electric guitar top wood grain orientation

[Macarel31]

I have a question about electric guitar tops (Bookmatched tops).

I want to make mine from a live edge and lumber dealer. However, I don't know if there are restrictions about the wood grain orientation (in the thickness)  to avoid deformation even if it's glued to the guitar body.

Thank you for you answers.

[Bizman62]

As long as the wood is properly dried there should be no major risk of deformation. A live edge is no exception. By properly dried I mean either kiln drying (fast) or years of natural drying outside under a roof. After both methods at least several months proper storing in the final conditions is highly recommendable. Professionals may store wood for decades, saving the best wood for their masterpieces.

Regarding grain orientation, there's some facts about how wood tends to live with climate changes. Here's some science: https://www.conservationphysics.org/wood/wood1.html

So when you glue a thin top to a thicker body, both should be properly dried and acclimatized so that their moisture content has stabilized to a level where they won't suck water in unless they're literally sunk for a longer period. Having the top and body end grain orientation mirrored may also help as they would counteract the forces. One might think that the top is so much thinner that it wouldn't matter, but as it's of a different species it also may have a lot more bending force. - Oh, and in case you have a three piece or a single piece body, you can still try to mirror the grain.