Originally Posted by: aliasmaximus

I owned an F-35 way back when, and I know for sure that mine was fully laminated, including the soundboard. Not a great deal of volume, but also not bad for a mass produced Japanese guitar from the late 70's. I currently have a vintage Sigma Dreadnought (made by Martin) with laminated body and solid soundboard that, not surprisingly, puts out more volume than the F-35 did.

Sascha

That's interesting. I wonder why (?), and if you're comparing those remembered apples with the same apples in terms of setup and strings then and now etc. One wouldn't think the volume differential was just down to the soundboard tonewood factor, rather more influenced by the string type, gauge, internal cubic volume and bracing pattern for guitars of the same body shape and size? [br][br]That said, I readily 'fess don't own an F-35 and am never likely to to form any perception other than 'it's a Dreadnought and should be loud'. As mentioned in my intial post, my Dread is a laminated spruce top with a mahogany body, and it's as loud as (I want it to be)! [br][br]Cheers mate!