I agree the figured top is just very plain. I don't know why they would use such a boring piece of maple but I guess if it says Jackson it must be good!? Well I thought this project would be a great show piece for a good piece of figured maple. Now I just so happened to run into a piece however the width of the figured maple was only 5.25 inches wide. So I was looking for a project that would be small enough to use this wood. The maple is also 1.75 thick after gluing and surfacing. It has a great figure and would show off well with an extreme archtop. I did email some people and I believe this guitar is 2.25 inches thick at its tallest height so I will be using mah. back .5 inches. One other question, any comments on either a mah laminated neck for this project or a figured maple lamination? And if mah. what type, South American, African etc.
Thanks
Daniel