Spalted maple - thoughts??

[stevem7]

Tom/others:

I'm mentally building my next Anderson before I ask the gang to build it for me. Just kicking the tires on having a spalted maple top over basswood Hollow T (with Tiger's Eye scheme) but before I go down that road I've got some questions, since I don't see any spalted tops in the Anderson guitar gallery pictures:

1) What is the availability of spalted maple these days?
2) Are there any tonal differences between that and quilted (or other figure) maple tops?
3) I've read that spalted maple is prone to splitting if it's not flat, but I assume it's OK to use in a non-contoured body top for a T-style?

Thanks folks...

[tom]

we've done a few spalted tops and they've all been trouble. i've given up looking for "good" stuff. it has to be just the right amount of rot to get good black lines but not enough to have rotten soft spots. i would not consider using it for a stained finish as the density is all over the place. you could get way better figure for staining with non rotten wood. i'm sure someone out there uses it and loves it, but for me it's a lot more trouble than it's worth.

[stevem7]

Thank you Tom, that was just the answer I needed. Not the one I wanted because I love the figuring on what few spalted guitars I've seen but I will be perfectly happy with another figured maple. I just figured a stained spalted top Andy would be a breathtaking piece of woodwork.

Let me ask you this: Do you have a preference of flame vs. quilted tops? That's probably a broad question because you don't know whether I'm talking tone-wise, stain-wise, structure-wise, cost-wise, etc., but I guess I mean luthier-wise and cost-wise.

Thanks again for your quick answer and insights!

[tom]

in theory the flame top should be a bit brighter or have a bit tighter bottom because it's harder, but with the thin top i would say all the other possible variables might negate that or at least make it a non factor.
flame costs less so that's a real factor, it really comes down to what you like to look at.

[Pietro]

Plus...

Spalted maple is just... plain... HIDEOUS!

yuk.

[stevem7]

I TOTALLY disagree. But to each their own I guess.

[Chops]

I could never get my mind around the idea of a guitar made out of rotting material.

[BrownDog]

The splated tops I've HEARD (not on an Anderson) kinda sounded like wet cardboard, but looked kinda cool.

For myself alone and with tone and oneness, Mike

[tom]

a nicely spalted top can be very beautiful to me, but you know what they say about beauty? if the rotting had gone too far i would expect some dullness.