HPL is like particle board Educated revision - HPL is not so much like particle board, it is more like Formica I think HPL is quieter than wood ply lam. What's the difference? I know wood rules all, but are there good or bad woods? While HPL does not offer all the tonal sparkle and richness of classic tonewoods, the most economical Martin acoustics are still capable of offering a very satisfying sound and playing experience based on the company’s tried-and-true designs. Laminate is. I've seen Seagulls all wood and Martins with laminate back and sides, Taylor's with rosewood back and sides. Also like Mahogany, Sapele is a popular wood for guitar necks. Then, get ready for the fun part as Darrell presents a blind test challenge featuring the RainSong, the Stonebridge and a third guitar—a Martin X Series acoustic made with High Pressure Laminate (HPL). Solid Wood When you first wander into a music store to shop for an acoustic guitar, you are generally met with many choices. England and Wales company registration number 2008885. A guitar designated as having an HPL Spruce top, for example, will have the appearance of spruce. HPL is a cheaper alternative than solid wood. Many of these aren’t even wood; they’re just printed with wood grain on top.” In one sense, this approach might seem eco-friendly because it makes good use of the material, but in reality it isn’t because of the glues, the resin process, and the chemicals used. Primary top wood for Martin guitars. Background: I am shopping for a guitar for my 11-year-old son. Every Martin I've played with a solid top and HPL back/side/neck construction has sounded lively, rich, and still had a solid feel like it would last through … Solid wood guitars use their natural resins and the guitar’s bracing for stability. Siris offers a clear, balanced tone which falls somewhere between Rosewood and Mahogany in both volume and amount of overtones. RainSong, as you probably know, is one of the premier makers of carbon-fiber guitars. Please deactivate your ad blocker in order to see our subscription offer, The rise, fall and rediscovery of the Fender Jaguar, How to set up a Les Paul: 7 essential tips, Ayron Jones proves why he’s one of 2021’s rock guitarists to watch with incendiary Take Me Away playthrough, Introducing your Young Guitarist of the Year 2020 finalists. For low-end guitars, laminate is usually a more reliable and better-sounding choice for the money. HPL is a totally different animal although it uses the word Laminate in its name. Auto-Save Draft feature temporarily disabled. Just a quick follow-up from the last post regarding the problems repairing HPL guitars.Check it out for more context. Durability. An image of any type of wood can be used in the HPL process which recreates the beauty of these woods at a lower cost. The Martin LXK2 is built with an emphasis on producing great sound in a smaller guitar. The DX2E12STRING is a dreadnought sized model with a Sitka spruce top and figured mahogany pattern high-pressure laminate (HPL) back and sides. All rights reserved. In recent years, carbon fiber has caught on as an alternative material for building acoustic guitars. The surface will have a wood pattern (Mahogany, rosewood, Koa, etc.) It is more akin to formica of counter top fame than to real wood which Martins laminate is very much like. Bath Carbon Fiber vs High Pressure Laminate vs Traditional Wood. Blind Test Challenge! It's a lot better than most of the plywood that's out there, and I get the feeling that it will age pretty consistently. Choosing an Acoustic Guitar: Laminate vs. Chances are, the wood was poorly chosen, poorly aged, and poorly handled. And when you’re done, check out Darrell’s other great videos on his YouTube page. Sterile - softer and quieter than real wood. X = X Series. You will receive a verification email shortly. Like Mahogany, Sapele is used as both a top wood and a back/sides wood. Wow thanks so much for your thoughtful and helpful reply. Martin Guitars, aware of the wide applicability and durability of HPL materials, has revolutionized the use of this new material in guitar manufacturing. However, if it is not plugged in and you are trying to play outside or in a noisy area, you are simply not going to get the same volume you can with a natural wood guitar. In addition to making guitars using all solid wood construction, some Martin guitars use high pressure laminates (HPL) instead of wood. HPL Martin Guitars. They’re like a tender baby you want to treat well. Please refresh the page and try again. It wouldn't be fair not to mention that instruments made with laminated wood can also have 'mismatched splintering' problems if they break.. Plywood guitars can also be problematic for crack repairs because of the manner in which the different layers can splinter and … Laminates are built to last. ENGELMANN SPRUCE PICEA ENGELMANNLL. I think the Martin folks say that as well. HPL is composed of paper and resin compressed under high pressure and temperature. HPL stands for high pressure laminate. Take a look, give the guitars a listen and see what you think. ... Darrell compares a RainSong carbon-fiber guitar and a wood Stonebridge single-cutaway acoustic guitar. As a species Siris is related to and shares many tonal characteristics with Koa. Acoustic Guitar Wood - order today with StewMAX FREE Shipping! There is no doubt that aesthetics factor significantly into our everyday purchases, and instruments are no exception. Siris Martin Guitars. I'd also be concerned about glue joints where bracing is glued to HPL. Solid wood is not cheap. Attempting to decide which guitar brand is better for one particular style of playing or another is a bit of a fool’s errand, as both are capable of amazing music in any genre when placed in the proper hands. Visit our corporate site. Martin has always been highly mechanized, so they have been able to get the same quality and consistency from the Mexican plant as they get from the US. A laminate guitar will generally be more resistant to things like temperature and humidity changes, getting knocked around from general use, and heavy gigging. There are many ways to skin this cat, in this video I show how "I" determine solid wood guitars from laminated guitars top, back and sides. In fact, when buying a budget guitar, be leery of a solid top. Good HPL? A = Acoustic. See if you can tell the difference between three guitars each made from a different material. 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