So I want to do my next r/d with clear glass but I've only ever used black.  Can I use my normal lam wood  (usually clear grain hickory )and then just put a fancy vaneer under the clear glass for the look?

Short answer, yes.  Long answer, depending on how thin your veneer is, it may be helpful to glue your veneer to the hickory lam first, then do the layup with glass.

And with thin veneer if you do n it all together take the thick lam to the veneer when you get glue on em . Veneers are fragile with sticky glue on em.

Awsome thanks! I got two ready to glue up and want to take it to the next level.