Hi Noname,
I found this at AGF, and Paul Woolson put this one there, so here it is;
What the heck is a double top?
The term ?double top? had been thrown around for a few years now. In its current form, it?s relatively new technology. However, classical builders have been used the original form of the double top for decades. The concept of a double-topped guitar is pretty simple: Sandwich a thin layer of aerospace honeycomb material between two very thin tops (or skins as we call them in our shop). This is done in a vacuum process, which creates a very stiff and stable soundboard. The main advantage to this structure is that the top can be built very lightly braced and still remain structurally sound. A lighter top allows more energy from the strings to turn into sound. The final result, in its very simplistic form, is a louder guitar.
In the hands of a knowledgeable and experienced builder, that volume is carried throughout all of the strings, giving the guitar a rich, loud and even tone.
Currently, I?m in the middle of a very interesting experiment. I sent a double-topped guitar out on the road to be tested, played, reviewed and recorded by some of the finest guitarists around. The goal is to produce a CD of diverse players, playing very different music all on one guitar. I had no idea what kind of response I would get because the sound of a double top is unique compared to a standard ?off the shelf? guitar. In my mind, it was a great guitar. However these musicians are playing some of the finest guitars on the planet. It?s a little intimidating to say the least.
So far, the results have been overwhelming.
Following are a few of the high-praise reviews this guitars has seen:
I can?t say enough good things about that guitar; really, really impressive. It really plays like a dream, one of the nicest necks I?ve played, and the sound is distinctive and superb. This is an amazing leap forward. I?m sure you know I have some top-notch guitars, and this one stands as at least an equal to any of them. In fact, I didn?t touch any of them the whole time the guitar was here.
Doug Young,
Mountain View, Calif.
[This guitar has] tons of dynamic range, with a pure, responsive tone from quietest to loudest playing ... Strong, smooth tone from the trebles, and a fairly balanced bass response, with the bass being focused (as it should be) rather than flabby ...
Larry Pattis,
Creswell, Ore.
This is one of the most beautiful guitars I have seen ... This guitar has a very smooth tone with nice fat and warm trebles all the way up the neck. The high E string is nearly as full sounding as the B string next to it and the G string next to that ... Interestingly, even with the cedar top, one can really play loudly with a lot of energy without the tone going south at all.
Derek Coombs,
San Luis Obispo, Calif.
Visit
http://www.roadtripguitar.com for more reviews, photos and sound files of this double-topped road trip guitar.
I'm sure his article will clarify some of your questions.