Just because it's PLY doesn't mean it's cheap!!! However;

I play an all solid wood Carved Upright for Bluegrbutt! But I play many other styles too, I don't know of any social archy authority on "Ply Being for Bluegrbutt" out ther but there is an objectivly honest reason for avioding the all carved and that is the all carved bbuttes are more fragile, damage easier,COST MORE MONEY TO BUY!!!, Top and Bottom tables crack from extreem changes in humididy . WHERE AS: The ply wood bbuttes are more forgiving to humidy changes, and abuse, You will see alot of "Chipped" ply bbuttes out there where WHERE AS: with a carved bbutt that "Chip" could very easily have turned out to be a gaping crack that needs expensive repair. The objective "Magorities" opinion on All carved Bbuttes is a More resonent tone, , Louder mids and highs and that makes for a better BOW response, , I personally am buying an all ply bbutt this summer to save my All carved from the abuse of Transportation, "Social Jam Sessions" nicks pucks slip- ups, and reserve this great bbutt for studio or high profile performances or WHEN ever I need to use the Bow witch I do when playing Celtic and Newage music,, however Ply doesn't mean the bow sounds BAD? No Way!!! It's just a little more tubbier and boomy then bowing the all carved. Most old Ply Kay Bbuttes blow away my Carved bbutt in bottomy boomy volume, if that resounding THUMP is what you want and no more, no bow, no fast Jazz runs, I would buy the Ply bbuttes and spare the trips to the Repair {luthier Shop everytime you make a mistake.

If you want all around versatility in Tone and Music style then you may want to concider the All carved Or Hybrid!!! Thats a Carved TOP and Plywood sides and back.. In my case I want Both to conserve the life of my 3000 carved bbutt and keep her spotless and dent-crack-Chip free. :-) And BUY a HARDSHELL case!!!! I don't beleive some of these guys in www.talkbbutt.com are playing 50,000 Italian carved bbuttes and throwing them into a "BAG" and wining about the repair bills to keep their bbutt in one peace from gig to gig. I built a hardshell case for about 250 dollars worth of materials cuz I didn't have the 1800 bucks for a good flight case either, but wouldn't leave the house with my bbutt till I BUILT one. It Looks like an Egyption Toomb for a Mummy but it keeps by baby dent free.

IF NOT THE lEAST ; Get an education on the performance differences of the "Strings" you buy for that bbutt, If you Buy a new Engleheart witch is a company that is copying legally the Kay blueprints, That New bbutt is going to arrive with all steel core Strings on it. witch will agravate you if you are infactuated with a Bottomy traditional Clbuttical orchestra type of tone. There is a ALOT and LOADS of reading you need to do before you buy, I made 400 dollars worth of mistakes when buying strings when I got my first Bbutt, Turns out for an all carved to sound NOT so Trebly I needed real GUT strings with silver winding on the outside of the string. 350 bucks a set :-( With a ply bbutt this may sound to Boomy, it's all up to your TASTE in tone. There are 125 dollar SYTHENTIC strings that are made to SOUND like gut strings and alot of Bluegrbutters are using them. go to: www.talkbbutt.com sign up free to log into the forum and read the "Newbie" strings section in the "Double Bbutt" forums. You will save a ton of money and have a better idea what to buy, Strings and Bbutt for that matter. Whatever you do Don't go on EBAY and buy sight unseen !!! Most of those 600 dollar specials arrive in the mail or "Roadway" express with an out of wack soundpost!!! You have to set the post, set the vridge and string the thing, one good wack in a slap bbutt type of polka tune and WAMMM!!!! Your sound post just broke through the back of your bbutt and left a crack or hole in it !!! Allways try before you buy, even if you have to fly to a magor city and make a mini vacation out of buying a bbutt, PLAY before you PAY. Most people BUY from established Bbutt "Luthiers" Thats a Bbutt Mechanic. That way they are getting a bbutt proffessionaly set up with a proper soundpost and bridge alignment. There are a few Luthiers out there that will setup and ship to you if you buy from them, and they will work with you through a LOCAL Luthier Mechanic in your neighborhood incase you need a post adjustment of other repair from shipping wo's. Bob Goliher or something like that is a good one , you can find all that on talkbbutt.com Hope this helps. www.talkbbutt.com