Maple Flame/Quilt Tops

Paul Malmsteen · 12-30-2007, 08:24 AM

Before I start this is most likely in the wrong place, but there isn't really a category I could see that would fit it

Anyway, why are tops always book matched? Why cant they use one big bit so you don't have the ugly mismatch in the middle? Is it a price thing or is there construction problems with a piece like that? If its a price thing I can't see why they can't use one big top on super expensive guitars.

HighGain510 · 12-30-2007, 08:25 AM

Price and availability. I've seen a few one-piece tops that look gorgeous but most mills cut the pieces up smaller and bookmatch the figured tops.

msherman · 12-30-2007, 10:17 AM

Most lumber mills make more money from making veneer for furniture with figured logs.
Old growth trees that are wide enough to get one piece tops with consistant figure are hard to find as well.

Apophis · 12-30-2007, 11:12 AM

yeah, it's not so easy to find piece of wood big enough to make a nice one piece top

Sometimes we can find big enough piece, but the look isn't as we want it to be.

MrJack · 12-30-2007, 11:16 AM

I was pleasantly surprised the first time I noticed that my ESP MH-250 (worth about 500€) had a one-piece quilted maple top while I've seen a few more expensive guitars have bookmatched tops. So it depends on what the manufacturers can get their hands on at a reasonable price.

Apophis · 12-30-2007, 11:21 AM

You mean 430$ not euro - Buy ESP MH-250 Electric Guitar with Tremolo online at Musician's Friend

how thick the top is, cause it can be only a veener

guitarplayerone · 12-30-2007, 02:02 PM

agathis? other than that that seems like a killer guitar. Its hard to believe that they would use agathis and splurge on a one-piece top. Usually mahogany is under maple on the production stuff I've seen...

MrJack · 12-30-2007, 02:38 PM

They sell MH-250's for around 500€ here in Finland. I'm not sure how thick it is, but it looks like the natural binding could be the quilted maple top. I'm not quite familiar with how (quilted) maple looks like from the side.

It could just be a veneer, though I've only read that the headstock has a quilted maple veneer on it. I'm gonna dig around.

Apophis · 12-30-2007, 04:07 PM

fuck, this price is a steal in Finland

make a photo to show us how the top looks like from the back, if you can. It can be maple with quilted venner on top also.

MrJack · 12-30-2007, 04:19 PM

That's a bit of a problem, since the only thing I have available right now is a crappy, blurry webcam. I could try to loan my friends digital camera but I think he's in another city visiting relatives.

12-30-2007, 08:24 AM	#1
Paul Malmsteen Yngwie Gilbert? Join Date: Aug 2007 Location: NSW (Australia) Posts: 243 Main Seven: Ibanez S7320 Rig: Roadster Thanked 1 Time in 1 Post	Maple Flame/Quilt Tops Before I start this is most likely in the wrong place, but there isn't really a category I could see that would fit it Anyway, why are tops always book matched? Why cant they use one big bit so you don't have the ugly mismatch in the middle? Is it a price thing or is there construction problems with a piece like that? If its a price thing I can't see why they can't use one big top on super expensive guitars.

12-30-2007, 10:17 AM	#3
msherman Sherman Guitars Join Date: Sep 2006 Location: Connecticut Posts: 994 Real Name: Mike Thanked: 34	Most lumber mills make more money from making veneer for furniture with figured logs. Old growth trees that are wide enough to get one piece tops with consistant figure are hard to find as well. Last edited by msherman; 12-30-2007 at 10:19 AM. Reason: Automerged Doublepost

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12-30-2007, 08:25 AM	#2
HighGain510 Cold As Ice Join Date: Nov 2006 Location: Northern Virginia Posts: 6,758 Real Name: Matt Main Seven: Carvin 727 Rig: Axe-Fx>DCM150>Bogner Thanked: 92	Price and availability. I've seen a few one-piece tops that look gorgeous but most mills cut the pieces up smaller and bookmatch the figured tops.

12-30-2007, 11:12 AM	#4
Apophis ROTER CUSTOM GUITARS Join Date: Jan 2005 Location: Poland Posts: 9,233 Real Name: Sebastian Main Seven: I need more strings :) Main ERG: RCG 9 & 10 string Rig: Line6 Thanked: 46	yeah, it's not so easy to find piece of wood big enough to make a nice one piece top Sometimes we can find big enough piece, but the look isn't as we want it to be.

12-30-2007, 11:16 AM	#5
MrJack Paha Arkkitehti Join Date: Aug 2007 Location: Finland Posts: 287 Main Seven: ESP LTD SC-207 Rig: Line 6 HD147 Thanked: 3 / 1	I was pleasantly surprised the first time I noticed that my ESP MH-250 (worth about 500€) had a one-piece quilted maple top while I've seen a few more expensive guitars have bookmatched tops. So it depends on what the manufacturers can get their hands on at a reasonable price.

12-30-2007, 11:21 AM	#6
Apophis ROTER CUSTOM GUITARS Join Date: Jan 2005 Location: Poland Posts: 9,233 Real Name: Sebastian Main Seven: I need more strings :) Main ERG: RCG 9 & 10 string Rig: Line6 Thanked: 46	You mean 430$ not euro - Buy ESP MH-250 Electric Guitar with Tremolo online at Musician's Friend how thick the top is, cause it can be only a veener

12-30-2007, 02:02 PM	#7
guitarplayerone Needs NYC prog vox Join Date: Dec 2006 Location: New York Posts: 1,567 Real Name: Roman Main Seven: RG8427F-BX Thanked: 14	agathis? other than that that seems like a killer guitar. Its hard to believe that they would use agathis and splurge on a one-piece top. Usually mahogany is under maple on the production stuff I've seen...

12-30-2007, 02:38 PM	#8
MrJack Paha Arkkitehti Join Date: Aug 2007 Location: Finland Posts: 287 Main Seven: ESP LTD SC-207 Rig: Line 6 HD147 Thanked: 3 / 1	They sell MH-250's for around 500€ here in Finland. I'm not sure how thick it is, but it looks like the natural binding could be the quilted maple top. I'm not quite familiar with how (quilted) maple looks like from the side. It could just be a veneer, though I've only read that the headstock has a quilted maple veneer on it. I'm gonna dig around.

12-30-2007, 04:07 PM	#9
Apophis ROTER CUSTOM GUITARS Join Date: Jan 2005 Location: Poland Posts: 9,233 Real Name: Sebastian Main Seven: I need more strings :) Main ERG: RCG 9 & 10 string Rig: Line6 Thanked: 46	fuck, this price is a steal in Finland make a photo to show us how the top looks like from the back, if you can. It can be maple with quilted venner on top also.

12-30-2007, 04:19 PM	#10
MrJack Paha Arkkitehti Join Date: Aug 2007 Location: Finland Posts: 287 Main Seven: ESP LTD SC-207 Rig: Line 6 HD147 Thanked: 3 / 1	That's a bit of a problem, since the only thing I have available right now is a crappy, blurry webcam. I could try to loan my friends digital camera but I think he's in another city visiting relatives.


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