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I've got a grandson that want's a "guitar" like Grampa's. For a first reso I'd like to build him a reso made out of plywood, old style w/wood sound well. It'll get knocked around a little being he's young. Heck, I don't know I may keep it if it sounds too good. Anyway, what can be said about Baltic Birch and Finnish Birch. What's the difference? What would you use? Can the sides of plywood be bent? The top made from 1/8 ply & back and sides 1/8? What's your recomendations?
Thanks

Dave

As far as I understand it from a couple of years ago some Baltic is Finnish (the good quality stuff) but some of it is Russian (not so good).

When I built this one


I used 1/4 for the top and 1/8 for the back. I wasn't sure about bending the stuff so I laminated the sides from thin modellers' ply.LouisianaGrey39114.6116319444

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Pete
http://www.petewoodmanguitars.com

Love that look Peter, it rocks!

Pete,
Looking at your website-you build quite a few resophonic guitars. On an acoustic reso I would think 1/4 is too thick for a top? Worried about glue coming loose when wetting the sides for a bend.

Dave

Thanks, Serge!

Dave, not all builders agree (though many do), but the way I see it the point of a reso is that the cone produces the sound, not the top of the guitar. I build all of mine with at least 1/4 inch tops and usually with additional reinforcement too. You really don't want the top moving because it will cause the cone to lose tone and volume. One of the major faults with a lot of the far eastern imports is that the tops are too flimsy. It seems to work for me, anyway, so I don't mess with a winning formula!

I worried about the glue on the sides coming loose too, so I laminated them from 3 layers of thin modellers' ply which bends without heat & moisture but is too thin on its own. It's about .8 mm (.031"). I don't know how they sell it in the USA but the stuff I get only bends one way so when ordering it I have to specify that I want the stuff to bend down the long side.

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Pete
http://www.petewoodmanguitars.com

Dave think of it this way. The top on a resonator has
a 9 or 10" (depending on the cone) hole cut in it,
more holes for the sound ports or 'f' holes, a sound
ring, well or even a 'tube' attached to the back glued
to the underside and then to top it all off a
fingerboard and a big metal plate attached to it.
Ain't nothing on what's left of that top moving enough
to create any sound and in fact like Pete says any
movement it does do takes away from what the cone
is trying to do.

Pete do you have a link to the veneers you're using?

I just looked it up and they seem to have gone out of business, because the website has gone. I've sometimes bought thin modellers' ply in sheets big enough for guitar sides in railway and boat modelling shops. There's a few links for UK suppliers given at http://modelshipworld.com/phpBB2/viewtopic.php?p=4895&sid=6b 871ec33e6a509dc7d626a5707d1b6f that I think I'll have to try out.

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Pete
http://www.petewoodmanguitars.com

Thanks Pete. Been wanting to start using 'ply' sides
and pretty veneer on the electrics even though with
the thin sides using solid wood is pretty economical.
I'd found a supplier months back and lost the link.

Ever consider using HPL? I've seen some electrics
built using it and even that Martin acoustic. I think a
Resocaster-style guitar made from some of those
granite or marble looking designs would be pretty
slick.

Guys, I'm not questioning the theory of construction. I tend to agree that there's not much wood left after the hole is made for the cone! I'm just trying to figure out 1) which plywood to buy for back, top and sides-Baltic Birch or Finnish Birch. 2)Can you bend plywood or should I call it laminate. The Beard reso kit is shipped as an "all plywood" guitar. Sides are preformed when you get em', so my main conceren is the bending of the birch w/heat and moisture the way conventional guitar construction is done.
The "Mike Auldridge" reso from Beard is an all laminate. It sounds great! My old OMI Dobro(laminate) has that old sound I like. So a lot can be said about those laminate resophonic guitars!!
Dave