"Bear Claw"...yay or nay?

[Slothead56]

I really like bearclaw...on someone else’s guitar.

Runout, on the other hand, is an abomination. I don’t care who you are.

[jonnymosco]

My Steinbeck by Stefan Sobell has a bearclaw top, they all do - he knows what he's doing, so it must have some merits.

Jonny

[Birchtop]

Not a fan of bear claw. If I had a choice, I’d do without it. My D-35 has some bear claw and because it’s a keeper, I’m learning to live with it.

[bizango1]

I love it when bearclaw posts come along so I can post pics of my 2008 D-21 Special that was attacked by a bear. I bought the guitar used and actually didn't notice the bearclaw bec I was overwhelmed by the tone. No quandary here-the guitar sounds fantastic and everyone who plays it wants to take it away from me.

[Andromeda]

I love bear claw and have no problem with it. Run-out used to be a deal breaker for me and while I'm not crazy about it a little run-out wouldn't bother me.

[TomB'sox]

As I said, love it!

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[Elvina]

I LOVE bearclaw and have requested it on custom guitars I have ordered,I think it makes a guitar look unique and interesting,I don't care if it's a lot or a little.
I believe bearclaw tops are usually a bit stiffer but if I had the choice of similar guitars that sounded the same I'd go for the bearclaw.

[Scotso]

Originally Posted by Rixtoy

Well, truth be known -
I kind of liked the look - until I explained it to my wife and she said - "Those aren't bear claw marks - those are STRETCH marks!".
now - I can't unsee that . . . Sorry.

your wife has a pact with the devil....that quote is evil

[fitness1]

Originally Posted by TomB'sox

As I said, love it!

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The man in the oldest town in Texas apparently has a nice supply of that BC!

That is pretty!

[Erithon]

Originally Posted by Shuksan

Depends on the bear claw. I don't like it if it's spotty or unevenly distributed over the top or if it looks random. Some bear claw wood produces nice symmetrical patterns when book matched and I like tops made from that type of bear claw wood. It's more interesting to look at than a plain top.

My thoughts exactly

Originally Posted by TomB'sox

As I said, love it!

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I love that too, though with the quilted Maple the whole thing is too much for me. I'd prefer that Maple with no Bearclaw on the Spruce or that Spruce with a less figured back and sides. Stunning wood regardless.

[nootis]

Yeah, I like a little bear claw and figured wood too.

[TDavis]

Originally Posted by nootis

Yeah, I like a little bear claw and figured wood too.

See...to me that looks amazing, and artistic. When it's just a few random marks, not so much.

That is beautiful wood on the back there too!

[KenL]

Originally Posted by jrb715

So, cool (bear claw); not a problem (run-out). And doesn't Mary Chapin Carpenter's extraordinary Greven jumbo have major run-out? May I have one of those? Please!
With run-out!

I just read about that one. John Greven was just getting started and didn't have a big stash of good bookmatched spruce, so he would use whatever he could find.

That guitar top was made from two pieces of "orphan" spruce from two different trees because that's what he had to work with at the time.

And it turned out to be one of the best sounding acoustic guitars I've ever heard. "Extraordinary" is exactly right. If you haven't listened to her "Songs From Home" on YT, check it out, it's superb! She's a great player too, she makes that guitar sing.

[stormin1155]

I really like bearclaw. I like most anything that gives wood character.

[Mr Bojangles]

Yeah, but how does it sound?