Acoustic guitar and wood types

Gear & Tools Talk 🎸 Guitars, Instruments & Maintenance
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At the moment, I have a Fender ESC-110 classical guitar and an electric guitar (both cheap, basic instruments) that have been accompanying me and will continue to do so throughout my learning process. However, in the future I plan to buy an acoustic guitar because I like its sound and versatility across styles, and I think it best matches my goal: playing my favorite songs.

I don’t intend to become a professional musician, perform live, or play in a band. At most, I play or record for a few friends and family members. So I don’t need a top-of-the-line guitar.

After doing some research, I’ve seen that there are essentially three types of acoustic guitars: all solid wood, solid top, and fully laminated. Many people say laminated guitars sound much worse — which I believe may be true — but at my level and with my goals, is it really worth investing in a solid-wood guitar?

I’ve been looking at several models from brands like Fender, Yamaha, Baton Rouge, and Harley Benton. This is just a hobby, and I don’t want to spend too much money because, as I once read, a bad guitar player can make a €1,000 guitar sound like a €100 one.

So are the laminated guitars a waste of money ?

tnks

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Hi Hugo,

You really need to go to a guitar store and play a bunch of instruments.

Personally, I would stay away from all laminate, the top wood for acoustic is very important. But it does sound like laminate back and sides can be just fine for what you are doing. I played an Alvarez with solid top, laminate back and sides for many years and was very happy with that instrument. When I eventually wanted a better sound, I went to more than one guitar store and tried just about every acoustic in the store from $200 - $6,000. I wanted to see what the real difference was. I did find a big difference between $200-$1,500 and very little difference between $1,500-$6,000. I was also not looking for flashy, just sound. I landed on a solid wood Yamaha that in my opinion was worth 3 times what I paid for it (but still fairly pricey). You will certainly notice a tonal difference between the 3 types you referenced, it really comes down to “is it worth the price”. Yes a good player can make a poor instrument sound better but that does not mean that instruments are equal quality (either in tone or build quality).

The only other thing I would add, the more you play the more you will HEAR. You would hate to buy the cheapest thing that meets the criteria and then 2 years from now need a replacement? I mean you might “need” another guitar 2 years from now, but there is no sense in pressing the issue by not buying ahead of where you currently are.

Best of Luck!

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I’ve spent lots of time playing many acoustic guitars at every guitar shop I’ve had access to, sometimes driving several hours to get to them.

A fair bit depends on your playing style. In my case, I play fingerstyle mostly without thumb or any kind of pick and for that I need a guitar that has good volume or what’s referred to as projection. In my case that applies unamplified because mostly I play unplugged.

If you play with a pick (strumming for example) that generates enough volume that projection isn’t as important.

Personally I only own solid wood guitars but I wouldn’t try to talk you out of a laminated guitar. They hold up to changes in humidity better, believe me from personal experience, when a solid body expensive guitar cracks, it’s not an enjoyable experience.

At the start of playing acoustic, what’s more important than anything for you is how the guitar is “setup” and things like the string width. The “setup” involves how high the strings are from the neck, what’s also known as the “action”.

In my earliest days of playing I had a cheap guitar with really high / bad action. It made playing LOTS harder. Then I got a guitar with a lower action and that improved things but what really made another big difference was getting a guitar with a wider nut. The chords and such that seemed really hard were then just hard and that wider nut guitar really sped up my learning process.

I’m a big fan of Yamaha gear. Have. owned several Yamaha guitars and keyboards. Play and listen to as many guitars as you can. Laminate, esp at the price range you are talking about, isn’t a dirty word at all.

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When I was looking at getting my first acoustic guitar I’d say the advice I saw most often was to get a solid top. They’re not nearly as expensive as all solid wood but generally better than ones with all laminate. If you get a solid top you’re getting something that will be good for years.

Is there such a thing as a laminate guitar that sounds good? I’m sure there are but there’s a lot of low quality ones to avoid as well

Just because you’re not a professional doesn’t mean you shouldn’t have a nice instrument to play. Get something you like and inspires you to play.

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Hi Hugo!

I’m going to go against the grain here just a bit…
I have played some laminate guitars that sound amazing! In fact, I think some guitar brands may even put a solid top on a less than stellar body just because the solid top is a selling point… the sound suffers because the top is the only “quality” part in the construction… this is just my opinion.
I have an all laminate Ibanez that I’ve owned for years & years. I was practicing with it at work one day when a coworker who’s a gigging guitarist by night heard the guitar & asked if he could play it. He loved the tone & offered me $500 on the spot - this guitar only cost about $250 brand new! I turned him down… it’s always been one of my favorites & there’s a sentimental aspect also.
Another time, I went to my local guitar shop with the intent to buy a Taylor 700 or 800 series. Although the store had about a dozen models to choose from, I couldn’t find the “fit”. As I was about to leave, I heard another customer playing a Seagull S6… it was what I was looking for! I sat with a couple of Seagull models for about an hour & ended up with Mine!!! Solid cedar top with laminate wild cherry sides & back. It’s got the most fantastic tone & smells wonderful every time I open the case!!!
Moral of the story… get something that sounds & feels “right” to YOU… don’t let other’s opinions color what you like. After all, you’re the one who’s going to have a one-on-one relationship with the new guitar! Make sure it inspires you to pick it up and PLAY!!! :smiling_face_with_sunglasses:

Tod

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Hugo

I have owned, and played an all laminate guitar for more than 50 years - a Kiso Suzuki FE150. It sounds great, even when I’m playing it!

As others have suggested the best approach is to play guitars, whatever there construction, and choose one that sounds good to you, Of other guitars I’ve played the best are (or were): Breedlove (my second guitar), Seagull and Faith.

I hope you find what you’re looking for.

Brian

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You can get a guitar with a solid top for a pretty affordable price. I have a Yamaha that fits that bill I’ve owned for over 20yrs now. It sounds really good given I spent about $250 on it. I play a Taylor GS Mini (also a solid top/laminate back & sides) more now only because the smaller body is more comfortable, but I keep the Yamaha so I can play with alternate tunings and stuff. So far, I have no solid wood guitars. But there’s a luthier across the valley who makes some beautiful ones.

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imho, yes.

It don’t have to be top of the line.
I play a solid wood masterbuilt epiphone. It was $300 used.
And I love it to the max! Sitka spruce top, mahogany sides, back neck. I think pau faruo fretboard.
The tones I get out of this six string guitar sound near as full as my alverez laminate maple top 12 string.

Check out a video called.
I Wish I Knew This Before Buying An Acoustic: THE TOP
by Paul Davids. Google it. The video that says guitar tops on it. I’d link it, but I think a link would violate the rules. It compares 5 same guitars, with 5 different wood tops. Very informative.

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Hi Hugo

I will give you this bit of advice based on a recent personal experience. Go to a good guitar store that has friendly and helpful staff and has a large selection of brands, tell them your price range ie. ÂŁ500 to ÂŁ1000 and the type of guitar, cut away or not, small, medium or jumbo, semi acoustic or not. Say you want to try up to 12 guitars that they would recommend for sound quality and nice to play, this may vary depending on your neck width preference based on hand anatomy. Also tell them to not tell you the price of each or their construction. Allow at least 2 to 3 hours doing this, if you feel rushed by them say so.

Start off with 3 in a private room if possible and just alternate between them until you have a preferred one for what whatever reasons, and put it to one side. If you have a friend that plays take them along and get them to play each, or ask the assistant to do so, with you about 10 feet away so you get to hear how each sounds, not just when you are playing it. Then get 2 or 3 more and repeat comparing with the original favourite, you may get to the point where you have 2 or 3 that you like best, which is good. At this point play chords, fingerpicking, solos and whatever you like doing on each and do the same on each, alternate and try and narrow it down until you find the one or two that suits you best.

IMHO it should feel great to play, comfortable in your lap when playing, also try with a strap, sounding good when you are playing or your friend is, and you like its overall tone/voice. What I mean by tone/voice is that some guitars have more bass lower end resonance and a warmer overall sound, whilst others can be more top endy, some can even sound bright. Construction and wood can and does effect this, but its not always as you expect. Also you may prefer a brighter sound if you are into finger picking and don’t want the low end overpowering it. Also ensure if semi-acoustic you play them all through a good acoustic amp with it set to a neutral balance, the SQ of the internal PZ mics and acoustic mics can make a big difference to how a guitar sounds.

My findings doing the above with 9 or 10 guitars was that I selected 2 semi-acoustics from 4 different well known brands that were very similar and had the same wood construction. At the end the assistant told me he knew half way through that I preferred a certain type of sound which certain woods and construction generally gave. One of the guitars I could have walked out with there and then, the other which was more expensive I was not so keen on how it sounded when played amplified. My guitarist friend pointed out it was all down to the quality of the PZ mic and could easily be changed to better one. I went away to save up and wait for another model I wanted to try to come in to compare.

I now have one of the original two I like. I deliberately have not clouded anything by talking about brands or what I end up with, allowing you go off with a clean slate so to speak.

Have fun trying them out, and good luck finding the one you like.

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Laminate is a word that is thrown around poorly in the guitar world. Most of us think of laminate as cheap plywood. Of course you don’t want a plywood guitar!

But laminate woods used purposefully in a guitar can be of benefit. Many high end classical guitars have “double tops”, carefully avoiding certain words in the name. These are crafted laminates that
bring depth and richness to the sound.

Well crafted laminate back and sides can allow lighter yet stronger builds and be far more resilient to humidity changes and impact. Designing these laminates was a big deal in Japanese guitar building as f the 50s-80s (I think) and many quality instruments came out of that time. My K. Yiari CY140 is such a guitar. Well regarded for a mid level classical. Solid cedar top, laminate rosewood B&S.

I would be wary of a laminate top on a cheaper guitar. But back and sides? Not so much if you like the guitar.

Most important is setup, as previous mentioned and that you love it, can feel ok with the price and that you want to hold it, play it , make music with it.

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Thanks, I’ll check out that video. From what I’ve seen, the used market in my country isn’t great, so I might end up buying new.

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great point. And this probably has something to do with why my Yamaha sounds as good as it does given how inexpensive it was. It really punches above its weight. When I played it at the store, I thought it sounded better than instruments that cost more than twice as much.

And stability with humidity changes is not to be discounted. I’ve had that guitar for 20yrs and it has traveled with me from Pennsylvania to Texas to Indiana to North Carolina in that time, and humidification was completely ignored for the vast majority of that time. It’s just fine.

And my Taylor sounds so much bigger than it is. It might be the most popular single guitar model I’ve encountered in the local guitar community. That one, of course, has several different woods and such to choose from and there are subtle differences in how they all sound. Finding a guitar model available with different wood options can give you an idea of how just the wood affects the tone.

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Both of the guitars you mentioned are on my wishlist, but the Taylor is quite expensive. Since I already have two guitars — and my learning journey has been pretty intermittent, with pauses and restarts — I’m afraid of paying that much and not giving it the playing time it deserves :joy:

But yes, for me, I’d be more than happy with that Mini Taylor — from what I’ve read, they make really good guitars.

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Yeah, the Taylor was definitely a later purchase for me. I bought a nicer one to commemorate getting a good job - a 50th Anniversary edition. But the price range across different models is pretty significant. the basic version with no electronics is less than half the price of one of the highest priced models with fancier woods and their better electronics.

The thing I was really after was a smaller body size than a full-size dreadnought, which is what my Yamaha is. I feel like I’m just reaching around a big dread and it’s less comfortable to do so for long periods for me. And I’ll be honest, I like the look of the body shape. There’s probably less choice for smaller-bodied (not classical) acoustic guitars at the lower end of the price scale, it seems. Maybe that’s getting a little better (when I bought my Yamaha, I’m pretty sure all the guitars in that price range were the same body shape except for the “kids” guitars), but it’s still worth noting. Comfort holding the instrument is important.

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This is the most important thing! :grinning_face_with_big_eyes:

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If you’re considering the Taylor GS mini but are worried about the price, take a look at the Takamine gx18ce-ns. It’s quite a bit cheaper, and very comparable. I love mine.

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Hello. I recently wanted to buy a better acoustic than the one I had. I had read about solid wood guitars being the best and that laminate ones were to be avoided. I played a Martin SC-13E and fell in love with it. I bought it that same day. When I got home I was disappointed to learn that the Martin had a solid spruce top but laminate Koa sides and back. However, upon reflection, I realized that what mattered most was that I loved the guitar. It sounds and plays great, so I kept it, and I’m glad I did.

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I’m glad to hear this… specs on a piece of paper aren’t everything, they can never say whether you will connect with an instrument. If it feels good and sounds good then it’s the right instrument for you.

The internet gets hung up on stainless frets and locking tuners etc but no one ever asked for a refund because the guitarist they went to see didn’t have a push/pull switch on their guitar!

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@Snedly1 @mattswain

I think “nice feel to play” (although completely subjective and difficult/impossible to define) wins over specs. If it feels nice for you and sounds nice to you then it’s good whatever the specs.

Funny you mentioned SS frets Matt. It’s true that it’s a feature currently mentioned a lot in specs. However, I have built / renovated a few guitars now what I’ve seen is that all frets are not equal even when of supposedly the same material.

I have fret levelled several guitar necks. What I saw is that the normal fret material (nickel alloy?) of course is softer than ss. But I think for most of us, it’s going to take a very long time to wear out the frets of our guitars even if they don’t have ss frets - especially if you play several different guitars rather than always the same one. So I think this is not very important unless you are playing the same guitar 6 hours a day every day, like a professional.

I have levelled the necks of 3 Squiers and one (quite expensive) neck that I bought for my Strat build. The frets on the expensive neck (although not ss) were extremely hard and much more work to level than the Squiers. After putting a lot of effort into levelling the frets on my Strat neck (and it was a lot of work!), I even contacted the manufacturer to see if they were ss frets, as they were so hard. They were not ss but just good quality material. In comparison the Squier frets were like butter - really easy to level as the material was way softer - even though they are both nickel frets.

Even with the softer Squier frets, I think it will take years to wear them out.

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I’m pretty sure you’re spot on that there are different grades of SS and unless you want to end up needing to have your frets levelled, it’s much more important they were put in with care than what they are made of! Your point is also entirely correct that SS frets are more work to fix if they are uneven and also that most hobbyists will never wear out the frets on their guitar regardless of what they are made - more so now as more people have multiple guitars.

Guitars are going the same way that early digital cameras did with the “megapixel wars”, items that look good on a spec sheet but have limited impact in the real world (and in the case of cameras can even be detrimental as too many pixels can introduce digital noise)