Solid or laminated wood guitar
All Alhambra Guitars models have a solid top, even the cheapest ones.
We put an emphasis on the top because it is a decisive piece in the sound of the instrument. In addition to the fact that all Alhambra guitars are made of solid wood (cedar or German Spruce), we would dare to say that no guitar with a plywood or laminated sound board can offer an acceptable sound.
There are other parts such as the headstock, the handle, the fretboard or the bridge, which are also always solid. On the other hand, the type of wood that is used to make the sides (laterals) and the back (bottom) of the guitar, in some models it is made of laminated wood and in others it is made of solid wood.
A guitar made of solid wood increases in price.
When we talk about laminated wood, it means that it is made of three very thin veneers that are glued, with its mesh placed perpendicular to one another, which means not only that it is a material cheaper and lighter than solid wood, but it also has a simpler construction.
Every single part of a guitar has an influence on the sound, and the use of different types of wood is no exception. A guitar made of solid wood increases in price due to the quality of its materials. Moreover, it also requires a more complex construction, due to a different treatment, a more specialized work, plus many more hours of work.
From a more elaborate construction of the guitar, along with the use of suitable woods, the sound will improve remarkably. If we take an extreme case, we can guarantee the fact that any listener would detect that the sound of an 11P guitar is markedly superior to that of a 1P guitar.
From all this information, it is important to emphasize that there are many factors that influence the sound of the guitar. The thickness of the top, the height of the strings, the wood used, the arrangement of the harmonic bars, the arrangement of the reinforcing bars and the type of construction are some of the factors that determine the sound difference.
For this reason, it is impossible to isolate all those factors to compare and differentiate what kind, quantity and sound characteristics correspond to solid or laminated wood. In fact, each instrument has its own characteristics and it is always important to test them in order to choose the best one.
