Questions about flamed tops on SE guitars...

[Lewguitar]

Tell me if this is right...

The flamed tops on SE's are generally not thick tops like the core models or like the tops of flame top LP's.

They're a fairly thin sheet of real flame maple...but not a thick carved top.

So what wood is directly underneath that veneer?

Is it the mahogany body? Is it carved first and then the flame maple veneer applied directly to it?

Or is there a PLAIN maple top glued first to the mahangany body, then carved, and then a second flame maple veneer applied over it?

 

[Longneck Tenon]

Tell me if this is right...

The flamed tops on SE's are generally not thick tops like the core models or like the tops of flame top LP's.

They're a fairly thin sheet of real flame maple...not a thick carved top.

So what wood is directly underneath that veneer?

Is it the mahogany body?

Or is there a maple top applied first to the mahangany body, then carved, and then a second flame maple veneer applied over it?

Mahogany with a maple cap on the McCarty 594 SE

 

[Lewguitar]

Mahogany with a maple cap on the McCarty 594 SE

So the maple cap is glued to the carved top of the mahogany body?

The reason I ask is that some people think the solid color Korean SE Singlecut sounds better than the flamed top Korean SE Singlecut.

The reason being that the solid color doesn't have a second flame maple top applied over the first plain maple top dampening its tone a little.

I read that somewhere, but don't know if that's actually true.

That's why I'm asking.

 

[bodia]

Hog body. Maple cap. Very thin flamed veneer.

No idea on the solid color SEs.

 

[Lewguitar]

Hog body. Maple cap. Very thin flamed veneer.

No idea on the solid color SEs.

So if that's true, Korean SE's are mahogany with just a paper thin veneer of flamed maple glued to the body?

Doesn't seem like that thin sheet of maple would enhance the tone of the mahogany much.

I've read that there's a plain maple top under the flamed top but that seems like a lot of extra time and work.

 

[Gtrbldr]

I think that is what he said? Maple cap with veneer on top. Lot cheaper than a nice flame maple cap.

 

[Longneck Tenon]

So the maple cap is glued to the carved top of the mahogany body?

The reason I ask is that some people think the solid color Korean SE Singlecut sounds better than the flamed top Korean SE Singlecut.

The reason being that the solid color doesn't have a second flame maple top applied over the first plain maple top dampening its tone a little.

I read that somewhere, but don't know if that's actually true.

That's why I'm asking.

My guess is that the carved maple cap is glued to the mahogany slab.

 

[Lewguitar]

My guess is that the carved maple cap is glued to the mahogany slab.

I took some shots of my all mahogany SE Soapbar and mahogany and maple SE Singlecut.

I can clearly see about 1/2" of maple on top of the mahogany body of the SE Singlecut. That's what you see that looks like edge binding but it's unstained maple.

The SE Soapbar is all mahogany but the top is carved the same as my maple topped SE Singlecut.

Here's the SE Singlecut:

https://imgur.com/FvPL4Pk

https://imgur.com/KoJDkaj

And here's the SE Soapbar:

https://imgur.com/uYIIXBH

I have a black SE Singlecut with the maple binding so it must have a maple top on the mahogany body.

Looks like the solid solor SE's just have a plain maple top with no veneer.

 

[bodia]

So if that's true, Korean SE's are mahogany with just a paper thin veneer of flamed maple glued to the body?

Doesn't seem like that thin sheet of maple would enhance the tone of the mahogany much.

I've read that there's a plain maple top under the flamed top but that seems like a lot of extra time and work.

No. Hog body, then maple, the veneer.

 

[garrett]

Maple top with transparent finish = mahogany back, maple top, veneer
Maple top with solid finish = mahogany back, maple top, no veneer

The only example I can think of where they put veneer on top of mahogany was one of the exotic wood series.

 

[Monahan]

Here's a recent video tour of the current SE factory installing the paper-thin figured veneer top:

Depending on the model, some of the SE guitars have a thick maple cap glued to a mahogany body, while some are simply all mahogany. Many models include a paper-thin figured veneer of actual wood. It's far too thin to affect the tone-- it's just there for appearance. Not a terrible thing at all, as these veneers are cut from actual wood and more often than not, are very attractive. This is way better than what Fender did back in the 90's with it's "photo-flame"...

Anyway, Hope this helps.

FWIW, if you like the sound, or look of a guitar, that's all that matters

 

[Lewguitar]

Here's a recent video tour of the current SE factory installing the paper-thin figured veneer top:

Depending on the model, some of the SE guitars have a thick maple cap glued to a mahogany body, while some are simply all mahogany. Many models include a paper-thin figured veneer of actual wood. It's far too thin to affect the tone-- it's just there for appearance. Not a terrible thing at all, as these veneers are cut from actual wood and more often than not, are very attractive. This is way better than what Fender did back in the 90's with it's "photo-flame"...

Anyway, Hope this helps.

FWIW, if you like the sound, or look of a guitar, that's all that matters

Wow. That pretty much explains it.

Super impressive.

Thanks!

 

[Lewguitar]

Maple top with transparent finish = mahogany back, maple top, veneer
Maple top with solid finish = mahogany back, maple top, no veneer

The only example I can think of where they put veneer on top of mahogany was one of the exotic wood series.

That's what I think too.

Simple.

So there would be a slight difference between a solid color guitar and one with a figured veneer: the solid color guitar would NOT have the veneer applied over the maple top.

I can see how how that might change the resonance ever so slightly so that a solid color guitar might sound different from a flame top.

If a thick finish can alter the tone, why couldn't a glued on veneer?

 

[Broseph]

The veneer is razor thin. It’s why any major damage to the flame maple SE top is virtually impossible to properly repair. What you see is superficial. It’s a good thing they have a thick poly finish.