Guest HRB853370 Posted November 3, 2011 Share Posted November 3, 2011 What is the rational for Heritage producing some 150's with 2 piece mahogoney bodies, versus 1 piece bodies? Is it cheaper or easier for them to do that? And is there any weight differences or tonal differences, in particular, sustain? Brent? Bueller? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
skydog52 Posted November 3, 2011 Share Posted November 3, 2011 I think the main reason is cost. And the availability of large slabs of wood which returns us to cost. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mars_hall Posted November 3, 2011 Share Posted November 3, 2011 They will tell you the decision is dependent on what stock they have available at the time. It's there at the plant to be consumed. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kbp810 Posted November 3, 2011 Share Posted November 3, 2011 I agree, it most likely comes down to cost... or more so, not wasting wood. When I asked for a 1 piece body for my 157, Marv had to check and see if they had a piece that would work - for a one piece, they have to not only have a slab big enough, it needs to be big enough and defect free. It's much easier to come by two smaller defect free pieces and glue them together. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DetroitBlues Posted November 3, 2011 Share Posted November 3, 2011 Large pieces of quality mahogany are getting harder to find and costs are going up. Its easier for someone to put two or three pieces of wood glued together than find a nice solid piece. Then like Fender and Gibson, they use dark paints to hide the seams from the multi-pieced bodies. That's why the new Gibson Studio line has a black painted back and neck. You won't be able to see the bodies made of a few pieces of wood rather than one. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JackBaruth Posted November 3, 2011 Share Posted November 3, 2011 In the G-world, I believe one-piece bodies are now the exclusive province of the Historics (R4-R0). Studios are mostly multi-piece (as in more than two) bodies. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MartyGrass Posted November 3, 2011 Share Posted November 3, 2011 One piece tops are a little bit cool because of their uncommonness. Book matching makes for some outrageously beautiful tops though. One piece mahogany bodies look better to me usually. But who looks at the back? The back of the neck is a different story altogether. That is almost literally in your face. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DetroitBlues Posted November 3, 2011 Share Posted November 3, 2011 One piece tops are a little bit cool because of their uncommonness. Book matching makes for some outrageously beautiful tops though. One piece mahogany bodies look better to me usually. But who looks at the back? The back of the neck is a different story altogether. That is almost literally in your face. Another reason why I feel my 140 is very, very rare. Not only is the body a 1 piece, the flamed top is too. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NoNameBand Posted November 3, 2011 Share Posted November 3, 2011 I agree, it most likely comes down to cost... or more so, not wasting wood. When I asked for a 1 piece body for my 157, Marv had to check and see if they had a piece that would work - for a one piece, they have to not only have a slab big enough, it needs to be big enough and defect free. It's much easier to come by two smaller defect free pieces and glue them together. Many guitar manufacturers use 2 or 3 pieces of wood in their bodies. Fender is a good example of using 2-3 pieces in their US & Mexican bodies and as many as 5 pieces in their Asian bodies. As Brian put it, I believe it's more about not wasting good wood than cost. When you cut up a good slab of wood, why would you waste any of it at all? I have seen many Gibson Les Pauls with a 2 piece body. Especially, painted bodies. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest HRB853370 Posted November 3, 2011 Share Posted November 3, 2011 So its not a bad thing if a 150 body is composed of two pieces of wood. Does this affect weight or sustain at all? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MartyGrass Posted November 3, 2011 Share Posted November 3, 2011 No effect on weight or tone. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DetroitBlues Posted November 3, 2011 Share Posted November 3, 2011 So its not a bad thing if a 150 body is composed of two pieces of wood. Does this affect weight or sustain at all? Nope, the wood glue is just as harmonically sound as the wood itself, maybe even a little better. But anyone who can tell the difference is full of it. (and let the fight begin ) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
602a Posted November 3, 2011 Share Posted November 3, 2011 My first Heritage "Pearly Gates was VSB one piece back and one piece top. She played and sounded no different than any other 150 I have owned. She was just possessed. Right Marty? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NoNameBand Posted November 3, 2011 Share Posted November 3, 2011 Keep in mind that all Les Paul type guitars have at least a 2 piece body: Mahogany & Maple. Some have a 2 piece Maple top (bookmatched) glued to a 1 or 2 piece Mahogany back. So when you look at like this, they all have a multi piece body. There is still a lot of glue in them and that is why it is important to use the correct glue that never releases it's bond over time and permits vibration throughout the body and neck which is another piece that is glued to the body and contributes significantly to the overall sound, sustain and vibration. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
602a Posted November 3, 2011 Share Posted November 3, 2011 Dang Noname that's some deep thinking. Very correct but still Deeeeeeep! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tulk1 Posted November 3, 2011 Share Posted November 3, 2011 In the G-world, I believe one-piece bodies are now the exclusive province of the Historics (R4-R0). Studios are mostly multi-piece (as in more than two) bodies. Ahhh, makes me nostalgic for the "good 'ol days" of Norlin. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chico Posted November 3, 2011 Share Posted November 3, 2011 I was at the Heritage plant a week ago, Jim was showing me some of the wood stocks in the back room on carts. maple and mahogany. 1 or 2 piece mahogany just depends on the available stock at the time. and as no name mark points out, they are all at least 2-piece since it is maple cap on mahogany Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MartyGrass Posted November 3, 2011 Share Posted November 3, 2011 Well, if you want to get right down to it, the H150 has many pieces affecting tone. And if you want to get metaphysical, the H150 is almost nothing but void and a tiny volume of charged and gravity-susceptible particles. And these particles are also most void and vibrating strings. http://superstringtheory.com/ So you see, it's all about strings not the wood. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FredZepp Posted November 3, 2011 Share Posted November 3, 2011 My 140 and 150's are a one piece, but my black 157 is a two piece back. I'm not convinced that it makes any tone difference.. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SouthpawGuy Posted November 3, 2011 Share Posted November 3, 2011 Keep in mind that all Les Paul type guitars have at least a 2 piece body: Mahogany & Maple. Some have a 2 piece Maple top (bookmatched) glued to a 1 or 2 piece Mahogany back. So when you look at like this, they all have a multi piece body. There is still a lot of glue in them and that is why it is important to use the correct glue that never releases it's bond over time and permits vibration throughout the body and neck which is another piece that is glued to the body and contributes significantly to the overall sound, sustain and vibration. There's a lot to be said for a one piece body .... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NoNameBand Posted November 3, 2011 Share Posted November 3, 2011 There's a lot to be said for a one piece body .... I think you just said it and yet a wonderful economy with words. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
H Posted November 3, 2011 Share Posted November 3, 2011 So you see, it's all about strings not the wood. No strings = no sound. You are 100% correct, maybe even 100.2% correct Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kuz Posted November 4, 2011 Share Posted November 4, 2011 No effect on weight or tone. Ahhhhh..... well..... I prefer, and will go on record to say, if I order guitar it will have a one piece body. Terry McInturff says the difference may be only marginal if the two pieces of wood vibrate at the same frequencies. One piece bodies also have better resale value. Again, based on the fact that it is more expensive to build them. If I am paying $2K or over for a guitar, it has to have a one piece body, IMHO. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tsp17 Posted November 4, 2011 Share Posted November 4, 2011 +1 +1 Sorry for the double post. Using iPhone. My bad. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hinesarchtop Posted November 4, 2011 Share Posted November 4, 2011 I like to use 1 piece blanks when building, but mostly because it's what people keep asking for. It saves me a little time too not having to join the pieces. If it's good wood, and good joinery nobody would know the difference. Also, hide glue is better for tone. I'm going to build an archtop for a guy that specified one piece top and back! In this case it's better because there is no center joint to fail. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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