335/archtop style question

[joel]

I've been thinking lately about one of my favourite electric guitar types - the 335. In particular, I've been thinking about how the tops and backs are carved out of a thick billet. Seems a bit wasteful to me and I was wondering if the top and back of a 335 style could be made domed across the whole surface like an acoustic. I know, it won't look exactly the same, but I think it would vastly simplify the body construction. Has anyone seen a 335-ish shape done this way?

[kiwigeo]

The 335's have laminate tops and as far as I'm aware also laminated sides and backs. A vacuum press might be a good aquisition at this stage

Here's one guys method: https://silo.tips/queue/making-an-es-33 ... dkOmY1YjA=
This may also help: https://youtu.be/Agj-PRrwWZQ

[TallDad71]

My first thought is no.

Even if you were willing to sacrifice its appearance A little.

The main body wouldn’t be so bad but you would lose the concave to convex change at the edges, the wing tips are very curved and a laminate would really struggle here over a former. Then you have the loss of any solid wood in which to house the pick-ups and bridge in, and that bulk does a lot of the work for attaching the back half.

You would also need to carve a former to shape it to, in which case you may as well go ahead and just carve the top.

Sorry! A bit pessimistic there.

[56nortondomy]

The other thing to consider is you wouldn't be able to carve a re curve around the edges and that is a big factor in the sound of these types of guitars.
Wayne

[joel]

Thanks for the replies. It's a thought provoking topic.