# Am I the only one that hates that this Poplar Burl Burst trend is getting more prevalent?



## sirchugsalot (Sep 10, 2022)

There is something about it that looks so cheesy to me after a while. There are very few I think I’d enjoy looking at every day. Disappointing that they’re becoming the only options for certain models in some cases.


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## jephjacques (Sep 10, 2022)

it has been hated on SSO for like 5 years now

you have come to the right place


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## spudmunkey (Sep 10, 2022)

Of the three most common pale "burled" top options out there, I'd rank poplar at the bottom*, buckeye in the middle, and maple at the top.

*The exception for poplar is where the "empty" areas between the clusters of burls has some dramatic figuring in it. Some compression flame, etc. Then I'd put it above buckeye, but still below maple.


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## trem licking (Sep 10, 2022)

I like it. A lot (shrug)


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## tekbow (Sep 10, 2022)

Never been mad about it, matte finishes just make it look worse.


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## bigcupholder (Sep 10, 2022)

My guess is that poplar burl is significantly cheaper than flame/quilt maple, so brands can still position it as an upgrade over a solid finish without actually adding much cost on their side. That'd explain why brands keep pushing it so much. 

I imagine pretty soon it'll impact sales. It's too distinct of a look to not go out of fashion.

personally I think it looks terrible


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## oremus91 (Sep 10, 2022)

I like burls a lot, but the issue is that many/most have gaudy finishes, or are really uninteresting/low-quality. Any burl with a burst is definitely overdone at this point.


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## CanserDYI (Sep 10, 2022)

Walnut burl is the best burl.


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## Spicypickles (Sep 10, 2022)

Burls were nice, but now they’re getting very where and with shit colors and super low grade versions that just cheapened the whole thing


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## Matt08642 (Sep 10, 2022)

Poplar burl has become a very "of it's time" thing for 2010s Djent guitars in my mind, kind of like crackle finishes making me think 80s but significantly less badass.


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## Crungy (Sep 10, 2022)

Buckeye burl that looks like dog barf or gtfo


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## DarrellM5 (Sep 10, 2022)

I really like the maple burl tops when the finish is a fade.


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## thebeesknees22 (Sep 10, 2022)

I dig the burl. I have one guitar that has it. The finish really matters a lot though. Some colors just look terrible with it. Some look fantastic. 

I wouldn't have every guitar be a burl top, but when they're done right they're pretty snazzy.


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## Agalloch (Sep 10, 2022)

I think that--of figured woods--burled tops look particularly bad when they're a veneer (I'd put spalted maple up here too). The lack of depth is especially striking, so that the guitar looks like it has some fake print out of a wood design, rather than actual wood. I think a burled top can look much better when it's an actual slab, but even that varies heavily depending on the figuring.


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## cardinal (Sep 10, 2022)

I'm one of the more traditional minded guys around, but I'm starting to like the burl barf fade finish. I mean, it's pretty metal, right? I kinda want that fade burl E-II Eclipse.


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## spudmunkey (Sep 10, 2022)

Agalloch said:


> I think that--of figured woods--burled tops look particularly bad when they're a veneer (I'd put spalted maple up here too). The lack of depth is especially striking, so that the guitar looks like it has some fake print out of a wood design, rather than actual wood. I think a burled top can look much better when it's an actual slab, but even that varies heavily depending on the figuring.



I feel like this conversation has been had before in other threads, but this has _nothing_ to do with "veneer vs solid wood" or "top vs cap", and is everything to do with the quality/"grade" of wood used. Some of the finest wood furniture ever built, with the most exquisite and striking figuring, is veneered. When you get one special figured log, you slice it up into veneers to maximize yield if you want, say, 10 drawer fronts of a large dresser to match, or doors on a wardrobe, or for a large conference table...or a whole office to be "suite matched". The appearance of "depth"/chatoyance is an optical illusion. Like how flamed maple looks ribbed when it's perfectly smooth. You're not seeing anything past the top 2-3 layers of wood cells, which is only partially though most of even the thinnest veneers used on guitars.


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## Hollowway (Sep 11, 2022)

It’s just one of those things that was super cool and unique when it first showed up on customs (like Skervesen) and then eventually showed up on damn near everything. For people like us on the front edge of new guitar stuff, it seems like it’s been around forever, and everyone and their sister has it. Cheap versions of it ain’t helping either.

Like, the first time I saw the red gum burl Oni Essi with the voids in it I thought it was the coolest thing in the world. But if it started showing up on every Irpn Label for 5 years I’d get sick of that, too. 

We should start a thread on played out guitar esthetics.


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## Lorcan Ward (Sep 11, 2022)

Someone called it “STD grain wood” and it ruined it for me. Not that I ever liked it.


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## KentBrockman (Sep 11, 2022)

Eh it depends on the color. On a dark blood red or a deep blue, it would be great. On a pale green or sand color finish, it looks like your guitar has a horrible skin condition…


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## Lemonbaby (Sep 11, 2022)

Perception bias? It's not that common really.


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## wheresthefbomb (Sep 11, 2022)

That tortilla strandy someone posted in the "too funny not to post" thread is fucking mint.


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## possumkiller (Sep 11, 2022)

The year is 2056, some 23 year old dickweed is posting a "restoration" of a vintage iron label rgd. They are ecstatic as they sand through a beautifully done metallic silver refin from 2029 to find the original poplar burl veneer still intact underneath!


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## AkiraSpectrum (Sep 11, 2022)

Most trends get annoying because the market gets saturated with that option (in this case poplar burl) and we lose diversity in aesthetics, so I think its understandable to get fed up with the trend. 

That said, I really like poplar burl. At the same time, sometimes it looks good on a guitar and sometimes it doesn't, just like a quilt or a flame or a solid color, etc.

I have one guitar with a poplar burl top (veneer--as most are) and I like it. Personally my favorite poplar burls are the ones with lots of flamey figuring and fewer 'brown' spots; but again, it depends on the overall aesthetics of the guitar.


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## jephjacques (Sep 11, 2022)

For me it's like any other figured wood- a nice poplar burl looks nice, the bad-to-mediocre veneers on most budget guitars look bad.

Whoever first called it 'poop in the pool' definitely ruined blue poplar burl finishes for me though


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## Crungy (Sep 11, 2022)

I've not heard that and that is great lmao


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## zw470 (Sep 11, 2022)

This LTD would be almost perfect if it weren't for the heinous top


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## Blytheryn (Sep 11, 2022)

My favorite poplar burl finish is when it’s covered in 2mm of gloss black poly.


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## Siggevaio (Sep 11, 2022)

Yeah, they never appealed to me. For me it's for guitar players that want to express "look at my guitar" rather than "look/listen to what I play". That's not exclusive to burl guitars though. Most over the top-guitars make me feel that way.


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## HeHasTheJazzHands (Sep 11, 2022)

jephjacques said:


> it has been hated on SSO for like 5 years now
> 
> you have come to the right place


Yeah you're a few years too late OP lol
If anything I noticed the trend is dying and we've gone full circle back to solid finishes or figured maple.


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## beerandbeards (Sep 11, 2022)

It’s just the curl of the burl…


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## Blytheryn (Sep 11, 2022)

beerandbeards said:


> It’s just the curl of the burl…


You win.


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## Emperoff (Sep 11, 2022)

Kill it with fire.


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## jrn1308 (Sep 12, 2022)

PromptCritical5 said:


> This LTD would be almost perfect if it weren't for the heinous top
> 
> View attachment 114048



I got that guitar last year because I liked the look when I saw it. After about 3 months I totally had enough of the look of it. Luckily I sold it earlier this year. Definitely my first and last burl.


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## rowsi (Sep 12, 2022)

Poplar burl is the 2010s equivalent to flame&quilted maple (plus abalone) of the 2000s. The next thing for the 2020s will be whatever is cool now with modern custom guitars (fanned frets are gaining traction). And whatever will become cool with custom guitars in the near future will be the trend of the 2030s.

Actually nicely figured poplar burl with a tasty finish looks good. Same with pretty much any kind of figured wood. But the mass of low quality/less figured cheap veneers with low quality finishes ruins pretty much everything.


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## cindarkness (Sep 12, 2022)

The only burst I'm willing to put my money on..


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## aWoodenShip (Sep 12, 2022)

I for one like that painted ash finishes seem to be getting more popular


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## gunshow86de (Sep 12, 2022)

I think it's the combo of the poorly faded/blending multicolor finished. This looks at least not horrible in a single color finish.


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## eaeolian (Sep 12, 2022)

Especially when the whole line just has the printed-on burl, so every top is exactly the same.


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## eaeolian (Sep 12, 2022)

gunshow86de said:


> I think it's the combo of the poorly faded/blending multicolor finished. This looks at least not horrible in a single color finish.


That's a real piece of wood. That's different.


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## mastapimp (Sep 12, 2022)

The majority of the poplar burls and buckeye burls are underwhelming, but if you're willing to spend the money on a custom shop instrument, they can be mesmerizing with choice tops. The top on the wasabi regius in my avatar is eye poplar and looks incredible in person and photos. I'll agree with the others that say solid colors and more "activity" keep things aesthetically pleasing. The tortilla-berg posted in the funny guitar threads is an example of what gives this option a bad name.


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## ElRay (Sep 12, 2022)

Lemonbaby said:


> Perception bias? It's not that common really.


IDK. Based on my experience, it's say it is.


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## CapinCripes (Sep 12, 2022)

I'm not into figured wood on production (sub 3k) instruments. Markup for the wood would be better used on more stringent qc and a solid finish. But when the figured wood gas hits it's never poplar burl, clear natural maple burl is tasty but the sheer amount of trash looking burl out there kinda makes me not a want burl at all.


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## Blytheryn (Sep 12, 2022)

cindarkness said:


> The only burst I'm willing to put my money on..
> View attachment 114089


DurstBurst


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## Mboogie7 (Sep 12, 2022)

cindarkness said:


> The only burst I'm willing to put my money on..
> View attachment 114089


Ahh, the elusive Durst Burst.. puts Greeny to shame


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## Agalloch (Sep 12, 2022)

I'm going to use this as an opportunity to post this absolutely epic PRS with a burled maple top (and back). It'll only cost you $16K.


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## wheresthefbomb (Sep 12, 2022)

Agalloch said:


> I'm going to use this as an opportunity to post this absolutely epic PRS with a burled maple top (and back). It'll only cost you $16K.



one time a friend and I drank a bottle of that vincent van gogh "absinthe" you can get at the grocery store

what came out of me looked just like the top of this guitar


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## Dayn (Sep 12, 2022)

Brown burls remind me of bars with cork accents. BYO beer scent.


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## cindarkness (Sep 13, 2022)

Single cuts with Burl do look pretty awesome in my opinion.


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## Lemonbaby (Sep 13, 2022)

ElRay said:


> IDK. Based on my experience, it's say it is.



Go to a big shop (Sweetwater, Thomann...) and count how many guitars have a burl top. You'll see that it's a tiny portion.


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## rowsi (Sep 13, 2022)

Lemonbaby said:


> Go to a big shop (Sweetwater, Thomann...) and count how many guitars have a burl top. You'll see that it's a tiny portion.


Target audience matters. Its SSO, therefore rather metal oriented.
Obviously classic electrical guitar shapes and colors dominate the market as they have for a few decades now and probably will for some more decades. But the metal oriented market is different. Here we have a quite diverse offering of burl guitars:

Schecter has C-6 and C-7 Pro series exclusively with burl poplar, their Reaper series is with burl poplar, Omen Elites come with burl poplar, theres a Custom Solo-II with a coffee table burl top, there are sereval Keith Merrow signature models with burl poplar and their Apocalypse lineup with the Red Reign finish can be argued to at least mimic this wood.
ESP has models with burl poplar in their LTD M, H and EC series and their E-II EC, M and SN series guitars.
Chapman hat ML1s with burl poplar, baritones with burl poplar, ML-3s with burl poplar and Rabbea signatures with burl poplar.
Solar guitars has S1.6 models with burl poplar.
Charvel has Pro-Mod models with burl poplar.
Ibanez has RGs in their prestige, premium and standard lineup with burl poplar, AZ premium with burl poplar, RGD axion label and standard with burl poplar, Q standard with burl poplar, SA standard with burl maple.
Jackson has Soloists with burl maple and Chris Broderick signature with burl poplar.

Thats not a complete list, neither of models nor manufacturers and all just current lineup as I won't start to dig up discontinued models. Is it the majority of offerings? No. But it is obviously trendy with the metal target market right now.


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## possumkiller (Sep 13, 2022)

We need to get CITES to ban this shit.


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## olejason (Sep 13, 2022)

All burl is not created equal. The stuff you see on Korean & Indonesian guitars is usually pretty underwhelming. There's a surprising amount of diversity in poplar burl slabs though, I like the really flamey varieties.

Italian poplar burl:


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## Agalloch (Sep 13, 2022)

olejason said:


> All burl is not created equal. The stuff you see on Korean & Indonesian guitars is usually pretty underwhelming. There's a surprising amount of diversity in poplar burl slabs though, I like the really flamey varieties.
> 
> Italian poplar burl:



"I heard you like your stringed instruments NECK HEAVY."

It is a nice top, though.


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## Lemonbaby (Sep 13, 2022)

olejason said:


> All burl is not created equal. The stuff you see on Korean & Indonesian guitars is usually pretty underwhelming. There's a surprising amount of diversity in poplar burl slabs though, I like the really flamey varieties.
> 
> Italian poplar burl:



"Burl"? That's just a weirdly flamed top.


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## Loomer (Sep 13, 2022)

I love that kind of figured wood... 


...on furniture. I cannot stand it in guitars.


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## Isaiah04 (Sep 13, 2022)

Eh it depends on the color choice imo, some make it and others break it


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## olejason (Sep 14, 2022)

Lemonbaby said:


> "Burl"? That's just a weirdly flamed top.



Nope, Italian poplar burl.









MULTI BASS SATIN SPECIAL 7 strings


Requested Model Multi Version satin special Strings n. 7 Frets n. 28 Scale 31″ Color (body and headstock) -CMA washed with CGO Finish -the price is for hand rubbed satin Top TP – Burl Poplar (pioppo) mastergrade Body Sycamore: warm sound Tone Reference Dynamic: Range: Binding no Neck joint NS...




www.manne.com


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## Xaios (Sep 14, 2022)

cindarkness said:


> The only burst I'm willing to put my money on..
> View attachment 114089


You've heard of elf on the shelf, now get ready for...


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## bigcupholder (Sep 14, 2022)

Agalloch said:


> "I heard you like your stringed instruments NECK HEAVY."
> 
> It is a nice top, though.


What? That looks like it'd balance really well. There's almost no extra body behind the bridge and the upper horn goes to approximately the 10th fret.


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## Alberto7 (Sep 15, 2022)

The only burl that truly matters is redwood burl. I still don't understand why redwood isn't a more popular wood for tops. It's so beautiful.



https://daemonessguitars.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2013/08/IMG_2054.jpg


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## Bodes (Sep 15, 2022)

Xaios said:


> You've heard of elf on the shelf, now get ready for...


Hurl on the burl???


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## Zado (Sep 15, 2022)

It doesn't help that such wood is seen in pretty much any mid tier guitar from any brand as "make it look pricier" feature. I honestly never dug it, with the exception of an old Framus model I've seen in early 00s. Hope brands will get tired as well very soon, it doesn't look fancy, just...bad. I'd have bought a Reaper already if it wasn't for that thing.


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## zw470 (Sep 15, 2022)

How did it even get associated with "metal" in the first place?


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## olejason (Sep 15, 2022)

bigcupholder said:


> What? That looks like it'd balance really well. There's almost no extra body behind the bridge and the upper horn goes to approximately the 10th fret.



Yep seems totally fine here. Most people playing a bass like that will be sitting or wearing it high anyway.


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## jephjacques (Sep 19, 2022)

bigcupholder said:


> What? That looks like it'd balance really well. There's almost no extra body behind the bridge and the upper horn goes to approximately the 10th fret.


not to get into an ergonomics fight but while that would balance well on a strap I'm pretty sure playing it sitting down would be a miserable experience, if the Abasi I had is any indication


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## bigcupholder (Sep 19, 2022)

jephjacques said:


> not to get into an ergonomics fight but while that would balance well on a strap I'm pretty sure playing it sitting down would be a miserable experience, if the Abasi I had is any indication


Completely agree


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## works0fheart (Sep 19, 2022)

jephjacques said:


> it has been hated on SSO for like 5 years now
> 
> you have come to the right place



And prior to that it was pretty widely loved. I'm waiting for 5 years from now where everyone hates crackle and sparkle paint schemes and loves something else that's already been done to death but brought back to relevance.

Hell, maybe it'll even be wonky graphics on guitars like Scott Ian's old stuff.


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## jephjacques (Sep 19, 2022)

I’m calling it now, satin black is gonna be the next hype finish


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## spudmunkey (Sep 19, 2022)

jephjacques said:


> I’m calling it now, satin black is gonna be the next hype finish


Ugh...I hope not. I'd take a 2,000 Flushes Burst Burl with a mother of toilet seat pickguard over matte black.


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## Vyn (Sep 20, 2022)

Bursts on poplar burl can and do look wicked - however it's very easy to make them look like shit. The issue is at the mid-tier price point it's extremely difficult to get a burst in general, let alone one on poplar to look good.


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## jrn1308 (Sep 20, 2022)

jephjacques said:


> I’m calling it now, satin black is gonna be the next hype finish



Isn't it already? LTD has the Black Metal series that is satin black, there's a Vulture and a Snakebyte in Satin Black and I'm pretty sure they have other guitars that are satin black. Ibanez has the Iron Label series, Jackson, Charvel and EVH also have a bunch of guitars in satin black.


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## cindarkness (Sep 20, 2022)

jrn1308 said:


> Isn't it already? LTD has the Black Metal series that is satin black, there's a Vulture and a Snakebyte in Satin Black and I'm pretty sure they have other guitars that are satin black. Ibanez has the Iron Label series, Jackson, Charvel and EVH also have a bunch of guitars in satin black.


I wouldn't say that satin black is the trend or hype. It's just a good looking shade of black that fits with the general consensus of Metal guitars. Pretty much the same reason we see so many black cars around - it just looks good on almost anything.


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## Hoss632 (Sep 20, 2022)

Only poplar I like is Italian poplar. Has a cool figuring to it similar to quilt. Poplar burl I liked it for a bit, then it got old. I pretty much just prefer quilt, flame, and italian poplar for top woods and then some of the more figured pieces of claro walnut.


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## olejason (Sep 20, 2022)

jephjacques said:


> not to get into an ergonomics fight but while that would balance well on a strap I'm pretty sure playing it sitting down would be a miserable experience, if the Abasi I had is any indication



Seems fine in this demo. This dude has a bunch of videos of himself playing it on his Instagram. Funny enough the whole concept of the design was based around ergonomics. One thing to keep in mind is it's short scale so it isn't going to balance/sit like a full scale bass and the pictures can be a little misleading without seeing it on a person. But yeah I know what you mean about the Abasi, the lower horn design makes or breaks how bodies like that feel when sitting. I've seen bass guys use grippy microfiber cloths on their thigh for bodies where the lower horn is too short or angled weirdly too... not an ideal solution.


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## Estilo (Sep 23, 2022)

I somehow find this poplar veneer thing more acceptable than AAAAA flame maple veneers. If anything it's obvious it's a thin piece of ornamentation. From the side it's obvious they're so thin they're nothing more than a beautifying feature. 

Figured veneers OTOH are presented as something they're not. Give me plain tops/solid colours over veneers.


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## Asphyxia (Sep 23, 2022)

Buckeye Burl is best burl!


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## Winspear (Sep 24, 2022)

@jephjacques @olejason Personally I find sitting with anything a miserable experience unless I have the strap on, in the same position, as if I had been playing standing and have just sat down. Sitting and standing are 100% identical experiences for me (a good thing for translation of practice too, I guess).
I think it's not something most people think of doing as a solution, but it's right there.


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## Sermo Lupi (Sep 24, 2022)

spudmunkey said:


> I feel like this conversation has been had before in other threads, but this has _nothing_ to do with "veneer vs solid wood" or "top vs cap", and is everything to do with the quality/"grade" of wood used. Some of the finest wood furniture ever built, with the most exquisite and striking figuring, is veneered. When you get one special figured log, you slice it up into veneers to maximize yield if you want, say, 10 drawer fronts of a large dresser to match, or doors on a wardrobe, or for a large conference table...or a whole office to be "suite matched". The appearance of "depth"/chatoyance is an optical illusion. Like how flamed maple looks ribbed when it's perfectly smooth. You're not seeing anything past the top 2-3 layers of wood cells, which is only partially though most of even the thinnest veneers used on guitars.





Agalloch said:


> I'm going to use this as an opportunity to post this absolutely epic PRS with a burled maple top (and back). It'll only cost you $16K.



Maple burl is normally fine, as is Buckeye Burl in my opinion (although Buckeye doesn't have the same aesthetic as a true burl). It's poplar burl specifically that is an ugly wood.

As SpudMonkey said, burl has been used for hundreds of years in high-end furniture and can look very nice. I still do not care very much for veneer on antique furniture since it has the habit of shrinking and chipping at the edges and not holding up as well as solid wood (even if the quality of the wood and craftsmanship underneath the veneer is equally good).

In guitars, there's just something nice about a generously thick top with scraped binding where you can see the figure running through it. Veneer doesn't look bad but it doesn't connote the same quality, either.

Poplar burl always looks bad to me. However, I wouldn't take half as much issue with it if it didn't coincide with a trend of outlandish burst colours that have the habit of making poplar's figure look like actual chunky vomit.


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## olejason (Sep 26, 2022)

Winspear said:


> @jephjacques @olejason Personally I find sitting with anything a miserable experience unless I have the strap on, in the same position, as if I had been playing standing and have just sat down. Sitting and standing are 100% identical experiences for me (a good thing for translation of practice too, I guess).
> I think it's not something most people think of doing as a solution, but it's right there.



For sure, everyone has preferences. Regardless, that instrument balances perfectly fine sitting or standing. Making something ergonomic was one of Daniel's main goals with the weird looking design.


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## The Blue Ghost (Sep 26, 2022)

Hollowway said:


> It’s just one of those things that was super cool and unique when it first showed up on customs (like Skervesen) and then eventually showed up on damn near everything. For people like us on the front edge of new guitar stuff, it seems like it’s been around forever, and everyone and their sister has it. Cheap versions of it ain’t helping either.
> 
> Like, the first time I saw the red gum burl Oni Essi with the voids in it I thought it was the coolest thing in the world. But if it started showing up on every Irpn Label for 5 years I’d get sick of that, too.
> 
> We should start a thread on played out guitar esthetics.


Poplar burst finishes
Evertune 
Fishman Fluence 
No inlays 
Classic guitar shapes with no tweaks whatsoever expect being a 26.5" scale length 7-string
Headless guitars with obtrusive neck heels 

Stainless steel frets, roasted maple necks and Hipshot can stay because they add to the instruments functionality and because I say so gosh darnnit


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## Zado (Sep 26, 2022)

jephjacques said:


> I’m calling it now, satin black is gonna be the next hype finish


Crossed fingers for gloss black or gloss white


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## SCJR (Sep 26, 2022)

Agalloch said:


> I'm going to use this as an opportunity to post this absolutely epic PRS with a burled maple top (and back). It'll only cost you $16K.


.

That is TOUGH...


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## yellowv (Sep 27, 2022)

Worst trend ever


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## Neon_Knight_ (Oct 3, 2022)

tekbow said:


> Never been mad about it, matte finishes just make it look worse.


Definitely looks worse in matte.


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## Neon_Knight_ (Oct 3, 2022)

mastapimp said:


> The majority of the poplar burls and buckeye burls are underwhelming, but if you're willing to spend the money on a custom shop instrument, they can be mesmerizing with choice tops. The top on the wasabi regius in my avatar is eye poplar and looks incredible in person and photos.


Poplar burl tops definitely vary a lot.

I love this (other than the fact that the poplar top finishes short of the edge on the arm contour):





But would cry if I ordered one and ended up with this:


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## kamello (Oct 3, 2022)

Neon_Knight_ said:


> Poplar burl tops definitely vary a lot.
> 
> I love this (other than the fact that the poplar top finishes short of the edge on the arm contour):
> 
> ...



reminds me of an RGA321 I had with the shittiets top I've ever seen. AAA my ass







regarding the topic; can't add much more. Jason Richardson JPSomething with the Buckeye Top still looks incredible to me, and I really like most Premiums with poplar tops, but the shit I been seeing from low/mid quality instruments has been terrible


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## Neon_Knight_ (Oct 3, 2022)

kamello said:


> reminds me of an RGA321 I had with the shittiets top I've ever seen. AAA my ass
> 
> 
> 
> ...


I also own an RGA321F and the top is rather underwhelming (especially compared to my RG8520). At least I got what I was expecting, as I bought it used. I like the blue burst finish enough that I wouldn't mind if the top underneath was completely plain - same goes for my Cort strat with a transparent blue finish on a bland basswood body.


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## kamello (Oct 3, 2022)

Neon_Knight_ said:


> I also own an RGA321F and the top is rather underwhelming (especially compared to my RG8520). At least I got what I was expecting, as I bought it used. I like the blue burst finish enough that I wouldn't mind if the top underneath was completely plain - same goes for my Cort strat with a transparent blue finish on a bland basswood body.
> 
> View attachment 115268



the light isn't the best in your picture, but I can see some figure beneath the top. I found that it was a common issue in Ibanez during those years (2000-2010) that the painting technique they used wasn't particulary good, for example, the tops in most Ibanez RG3120 always were incredible, but the ones in red got all the figure buried beneath layers and layers of stain

on the other hand, im almost sure my RGA was a mislabelled RGA121


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## Neon_Knight_ (Oct 3, 2022)

kamello said:


> the light isn't the best in your picture, but I can see some figure beneath the top. I found that it was a common issue in Ibanez during those years (2000-2010) that the painting technique they used wasn't particulary good, for example, the tops in most Ibanez RG3120 always were incredible, but the ones in red got all the figure buried beneath layers and layers of stain
> 
> on the other hand, im almost sure my RGA was a mislabelled RGA121


Sorry, not much I can do about the lighting atm. Here's a photo from the previous owner's listing, where glare also obscures the subtle figuring:





For comparison, this is my RG8520 with an "AAA" top:


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## CanserDYI (Oct 3, 2022)

Alberto7 said:


> The only burl that truly matters is redwood burl. I still don't understand why redwood isn't a more popular wood for tops. It's so beautiful.
> 
> 
> 
> https://daemonessguitars.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2013/08/IMG_2054.jpg


Beautiful, yes, but extremely difficult to get your hands on plentiful supplies of it due to protections laid in place on California redwood trees.


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## kamello (Oct 3, 2022)

Alberto7 said:


> The only burl that truly matters is redwood burl. I still don't understand why redwood isn't a more popular wood for tops. It's so beautiful.
> 
> 
> 
> https://daemonessguitars.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2013/08/IMG_2054.jpg


holy shit didn't saw that, looks incredible


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## wheresthefbomb (Oct 3, 2022)

Neon_Knight_ said:


> Poplar burl tops definitely vary a lot.
> 
> I love this (other than the fact that the poplar top finishes short of the edge on the arm contour):
> 
> ...


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## Alberto7 (Oct 4, 2022)

CanserDYI said:


> Beautiful, yes, but extremely difficult to get your hands on plentiful supplies of it due to protections laid in place on California redwood trees.


Aahh that explains it. I actually like flamed/rippled redwood better, and I never quite understood why nobody used it more since I thought it was a relatively common wood. I was wrong.


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## CanserDYI (Oct 4, 2022)

Alberto7 said:


> Aahh that explains it. I actually like flamed/rippled redwood better, and I never quite understood why nobody used it more since I thought it was a relatively common wood. I was wrong.


Here in the states those trees are about as revered as apple pie, football, and Willie Nelson. The trees are fucking HUGE too, I mean MASSIVE. Some have little tunnels carved in them so cars can drive through. They grow in California and no where else on earth, and only 5% of them are left from early 1900's logging and its extremely sad. 




Doesn't stop shitheads from fucking up the parks with litter and poachers etc.


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## Alberto7 (Oct 4, 2022)

CanserDYI said:


> Here in the states those trees are about as revered as apple pie, football, and Willie Nelson. The trees are fucking HUGE too, I mean MASSIVE. Some have little tunnels carved in them so cars can drive through. They grow in California and no where else on earth, and only 5% of them are left from early 1900's logging and its extremely sad.
> 
> View attachment 115323
> 
> ...


Thank you for pointing that out to me. It feels like something I should have already known. I've known about redwood forests being in peril, but somehow I had subconsciously always assumed that the lumber we see going around today is of ethical sourcing... which might not be the case. Sort of like it's done with Hawaiian koa. (Which is why koa is hard and expensive to come by, as it's *normally* only taken from naturally fallen trees.) It seems that burls are especially problematic, from the little reading I've done just now. Will keep all this in mind if ever I want to go with redwood on a guitar.


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## CanserDYI (Oct 4, 2022)

Alberto7 said:


> Thank you for pointing that out to me. It feels like something I should have already known. I've known about redwood forests being in peril, but somehow I had subconsciously always assumed that the lumber we see going around today is of ethical sourcing... which might not be the case. Sort of like it's done with Hawaiian koa. (Which is why koa is hard and expensive to come by, as it's *normally* only taken from naturally fallen trees.) It seems that burls are especially problematic, from the little reading I've done just now. Will keep all this in mind if ever I want to go with redwood on a guitar.


Don't get me wrong, its one of my favorites as well, but just explains why its so rarely used. Check this quilt on this redwood topped Kiesel...


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## Alberto7 (Oct 4, 2022)

CanserDYI said:


> Don't get me wrong, its one of my favorites as well, but just explains why its so rarely used. Check this quilt on this redwood topped Kiesel...
> View attachment 115332


Redwood has, to me, the most dramatic flames/quilts, to the point they almost look fake. That thing there is beautiful. Not usually a big fan of Kiesels, (with exceptions) but I can't argue with that one.


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## wheresthefbomb (Oct 4, 2022)

From an environmental perspective, it is ethically questionable to build new guitars out of wood at all. Or, just to build new guitars, at all. On the other hand, there is no such thing as ethical consumption under late capitalism, so everything is a matter of compromise and extent. 

I'm for sure on team "don't make guitars out of endangered woods that are the product of logging," though.


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## Neon_Knight_ (Oct 4, 2022)

Alberto7 said:


> The only burl that truly matters is redwood burl. I still don't understand why redwood isn't a more popular wood for tops. It's so beautiful.
> 
> 
> 
> https://daemonessguitars.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2013/08/IMG_2054.jpg


Looks like it's on fire! Redwood is protected though, so I can't see it being used commonly for guitars any time soon.


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## Neon_Knight_ (Oct 8, 2022)

Neon_Knight_ said:


> Sorry, not much I can do about the lighting atm. Here's a photo from the previous owner's listing, where glare also obscures the subtle figuring:
> 
> View attachment 115271
> 
> ...


@kamello I would guess that the top on my RG8520 was stained black, then sanded and then finished blue, but that the RGA321Fs were just stained blue - resulting in less contrast between the light/dark areas of the maple. Skipping a step would have helped to keep the cost of the RGAs down (they were *very* competitively priced when they were released).


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## Metaluna (Oct 8, 2022)

jephjacques said:


> it has been hated on SSO for like 5 years now
> 
> you have come to the right place


I too hate it. I’m picking it up pretty quick, ain’t I?


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## CapinCripes (Oct 8, 2022)

Poplar burl is the 2020s version of the mid 2000s spalt maple top/ abalone binding trend to put "upscale features" to otherwise entirely midrange guitars that don't really add that much to unit cost but can be used to increase profit margins by charging premiums for a paper thin slice of otherwise undesirable wood. In 10 years it will look as dated as hell.


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## gunshow86de (Oct 12, 2022)

Usually hate burls, but this is kind of working for me.


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## CanserDYI (Oct 12, 2022)

gunshow86de said:


> Usually hate burls, but this is kind of working for me.


Why the hell would they put a plain maple neck on that....man that ruined it for me. I actually super dig that top but would have looked way better with ebony or rosewood.


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## Wiltonauer (Oct 15, 2022)

I especially like the ones that look like somebody picked up the crumbly rotting wood left lying around after a dead tree is cut down and the decent firewood is taken away, cut it up, and set it under epoxy to make an ugly coffee table for a Tik-Tok video to show off their _sick woodworking skillz, brah!_


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## KentBrockman (Oct 16, 2022)

Poplar burl looks like what happens when a guitar with a plain or burst finish gets a horrifying skin disease.

But they do look nice with certain colours though


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## Neon_Knight_ (Oct 17, 2022)

Burl is cause


KentBrockman said:


> Poplar burl looks like what happens when a guitar with a plain or burst finish gets a horrifying skin disease.
> 
> But they do look nice with certain colours though


Burl is caused by disease of the tree, isn't it?


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## TheSneakyTruth (Oct 18, 2022)

Neon_Knight_ said:


> Burl is cause
> 
> Burl is caused by disease of the tree, isn't it?


Yep, tree cancer

To me, it's mostly poplar and buckeye burl that I find as eyesores. I think maple burl and walnut burl can look bloody amazing


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## Neon_Knight_ (Oct 18, 2022)

TheSneakyTruth said:


> Yep, tree cancer
> 
> To me, it's mostly poplar and buckeye burl that I find as eyesores. I think maple burl and walnut burl can look bloody amazing


I find that some poplar burl tops look really good, if the combination of figuring + finish + guitar style work well together. Ultimately though, if you were to show me 10 of the same guitar model (e.g. RG1070PBZ), I would probably hate about 5, really like 1 or 2, and think the others look mediocre.

I *love* the "swirled" ebony burl top on my S2170SE. I'm not really a fan of the poplar burl S2170FW(?) though - some of them look almost like they're covered in moles (the skin growth not the cute animal haha!).


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## Sermo Lupi (Oct 18, 2022)

kamello said:


> regarding the topic; can't add much more. Jason Richardson JPSomething with the Buckeye Top still looks incredible to me, and I really like most Premiums with poplar tops, but the shit I been seeing from low/mid quality instruments has been terrible





gunshow86de said:


> Usually hate burls, but this is kind of working for me.



I mentioned it earlier in the thread, but Buckeye Burl isn't a true burl. Or, more precisely, "burls" describe a variety of different growths on a tree, not all of which produce the same patterns that we describe as "burl" in woodworking. Buckeye burl is cut from the base of the tree where the trunk meets the roots, most of which is located underground. That's what gives it its unique colouration, grain pattern, and voids (left by dirt, rocks, etc.).

The Strandberg depicted above uses maple burl, which is considerably more attractive than poplar. That specific piece is light on knots and heavy on chaotic flame/quilt.

What people are despising in this thread is the tendency of poplar burl to feature tiny knots caused by dormant buds. Not all burls have these, depending where on the tree they're located and what species of tree the burl is harvested from.

When searching for a source for that Strandberg image, I also found dozens of guitars from Suhr being sold as "waterfall burl". That'd just be a marketing term. What you're actually looking at is a piece of wood with very few knots that has attractive flame and grain figuring. It probably still is burl, but isn't the knotty type that most people see as being characteristic of burl wood. I don't think its fair to compare these sorts of burls with the knotty poplar burls everyone else is complaining about.

In my opinion, the ugly burl trend is 99% poplar burls with brightly-coloured reverse bursts.


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## BigViolin (Oct 18, 2022)

As far as burls and long upper bouts go...maybe we should have left this stuff with the bassists. They are more evolved and appreciate understated elegance while embracing aesthetics outside the norm. We guitarists will drive any trend to HOT TOPIC.


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## wannabguitarist (Oct 19, 2022)

kamello said:


> holy shit didn't saw that, looks incredible



I love most burls, but redwood burl is definitely the superior burl.


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## Alberto7 (Oct 19, 2022)

wannabguitarist said:


> I love most burls, but redwood burl is definitely the superior burl.



Yes.


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## Hoss632 (Oct 20, 2022)

Some Poplar burl tops I don't mind, but it's definitely not my favorite. I do REALLY like Italian Poplar though which you see a lot on STK guitars.


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## olejason (Nov 19, 2022)

Italian poplar burl top on my new bass. No, it doesn't neck dive


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## The Blue Ghost (Nov 19, 2022)

olejason said:


> Italian poplar burl top on my new bass. No, it doesn't neck dive
> 
> View attachment 117274


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## guitar_santa (Nov 19, 2022)

I had an Ibanez S Series that was poplar burl a few years ago, but I ended up selling it. I really liked the finish when I bought it, but by the time I sold it, i kinda wished the whole thing had the natural mahogany look.

(I sold it because I was tired of fighting with the Edge Zero)


sirchugsalot said:


> There is something about it that looks so cheesy to me after a while. There are very few I think I’d enjoy looking at every day. Disappointing that they’re becoming the only options for certain models in some cases.


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