MartyGrass Posted February 4, 2011 Share Posted February 4, 2011 Laminate tops are cheaper to make and are more resistant to feedback. They must also be tougher. Has anyone seen one of these crack? I've certainly seen cracks on carved spruce and maple tops. I just don't remember that happening to a laminate. Any examples out there? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TalismanRich Posted February 4, 2011 Share Posted February 4, 2011 I would think that a laminate top would be more difficult to crack since the grains of the layers cross. Every time I've ever seen a crack, it has been with the grain, or at a seam. That's the weakest point. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest HRB853370 Posted February 4, 2011 Share Posted February 4, 2011 Laminate tops are cheaper to make and are more resistant to feedback. They must also be tougher. Has anyone seen one of these crack? I've certainly seen cracks on carved spruce and maple tops. I just don't remember that happening to a laminate. Any examples out there? If you've got one to loan out to me Marty, I'll be happy to test the durability of the top for you and report the results! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jazzrat Posted February 4, 2011 Share Posted February 4, 2011 A couple years ago I had a Gibson ES-335 Satin that showed some fine cracks in the top. Sine it's a laminate there is little danger of all the layers cracking but it was disconcerting nonethelsess. There was a fair amount of online buzz at the time about inferior material that Gibson was using in their 3xx guitars. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Patrick Posted February 4, 2011 Share Posted February 4, 2011 While it's possible that a laminate top will develop a crack, for the same reasons that a carved solid top will, it's also very improbable. There are usually 2 main reasons that a solid carved top will develop a crack (different than a seam separation). The first and most common is constant changes in the moisture content of the wood. We've discussed many times the need for a stable and consistent humidity level within the environment in which a guitar lives. The second, is excessive pressure . . whether from improper assembly or too much down pressure on the bridge base due to extra heavy gauge strings. Spruce is usually chosen for a carved top because its strength to weight ratio is greater than any other tone wood. If a spruce top is carved, braced and assembled properly, it will usually tolerate very heavy gauge strings without developing cracks . . . as long as the wood is adequately hydrated and free of natural defects. Another less common reason for an otherwise good solid spruce top to develop a crack . . is just the nature of the wood and what might happen at any particular grain line. That's usually why the top luthiers insist on using the tightest grain possible. Their perception is that a tighter grain allows for better sound/tone and better strength. But, if you look at the highly sought after European Spruce (Picea Abies) also sometimes referred to as Englemann spruce . . its grains are not so tight at all. My Guild-Benedetto Johnny Smith Artist Award is a prime example of that. I can attest that there is a VERY obvious difference in acoustical tone from that guitar to all of my other arch tops. A carved spruce top, while having good strength to weight ratio is also very soft. More susceptible to damage than laminate tops and backs. It is highly unlikely that you will ever see a crack in a laminate top due to any of the above reasons. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bolero Posted February 4, 2011 Share Posted February 4, 2011 all you guys with carved solidtop guitars, do you use a humidifier etc? sounds like it would be wise, even though the maple top is a lot thicker than your average acoustic Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Patrick Posted February 4, 2011 Share Posted February 4, 2011 all you guys with carved solidtop guitars, do you use a humidifier etc? sounds like it would be wise, even though the maple top is a lot thicker than your average acoustic You must have missed it Bolero. There was almost an entire thread, not too long ago, on humidifiers. Even photos posted of a whole house humidifier mounted on the duct work of the furnace air handler. All sorts of humidifiers were discussed . . whole house, stand alone portable, in the case . . .etc. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MartyGrass Posted February 4, 2011 Author Share Posted February 4, 2011 You walk a fine line between babying your instrument and putting it at risk for damage. Michigan has dry winters. Some locations are even worse. The nice thing about solid bodies is that they are durable. I found that true with laminate semis too. It's the acoustics that are tempermental. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
602a Posted February 4, 2011 Share Posted February 4, 2011 I have found in the south with the constant high humidity a guitar ages faster than normal. By aging that includes checking and separations in wood grains. I have also noticed a one piece top will develop cracks even faster. If the VSB that went to Mark G had stayed in La i would bet in 10 years or less it would develop a crack in the top somewhere. I know a two piece top seems to hold up alot better here in our climate laminated or not. I have a 4 yr old Taylor and a 8 yr old Washburn and both have cracks due to the thinness of the top. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gitfiddler Posted February 4, 2011 Share Posted February 4, 2011 Patrick's comments are spot on. I think some players see finish cracks in the nitro finish (spiderwebbing, linear lines, etc.) and mistake them for cracked wood or laminate. Finish cracks affect only the thin, protective layer of nitro covering the bare wood, are very common on older instruments and usually not harmfull if the guitar is properly cared for. My lam bodied 550 has a few tiny surface cracks in the nitro, but nothing to be concerned about. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
brentrocks Posted February 5, 2011 Share Posted February 5, 2011 When i took the '70 ES 175, which is a laminate, to Pete he said he was going to wipe it down with some glue/water soultion, and then let it dry before he sanded it....old guitar builders trick...he said it make it a lot stronger. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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