Anigre For A Body Top On An 8 String(f#)

[nyck8]

I'm will be getting an 8 string built soon. It will have an all maple neck(28"), a single Lundgren m8 pickup, and a bolt on body. I have decided on maple for the bodywood. The whole body will be extra small and thin(1.25 inch). Maple isn't really the most pretty wood, so I decided to get some kind of top, but the body style will have a forearm contour, which will really ruin the top by being cut off. I have considered doing half the body maple, and the other top half a nice looking figured wood but still have good tonal characteristics and similar to maple. I've been looking for some nice looking tops, and I found this beautiful piece. It's Anigre:

Anyone know what anigre sounds like? Is there a way to just get a standard maple body and stil have the nice figured top regardless of the forearm controur(bend the top??)?

Does figured maple sound different from regular maple?

[fookgub]

I don't think it necessarily looks bad to expose the body wood in the forearm contour.

Observe:

[chunkielad]

You could always do a 'drop top' where you make the guitar body and heat/steam a thinner cap (maybe 5mm) onto the shape including the forearm contour.