Laminate plates

[Dookychase]

Does anyone know where I can purchase laminate top/back plates to build an archtop? I've searched the web and the only place that comes up is Holst guitars. He's out of stock. I did not contacthim to see when they might become available.Thanks for your help.

[neatomic]

check with

Luthier - Laminate Tops - Page 1 - Global Wood Source


cheers

[guido5]

check with

Luthier - Laminate Tops - Page 1 - Global Wood Source


cheers

Yet another dangerous black hole you have pointed me towards...

[rlrhett]

check with

Luthier - Laminate Tops - Page 1 - Global Wood Source


cheers

I don't think that is what he was referring to. Those are what most people refer to as "drop tops". A thick decorative wood glued to the top of an electric solid body guitar.

There used to be a couple of sellers of pressed plates like those used on a Gibson ES-175 or ES-335, but a Goggle search for them isn't turning them up anymore. Ken McKay at upnorthstrings.com was one source who apparently gave up. The other was called "Acme Archtops" out of Vermont. Apparently also out of business. The third source was http://www.pacinfo.com/~sholst/lamordering.htm, but it is a VERY janky website that doesn't seem to have been updated in five years. I suspect that is a black hole too.

There just doesn't seem to be anyone out there right now selling pressed laminate plates to luthiers. Not sure why. Not even AliExpress or Ebay seem to have them.

[Ol' Fret]

If someone is looking for quality plates, wedges, pressed solid or laminated plates, he'll find them in Germany - for example here:

https://www.kollitz.de/en/products/c...?m=1562315505&
(scroll down to page 6)

[Tal_175]

There are companies that sell kits for Gibson ES guitar clones. They might sell plates separately. I'm assuming you are looking to get laminate plates that are already arched.

[neatomic]

I don't think that is what he was referring to. Those are what most people refer to as "drop tops". A thick decorative wood glued to the top of an electric solid body guitar.

i was using link, as a pointer to the company...they have their own mill and shop...may be able to help or point in right direction

also fellow forum member barry of grez guitars, make his own laminates...he might have some helpful suggestions as well

cheers

[Hammertone]

I have a few sets of German-made laminated archtop guitar plates around here somewhere. They are new-old-stock from the 1960s. Some came from Hofner, and some came from Roger. Hofner made/makes its own laminated plates. Roger probably got them from Kollitz when they built a few pressed and/or laminated Roger Juniors for Boosey&Hawkes, their distributors for the UK market.

[thelostboss]

Acme Archtops certainly changed hands a while back but they still seem to be active here: BACK- AND SIDE-SETS - ACME ARCHTOPS

[Grez]

The problem for me, and I suppose others in my situation is that, my time is fully booked making guitars. So for example, I don't take on repair work. The way I see it, I would be asking someone that has been waiting months for a new guitar and is paying thousands of dollars to wait while I stop to do some repair to make a hundred bucks. It's sort of the same for laminating tops/backs for other people. It's an interruption in my schedule and process to make, not very much money.

I don't think the demand is very high for this so setting up to do it as a side business isn't very realistic. And there are so many possible variations of wood and thicknesses and laminate orientations.......... any money you would hope to make would be eaten up on the phone discussing what someone wants or what you make wouldn't be what they want.

Sorry to appear to be a downer on this topic. Luthiers sometimes have a reputation of always delivering guitars late. Often a lack of focus and organization are part of the cause and while it might seem like a fun distraction to stop everything a make a few plates, it's just part of that slippery slope that leads to being hopelessly behind.

On the other hand, if you wanted to set up to do it yourself, I'd be happy to answer a few questions to get you going. Email me.

[Dookychase]

Thanks for all the replies. This is for a friend of mine's who used to work part time for Jimmy Foster of Foster Guitars. He bought some arched plates with Fritz Kollitz a few years agobut was hoping to find someone here in the states instead of Germany.Thanks again.

[rlrhett]

Acme Archtops certainly changed hands a while back but they still seem to be active here: BACK- AND SIDE-SETS - ACME ARCHTOPS

Nice to see they are still around. I like the looks of their stuff, and I’ve seen a couple of really nice guitars made with their plates. $400-$500 for a complete set isn’t cheap, but not crazy either. And they seem to be the only US based option left.


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[mlhguitar]

I'd be very interested in one of your top plates if you have any available?!

[Hammertone]

I have a few sets of German-made laminated archtop guitar plates around here somewhere. They are new-old-stock from the 1960s. Some came from Hofner, and some came from Roger. Hofner made/makes its own laminated plates. Roger probably got them from Kollitz when they built a few pressed and/or laminated Roger Juniors for Boosey&Hawkes, their distributors for the UK market.

I'd be very interested in one of your top plates if you have any available?!

I'll take some pix - I have no use for most of these parts and may as well sell them to those who are interested. This includes various sets of laminated top and back plates, some sets of solid, pressed top and back plates, a few laminated, '60s Hofner archtop bodies, and a few '60s Hofner guitar necks.

[thelostboss]

I'll take some pix - I have no use for most of these parts and may as well sell them to those who are interested. This includes various sets of laminated top and back plates, some sets of solid, pressed top and back plates, a few laminated, '60s Hofner archtop bodies, and a few '60s Hofner guitar necks.

Hi Hammer

I would be interested in any unfinished Hofner bits that you may have although shipping to Oz may be a problem.

Cheer

TLB

[Hammertone]

Here a quick picture. I'll take pix of individual items and post them here for interest and in the for sale section once I price them. The photo shows five sets of general @17" laminated plates (spruce laminated tops and maple laminated back plates, probably from Kollitz), underneath two sets of rough-carved Roger plates. There are some Hofner bits on top as well. I do have a box elsewhere with additional laminated plates - I'll get to that later. The Hofner plates show five laminations, and the Kollitz plates have four laminations. More to come.

[Seanwhcraig]

Here a quick picture. I'll take pix of individual items and post them here for interest and in the for sale section once I price them. The photo shows five sets of general @17" laminated plates (spruce laminated tops and maple laminated back plates, probably from Kollitz), underneath two sets of rough-carved Roger plates. There are some Hofner bits on top as well. I do have a box elsewhere with additional laminated plates - I'll get to that later. The Hofner plates show five laminations, and the Kollitz plates have four laminations. More to come.

Did you end up coming up with a price for those tops and backs?

[citizenk74]

I'd be very interested in one of your top plates if you have any available?!

[citizenk74]

Did you end up coming up with a price for those tops and backs?

[Hammertone]

Sure. $225/plate or $400/set, plus shipping. I'll take pix of each plate, front and back, and post them along with their dimensions, over at the For Sale section.

[desperateaudio]

Hammertone

Hope all is well. I'm new on the forum but saw you had archtop plates back a couple of years wondering if you still have any?

Thx

Anthony

[desperateaudio]

Sure. $225/plate or $400/set, plus shipping. I'll take pix of each plate, front and back, and post them along with their dimensions, over at the For Sale section.

Thought maybe I should quote the pricing so it was obvious to my request thx

[Hammertone]

Hi desperateaudio. Yes, I still have a pile of plates. I'll send you a PM.