Help me decide which top to choose for a custom build

[jhmulkey]

Originally Posted by paulzoom

I think you are missing something. He said no 3 would be good sonically. However he did not say the others would not be.

In your original statement (that I quoted), the phrase was that they would all work "equally sonically." I'm not doubting that they would all produce a fine sounding guitar, but his quote (that I quoted) seems to clearly indicate he thinks #3 would be the best of the 4 sonically (otherwise, why would it be the one he "had decided to use"? why would he single it out?). In other words, they would all sound great, but he thinks #3 would sound greater, thus not being "equal" to the other three.

Hope that clarifies my point. And, btw, #3 is the best looking top of the 4 imo.

[Howard Klepper]

None of the 4 tops displays in these photos the kind of runout some AGF members have been vocal about, which is in the whole board and detectable by a visible color change at the centerline.

Tops 1, 2, and 4 display local runout--i.e., they have curl, and curl is runout. If you insist on no visible runout, then it's nix to any curly figure.

#3 has light and dark color changes. That is not runout.

[guitar george]

I would go with #3. The darker lines will lighten up due to UV radiation if you leave the guitar on a stand near a window - assuming you would like the darker lines to lighten up.

[Rosewood99]

Originally Posted by jhmulkey

In your original statement (that I quoted), the phrase was that they would all work "equally sonically." I'm not doubting that they would all produce a fine sounding guitar, but his quote (that I quoted) seems to clearly indicate he thinks #3 would be the best of the 4 sonically (otherwise, why would it be the one he "had decided to use"? why would he single it out?). In other words, they would all sound great, but he thinks #3 would sound greater, thus not being "equal" to the other three.

Hope that clarifies my point. And, btw, #3 is the best looking top of the 4 imo.

He said no top was clearly sonically better then the others. He chose 3 because he thought it looked the best visually. Which it seems most here agree.

[jhmulkey]

Originally Posted by paulzoom

He said no top was clearly sonically better then the others. He chose 3 because he thought it looked the best visually. Which it seems most here agree.

But that's not what the quote said.

#3 is the one I had decided to use. I think its straight and close knit grain will make a great sounding guitar.

Great-sounding, not great-looking (though it is that too, of course ) Again, I'm sure any choice will sound fine, but his words indicate he gives the edge sonically to #3. Maybe it's only a slight edge, but an edge is clearly implied. And since that's your choice of top too, that's a good thing

[Rosewood99]

Originally Posted by jhmulkey

But that's not what the quote said.



Great-sounding, not great-looking (though it is that too, of course ) Again, I'm sure any choice will sound fine, but his words indicate he gives the edge sonically to #3. Maybe it's only a slight edge, but an edge is clearly implied. And since that's your choice of top too, that's a good thing

You are parsing the words too much. I'm telling you what he told me but if you want to keep focusing on the one quote you may.