Origin of Heritage maple caps

[GuitArtMan]

My understanding is that the classic-era Gibsons were made with hard eastern maple (also called rock or sugar maple). Supplies of figured eastern maple began to dry up by the late 60s and 70s, so Gibson and other makers began to shift to Western or big leaf maple, which is marginally softer, but tends to be more highly figured. Bigleaf maple grows faster and shows growth rings --lines perpendicular to the flame lines-- much more distinctly than the flamed eastern maple on older guitars. So, I think the issue is that people want beautiful flamed and figured tops, BUT the maple that is available today that gives that "look" tends much more often to be Western big leaf maple than eastern hard maple. There is also a debate about which wood has better tone, and some people argue that Big leaf maple is not only more easily worked but also sounds better (Anderson, Larrivee, etc.) ... but if the issue is "authenticity," then I think the trade off has become appearance v. species/tonal characteristics. People mythologize that all classic-era maple guitars were highly flamed (they weren't), and that's how they want their "reissues," even if it means the reissue is built out of a different wood. Go figure...

This is what I've heard as well.

[bolero]

hmm, I wonder why Ren can't tell where he gets their maple from? maybe he doesn't want the supply to dry up, if his seller got swallowed/bought out by Gibson

[skydog52]

This thread has haunted me since last summer. I often walk through the woods checking. This spring I have been on the hunt for red flowering trees. With the warm temps here, the maples have begun flowering. It's still too early for most of the other tall trees so it makes the job easy. To date I have spotted 4 good sized trees that appear to be the elusive Acer rubrum. I feel like a pirate that found the X

Let me know. Have chain saw, will travel.

[Steiner]

Let me know. Have chain saw, will travel.

 

Roger Skydog!

[NoNameBand]

Eddie Van Halen played a Silvertone for years until Kramer could match the tone of the wood and the crappy electronics, all which contributed to his tone. However, I have it from first hand ears (Erwin Muspar, recording engineer for Van Halen), while recording the album with the anatomy of a human on the cover with all the arms, Eddie was warming up on an old Steinburger laying around with "rusty strings", Erwin said he sounded amazing.

 

Though many things contribute to tone, the playing style of the player is what attracts us to the tone we wise to replicate. The player may prefer a sound or feel of a guitar based on their playing style. One thing is certain, when players were establishing their tone, they rarely had the best equipment or guitars nor tried to make make their guitars have the best pups, pots, wiring, cables, fresh/old tubes, etc. They played guitars and amps until they found one they liked whether they understood why or not.

 

I believe the success of the '58, '59 & '60 Les Pauls were mostly due to the fact that there were no '61 - '67. So in 1970, if you wanted a used Les Paul and wanted humbuckers, most likely, you ended up looking at '58-'60 guitars. They were cheap at that time.

 

I don't think Gibson ever thought they would become valuable because of the wood choices or electronics in them or they would not have discontinued them.

[tulk1]

I have dogwood trees blooming in my backyard, is that a tonewood?

All trees can be tonewoods. Some, you just may not like the tone of. Our dear friends at Gibs even used Balsa wood in the LP , at one time.

[bolero]

I have a G135 with a balsa center block.....sounds great

[skydog52]

I've been cleaning up around the house and home workshop.

Came across these nice pieces of birdseye maple I purchased in northern Michigan about 15 years ago. Forgot about them.

Love to make a top out something like this.

Need to find some wider pieces though.

 

[tulk1]

I've been cleaning up around the house and home workshop.

Came across these nice pieces of birdseye maple I purchased in northern Michigan about 15 years ago. Forgot about them.

Love to make a top out something like this.

Need to find some wider pieces though.

 

 

You've got the makings of a first class Norlin Era LP right there!

[Steiner]

I've been cleaning up around the house and home workshop.

Came across these nice pieces of birdseye maple I purchased in northern Michigan about 15 years ago. Forgot about them.

Love to make a top out something like this.

Need to find some wider pieces though.

 

Oh Baby! Let's make a guitar! Or a box, or a hat, or a pterodactyl...

[NoNameBand]

I've been cleaning up around the house and home workshop.

Came across these nice pieces of birdseye maple I purchased in northern Michigan about 15 years ago. Forgot about them.

Love to make a top out something like this.

Need to find some wider pieces though.

 

 

It would make a nice finger board for a guitar. I have a guitar w/birdseye maple fingerboard.

[bolero]

wow those look sweet, how wide are they?

 

I like the look of birdseye on Fender necks a lot

[Gitfiddler]

It would make a nice finger board for a guitar. I have a guitar w/birdseye maple fingerboard.

 

 

+1!!!!!!