One commonality among all musicians, from those starting their journeys of learning guitar all the way to career musicians and seasoned veterans, is that we all want to sound great. While practice does make perfect, we also draw inspiration from the instruments we hold in our hands. For acoustic musicians, the construction methods and materials used in crafting a guitar play a vital role in not only how great our guitars sound but how they move us as individuals. As such, all-solid-wood guitars encourage us to get the most out of our instruments (and ourselves). To better understand the benefits of solid wood construction, let’s address a few common questions.
What is a solid-wood guitar?
Solid wood guitars are exactly that — they are made from pieces of solid wood instead of being constructed with parts made from thin plies of wood bonded together with adhesive. Solid wood responds easily to vibrations (such as the plucking of guitar strings), making it favored by players for its musical properties and by luthiers and technicians regarding guitar repairs. As with any wood, it is susceptible to expanding, shrinking, and shifting due to climate and environmental changes.
What’s the difference between solid wood and laminate?
High-pressure laminates, or HPLs, are constructed from laminated wood held together with a resin and bonded together with enormous pressure, typically with a thin veneer as the top layer for visual appeal. The construction process of high-pressure laminates adds stiffness and stability to acoustic guitars, which can make them more durable and more resistant to environmental changes such as humidity. On the flip side, this also takes away some of the resonance, sustain, and “liveliness” compared to a solid-wood guitar.
Why should I get an all-solid-wood acoustic guitar?
There are multiple reasons that great players and career musicians prefer solid wood over laminates. First and foremost, solid wood sounds fantastic! HPL-based guitars can still sound good on their own, but where proper solid wood ultimately wins is its ability to flex when played. As solid wood flexes and vibrates with the strings, sound pressure increases inside the body, leading to a louder, more vibrant sound. This sound is then further sculpted by the bracing on the guitar top.
Another benefit to solid-wood guitars is that their tone changes with age, much like fine wines. As these guitars expand and contract over years of use, the wood fibers dry out as residual moisture evaporates. This results in the guitars becoming lighter in weight and the wood developing a sweeter, mellower tonality through the years. Some guitar manufacturers even utilize their own accelerated aging processes, typically referred to as torrefaction, to simulate the qualities of a much older instrument. This process isn’t compatible with laminate guitars due to the nature of their construction.
Now that you know the benefits of solid-wood guitars, let’s explore a curated list of all-solid-wood acoustic guitars that are accessible on a modest budget.
- Martin Sweetwater Select Vintage Inspired Road Series OM-10E Acoustic-electric Guitar
- Yamaha Red Label FG3 Acoustic Guitar
- Eastman Guitars E1OM-Special Acoustic Guitar
- Eastman Guitars E1P Acoustic Guitar
- Alvarez MD60e Herringbone Masterworks Series Acoustic-electric Guitar
- Epiphone J-45 Acoustic Guitar
- Martin D Jr-E StreetLegend Burst Acoustic-electric Guitar
- Alvarez MF66ce Shadowburst Masterworks Series Acoustic-electric Guitar
- Epiphone Hummingbird Acoustic Guitar
Martin Sweetwater Select Vintage Inspired Road Series OM-10E Acoustic-electric Guitar
The Martin Sweetwater Select Vintage Inspired Road Series OM-10E features a solid spruce top with scalloped X-bracing — a popular combination that allows the top to vibrate more freely, increasing overall warmth and volume. Martin’s smaller OM body style offers a comfortable hold while retaining the full punch and power of a larger acoustic. While this may be a new instrument, the aging toner used on the OM-10E lends a mature look and further emphasizes the solid top as well as the solid sapele back and sides. A Martin E1 preamp comes preinstalled with a built-in tuner, ensuring the OM-10E is performance ready.
Yamaha Red Label FG3 Acoustic Guitar
The Yamaha Red Label series hearkens back to the traditional Yamaha acoustic tone that has been highly celebrated since its beginnings in 1966, when these guitars were originally designed for folk guitarists and singer/songwriters. The FG3 represents another fine example of warm yet punchy all-solid-wood tone with a Sitka spruce top, mahogany back and sides, a mahogany neck, and an ebony fingerboard. Scalloped top bracing, like the OM-10E, enhances the low end and overall projection. Yamaha applies their A.R.E. (Acoustic Resonance Enhancement) torrefaction process to the FG3’s Sitka spruce top, subjecting it to a controlled combination of heat, humidity, and pressure that flexes and shrinks the tonewoods, accelerates the aging process, and gives the guitar a rich tone direct from the factory.
Eastman Guitars E1OM-Special Acoustic Guitar
The Eastman E1OM-Special utilizes high-quality tonewoods and finishing processes designed to bring out optimal tone. Eastman Guitars utilized their own torrefaction process for the E1OM-Special. The thermal curing applied to the Sitka spruce top and the solid quilted sapele back and sides removes additional moisture, resulting in a highly resonant top with a warmer, more open voice. The scalloped X-bracing adds additional punch and low end, maximizing the spruce top’s resonance with the sapele back and sides.
Eastman Guitars E1P Acoustic Guitar
Another Eastman guitar making our list, the E1P’s smaller parlor body shape and shorter scale length make it a solid, easy-to-play instrument for any player. The Sitka spruce top is supported by scalloped X-bracing over sapele back and sides, supplying a midrange-focused projection that’s neither too dark nor too bright. The naturally warm tone that emanates from its solid sapele back and sides body is perfect for fingerstyle and bluegrass players. To top it off, the Truetone satin finish not only offers a rustic look but also allows the tonewoods to breathe more naturally, enhancing the already sweet tones coming from the E1P.
Alvarez MD60e Herringbone Masterworks Series Acoustic-electric Guitar
When considering instruments at certain price points, there comes a compromise between form and function. With Alvarez’s Masterworks line of instruments, you get the best of both worlds. The MD60e is a traditional flat-top guitar equally suitable for strumming or fingerpicking. Its AAA Sitka spruce top, combined with African mahogany back and sides, produces a well-balanced tone with an immediate, snappy response to every note you play. Unlike other guitar makers, who submit their tops to their own methods of torrefaction, Alvarez puts their tops, backs, and sides through their Advanced Tonal Response (ATR) process. The result? A more resonant, more lightweight, and louder-sounding instrument full of rich lows and chiming highs. Moreover, the MD60e is outfitted with an LR Baggs HiFi acoustic pickup system primed to deliver a well-defined acoustic tone through any acoustic amp or PA you plug into.
Epiphone J-45 Acoustic Guitar
The Epiphone J-45, part of the Inspired by Gibson series, lives up to its nickname, “The Workhorse,” with its comfortable sloped dreadnought body shape. Made from a solid Sitka spruce top and mahogany back and sides, Epiphone captured the essence of this revered instrument with a balanced sonic profile featuring a healthy dose of lows and midrange that sounds fantastic on its own or with a band. It also includes onboard Fishman electronics ready to dazzle at your next gig.
Martin D Jr-E StreetLegend Burst Acoustic-electric Guitar
The Martin D Jr-E StreetLegend Burst stands out from this list for numerous reasons — one of the most obvious being the “road worn” style finish simulating the wear and tear associated with years of playtime. This guitar is also built around sapele back and sides with a spruce top for a pleasing blend of warmth and punch. Another reason to get your hands on this instrument is its slightly smaller body and neck-length dimensions. The scalloped X-bracing pattern preserves the low-end response, projecting a full-bodied voice in a friendly, travel-size format. Like the OM-10E from this list, the D Jr-E StreetLegend Burst is gig ready with the Martin E1 acoustic pickup and tuner preinstalled. All you need to do is plug in and play.
Alvarez MF66ce Shadowburst Masterworks Series Acoustic-electric Guitar
Another testament to looks and playability, the Alvarez MF66ce steps up in the looks department by adding an abalone rosette that beautifully yet subtly contrasts the dark Shadowburst finish of the top. Suitable for all flatpicking and fingerpicking styles, the MF66ce exudes comfort from its smaller OM body shape. Two more reasons why this instrument shines: the all-mahogany top, back, and sides project a warm, midrange-rich character perfect for recording in front of your favorite microphones; and the LR Baggs HiFi pickup system faithfully reproduces the guitar’s natural acoustic tone through your rig. Like the MD60e, this guitar’s body has also been given the ATR treatment, offering a loud, proud sonic experience that befits a seasoned instrument.
Epiphone Hummingbird Acoustic Guitar
Among the most recognizable acoustic guitars, the Epiphone Hummingbird — also part of the Inspired by Gibson series — re-creates the sound and feel of its classic counterpart. Featuring a solid Sitka spruce top with solid mahogany back and sides, the Hummingbird projects an overall punchy and bright tone that stands out in a band mix. Still, the low-end projection is big and bold, making this great for strummers as well as fingerstyle players that want a little more volume. The Epiphone Hummingbird is also outfitted with a Fishman Sonicore under-saddle pickup that captures the natural brilliance of the instrument. And with easy-to-reach volume and tone controls, the amplified tone you seek is right at your fingertips.
Shop Sweetwater’s Outstanding Selection of Solid-wood Acoustic Guitars
With solid-wood acoustic guitars, you make a wonderful investment in unmatched resonance that grows with you over time and get a quality instrument sure to build many memories throughout your life (and possibly be passed down your family tree!). Whether you’re seeking a contemporary guitar with some flair and electronics or something traditional with loads of tonal character, Sweetwater has the right musical tools for you, not to mention humidification systems suited to your environment. A good case can help keep your guitar’s humidity stable when used in conjunction with a humidification solution. Storing your guitar in the case with humidification is recommended.
Your Sweetwater Sales Engineer is ready to make your guitar dreams a reality. Give them a call today at (800) 222-4700!
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