I don't understand the grading system

[Andrew Paul]

My two cents, the black gold at Sweet Waters is a 10 top in my opinion and looks beautiful.

 

[Andrew Paul]

Considering the grading is done by people who may have their own preference within some tolerances as to what is classed as a 10 top or not, then there will be areas that a guitar may be more appealing to you than the person who graded the wood. The ONLY benefit of a 10 top is the way it looks and, if you find a non-10 top guitar that in your opinion looks better to you, then you have saved yourself from paying a premium for an aesthetic upgrade,

Not one of my guitars are a 10-top and to be honest, I haven't seen any Flamed Maple top as nice and as interesting as my Special 22. I think my Custom 24 is special because its in a Chevron style cut and my Hollowbody does have a 1-piece Maple top and back (which I wish photographed better because the fine grain adds a lot) but I have to say my Special beats them with the pattern.

And I repeat, this is NOT a 10-top. Maybe you will disagree and think you have seen a flamed maple 10-top that looks much better to you than this, that maybe you find all the wood grain showing through less appealing BUT that again is the point. Its all about what someone thinks looks better BUT the only one that matters is YOU. It doesn't matter if you prefer a non-10top, in fact its a 'bonus' because you are not paying extra for a 'prettier' top that you don't think is prettier to you. It has NO impact in the way a guitar plays, sounds and/or feels. The Maple, whether 10 top, artist grade, private stock or just regular core, Bolt-on or even S2 stock, are ALL cured in exactly the same way, not treated any differently at all. Obviously the maple for CE/S2 are thinner pieces at the start compared to Core (and above) but the only difference between a regular core and Private Stock Maple is that someone has decided that the Private Stock maple looked better and its the same deal with 10 top - just an opinion that it looked better...

That is a gorgeous top! BTW mines coming today

 

[Jkater]

I don't know if the criterias have actually changed or that the quality of the Maple they can get has changed. If the highest grade of Maple available isnt as good as it was 10yrs ago, then of course what qualified as Artist back then maybe better than what qualifies for Private Stock today. They can't turn round and say to people that want a Maple capped Private Stock can't have it because its not good enough to be Private Stock. I assume that it has a knock on effect down the line too so what was once only good enough to be a 10top, may well be Artist grade if the quality of the maple isn't as figured.

We are talking about Natural materials and flame/quilt isn't a 'natural' growth pattern. Its a result of stress during the growth cycle so even if you plant Maple trees - even from seeds from quilt/curly maple trees, unless it has stress, it will NOT become curly, quilt or flame maple and, I believe, only on one side of a tree.

As I have said though, the look is subjective. Your 'Artist' grade may look like a PS beater to you but to someone else, the PS maple or even a 10-top or non-10-top could be better to someone else. Relying on someone else to pick your 'top' for example may result in them picking their favourite which may well not be your favourite at all. If the 'quality' of the aesthetics of the maple is 'important', then you are better off either picking your own top before its built OR finding a guitar for sale that you like the best. It is a purely aesthetic option and has no discernible difference to the tone - certainly not that can be directly attributed to its look....

And what is interesting is that some of my favorite maple tops would never make it as a 10 because I like flame that is irregular with interesting patterns. My ME's top is extremely even and tight. It is beautiful but some may find it boring.

 

[Ovibos]

I jumped from a Reclaimed CE24 (nail holes and all) up to a Wood Library quilt.

Real playas ain't got no time for this core/10 malarkey.

 

[Mozzi]

And what is interesting is that some of my favorite maple tops would never make it as a 10 because I like flame that is irregular with interesting patterns. My ME's top is extremely even and tight. It is beautiful but some may find it boring.

Just look at the two (out of 5) guitars that I have shared in this thread of my own guitars. None of mine are 10-tops (or higher grade) and I have said many times that I do NOT like the book matched maple tops that look like they were drawn with a marker (all the same thickness) and thin stripes too so more of them and with a ruler - so perfectly straight. Unless its quilted Maple (which really does something for me), I often dislike the 10-tops and find the non-10tops have far more character and interest. They look more unique too because of all the different thicknesses and areas that are perhaps less figured than other areas.

I know that what I like, what interests me and catches my eye is likely to be different from who ever grades the figuring and as such, I also benefit from being happy to save money (or not spend as much - however you view it) by purchasing a non-10-top because that looks much better to my eye. It really shouldn't be a discussion - unless you are buying a guitar where you can pick the top before its built. It makes much more sense to buy the top you prefer to look at - whether that's a 10 top or not. My Special (in my avatar and shared in this thread if you want to look at a bigger picture and even zoom in and see it much bigger than this thread shows) is by far one of the best - if not the best flame top I have ever seen - regardless of whether that's on a Private stock or not. I think my Custom 24 (another non-10-top and picture I have shared in this thread) is also better than many flame tops and much more interesting not only because of the Chevron style but because of all the different thicknesses etc too. I am glad neither of those were 10 tops as it saved me having to pay a premium to buy them...

 

[bodia]

And what is interesting is that some of my favorite maple tops would never make it as a 10 because I like flame that is irregular with interesting patterns. My ME's top is extremely even and tight. It is beautiful but some may find it boring.

I’m all over “weird” tops, too.

 

[Jkater]

Just look at the two (out of 5) guitars that I have shared in this thread of my own guitars. None of mine are 10-tops (or higher grade) and I have said many times that I do NOT like the book matched maple tops that look like they were drawn with a marker (all the same thickness) and thin stripes too so more of them and with a ruler - so perfectly straight. Unless its quilted Maple (which really does something for me), I often dislike the 10-tops and find the non-10tops have far more character and interest. They look more unique too because of all the different thicknesses and areas that are perhaps less figured than other areas.

I know that what I like, what interests me and catches my eye is likely to be different from who ever grades the figuring and as such, I also benefit from being happy to save money (or not spend as much - however you view it) by purchasing a non-10-top because that looks much better to my eye. It really shouldn't be a discussion - unless you are buying a guitar where you can pick the top before its built. It makes much more sense to buy the top you prefer to look at - whether that's a 10 top or not. My Special (in my avatar and shared in this thread if you want to look at a bigger picture and even zoom in and see it much bigger than this thread shows) is by far one of the best - if not the best flame top I have ever seen - regardless of whether that's on a Private stock or not. I think my Custom 24 (another non-10-top and picture I have shared in this thread) is also better than many flame tops and much more interesting not only because of the Chevron style but because of all the different thicknesses etc too. I am glad neither of those were 10 tops as it saved me having to pay a premium to buy them...

What made me fall for the Modern Eagle was the rosewood neck and the not-so-gaudy look. As to the top, well, it is indeed a beauty. That, of course, besides how it sounded and played.

 

[Alnus Rubra]

I’m into the unusual wood!