Ever since Steve and Ryan offered the incredible Madi back and sides set, I've had in my mind that we needed to find a master grade top to go along with it. Fact is, the top for this build has been on my mind since before the commission itself. How many times have we heard it ... the soundboard is the central element. So I told Steve master grade - AAAAA is the goal with excellent tap and no-runout plus whatever other key characteristics they wanted to look at.
After receiving an order of Italian Spruce, Steve and Ryan have been diligently looking for the best Spruce top they have and we made our final selection last night. This fine creamy white Alpine Spruce top received top marks in the run off (not run out!). Ryan tells me there is one bit of visual distraction on the top. Can you see it?
Here is a close up. Can you see it now?
Plain and simple, hard to detect. There is a a small bit of bear claw (Ryan calls it a thumb print) on the lower bout just slightly bass side of center on the tail edge.
This is "the one". Ryan told me they thought it was similar to the Italian Spruce used on the TomB'sox SJ I had the opportunity to play last year. That cinched it for me!