Mahogany bodies: how many pieces of wood?

[Mirroredas]

After watching the Indonesia factory tour (and also because of the price point), I know that the bodies are made of 2/3 pieces of mahogany. I'm fine with that, and I'm getting one as my backup (the Custom 22 Semi Hollow seems really appealing).

Are the SE's the only ones that are built like that? What about the Maryland made ones priced below the cores?

 

[vchizzle]

Generally, the core standards I’ve seen have been 1 piece. Granted these are older models as they don’t do many these days. Not sure on S2’s.

 

[Tim S]

Not sure on S2’s.

I just checked my S2 Singlecut. Two pieces.

 

[dogrocketp]

My S2 custom 24, 2 pieces, and an amazing sound. My SAS Is also 2 pieces.

 

[RickP]

Not a direct answer, but multi-piece construction has been a part of guitar making a long time. No need to worry about it being necessarily bad. I had a really nice Gibson Les Paul years and years ago the had three pieces of wood sandwiched horizontally together for the back, then three more pieces of maple stacked vertically for the top. Unfortunately Gibson didn’t make any effort at matching the top pieces so the grain was unattractively different, but it sounded awesome.

For PRS, all of my core guitars have a one piece back, and a two piece (and, unlike my old LP) very nicely matched top. The Silver Sky is opaque red, so I’m not sure how many pieces it consists of... the finish is so smooth, you’d think it’s one. But I’m sure it is two, maybe three.

 

[Alnus Rubra]

@bodia and others here have or have owned SSH guitars that have a (I believe) three-piece back made from Ash.

They are core guitars made to a very high standard.

 

[Tosca]

@bodia and others here have or have owned SSH guitars that have a (I believe) three-piece back made from Ash.

They are core guitars made to a very high standard.

This is correct. Ash bodies are only available through wood library, and like the 509 WL run that Bodia, myself and a few others here participated in...they are all three piece (although they matched grain so nicely it’s hard to tell). I don’t know that 1, 2 or 3 piece backs affect the sound much on a solid body electric...I can tell you that my #1, the PS P409 Sig in my avatar, has a three piece Korina back...because I wanted the lightest Korina possible...and it sounds amazing!

 

[bodia]

@bodia and others here have or have owned SSH guitars that have a (I believe) three-piece back made from Ash.

They are core guitars made to a very high standard.

This is correct. Ash bodies are only available through wood library, and like the 509 WL run that Bodia, myself and a few others here participated in...they are all three piece (although they matched grain so nicely it’s hard to tell). I don’t know that 1, 2 or 3 piece backs affect the sound much on a solid body electric...I can tell you that my #1, the PS P409 Sig in my avatar, has a three piece Korina back...because I wanted the lightest Korina possible...and it sounds amazing!

Id have to agree with respect to the 509. It’s REALLY hard to tell that it isn’t a single piece of swamp ash. Regardless, it is a phenomenal guitar.

 

[pac90]

1 piece S2 here, well think so but looks pretty either way

 

[Alnus Rubra]

Id have to agree with respect to the 509. It’s REALLY hard to tell that it isn’t a single piece of swamp ash. Regardless, it is a phenomenal guitar.

Apologies 509 (oops)

 

[Mirroredas]

Thanks for all the replies, guys. In my case, it's a mix of OCD and the Three Little Pigs story. I know that it will probably be a sturdy, great playing and sounding guitar, but I wouldn't want to see an off set body joint on the back of my future CE24 (it's curious that the 3 piece neck construction doesn't bother me as much). 2k Euros is still a lot of money for me and I'm expecting a high level of quality out of it, specially being a PRS.

Having said that, I'm also buying an SE as a backup, I know that the back it is made of multiple pieces and I'm fine with that.