Genuine Veneer vs. ALPI Reconstituted woods...

[Jules]

Here is a response from an ChatGPT (AI):

Alpi doesn’t use a slurry process for their engineered veneers. Instead, they follow a reconstituted veneer (often called “block-veneer”) method:

1. Peeling: Thin, uniform sheets are sliced from fast-growing logs. https://fahimiwoodbank.com/en/alpi-vene ... hatgpt.com

2. Coloring: These sheets may be dyed or pigmented to achieve uniform and custom tones.

3. Gluing & Pressing: The dyed veneers are glued (using urea, vinyl, or hot-melt adhesives) into a solid block under pressure. https://img.alpi.it/download/Technical_ ... hatgpt.com

4. Reslicing: The block is then sliced or sawn into new veneer sheets with engineered aesthetics. https://forums.vacupress.com/thread-vie ... hatgpt.com

This isn’t a slurry-based process—where wood fibers are mixed in a watery suspension and then reformed—but a layer-by-layer assembly of dyed sheets that preserves real wood structure, color, and consistency. Alpi pioneered this industrial block-veneer process and remains a leader in the field. https://www.salonemilano.it/en/brands/a ... hatgpt.com

So, no slurry involved—Alpi’s veneers are real wood, meticulously reconstructed and sliced for engineered beauty and uniformity.

One more thing about Alpi:

Alpi was founded in 1919 by Pietro Alpi in Modigliana, a town in the Province of Forlì-Cesena, Italy. It began as a small workshop focused on fine cabinetry before transitioning into industrial-scale production of reconstituted wood veneers. https://www.alpi.it/en/company?utm_source=chatgpt.com

END

Apparently some companies DO use a slurry, but Alpi is not one of them.

[James Fullier III]

Is it a fact that Alpi is cheaper than using real veneer? Is it a "poplar slurry"?

Or is there something to be said for the point that Sonor can easily offer their customers matching add-ons?

Well they definitely have good reason as far as Rosewood not being available like they need it to be.. and the matching drums is 100% correct because look at all the older Phonics and Sigs where guys got extra drums and you can always tell the ones that don't belong with the set.. I would be upset about that. Now everything matches when you order extra drums plus the Alpi ( at least the Rosewood IMO ) actually does look better than most of the real thing.

[SonorBart]

Pictured is my 22, 10, 12, 16ft Rosewood Lite kit that I traded Red Maple Hilites in the same sizes plus $1000 for. My chances of finding a matching 14ft were near zero, so I ordered a thin birch SQ2 Rosewood inside and out with no leg brackets or badge. I put correct lugs, leg brackets, and badge on it. I knew that the Alpi Rosewood would be darker and inquired if there was any way to get a lighter shade and was told "No." The Alpi actually matched the BD hoops closely as they tended to be darker than the shells on Rosewood Lites. I sold the kit in '20.

[Todd Weaver]

Some of the Alpi finishes are absolutely gorgeous. I had a chocolate burl Prolite kit prior to buying my SQ2 and it was one of the best looking kits I've ever owned.

[Frank Godiva]

Many hold the belief that ALPI on the inner ply kills whatever tone you think your getting from that maple, birch or beech shell.

From a recent dfo post:

“Careful on your choice of inside ply .. Hopefully you are referring to the genuine wood options they offer because you don't want that extreme soft and/or dead Alpi wood on the heavily influential inner ply IMO.”

[Jules]

Many hold the belief that ALPI on the inner ply kills whatever tone you think your getting from that maple, birch or beech shell.

From a recent dfo post:

“Careful on your choice of inside ply .. Hopefully you are referring to the genuine wood options they offer because you don't want that extreme soft and/or dead Alpi wood on the heavily influential inner ply IMO.”

This very argument occurred on the Sonormuseum many years ago. Someone had ordered an SQ2 and had no issues until after a few years he discovered that his inner/outer veneer was engineered. He immediately had a complaint about this very thing, but it had't affected the quality of sound before his discovery.

If someone can site a specific firsthand experience where their sound was adversely affected by using ALPI, please have them come on here and give us their story. Other than that, I would prefer to leave hearsay off the table.

I think this is one of several situations where people who don't like a decision that Sonor has had to make over the years perpetuate some negative rhetoric, and it isn't welcome here. Again, if someone has had a specific situation they can speak to personally, that's another matter.

[SonorBart]

I didn't notice any difference in the sound of the 14ft with Alpi on the inside compared to the drums with real Rosewood on the inside.

[Jules]

How about the reissue rosewood phonic snare currently in production?

It’s ALPI and the badge says Genuine Veneer cause ALPI is still poplar wood. The original said Genuine Rosewood on the badge.

False advertising?

IMG_2132.jpeg

This is a screenshot from the current catalog on the Sonor.com website...

Page 89:
https://www.sonor.com/fileadmin/user_up ... 24-web.pdf

[James Fullier III]

.

Yeah it is the actual Rosewood on the re-issue snare

It says on that PDF: " Genuine Rosewood Inner and Outer Veneer "

[Frank Godiva]

That’s a positive

Thx for the correction