Marcovis Posted February 7, 2007 Report Share Posted February 7, 2007 I just recieved these two tops today. I paid $110 for the board and got both these carve tops(7/8")and a slice that is 3/16 to use for control cavity covers, headcaps....... Top 1 Top 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
c.thep Posted February 7, 2007 Report Share Posted February 7, 2007 Nice, but kinda expensive though. I got this for 40 bucks Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
c.thep Posted February 7, 2007 Report Share Posted February 7, 2007 It looks way better in person BTW Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Marcovis Posted February 7, 2007 Author Report Share Posted February 7, 2007 Nice, but kinda expensive though. I got this for 40 bucks Have you checked the prices for carved tops at most of the luthier supply or specialty wood stores? We both got great deals. I'll take two 7/8" 5A flame tops for 110 anyday. That is a nice piece of quilted maple you got there. Check out this piece(1" thick) I got for $65 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
verhoevenc Posted February 7, 2007 Report Share Posted February 7, 2007 There's a reason you got that for $40, cause for ANYONE planning to dye the top, that dual color maple is essentially useless. So he got a GREAT deal on two clean highly flamed carve tops. The best non-ebay deal I know around for a carved top is $70 and that's only cause he's uber generous. So you VERY MUCH SO got a deal on those carved tops. Hell I'd take one for $55 any day! Chris PS: What's the seller's ebay name? Link? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
davee5 Posted February 7, 2007 Report Share Posted February 7, 2007 Man I love ebay for that, though it's been a while since I've bough figured wood. The flamed koa top (flat-top, only 0.25") I got online was all of $40! A comparable set would go from Koa Guitarwoods for over $100, easy. The key was a small knot I fit just outside the body shape which killed its value to most semi-custom shops who can't adjust their shapes to the whims of individual peices as easily as I could. Also gotta love the window-shopping value of ebay, what you see is (close to) what you get. I wish places like LMI would allow the same thing. -Dave Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Marcovis Posted February 7, 2007 Author Report Share Posted February 7, 2007 There's a reason you got that for $40, cause for ANYONE planning to dye the top, that dual color maple is essentially useless. So he got a GREAT deal on two clean highly flamed carve tops. The best non-ebay deal I know around for a carved top is $70 and that's only cause he's uber generous. So you VERY MUCH SO got a deal on those carved tops. Hell I'd take one for $55 any day! Chris PS: What's the seller's ebay name? Link? The flame maple came from Woodbay. I have also had good luck with Durawoods and Nicemaple as well. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fryovanni Posted February 7, 2007 Report Share Posted February 7, 2007 There's a reason you got that for $40, cause for ANYONE planning to dye the top, that dual color maple is essentially useless. So he got a GREAT deal on two clean highly flamed carve tops. The best non-ebay deal I know around for a carved top is $70 and that's only cause he's uber generous. So you VERY MUCH SO got a deal on those carved tops. Hell I'd take one for $55 any day! Chris PS: What's the seller's ebay name? Link? The flame maple came from Woodbay. I have also had good luck with Durawoods and Nicemaple as well. Woodbay and Durawoods are great dealers(solid and knowledgable). Ebay can be hit and miss, but a few of the better dealers do an outstanding job. Chris is pretty on the money with his comments on color. The finest(5A if that is what you want to call it,Mastergrade,musical grade? whatever...) flamed maple is Clear, Bright, well quartersawn, vertical grain(figure is perpendicular to the grain), Free of mineral or drying stains. Some can be said of quilt only flat sawn. The thing about grading though is that it raises the price based on these factors, and not so much how cool the look is to you. Although staining is not good for coloring tops, it can look cool as can be. I think some of the best looking tops I have seen have been natural with interesting(odd) "defects"(I only say defects as it refers to grading). Personally I would not put too much faith in grading and go for what you think looks awsome and inspires you. Peace,Rich P.S. never trust grading systems. Every dealer grades a little different. One dealers 4A is another dealers 5A or yet anothers 3A. Those grading standards are good for bulk lumber buys or blind sales(when the grading is more generalized), but are not really needed for wood you can see(hopefully both sides and possibly end grain). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Demiurge Posted February 8, 2007 Report Share Posted February 8, 2007 *noob with first post* One of the quick lessons I learned gathering wood for my first project is that just like with anything else, if it's too good a deal to be true, it probably isn't. There's plenty of wood on ebay, some of it pretty cheap, and I found out pretty quick when the $10 neck blanks and lams are warped, knotty, or have a bunch of tearouts and discoloration on the non-photographed side of the boards. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Marcovis Posted February 8, 2007 Author Report Share Posted February 8, 2007 *noob with first post* One of the quick lessons I learned gathering wood for my first project is that just like with anything else, if it's too good a deal to be true, it probably isn't. There's plenty of wood on ebay, some of it pretty cheap, and I found out pretty quick when the $10 neck blanks and lams are warped, knotty, or have a bunch of tearouts and discoloration on the non-photographed side of the boards. Good tip, that's why you ask questions before bidding. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WezV Posted February 8, 2007 Report Share Posted February 8, 2007 Nice, but kinda expensive though. I got this for 40 bucks I just got 15 1/4" flamed maple top sets from those guys for $50. They sell them cheap because they have some defect, colour differnces or bark.. I was expecting to maybe get a couple of semi-decent tops and use the rest for body laminations or making parts like pickup rings None of it is really high grade but there is some bloody good stuff and out of the 15 there are only two that have defects that would stop me using them as tops. The figure on all of them is very good. Some have more colour variation and some have small areas of burl - personally i like that. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fryovanni Posted February 8, 2007 Report Share Posted February 8, 2007 *noob with first post* One of the quick lessons I learned gathering wood for my first project is that just like with anything else, if it's too good a deal to be true, it probably isn't. There's plenty of wood on ebay, some of it pretty cheap, and I found out pretty quick when the $10 neck blanks and lams are warped, knotty, or have a bunch of tearouts and discoloration on the non-photographed side of the boards. This is what kills me. If the wood has knots, is warped, tearout effecting adequit usability. They are NOT neck blanks. They are just 2nd grade "shorts". It kills me when I see so many dealers take wood that is close to dimension needed for a given instrument, and stick a "musical grade" sticker on it. Guys it has to be the best of the best cuts and very stable dimensioned wood to be "musical" grade and command a higher value. Otherwise it should sell at regular "lumber" or "shorts" prices. Don't get taken, become an informed buyer. Peace,Rich Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AlGeeEater Posted February 8, 2007 Report Share Posted February 8, 2007 If you wan't a good, reliable source for cheap tops check out Gallery Hardwoods. I bought a 3/4" 5A flame maple top from Larry there for $120. Great selection, great prices & great products. Chris Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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