If you've seen the many bird's eye and quilt maple (and other species) guitars built by the masters, you should know that all those are built with flatsawn wood. Of course, certain provisions need to be made to ensure stability, but it's done all the time. One would be to leave the plates a bit thicker than normal - this is OK because maple is not as stiff nor dense as some of the other woods used for backs. I'd probably brace it heavier as well, though with most beginner builds, that is never an issue.
That said, curly maple can be had (and is highly desirable) quartersawn. Of course, it will come at a premium. The big issue with the particular set you have is the mixed grain will move at different rates along its width, which can cause certain surface unevenness issues down the road - even pull away from your rim or braces in certain spots. Leaving more thickness can help alleviate that somewhat. You could also try brushing on something like Minwax Wood Hardener to stabilize the plate somewhat...
|