Lamination

A few random points to consider:
I should declare that my first and only foray into laminating was using bought veneers and resulted in a very heavy guitar back that, although it looked the part, was not used and eventually binned.
Most plies for plywood and veneers for wood laminates are knifed from circular logs along their circumference, and so are 'quartersawn' by default.
If the layers of a laminate are thin enough and the outer layers are quartersawn it is very difficult to pick laminates from solid wood unless the end grain is visible, so for backs (and sides) if bound, there are no visible clues.
Flatsawn laminates can show some very interesting and attractive grain patterns in circular and “S” shaped swirls. To me, this looks a bit unnatural or at least, non-traditional.
For ukulele, if you intend to do dished backs you can get away with pretty well anything as long as your bonding technique is sound.
Their is a heap of information on internet forum pages and YouTube on guitar wood laminating.
I think, that arguably, this technique has more merit for larger bodied instruments than it has for ukulele.(Personal preference only).
The main benefit is that you end up with a super-strong one piece back that many believe sounds superior.
 
1/4 sawn is preferable in every way, although i've used flat sawn inners in poplar and walnut.

Brazilian rosewood veneer would be the exception.
 
1/4 sawn is preferable in every way, although i've used flat sawn inners in poplar and walnut.

Brazilian rosewood veneer would be the exception.

I always thought laminated ukes were the cheap ones made from plywood...Before I started making e'm , I once bought a Lanikai Tenor it was advertised as Flame Maple it looked beautiful but it didnt play too well it's tone sucked and the volume was weak it was all veneers back front and sides (Posh plywood) Just my thoughts..I accept that there are some great sounding veneered instruments out there but that one wasn't one of e'm.
 
I always thought laminated ukes were the cheap ones made from plywood...Before I started making e'm , I once bought a Lanikai Tenor it was advertised as Flame Maple it looked beautiful but it didnt play too well it's tone sucked and the volume was weak it was all veneers back front and sides (Posh plywood) Just my thoughts..I accept that there are some great sounding veneered instruments out there but that one wasn't one of e'm.

~ Laminate sides are very, very common now in the high end guitar world (as in, $35,000 guitars, ie Somogyi). I laminate all my uke and guitar sides with solid tone wood- Some do it with thin ply- it makes no difference to sound (between solid wood and ply) in regard to sides which are made this way to be inert and very stiff- THAT contributes to sound.
~ Laminated backs not so common although I just did two.
~ Laminated tops aren't good in a factory setting but can be made good in a luthiers hands- I laminate my curly redwood tops for stability but the overall thickness remains the same- so no thickness is added, just stability.
 
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