The Steel Guitar Forum Store 

Post new topic Best Laminate For Steel Guitar Bodies?
Reply to topic
Author Topic:  Best Laminate For Steel Guitar Bodies?
Jake L

 

From:
Grapevine, Texas
Post  Posted 11 Jan 2018 2:02 am    
Reply with quote

I was wondering who makes really high quality laminates that would be suitable for steel guitar construction?
Thanks!
View user's profile Send private message Send e-mail

Erv Niehaus


From:
Litchfield, MN, USA
Post  Posted 11 Jan 2018 9:35 am    
Reply with quote

I don't think it makes much difference.
Just do to a Home Depot or etc. and pick out a flavor. Very Happy
Erv
View user's profile Send private message Send e-mail

Bobby D. Jones

 

From:
West Virginia, USA
Post  Posted 11 Jan 2018 7:47 pm     Best laminate for steel guitar bodies
Reply with quote

The best laminate for a steel guitar would be what is known as die board. It is made of hardwood, Usually Birch or Maple and has no voids or knot holes within the laminate.
GFI Steel Guitars use Maple die board for the top of their guitars inside the welded aluminum frame.
View user's profile Send private message Send e-mail

Richard Sinkler


From:
aka: Rusty Strings -- Missoula, Montana
Post  Posted 12 Jan 2018 6:32 am    
Reply with quote

If you are talking about the "mica" covering that is used, two companies that make these laminated are Formica and Wilsonart. When Kline was building my guitar, Joe told me to go to a tile store called Color Tile and find a Wilson Art color sample of my choice, and he would put that on my guitar.
_________________
Carter D10 8p/8k, Dekley S10 3p/4k C6 setup,Regal RD40 Dobro, NV400, NV112 . Playing for 54 years and still counting.
View user's profile Send private message Send e-mail

John Swain


From:
Winchester, Va
Post  Posted 12 Jan 2018 7:05 am    
Reply with quote

Essentially Formica and Wilsonart. There are some Italian companies making laminate also. I had Carter build me a custom color (brown birdseye) D10 in 2002. I bought a sheet of Wilsonart through a cabinet maker friend and had it drop shipped to Carter. 4'×8' sheet cost $75, in 2002, so over $100 now. They built six guitars with that mica. Your best bet is befriend a local cabinet-maker and pick something he uses often, so he'll sell you enough scraps for your project!JS
View user's profile Send private message Send e-mail

Jerry Overstreet


From:
Louisville Ky
Post  Posted 12 Jan 2018 10:56 am    
Reply with quote

https://steelguitarforum.com/Forum5/HTML/004590.html
Prior discussion on the old forum concerning laminated bodies with input from Gene himself and comments from Jim Smith concerning the Pakkawood laminate used by Dekley.

Gene Fields:
Quote:
posted 16 October 2002 09:25 AM profile No one is more opposed to plywood than me. However, die board is not to be confused with regular plywood. Many kinds of die board are available. The only one I use in our Pro Model is all maple, meaning every ply is maple. It is stronger, more stable and more resonant than solid maple. It is also more consistent from piece to piece. If you like one, you'll like them all. In test after test, the die board had better tone and more sustain. It also responds very well above the 12th fret.
With a price range of $110.00 for a 4'x6' sheet, I would not use it if it did not prove superior.
The only other manufacturers to use die board to my knowledge was Pedalmaster and CMC. The old MSA used birch plywood in some instruments, a good material, but not in the class of all maple die board.
View user's profile Send private message

Russell Adkins

 

From:
Louisiana, USA
Post  Posted 12 Jan 2018 11:47 am    
Reply with quote

I'm in the process of buiding a guitar from laminates , I'm using cabinet grade birch plywood and the front and back skirts are covered with a mica walnut burl laminate , top is just the birch thus my plywood steel .
View user's profile Send private message Send e-mail


All times are GMT - 8 Hours
Jump to:  

Our Online Catalog
Strings, CDs, instruction,
steel guitars & accessories

www.SteelGuitarShopper.com

Please review our Forum Rules and Policies

Steel Guitar Forum LLC
PO Box 237
Mount Horeb, WI 53572 USA


Click Here to Send a Donation

Email admin@steelguitarforum.com for technical support.


BIAB Styles
Ray Price Shuffles for
Band-in-a-Box

by Jim Baron
HTTP