Andrew Paul
The cat's meow
Curious if anyone can explain to me what a “Dirty” maple top is? What grade is it, is it like 10 top or artist grade?
“Dirty” Maple top??
- Thread starter Andrew Paul
- Start date
veinbuster
Zombie Three, DFZ
It is on a different scale. 10 and artist are typically applied to traditional looking flame or quilt. A dirty top shows more grain detail in that you see vertical lines, maybe in fragments and darker lines that are counter to the grain. Look at some dirty 100 tops to get the idea.
bodia
Authorities said.....best leave it.....unsolved
Andrew Paul
The cat's meow
I’ll have to check those out. I’m getting a special gift from my wife tomorrow related to the dirty maple top. Actually that sounded dirty LOL. It will be it’s own thread tomorrow.
Andrew Paul
The cat's meow
Here's one to look at.
It does look great, I love the dark lines. Is it like a
3-D curl?
Black Plaid
Other Alan!
I think 'dirty' really means there are some irregularities and inclusions in an otherwise spectacular top, something that makes them somewhat unique.
The story is that Paul likes these tops for his personal guitars.
Here's a few pics of my "Dirty" top guitar if that helps at all https://twitter.com/PlaidBlack/status/1197619731739496448?s=20
Here's a Reverb listing for one: https://reverb.com/item/19493820-paul-reed-smith-paul-s-dirty-100-black-gold-2009
One that was at Anderton's at one point: https://www.andertons.co.uk/second-hand-prs-pauls-dirty-100-guitar-inc-hard-case
What's that? Why no, I have absolutely not been stalking these guitars ever since @bodia shared his.
The story is that Paul likes these tops for his personal guitars.
Here's a few pics of my "Dirty" top guitar if that helps at all https://twitter.com/PlaidBlack/status/1197619731739496448?s=20
Here's a Reverb listing for one: https://reverb.com/item/19493820-paul-reed-smith-paul-s-dirty-100-black-gold-2009
One that was at Anderton's at one point: https://www.andertons.co.uk/second-hand-prs-pauls-dirty-100-guitar-inc-hard-case
What's that? Why no, I have absolutely not been stalking these guitars ever since @bodia shared his.
Andrew Paul
The cat's meow
Thanks for your reply
dcm_guitar
New Member
Cool. I learned something new!
Shawn@PRS
yogi
"Dirty" mostly refers to the mineral stain in the wood. Bodia's photo is a great example, as is this one that Black Plaid posted.
Andrew Paul
The cat's meow
Ok so the “vertical lines” are the mineral stains?
Black Plaid
Other Alan!
veinbuster
Zombie Three, DFZ
Not necessarily.
Many maple cuts have vertical lines in addition to the ones normally oriented horizontally (guitar on stand).
The mineral stains are darker lines that are typically shorter; i.e. not the length of a grain line.
Last edited:
veinbuster
Zombie Three, DFZ
Here are a few photos I have lying around that might help illustrate.
First of all, a couple that make the vertical/horizontal lines very visible. You can probably see both on most maple tops if you look for them.
This one has a lot going on, but look at the very clear vertical lines amongst everything else.
And this top is far from dirty, but the vertical lines are clearly visible.
My Dirty 100. Notice all of the little vertical lines that don't go anywhere. In this top they are a lighter colour.
A close up
and I mentioned little black lines. On this top that Paul picked for himself, you can see it between the switch and the tone.
and while it doesn't make it dirty, look at the fingerprints in the wood close to the upper edge - they are many places on this top, but that is the easiest place to spot them
First of all, a couple that make the vertical/horizontal lines very visible. You can probably see both on most maple tops if you look for them.
This one has a lot going on, but look at the very clear vertical lines amongst everything else.
And this top is far from dirty, but the vertical lines are clearly visible.
My Dirty 100. Notice all of the little vertical lines that don't go anywhere. In this top they are a lighter colour.
A close up
and I mentioned little black lines. On this top that Paul picked for himself, you can see it between the switch and the tone.
and while it doesn't make it dirty, look at the fingerprints in the wood close to the upper edge - they are many places on this top, but that is the easiest place to spot them
dogrocketp
I drank the PRS kool aid, and it was tasty!
My best friend built boat furniture for a 40 years, for Hinckley yachts. He saw the top of one of my PRSi and went bonkers with all the dirty streaks and contour sunburst. He said it moved and looked three dimensional. Personally, wood irregularities are one of my favorite things.
bodia
Authorities said.....best leave it.....unsolved
Kinda. As others mentioned, there was usually some area of the top looks a little “out of place.” My first Dirty 100 had a weird grain pattern just up from the control knobs. I deleted my pics of it when I sold it.
Black Plaid
Other Alan!
This is simply pornographic.
Andrew Paul
The cat's meow
Great information, thank you so much for taking the time with your reply. I’m starting to understand now.Here are a few photos I have lying around that might help illustrate.
First of all, a couple that make the vertical/horizontal lines very visible. You can probably see both on most maple tops if you look for them.
This one has a lot going on, but look at the very clear vertical lines amongst everything else.
And this top is far from dirty, but the vertical lines are clearly visible.
My Dirty 100. Notice all of the little vertical lines that don't go anywhere. In this top they are a lighter colour.
A close up
and I mentioned little black lines. On this top that Paul picked for himself, you can see it between the switch and the tone.
and while it doesn't make it dirty, look at the fingerprints in the wood close to the upper edge - they are many places on this top, but that is the easiest place to spot them
Alnus Rubra
Loving nature’s wonders
https://forums.prsguitars.com/threads/wood-library-tremonti-madness.41132/#post-520438
Top no.8 is what I think of as dirty maple
Top no.8 is what I think of as dirty maple
Andrew Paul
The cat's meow
OMG! Those maple blanks are all incredible. Would number seven also be considered dirty? Being there are knots in the wood?
Similar threads
