in Boise |
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| stonebobbo |
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Joined: August 2002 Posts: 8307 Location: Tennessee | I am right with you Patch. My 2000C outranks nearly all of the other guitars I have, even though it's a laminate top. In my case it's Lacewood, but a look at the inside has always had me wondering how they did it. I've often thought it was a solid mahogany top with a lacewood veneer layer. It certainly sounds that way to me. This is what the top looks like:  And this is what the inside of the top looks like:  This guitar has a very warm sound, is fairly loud, and just flat out stuns the eye with it's nearly 3D effect on the top. As I've said before, even if it a panelmeister, it might be ultimate keeper guitar for me. | ||
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| Darkbar |
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Joined: January 2009 Posts: 4535 Location: Flahdaw | |||
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| FlicKreno aka Solid Top |
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| Resonant Woody |
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| 2ifbyC |
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