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  #61  
Old 11-26-2020, 05:37 PM
tabl10s tabl10s is offline
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Ozarkpicker View Post
Call me a purist, OCD...or too dang picky, but for the life of me I can't understand why some players have such a wild lust for "bear claw" markings on the spruce tops of their guitars! I guess I've seen some that are grouped in a way that is almost artistic, that I found pretty in an unusual way...but I had a Martin 00-18 Standard that sounded great, but had several very random bear claw markings that looked more like a substandard piece of wood that was shockingly used on a $2500 guitar...and not something that was used as a unique thing of beauty. I really loved the tone of that guitar...but my personal brand of obsession had my eyes seeing those marks each time I looked at the guitar...so I ended up selling it, and for less than I should have since I wanted a quick sale.

My question is...how do some feel about "bear claw" on the tops of their higher end guitars? Do you like it...or are you more drawn to a clean top with even grain?

And, why do you feel that way?
I guess I'm the same way. My third PRS had a rosewood neck and a tobacco sunburst top with imperfections that I ignored because of the neck.

Firstly, the top was semi-Flamed but had some small but ugly mineral lines at the top of the lower bout. Secondly, the neck had a large growth ring that wasn't centered.

Arrogantly, I place each guitar on my knee after playing and gloat to myself that I'm so smart. After awhile, the imperfections got to me because I wouldn't stay off the internet, it didn't seem so pretty anymore.

Luckily, a forum member who kept whining that he wanted a rosewood necked McCarty, got on everyone's nerves so much that they bought it for him.

I never made that mistake again. That 'diamond in the rough' thing is overrated. It's got to be attractive.
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  #62  
Old 11-26-2020, 07:46 PM
Ed66 Ed66 is offline
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I wasn't a fan of it when I first came across it, but now I tend to like it.
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  #63  
Old 11-26-2020, 08:47 PM
fartamis fartamis is offline
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I don't like bear claw when there are only a few. But the bear claws in the photos in post numbers 17-28 and 37 are simply beautiful to me because they are numerous and well spread. On the other hand, I really hate the runout ... for me, the top must be as uniform as possible with the two pieces of wood.
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  #64  
Old 11-30-2020, 10:29 AM
Rixtoy Rixtoy is offline
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Scotso View Post
your wife has a pact with the devil....that quote is evil

So, you know my wife, eh?
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  #65  
Old 11-30-2020, 11:17 AM
Willie_D Willie_D is offline
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If Tony Rice or Norman Blake had said offhand in an interview that the three best-sounding guitars they'd ever played had bearclaw, we'd all be pontificating about how bearclaw spruce has all the tone, and we'd never buy a spruce top without it.
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  #66  
Old 11-30-2020, 12:14 PM
tabl10s tabl10s is offline
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Quote:
Originally Posted by loco gringo View Post
I love bear claws, especially with coffee or even chocolate milk.
Bwahahaha!
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'13 408 Brazilian: Brazilian neck, Artist grade .

NOS '07 Modern Eagle 1 w/Brazilian Neck & RP's.

'10 "Steve Fischer" Angelus in Adi/Coco.

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  #67  
Old 11-30-2020, 12:21 PM
hairpuller hairpuller is offline
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I too like bear claws, but not bear claw, so much.

It wouldn't dissuade me from purchasing a guitar, but I wouldn't consider it a plus either.

scott
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  #68  
Old 11-30-2020, 12:44 PM
Wade Hampton Wade Hampton is offline
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I'm not much of a fan of bearclaw figure, but if I like a guitar otherwise I haven't let bearclaw stop me from buying it.

But I would never pay a dime extra for it. Lots of folks like bearclaw enough that they WILL pay an upcharge for it, and bless their hearts and more power to them.

But not me...it's just not to my taste.


whm
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  #69  
Old 11-30-2020, 12:56 PM
Bill R Bill R is offline
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Bear claw is not something I would request a builder to use on my guitar, because I don't think its presence guarantees a top that will produce great tone in a guitar, and because I guess I just prefer a more pristine-looking top. The same can be said for wide-grained spruce, which is another feature some folks rave about. My main concern with the acoustics I have bought (and some I've sold) over the years is the tone of the guitar.

As many of us are well-aware, the appearance of a guitar top is no indication of the tone it will produce in a finished instrument, and the top really is the voice of the guitar. However most tone wood sellers grade top wood based on appearance rather than tap tone, and so most builders select top wood based on how it's graded by the sellers and charge accordingly.

None of my acoustics have bear claw. Taylor didn't use bear claw spruce much back in the early 2000's when I got my 12-string. John Greven prefers to use the best Lutz spruce he can find from British Columbia for finger style guitars patterned after 1920's and 1930's Martins like mine. He tests the tap tone on all the tops he buys and selects the best sounding tops for his builds. I imagine most small-shop custom builders do the same. The subject of the appearance of the top (i.e. bear claw, grain lines to the inch, etc.) never really came up. I trusted he would select the best top and bracing material to create the tone I was looking for in the guitar and left it at that. I have not been disappointed.

In the end we all have our preferences, our likes and dislikes regarding just about every aspect of the acoustic guitar you could imagine. I think that's great.

Bill
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  #70  
Old 11-30-2020, 01:37 PM
zmf zmf is offline
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Everyone's got their favorite tops. I like bear claw. I like red spruce tops with uneven grain and red stripes.
One kind of top I really don't like is pallid white, with fine, even grain. Makes me want to leave it out in the backyard for a few weeks until it gets some character.
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  #71  
Old 11-30-2020, 02:11 PM
Wade Hampton Wade Hampton is offline
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Quote:
Originally Posted by zmf View Post
Everyone's got their favorite tops. I like bear claw. I like red spruce tops with uneven grain and red stripes.
One kind of top I really don't like is pallid white, with fine, even grain. Makes me want to leave it out in the backyard for a few weeks until it gets some character.
Hey, go ahead and do that! Remind me of your address again, so I can come by late at night to check on it and make sure it’s okay!


whm
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  #72  
Old 11-30-2020, 02:57 PM
zmf zmf is offline
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Originally Posted by Wade Hampton View Post
Hey, go ahead and do that! Remind me of your address again, so I can come by late at night to check on it and make sure it’s okay!
My address is noted on my stats. Not too many towns in Wyoming. Shouldn't be hard to narrow it down.
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  #73  
Old 11-30-2020, 03:26 PM
MHC MHC is offline
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Wade Hampton View Post
I'm not much of a fan of bearclaw figure, but if I like a guitar otherwise I haven't let bearclaw stop me from buying it.

But I would never pay a dime extra for it. Lots of folks like bearclaw enough that they WILL pay an upcharge for it, and bless their hearts and more power to them.

But not me...it's just not to my taste.


whm
I curious to know who charges more for bear claw tops. I have two guitars with it and neither cost more than regular spruce.

I had no idea my Eastman E8OM was going to have it until after the guitar arrived at the store where I ordered it. When I opened the case for the first time.. WHAM! gorgeous Bearclaw all over. The guy at the store where I bought it said, "Wow! You got lucky."

The other was my Custom H&D TOM-M. I paid an up-charge for the Italian spruce, but not its bearclaw.

Does Martin charge more for bear claw figure?
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  #74  
Old 11-30-2020, 03:35 PM
zmf zmf is offline
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Quote:
Originally Posted by MHC View Post

Does Martin charge more for bear claw figure?
I've never heard of Martin discussing the existence of bear claw. Always thought they were in the grains/nanometer camp.
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  #75  
Old 11-30-2020, 05:14 PM
leinad leinad is offline
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https://www.instagram.com/p/CION8w0H..._web_copy_link

check this out- now who doesn't like bear claw. bourgeois_guitars
Figured Bear Claw Sitka, Figured Mahogany, Large Soundhole.
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