One-piece vs. Multi-piece bodies

AdamBrad

AdamBrad

New member
How much difference is there really?

While I understand the basic logic of better resonance of a one-piece body, but is there a notable tonal difference?
Is a two-piece body any better than a three?

Similarly I understand the higher cost of a one-piece because you need a bigger piece of wood without defects, but is it worth it?

I was looking at places that make custom bodies and was interested in the price difference...
 
Re: One-piece vs. Multi-piece bodies

Their intrinsic value is exactly the same as is a 5 or 7 piece body. They will all do the same job with probably the exact same lifespan.

Tonally the argument is so subjective there is no point. You will find one piece bodies that suck and 5 piece bodies that rock. Its wood its natural so its variable its that simple.

The only comment I will make is that multi piece bodies are that way usually so they can cut out defects while its actually pretty hard to get a piece of wood large enough to make a body that wont warp so the quality and curing is higher. Is this measurable in "tone" nope but if you are someone that appreciates someone that is made to a higher quality standard than a single piece body might interest you. If you are just after a body then it doesnt matter.

Keep this in mind though most of the vintage revered bodies praised as being the greatest in all the land were 2 or 3 piece bodies.

The problem with looking at it through the lens of "tonal difference" is that tone cant be measured and worst of all people want something that is 100% more expensive to have 100% more tone and its just not like that. A knowledgeable luthier can tap a body and find one with the characteristics you want but will it be worth the cost? Only you can decide that.

Personally Im just a fan of quality and not a fan of oven cured fast growth wood for no other reason that I appreciate a quality piece of wood that took 60 years to grow. Does it sound better? Dunno but i like it so its worth it.
 
Re: One-piece vs. Multi-piece bodies

All my really great sounding guitars are multi-piece.

In basses it's even worse with the multi-part necks on many great sounding instruments. Doesn't get much more obvious than that.
 
Re: One-piece vs. Multi-piece bodies

I prefer 1 piece bodies for Natural/Oil & Clear/Transparent finishes. I like the wood grain to be even. I've heard arguments for and against the "tonal" properties of it...my best sounding guitar is a 1 piece Basswood strat BUT the best sounding Fender was a 3 piece Ash Strat...
 
Re: One-piece vs. Multi-piece bodies

One piece bodies often look really cool. The best sounding guitars I've ever played have been multi piece bodies though. Hell, even plywood guitars (335s) tend to sound pretty nice too . . .
 
Re: One-piece vs. Multi-piece bodies

GuitarStv said:
One piece bodies often look really cool. The best sounding guitars I've ever played have been multi piece bodies though. Hell, even plywood guitars (335s) tend to sound pretty nice too . . .
Click to expand...

The 335's and such are a great argument against the "one piece" is better...for electrics that its.
 
Re: One-piece vs. Multi-piece bodies

I believe the argument (against multi-piece bodies)is that the glue gets in the way some how.

I've played everything under the sun and I've played cr@ppy 7 thousand dollar guitars and awesome 200 dollar guitars. I played a (genuine) '59 Les Paul Custom that was so bad it changed the way I look at everything.
 
Re: One-piece vs. Multi-piece bodies

AdamBrad said:
While I understand the basic logic of better resonance of a one-piece body, but is there a notable tonal difference?
Is a two-piece body any better than a three?
Click to expand...

How do we agree on what better sounds like? Sometimes guitars can sustain longer but somehow sound less pleasing, or vice versa. If you combined together everyone's opinions, there would probably be a range of likable tones, sort of like a "strike zone", and I bet you'd find examples of one piece and multi-piece that both land within that likable "strike zone".
 
Re: One-piece vs. Multi-piece bodies

One piece looks better under natural finishes :) all these guys hit the nail on the head. You can have great bodies and dogs on either end of the spectrum.

I prefer a nice 2 piece when working with a wood that may cup after you cut it or hollow it out. I've had 1pc bodies cup on me twice now. First time I fixed it, second time you could have eaten soup out of it.
 
Re: One-piece vs. Multi-piece bodies

Chocklit_Thunda said:
One piece looks better under natural finishes :) all these guys hit the nail on the head. You can have great bodies and dogs on either end of the spectrum.

I prefer a nice 2 piece when working with a wood that may cup after you cut it or hollow it out. I've had 1pc bodies cup on me twice now. First time I fixed it, second time you could have eaten soup out of it.
Click to expand...

I personally have not had any problems with my 1 piece Walnut and 1 piece Basswood....fingers crossed lol
 
Re: One-piece vs. Multi-piece bodies

I have a one piece swamp ash bass and a 1 piece swamp ash Strat. Great guitars. I do not notice any differences between them and my multi piece instruments when it comes to tone or resonance. I think what it really boils down to is the quality of the pieces used. You can get a bum one piece just like one or two pieces in a multi piece could be bum pieces of wood resulting in dead zones of the guitar.
 
Re: One-piece vs. Multi-piece bodies

treyhaislip said:
The 335's and such are a great argument against the "one piece" is better...for electrics that its.
Click to expand...

Yep. It's why I think the argument about glue deadening the tone of a guitar is so silly. Larry Carlton, Eric Clapton, Chuck Berry, Otis Rush, Dave Grohl, Alex Lifeson, Eric Johnson, BB King . . . a lot of people made plywood sound pretty nice.
 
Re: One-piece vs. Multi-piece bodies

GuitarStv said:
Yep. It's why I think the argument about glue deadening the tone of a guitar is so silly. Larry Carlton, Eric Clapton, Chuck Berry, Otis Rush, Dave Grohl, Alex Lifeson, Eric Johnson, BB King . . . a lot of people made plywood sound pretty nice.
Click to expand...

Yup, very true!

My dad has a super cheap Mako strat that is plywood of probably the cheapest kind you can make...it sound incredible especially considering he paid under $100 for it.
 
Re: One-piece vs. Multi-piece bodies

The notion that 'more glue = more bad' is the kind of assumption that distorts perspectives on what good quality is and how it relates to good sound. Some people at first assume that a heavier guitar must sustain longer, so you get guys asking if they should fill their control cavity with concrete, or assuming thick wire must be better than thin wire, or jumbo frets better that thin ones, but eventually they learn that things are not that simple. More is not always better, less is not always worse. It's a fine balance between numerous factors. The quality of something in isolation might seem plainly obvious, but once it become part of the larger system, it gives and takes in ways that are not intuitive, and possibly not even known to any of us.
 
Re: One-piece vs. Multi-piece bodies

It's not a thing I worry about much, except every now and then I'll see two (or more) badly matched pieces and think "Oh, that's a shame. That would have been so pretty otherwise."
 
Re: One-piece vs. Multi-piece bodies

St_Genesius said:
It's not a thing I worry about much, except every now and then I'll see two (or more) badly matched pieces and think "Oh, that's a shame. That would have been so pretty otherwise."
Click to expand...

Mismatched wood really throws my OCD into convulsions. lol

Such as
View attachment 64458
View attachment 64459
View attachment 64460

Granted, these are probably supposed to be painted, but I've seen examples of this type with a natural finish and just think bleh.

But what really bothers my OCD the most is when the Flame Tops are not even
View attachment 64461
View attachment 64462

I love the look of Flame tops but when they are not properly book-matched then I don't like looking at it. lol
 
Re: One-piece vs. Multi-piece bodies

There are several issues with multipiece vs 1.......and there is no definitive answer here as as to 'what is better' - vintage Fenders were 3 piece bodies, and even vintage Gibson had many pieces making up their bodies

No one yet can definitively say from just looking at wood whether it will make for a pleasing guitar or not.
Equally no-one can say just looking at several pieces if they will make a great combo once together.
Given it is well known wood is quite variable, more pieces = more chances several won't play well together. But equally it could be that those combinations allow for a balanced tone if the cancellations/resonances work out.
Tone is variable - there is equally crap plywood as there is good plywood. Glue is an interesting part of the equation. A good glue joint will transfer energy in a close to transparent way. Other glues can perform much worse and deaden the interface - not all glues are equal.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top