Flame Maple Porn Thread

Kvaksalver

This L3 actually tickles me in just the right way:

https://guitarvillage.co.uk/products/music-man-luke-iii-bfr-hss-boysenberry-flame

fretfinder

2005 R9.

https://i.imgur.com/Ys36cGC.jpg

DanR

I went off the really tight flame awhile back and I’m more into a wide flame bordering on quilt as it feels more interesting to look at.

Makes fuck all difference to sound or how it plays but aesthetics will always matter.

Anderson

PRS

Neil

Regarding flamed necks, I remember reading that they were inherently unstable.

Any truth to it?

Philly_Q

Neil said:

Regarding flamed necks, I remember reading that they were inherently unstable.

Any truth to it?

I've read the same, but they're used by the likes of PRS, Nik Huber and Patrick Eggle, all guys who - I think - wouldn't use something just for looks if it ended up making an unstable guitar.  Which suggests they're fine if the wood is selected carefully. 

It would be interesting to know what our in-house experts think.

Jetfire

I could see where that's come from, as the grain does seem to go the "wrong" way to make it pretty.

RedFalcon

I have that RGA321F for sale but Mine has a better top! 

Jetfire

@RedFalcon I had a black one of them... Damn!

WezV

Neil said:

Regarding flamed necks, I remember reading that they were inherently unstable.

Any truth to it?

Yes, figured wood is always weaker than a comparable piece with straight grain.

Maple is pretty stiff either way.


Now quilted maple, thats asking for trouble.  It's a lot weaker than straight grained wood.  Flamed is only slightly weaker


Consistent flame is much better than irregular flame for necks.  

Bennyboy-UK

Figuring in maple goes at right angles to the grain so I don’t buy that. It’s not ‘wavy’ No straight grain that produces flame or quilt figuring.

WezV

Bennyboy-UK said:

Figuring in maple goes at right angles to the grain so I don’t buy that.

Have you worked much with figured woods?

Bennyboy-UK

There I go... opening my mouth... I can sense the impending schooling!

Seriously though, I’d be interested to understand where I’m wrong in my skepticism.

Most of my experience with figured timber comes from experience with the gun trade and mostly stocking of firearms, particularly large double rifles which are all totally bespoke for individual customers (things like .500/.600NE) the woodwork of which I’d suggest are probably under higher stresses than the average guitar neck - albeit momentary massive forces rather than braced with a truss rod and strings.

Typical woods for that are Walnut of various types, and also figured maple less commonly as well dependent on client requests and requirements.

Highly figured woods are the norm at the top end of the market and I cannot recall any comments regarding not using them over strength issues.


As I said, I’m interested now, to understand this better, particularly is where there is a difference between theoretical differences and if they exhibit real and regular issues in practice.

Or is it the theory than means no one uses, for example, quilted maple for necks, because it’s a widely known problem therefore no one does it?

I dropped a line to Mike Shishkov (Yuriys brother) who worked at Hamer for donkeys years and has been making his own custom guitars for maybe 5 years or so to see what his experience is as well.

It’s good to do some learning.

Schnozz

Bennyboy-UK said:

Couple of solid flamed maple body Hamers



Hamer Cali



Hamer Custom Order Centaura  

Gimme!!

RedFalcon

Jetfire said:

https://www.ishibashi-music.jp/resources/upload/products/20-315289714_4.jpg

*HHHNNNNRRGGHHHHH*

https://www.ishibashi-music.jp/resources/upload/products/03-316713313_4.jpg

I Have that RGA321F for sale. My Flame top is better. Hehehe.

https://www.thefretboard.co.uk/discussion/182328/fs-ibanez-rga321f
 

RedFalcon

Jetfire said:

https://www.ishibashi-music.jp/resources/upload/products/20-315289714_4.jpg

*HHHNNNNRRGGHHHHH*

https://www.ishibashi-music.jp/resources/upload/products/03-316713313_4.jpg

https://www.thefretboard.co.uk/discussion/182328/fs-ibanez-rga321f

I have that RGA321f for sale. My Flame top looks better! Hehehe

RedFalcon

Jetfire said:

https://www.ishibashi-music.jp/resources/upload/products/20-315289714_4.jpg

*HHHNNNNRRGGHHHHH*

https://www.ishibashi-music.jp/resources/upload/products/03-316713313_4.jpg

I Have that RGA321F for sale. My Flame top is better. Hehehe.

https://www.thefretboard.co.uk/discussion/182328/fs-ibanez-rga321f
 

RedFalcon

Jetfire said:

https://www.ishibashi-music.jp/resources/upload/products/20-315289714_4.jpg

*HHHNNNNRRGGHHHHH*

https://www.ishibashi-music.jp/resources/upload/products/03-316713313_4.jpg

https://www.thefretboard.co.uk/discussion/182328/fs-ibanez-rga321f

I have that RGA321f for sale. My Flame top looks better! Hehehe

WezV

Bennyboy-UK said:

There I go... opening my mouth... I can sense the impending schooling!

Seriously though, I’d be interested to understand where I’m wrong in my skepticism.

Most of my experience with figured timber comes from experience with the gun trade and mostly stocking of firearms, particularly large double rifles which are all totally bespoke for individual customers (things like .500/.600NE) the woodwork of which I’d suggest are probably under higher stresses than the average guitar neck - albeit momentary massive forces rather than braced with a truss rod and strings.

Typical woods for that are Walnut of various types, and also figured maple less commonly as well dependent on client requests and requirements.

Highly figured woods are the norm at the top end of the market and I cannot recall any comments regarding not using them over strength issues.


As I said, I’m interested now, to understand this better, particularly is where there is a difference between theoretical differences and if they exhibit real and regular issues in practice.

Or is it the theory than means no one uses, for example, quilted maple for necks, because it’s a widely known problem therefore no one does it?

I dropped a line to Mike Shishkov (Yuriys brother) who worked at Hamer for donkeys years and has been making his own custom guitars for maybe 5 years or so to see what his experience is as well.

It’s good to do some learning.

The important term here is grain "run out".  Not grain lines.  It refers to the way the wood cells are aligned.  You can see run out quite easily whenever the same piece of wood looks darker from one end than it does from another.... Ever had a two tone acoustic top, that's due to run out in straight grained wood.   

Wood with a high degree of run out is less stiff than wood with no run out.

Flame and quilt are both types of figure that   showcase run out

There are also many species of maple, and proper tubular quilt only occurs in one of the softer varieties.   I can guarantee a piece of quilt is much more likely to snap on a sharp ridge of one of those tubes than it is the curved middle bit.  The wood cells are giving almost vertical run out at the ridges

daisie_guitar

Johnw84 said:

Go on then... Taken with my phone so its got some wacky colours!
  
The last one has already had a mention but it really deserves another for the neck. 

Is this the gree PRS? Can  you post a picture of the back of the body? Is it swamp ash? Looks like they finished each damn piece of wood on that thing to perfection! O.o

Bennyboy-UK

The point about the varieties of maple is really interesting - several of my guitars have solid figured Maple bodies, with bolt on necks - something people often think  they will sound very toppy - and it’s just not the case.

IIRC the figured bodies Hamer made were typically eastern big leaf maple, which is definitely on the softer side - and on paper - much more similar to the physical properties of mahogany than the hard maple used for necks in most maple necked guitars.