oK I Google failed on this, so could use some help.

Can someone school me on the difference between A, AA, AAA maple and what the tonal differences are. Then, outside of the look, what does actually flaming it do?

I'm starting to think toward a custom instrument and if I ever did that it would need to be "right" top-to-bottom. So could really use info on what these options mean and what they do to guitar sound. (Something more qualitative than 'better' would be helpful. LOL)

Thanks in advance all.

Sure:

$, $$, $$$.

statobob is right, you will pay more for higher graded woods. More flame, quilt, birdseye, figure, etc will add some cost to your build whether it's a top or a neck.

I am currently having a guitar built and even tho I want a heavy flame neck and fretboard I've have decided to go with quartersawn maple. Not because of the price but because of the potential for twist and warp. It's not a certainty that it will happen but I have heard that as it gets more figured the potential for problems goes up so I don't think I'm going to risk it. You can also get carbon rods inserted into the neck on each side of the truss rod but I will go for rock hard and reliable instead. Perhaps a brighter tone but who the hell can tell. Not me with my old ringing ears.
There are plenty of gorgeous maple necks out there with zero problems so please don't take my thoughts as the definitive answer.

By the way, just as soon as you think you know what you want you'll start second guessing every decision you make and you'll be awake all night thinking of woods, hardware, pickups, paint... Enjoy!

n.

Nothing tonaly, purely cosmetic difference.

You will get a different tonal response with different cuts, slab/rift/quater sawn though. You gotta be superman to hear em through modern amplification though.

_________________
No no and no

So-- I'm a one-piece maple, jumbo fret kinda guy. I like blues and loud pickups (texas specials, usually)... what cut would go with that, do you think?

Thx

The Bobster nails it!



Arjay

Any.

Why rely on me to make your decisions. Why not go try a load of guitars and see what you prefer. There is no best. Eric Johnson would argue quatersawn, Eric Clapton would argue riftcut.

Personaly I dont think it matters much at that level. I think that pickups and bridge have a far greater impact on tone than how a neck is cut. Never mind getting into amps, eq settings and other outboard stuff.

Quatersawn is said to be more stable because of the way the woodgrain runs against the strings. I've never had a problem with any neck though so dont personaly see any benefit.

Mate its up to you. You need to explore all these options if you hear a difference that you prefer thats what you gotta go with. No one can decide for you, certainly not me.

_________________
No no and no

Hi roballan: this is as good an explanation of tonewood grading as I've seen anywhere:

http://www.exotichardwoods.co.uk/Tonewo ... rading.asp

But be aware that different suppliers and makers use the AAA description differently. Supposedly it just runs A to AAA, but I've see reputable sellers grading wood as AAAA and AAAAA as well.

And one supplier's A can often be another's AA. I buy tonewood from a well-known and respected supplier. His wood seems expensive - till you discover that his A can be as good or better than someone else's AA. And the billets are better chosen too.

I'm afraid it comes down to looking at individual pieces of wood: these aren't the regularised off-the-shelf specs of cars or computers or whatever.

Regarding stability of figured wood, there are contrary opinions. The gentleman behind Warmoth Guitars (never can remember his name when I need it) claims he's worked with more figured neck wood than just about anyone in the business and he says he has never, ever noticed stability issues with flame, quilt or birdseye wood as opposed to plain.

On the other hand, I read an interview with master superstrat builder John Suhr and he said he was considering banning figured wood from his company's necks because he felt it compromised stability. He said whenever they (very rarely) have a neck returned with a twist or warp it would be one with a heavy figuration.

So ya pays ya money, ya takes your choice, far as expert opinion is concerned.

None the wiser? Go with what you think looks nice. 99.9 to one it'll function fine.

Cheers - C

Exactly -- it is all aesthetics.

_________________
Laughing out loud with fear and hope, I have a desperate plan ...

As explained already it is just for cosmetic appearance and would really have no bearing on the tone. I do though love a heavily flamed or birds eye neck for the shear beauty it gives the instrument.Once you venture into CS territory this is how the prices start to rise.

When I think of wood grade I think more of the body then the neck. Mainly in acoustic instruments Violin, Mandolin, Guitar, ect. Not worried of the figuring of the neck as much as the cut.

_________________
The strongest reason for the people to retain the right to keep and bear arms is, as a last resort, to protect themselves against tyranny in government.

Thomas Jefferson

Not trying to be a smartass here, but doesn't that describe the SRV Stratocaster?

http://www.fender.com/products/search.p ... 0109200800

_________________
"To Be Is To Do" --Locke
"To Do Is To Be" --Thoreau
"Do Be Do Be Do" --Sinatra

It does, sure. But I wouldn't get the fun of a custom job that way. Plus, there are some changes I would actually make to that guitar. I should probably try one out again, but I seem to remember not caring for the neck profile when I tried one years ago.

My main guitar right now is an Am. Spec. Telecaster which sounds amazing. I think I'd like to either do up a new Tele with perhaps more body contouring OR a Strat. But I've never put more thought into a neck than the profile/wood before and since I settled on maple thought I should ask about tonal differences. I'd never buy something I hadn't tried in some capacity or another anyway, but I needed to narrow my search. (And if I can save some money not doing the flame AAA business and not sacrifice tone, that'd be good too.)

Thanks all for your posts.