AGF CS Luthiers, what are your thoughts about maple guitars?

[fetellier]

From J-F-C I have a fabulous sounding maple SJ custom built by Fred Tellier, and I never felt he was that enthusiastic with maple in general as a guitar tonewood, and discussions we had left me to think that, at least regarding finger style playing, it was not a choice he would favour much (Although the guitar he built me proved him wrong )

Jean is correct about my initial feelings on the wood, I had a beautiful set of quilt maple that he wanted to use for his build and I was somewhat apprehensive when I started. As the build progressed I became a believer in maple and started looking for a replacement set for the one I used on Jeans guitar. It is a great tonewood though I think as stated above a few times, we are more accepting of dark woods for back and sides.

I am looking forward to building with Maple again so I guess I am converted to it.

Fred

[iim7V7IM7]

Originally Posted by fetellier

Jean is correct about my initial feelings on the wood, I had a beautiful set of quilt maple that he wanted to use for his build and I was somewhat apprehensive when I started. As the build progressed I became a believer in maple and started looking for a replacement set for the one I used on Jeans guitar. It is a great tonewood though I think as stated above a few times, we are more accepting of dark woods for back and sides.

I am looking forward to building with Maple again so I guess I am converted to it.

Fred

Thanks Fred! What aspects of the wood fueled your initial apprehension? Was it the wood's higher damping?

[dcn]

Originally Posted by Steve Kinnaird

Here's a link to that Aaron Stang video, playing our quilted (Big Leaf) maple guitar.

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=-5pBtitR5mc

I am agreed with Trevor that what you are hearing, or will hear--mainly--in this video clip, is a really nice Lutz spruce top. But the maple is coloring the sound, and perhaps you can detect that as well.

Steve

Really like this guitar and video, and this is a fun discussion all around.

Also, I wonder how many were surprised by the outcome of the tonewood quiz Doug Young recently posted in the General Discussion section, with the Maple and Rosewood Martins / Claxtons.

[fetellier]

Fred! What aspects of the wood fueled your initial apprehension? Was it the wood's higher damping?

All of the maple guitars I had played except for Al Petteway's Circa seemed a bit thin sounding to my ear with little sustain and weak bass, but that said most were factory built. We all develop our opinions and often they are not correct, it took Jean's commission to change my thinking. I also am the type of person that tends to be over cautious trying new ideas but with Jean's input we created a couple guitars that came out excellent both sonically and visually. I am constantly watching for more maple.

Fred

[Tony Vines]

Some years ago John Greven and I had this conversation. I believe that Maple has the potential to be warm, resonant and rich in overtones. I strongly agree with John that a Maple guitar can be an awesome instrument matched with the right scale length, top, strings etc..
It is also my observation that more often that not, guitars are heard with the eyes and not the ears. At the end of the day...tone is subjective. As for me, I think Maple is great and highly underrated (much like Walnut). One more thing, even though I am not a huge fan of Taylor guitars, hats off to them for their newer Maple series. My two cents.

[iim7V7IM7]

Originally Posted by fetellier

All of the maple guitars I had played except for Al Petteway's Circa seemed a bit thin sounding to my ear with little sustain and weak bass, but that said most were factory built. We all develop our opinions and often they are not correct, it took Jean's commission to change my thinking. I also am the type of person that tends to be over cautious trying new ideas but with Jean's input we created a couple guitars that came out excellent both sonically and visually. I am constantly watching for more maple.

Fred

Thanks for clarifying...

[iim7V7IM7]

Originally Posted by Tony Vines

Some years ago John Greven and I had this conversation. I believe that Maple has the potential to be warm, resonant and rich in overtones. I strongly agree with John that a Maple guitar can be an awesome instrument matched with the right scale length, top, strings etc..
It is also my observation that more often that not, guitars are heard with the eyes and not the ears. At the end of the day...tone is subjective. As for me, I think Maple is great and highly underrated (much like Walnut). One more thing, even though I am not a huge fan of Taylor guitars, hats off to them for their newer Maple series. My two cents.

Thanks Tony! BTW, my maple guitar has a solid bass and surprisingly has longer sustain than any of my rosewood guitars...

[cigarfan]

I acquired a factory made Maple some time ago and was completely unimpressed. It had big bass due to the jumbo size of the body but was thumpy. Decay was almost immediate. I mean, I was turned off of Maple and have never gone back. Reading the luthier opinions here is astonishing to me. Maybe I should revisit this tonewood. I'm a big fan of Walnut, especially Black Walnut. And to hear Mr. Carruth say softer Maples may be close to that is encouraging. We'll see.

[Steve Kinnaird]

Originally Posted by dcn

Really like this guitar and video, and this is a fun discussion all around.

Thanks, dcn! I am enjoying this as well. As cigarfan confessed, prejudices exist which are founded on past (unfortunate) experiences. Our local lutherie club, LINT, had Bob Taylor give a master class two years back. Where he said, "I am going to change the perception of maple". Or words close to that. Which made me glad, for he is in the position to do that in a few short years. It would take me, for instance, three lifetimes.
But back to maple guitars: if the guitar suffers from lack of warmth, lack of sustain or lack of overtones, the problems lie elsewhere. Don't blame the maple back and sides. It just wasn't properly built to begin with.

Steve

[iim7V7IM7]

Somewhat related to this post, check out this one:

http://www.acousticguitarforum.com/f...d.php?t=391597

It is an excellent blind comparison of maple and BRW Guitars by CF Martin and luthier Ed Claxton. >2/3rd of the participants where not able to blindly determine which guitars where rosewood and which were maple. Food for thought...

[Trevor M]

Here's a video of the Circa OOO I mentioned above.

https://vimeo.com/132591496

Can anyone tell me how to post the actual video rather than the link. Thanks.

[iim7V7IM7]

Originally Posted by The Acoustic Music Co (TAMCO) UK

Here's a video of the Circa OOO I mentioned above.

https://vimeo.com/132591496

Can anyone tell me how to post the actual video rather than the link. Thanks.

Sorry, I know only how to insert a youtube video and not vimeo.

[justonwo]

I have not played many maple guitars that did much for me, though most of them have been production. I remain open to the possibility that the right luthier built maple instrument could change my mind.

[Welshboy]

I've played many disappointing maple guitars. Perhaps it wouldn't be fair to mention the makes. I've owned a couple of poor ones too, but I once owned a Guild D30 that totally changed my mind about the possibilities of maple. I really wish I hadn't sold that guitar.
Since then, I've been fortunate enough to play some really good custom made maple guitars, including a wonderful Fylde. Perhaps the ones I remember most are Steve Knightley's David Oddy jumbo and a Hamblin GC that I coveted for many years. I couldn't afford it then, but if it ever comes up for sale again I'll be first in the queue to buy it!