My 'cello is bullet proof...

[Keith Erickson]

Well sort of....

Over the years I've committed the most clumsy acts like walking into walls, doors, windows and furniture with this thing and it's made the most ugliest bangs I have ever heard an instrument make. The noise is completely unbearable.

This morning I walked right into an exposed door hinge with my 'cello and it sounded like a gun shot going off. Scared the living daylights out of me.

My question is that this is a Madeira Guild and yes it has some slight dings, but nothing what should show the absolute idiotic mistakes in which I handled this instrument.

Am I just lucky on borrowed time or was this built like a tank?

More or less just curious

Much obliged ~o)

[allenhopkins]

Fine Asian plywood! Repels stains, dings, splits, chafing, etc...

Madeira was Guild's import line in the '70's and early '80's. Decently made instruments; I sold quite a few of them when I worked part-time in an instrument store. I've been Googling around trying to find if the better Madeira models had solid tops, but I'm getting conflicting info. I'm 85% sure that all the backs and sides were laminates. Laminated wood is stronger and more damage resistant since the grain in each layer is perpendicular rather than parallel to the grain in the adjacent layers. Nowhere near as likely to split. And as I recall Madeira guitars had a pretty thick finish as well, and were sturdily braced.

Not bulletproof, but "built like a brick outhouse," as they say. Keep banging it into things, however, and sooner or later the "borrowed time" may run out.

[Tim2723]

I had a Madeira 12-string guitar in the 70's. You could hammer nails with it, paddle a canoe, pretty much bullet-proof.

[Matt DeBlass]

There's something to be said for laminate instruments for the gigging musician. There's a point in every pub-singers career where "good enough" sound and extreme durability are the most desirable attributes for your axe.
Or maybe I keep telling myself that because I can't afford nice toys ;-)

[EdHanrahan]

And as I recall Madeira guitars had a pretty thick finish as well ...

... that was probably polyurethane, the stuff they use on wooden bar tops!

My cheapo '71 Epiphone 12-string STILL looks pristine, not like those yucky THIN finishes that ya see on, say, a Martin! ;)

[JEStanek]

I thought maybe you had actually shot it, Kieth.

Jamie

[CES]

If Tim says it's bulletproof, well, then...

[Keith Erickson]

My goodness I know that this instrument is heavily laminated.

The funny thing is that when drove across country with it from humid New Jersey to hot and dry West Texas, it didn't even affect the tuning. I've never even bothered to purchase a humidifer for it.

So it seems that I have that "brick outhouse" but my question is if this is made from plywood, how come my 'cello seem to have a decent tone that keeps on rolling?

I for one will be careful in the future because even though this Madeira Guild may have come with 900 lives, sooner or later, I'll run through them.

This is truly great feedback.

Thank you all ~o)

[allenhopkins]

It's an oversimplification to dismiss laminated-wood instruments as "junky." Some are decent, and I think the Madeira line was an example of that. C F Martin is currently making some guitars out of non-wood laminated material, and they're playable and sound acceptable. A laminated instrument is unlikely to reach the highest levels, but I'm not that surprised to find out that your 'cello conversion sounds good. And one of the advantages of laminated-wood construction is increased durability.

[Tim2723]

Probably the fairest description of laminated instruments I ever heard went like this: If it's well-made, good sounding, plays easily and in tune, then it qualifies as a musical instrument. If it starts out with a nice tone, it will stay that way, but probably never get much better, so don't buy a laminate instrument that you don't love from the start in the hope that it will improve with age.

[swampy]

You trade tone for durability. I have an 90's plywood guitar and a plywood mandolin. Do they sound as good as the solid tops...NO. But they play well and seem to hold their tuning forever. Great for camping and outdoor jams!!!