Solid Tops

[seattledan]

Which Ibanez hollow or semi-hollow guitars had a solid top (i.e. not laminated)?

[Ibaneezer_Scrooge]

In general terms...

Some of the L5 and Johnny Smith copies had solid spruce tops.

Also the large bodied George Benson models...resembling the AF200 models.

If it has a flame top...it's laminated.

Same with Quilt and birdseye tops.

[sgjazz]

I had the same question a year or so ago, after a little research I found these descriptions in old catalogs.

FA800 has a "Carved Spruce Solid Top"
FA700 has a "Hand-Carved Solid Spruce Top"
2470 has a "Carved Solid Spruce Top"

The GB's are solid and there are others I'm sure.

[Ibaneezer_Scrooge]

The large bodied GB's are solid...

The small bodied GB10, GB12 and GB100 are laminated tops.

[seattledan]

    That was pretty quick.
    Anyone have the solid and laminated version of the same guitar?  Any real noticable differences?

[holmis63]

I think the vintage AS200:s had solid flame maple top to! i´m not 100% shure but as i can recal it´s like AS50 and AS100 had laminated tops and AS200 solids. Am i wrong?

[porkpie]

I have an '81 AS200 and it is laminated. I believe all the thin hollow bodies just like the Gibson ES series will be laminated.

[gemberbier]

In general terms...

Some of the L5 and Johnny Smith copies had solid spruce tops.
[...]

The ones with a 7 instead of a 6  in the serial number: 2470 and 2471.


Ginger

[jazzgeetar]

    That was pretty quick.
    Anyone have the solid and laminated version of the same guitar?  Any real noticable differences?

One difference between solid and laminate tops is the acoustic sound. A solid top gets a better acoustic tone, but will feedback earlier than a laminate top when played electrically. IMHO, solid tops are best if you're playing alot acoustically or at low volume levels electrically. But I think I prefer laminate tops because I play mostly electric. In fact, I just sold a solid top guitar and bought a laminate top one.

[seattledan]

    I know all of the theoretical differences, and the difference in sound of solid vs laminate acoustics.  Does anyone out there have similar models (i.e. same pickups and hardware) that can hear the difference through an amp?   I am very happy w/ my artist, but have been considering moving up to a solid top luthier made box.  Do you think I'll really be able to tell?

[Ibaneezer_Scrooge]

Theoretically...yes you can tell.

Practically...No...here's why.


Modern equalization controls on an amp, can make a solid body sound like a fine archtop...and vice versa.

You only need to see Ted Nugent play his Gibson solid top carved Birdland to see what I am getting at.

I have owned a Gibson Birdland, Heritage Sweet 16, Guild Artist Award, and still own a Barrington George Gruhn design AT2...all have solid spruce tops...the first three are carved and the last one is pressed.

They all sounded alike once I played around with the equalization...Fat, Jazzy, and soulful.

And so did my Gibson ES175

Laminated top...the only difference is that the ones with the floating pups were a little more brittle sounding...but advancing the tone controls made the brittleness go away.


Having gone the solid top route, I don't care anymore whether it is laminated or solid.

Two great makers use laminates in their construction and get great tones...I don't remember their names offhand...but one made guitars for Emily Remler and the other has a company called...? American Guitars or something like that.

Both are as highly regarded as Benedetto...

[Ibaneezer_Scrooge]

One other thing I hated about solid tops....

If you are unlucky...and chances are you will be....there will be dead spots on the fingerboard...where notes do not ring as loud or as long.   It is the nature of the wood grain, it density and its destribution.

With laminates you don't have the problem as the grain by definition is evenly distributed.

My Birdland had dead spots.

[seattledan]

    Thanks Scrooge... that's the kind of 1st hand opinion I wanted.  I really have zero complaints about my artist, but lately I've gotten a little tone crazy.  I really liked some of the carved tops that I've played, but tone is so subjective that often I feel like the price tag seems like an additional tone knob.

[sgjazz]

My Fa300 (laminated) is very different sounding than my FA800 (solid).

Acoustically the difference is obvious, to a degree that it's impractical to play the laminated guitar without the amp. The solid top on the other hand sound loud and full.

Plugged in the laminated guitar sound full and wooden, comparatively the sound is darker and more focused than the solid top. The solid top with a floating pickup sounds much more wooden and almost sounds miked.

Old school players go for the solid top, Johnny Smith, etc. After Wes (he played an L5 with mounted pickups), and with the advent of good electronics not to mention good guitar builders the laminated guitar with mounted pickups has become a guitar of choice for players. You can find luthiers making 10k guitars with laminated tops these days.

IMHO you need both guitars.

[Ibaneezer_Scrooge]

Seatledan...

Rather than commissioning a luthier to make a solid top guitar for you...

and going through the inconvenience of waiting and not really knowing what you will get.

Why not buy one already made...either used or new.

Play it a lot before you buy...if possible...or make sure the seller will allow an approval period.

That way, you better your chances of getting a great guitar.

A friend of mine went through what you were thinking...and had Victor Baker make him an Archtop...all solid woods, floating pup....

It turned out to be a real dog.

He returned it.