School Me on Growth Rings

[Tramp]

As you can see from my NUGDs post earlier this week, I really like the look of tops where prominent, generally vertical growth rings intersect with regular horizontal flame. The Santana in my avatar is a good example:

Two questions for you congnoscenti:

1) How persuaded are you that narrowly spaced growth rings, as in the Violin guitars, makes for an appreciable difference in maple-topped electric guitars?

2) Many of the select quilt tops on PS guitars show little evidence of growth rings: e.g., this stunning 594 on Brian's site:
http://briansguitars.com/product/paul-reed-smith-private-stock-mccarty-594-sub-zero-glow.
Am I correct that the process that creates quilting in the first place tends to minimize the growth rings?

And a third for the rest of us:

3) Do YOU like prominent growth rings and, if so, do you prefer them parallel to the neck, wavy or even circular?

 

[Elliot]

Edit: I’m mostly addressing question 3 and some of question 1 depending on what you mean by question 1. If you are asking if grain lines appreciably affect tone, I wouldn’t dream of speculating. If you are asking if they appreciably affect attractiveness, see below.

Personal preference. Some people call them “voodoo veins” (@RedGuitars).

I really dig voodoo veins and irregular but figured tops. I’d prefer a ps top with veins in it but I like irregularity, I don’t like when the flame is perfectly straight or when the grain lines are perfectly straight. Your Santana is gorgeous with an ideal top, to my eyes.

Here are my grain lines

 

[toothace]

I think the way they cut the log has a lot to do with it...maybe the growth pattern of a quilt doesn't lend itself to show the rings...hopefully someone with a higher wood intelligence factor will chime in...

I couldn't find it, but somewhere there is a breakaway diagram of cutting a log to get the different figure patterns

 

[Tramp]

I think the way they cut the log has a lot to do with it...maybe the growth pattern of a quilt doesn't lend itself to show the rings...hopefully someone with a higher wood intelligence factor will chime in...

I couldn't find it, but somewhere there is a breakaway diagram of cutting a log to get the different figure patterns

I suspect you're thinking of the diagram that rugerpc posted in post #18 of this very informative thread:
http://forums.prsguitars.com/threads/looking-for-opinions-on-cu24-finish.18098/#post-271779

 

[toothace]

I suspect you're thinking of the diagram that rugerpc posted in post #18 of this very informative thread:
http://forums.prsguitars.com/threads/looking-for-opinions-on-cu24-finish.18098/#post-271779

Similar...this one was specific for guitar wood. I'll keep looking...no patients for about a half hour...

 

[Alnus Rubra]

A little wood “pawn” for you all!

The maple is “flat sawn” as you can see from the one piece tops.

Paul is on record, saying that maple is an anomaly in that it doesn’t haven’t the same “tap tone” qualities as other timbers, such as rosewood, mahogany etc. But it still makes great wood for guitars.

There is a school of thought that suggests that figuring in woods is created by compression, for example a large tree falls and smaller trees around it accelerate in growth, causing compression within the trunk hence the figured pattern. This explains the jagged edge of the tree, seen on the last but one “one piece” top.

Seeds have been used to grow Maple from a flamed maple tree and they did not produce “curly” maple, therefore it is apparently not genetic.

Quilted maple is only found in Big Leaf Maple.

The open “growth rings” on @Elliot s guitar, further re-in force the theory of accelerated growth!

I don’t know of any evidence that a quilted or flamed maple top, having any greater of lesser tonal qualities than a plain top, however they do appeal to all of us “Magpie” like guitarists!

 

[Deleted member 5962]

Growth rings SUCK! I HATE HATE HATE them! I try really hard to get rid of mine. I eat right. I work out 3-4 times a week HARD. It just won't go away.

If it wasn't for that little growth ring, I'd post the shirtless Speedo pics that Les really wanted to see. Why did you bring this up, anyway? Picking at an open wound!

 

[Alnus Rubra]

Growth rings SUCK! I HATE HATE HATE them! I try really hard to get rid of mine. I eat right. I work out 3-4 times a week HARD. It just won't go away.

If it wasn't for that little growth ring, I'd post the shirtless Speedo pics that Les really wanted to see. Why did you bring this up, anyway? Picking at an open wound!

We love your growth rings DTR, speedos and all!!

Now as your punishment, you have to post a picture of that righteous “nude top”, growth rings and all (the ones in the guitar top you cantankerous auld git

 

[veinbuster]

I have not observed any tonal difference that I could attribute to spacing of growth rings. I could see a case for arguing in support of it, but haven’t noticed it playing a lot of PRS with them.

I don’t see them in most wide quilts.

I don’t have a strong preference for how they show themselves. I just like seeing the additional layer of character hiding behind the main grain feature.

 

[bodia]

I love growth rings. The more, the better. I also like weird tops. Toss a knot in one, I'd buy it!

Not really growth rings, but cool nonetheless. I like the horizontal waviness too.

I'll take the weird spot on the bottom of this pic all day long

 

[bodia]

 

[bodia]

This one was a dark blue (whale or royal) before it went off for a refinish. When it was blue, it was so dark the growth rings were barely visible, with most of them not even being seen. I was shocked, in a pleasant way, when I got it back.

 

[rugerpc]

Growth rings SUCK! I HATE HATE HATE them! I try really hard to get rid of mine. I eat right. I work out 3-4 times a week HARD. It just won't go away.

If it wasn't for that little growth ring, I'd post the shirtless Speedo pics that Les really wanted to see. Why did you bring this up, anyway? Picking at an open wound!

We love your growth rings DTR, speedos and all!!

...no, we don't!

 

[sergiodeblanc]

...no, we don't!

Bill doesn’t like competition when it comes to posting shirtless pictures.

 

[bodia]

Bill doesn’t like competition when it comes to posting shirtless pictures.

Good point! He's about due for another, isn't he?

 

[sergiodeblanc]

Good point! He's about due for another, isn't he?

Yes please!

 

[Alnus Rubra]

Bill doesn’t like competition when it comes to posting shirtless pictures.

I don’t think the shirt-less part comes into it!!

 

[bodia]

Yes please!

I'd go look for the thread with the other one in it, but I'm afraid Photobucket may have ruined it

 

[sergiodeblanc]

I'd go look for the thread with the other one in it, but I'm afraid Photobucket may have ruined it

I printed that out and framed it. I’ll go upstairs and take a picture of it on my nightstand for you.

 

[Alnus Rubra]

I printed that out and framed it. I’ll go upstairs and take a picture of it on my nightstand for you.

Computer says no!