hybrid77 Posted April 26, 2008 Share Posted April 26, 2008 I own an trans amber quilt top Standard Plus and was wondering what type of top it had. It's one piece - there's no seam like in the example I've shown, which is a Burny. Is the top on my Epi wood or is it some type of graphic? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bear222 Posted April 26, 2008 Share Posted April 26, 2008 Hi Hy, your title says it all it's a veneer Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hybrid77 Posted April 26, 2008 Author Share Posted April 26, 2008 How thick are veneers, on the average? Are there any pros and cons to veneers? Are they used to cut down on manufacturing expenses? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SkEpTiKaL Posted April 26, 2008 Share Posted April 26, 2008 I think I heard they about 1/32". They use veneers because the real wood won't show the grain. It's just used to make it look better. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MarxBros Posted April 26, 2008 Share Posted April 26, 2008 Veneers are a cheap way of fooling folks into thinking they got something they didn't. Sonically they sure are not a plus, glue and thin wood slapped on a top of some crap wood to hide it certainly is no perscription for sonic bliss. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ricochet Posted April 27, 2008 Share Posted April 27, 2008 How thick are veneers' date=' on the average? Are there any pros and cons to veneers? Are they used to cut down on manufacturing expenses? [/quote'] Thickness is the thinnest they can slice. I suppose pro would be, instead of 3 to 7 ordinairy slabs of mystery tonewood, you'll get the illusion of owning a guitar with a expensive looking 1 or 2-piece top and/or back. Cutting down on production cost? That would be leaving the veneer completely off. It's my impression that veneered guitars tend to sound a bit more "toppy". In fact giving cheapies an illusion of good tone-definition. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Duffy Posted April 27, 2008 Share Posted April 27, 2008 I like veneer's but do not appreciate contact paper type photo finishes. The photo finishes are fake and I am repulsed by them. But to each their own. I don't think my amber Epi plus top is a poorly built or designed guitar. I think it is beautiful. It sounds really great and has SD JB in bridge and '59 in the neck position, installed by me. I'm sure a solid piece of flammed maple would sound way different than mahogany with a thin veneer of maple on top. I also like my solid mahogany guitars. Duffy Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
carverman Posted April 27, 2008 Share Posted April 27, 2008 I like veneer's but do not appreciate contact paper type photo finishes. The photo finishes are fake and I am repulsed by them. But to each their own. I don't think my amber Epi plus top is a poorly built or designed guitar. I think it is beautiful. It sounds really great and has SD JB in bridge and '59 in the neck position' date=' installed by me. I'm sure a solid piece of flammed maple would sound way different than mahogany with a thin veneer of maple on top. I also like my solid mahogany guitars. Duffy[/quote'] Yes, even if you take two different boards cut from two different trees, there could be sonic differences. Flamed maple/tiger maple/curly maple sound very similar, but there are tiny differences because of the grain alignment (or grain distress) when the flames are grown "crossgrain". Birdseye maple with it's little nodules is different again. So not only is there a difference in "artistic appearance" of the grain, but slight sonic differences as well IF the entire body is made from a particular wood. Veneers (from a viewing perspective) and mystery tone woods don't really enter into the tone picture. Fiddles are traditionally made with "Michigan fiddle back maple" or North American figured maple for that very reason..the tone..is superb, especially when combined with slow grown sitka spruce from Alaska, for the carved tops. The big problem with any hard maple is weight. If you built a LP from rock maple (headstock, neck and body), it would support Lester's "20lb block" very closely..try hanging a 20lb weight around your neck on a gig! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
latka Posted April 27, 2008 Share Posted April 27, 2008 Veneers are a cheap way of fooling folks into thinking they got something they didn't. Sonically they sure are not a plus' date=' glue and thin wood slapped on a top of some crap wood to hide it certainly is no perscription for sonic bliss.[/quote'] then why are you playing epis?? :) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
carverman Posted April 27, 2008 Share Posted April 27, 2008 then why are you playing epis?? :) Cuz he cant afford a Gibson? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
latka Posted April 27, 2008 Share Posted April 27, 2008 Cuz he cant afford a Gibson? could be. anyway epi les pauls sounds good regardless of veneer tops and "crappy" wood Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
carverman Posted April 27, 2008 Share Posted April 27, 2008 anyway epi les pauls sounds good regardless of veneer tops and "crappy" wood For the price, you can't beat them..(well maybe you can..but why would you?) :) Mine has no visible top veneer (all black) and even with the mystery asian mahogany wood body, it sounds good and comparable to a Gibson LP 2- 4 times the price. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
latka Posted April 27, 2008 Share Posted April 27, 2008 For the price' date=' you can't beat them..(well maybe you can..but why would you?) :) Mine has no visible top veneer (all black) and even with the mystery asian mahogany wood body, it sounds good and comparable to a Gibson LP 2- 4 times the price. [/quote'] could it be lauan "mahogany" ??? I really like my epi Ace frehley les paul BTW Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ricochet Posted April 27, 2008 Share Posted April 27, 2008 For the price' date=' you can't beat them..(well maybe you can..but why would you?) :) Mine has no visible top veneer (all black) and even with the mystery asian mahogany wood body, it sounds good and comparable to a Gibson LP 2- 4 times the price. [/quote'] +1 I' think my veneered Epi LP Standard+ has better acoustic tone-quality than my Schmibson. Sustain and decay is slightly better in my Gibson tho. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cujo Posted April 27, 2008 Share Posted April 27, 2008 Pull one of your pickups and look inside the body of your Les paul. You can see the the maple cap on the mahogany and if there is a veneer top you can see its thickness as well. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PA Woody Posted April 27, 2008 Share Posted April 27, 2008 Cons; Veneer over multiple pieces of crappy mystery wood = lipstick on a pig Pros; It's a pretty pig (for the record...I do like ham and pork chops) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AnthemBassMan Posted April 27, 2008 Share Posted April 27, 2008 -One more thing. Yours is a flame top Standard Plus. My Classic is a quilt top, and the quilt veneer is over a three piece alder top with a two piece "mahogany" body. Nothing but eye candy and does nothing for the tone. But yeah, I bought it anyway! Nice looking guitar, btw. L8R, Matt D. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Belzeebub Posted April 27, 2008 Share Posted April 27, 2008 Veneers are a cheap way of fooling folks into thinking they got something they didn't. Sonically they sure are not a plus' date=' glue and thin wood slapped on a top of some crap wood to hide it certainly is no perscription for sonic bliss.[/quote'] x2 here. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Belzeebub Posted April 27, 2008 Share Posted April 27, 2008 the problem with stuff coming out of China is you never know what youre getting for what you paid for. The Chinese have a bad rap for being shrewd, calculating buisnessmen and most would actually go to great lengths (whether legit or not) in order to make a buck. I know firsthand... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RSDx Posted April 27, 2008 Share Posted April 27, 2008 The Chinese have a bad rap for being shrewd' date=' calculating buisnessmen and most would actually go to great lengths (whether legit or not) in order to make a buck. I know firsthand...[/quote'] Yeah, I guess the American businessmen are all above board and honest and fair Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Belzeebub Posted April 27, 2008 Share Posted April 27, 2008 Yeah' date=' I guess the American businessmen are all above board and honest and fair [/quote'] You have no idea how most of the Chinese (at least the ones on the Mainland) conduct business. And it doesnt help that the Chinese government gives generous protection to them. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mrjones200x Posted April 27, 2008 Share Posted April 27, 2008 How do you know what type of top you have? is there an easy way of telling? i have a LP Std plus top. very similar looking to the first pic posted in the thread but in honeyburst, thanks Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RSDx Posted April 27, 2008 Share Posted April 27, 2008 How do you know what type of top you have? is there an easy way of telling? i have a LP Std plus top. very similar looking to the first pic posted in the thread but in honeyburst' date=' thanks[/quote'] I don't know how long Epi's been using veneer, but your '07 is veneer over a) cheap maple cap, or b)alder cap, or c) mystery wood ??? cap.... Epi's product descriptions are kind of vague and "fuzzy," but I wouldn't sweat it, and just enjoy it for what it is...a really nice affordable guitar. I have an '07 std+ in honeyburst as well, beautiful guitar that plays really well Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Silence Dogood Posted April 27, 2008 Share Posted April 27, 2008 Yes the flamed top veneer is very very thin. If you are refinishing the guitar, go very carefully or you'll sand right thru the veneer before you know it. I refinished by Epi LP Plus (flame top veneer), but used only finish stripper - no sanding. As for sound: I ordered two identical Epi LP Plus guitars, intent on keeping the best. ONE of them had Incredible Tone - acoustically and electrically - the other just sounded like what I expected - an inexpensive beater. I was very surprised by the difference between the two "identical" guitars. -sd Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mrjones200x Posted April 27, 2008 Share Posted April 27, 2008 how much of my epi is actually mahogany then? Dont mind what type just wondered. You buy a whole mahogany guitar to find its bits and pieces of loads of stuff Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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