Maple for fingerstyle?

[jklotz]

Just curious. Why is maple not used on guitars for fingerstyle more? Or maybe I should say smaller body guitars, which to me, means fingerstyle guitars. I know Tommy Emmanual Maton's are maple b&s's but I can't think of any others off the top of my head.

[GeneralDreedle]

I have a Gibson Nick Lucas Maple L 100. It's a fantastic guitar, but you're right I think, you don't see a lot of them

[handers]

Originally Posted by jklotz

Just curious. Why is maple not used on guitars for fingerstyle more? Or maybe I should say smaller body guitars, which to me, means fingerstyle guitars. I know Tommy Emmanual Maton's are maple b&s's but I can't think of any others off the top of my head.

Loads of great classicals and some steels are built with maple. It is not a wood to be avoided. But I have heard good luthiers talk about having to treat it individually and the mass produced guitars with maple are not always great. I once owned a Gibson Gospel in flat sawn, arch pressed maple with spruce on top. I wasnt a good player and thought it was really cool. I don't think it would catch my attention now but that's not the fault of the species.

hans

[warfrat73]

I know that Kevin Horrigan (former Winfield fingerstyle champ) plays a Goodall with Maple B&S.

[Earl49]

I owned a maple/spruce Taylor 615ce for several years, and I play about 75% bare nails fingerstyle, and it worked just fine. It only sold because I am trending toward smaller guitars these days (shoulder issues). Maple tone is crisp and has less sustain. If that works for your playing style, then go for it! I like chocolate best, but vanilla ice cream is good too.

[AMW]

It may be more prevalent than you think!

Doyle Dykes and Laurence Juber are both fingerstyle heroes, and have had signature maple guitars. The (usually maple) J-200 has been a standard for country blues ever since Rev. Gary Davis.

We have lots of favorite fingerstyle guitars in maple, including the aforementioned L-00 Nick Lucas-style (give us a Kevin Kopp in 13-fret, if possible!) and 00, 000 and OM guitars from Bourgeois, Huss & Dalton and Collings.

Maple has a ton going for it, but as was said, the instruments deserve individual attention when they are being built. Mass-produced maple guitars from the big shops have often left us wanting.

[yaharadelta]

The Waterloo WL-12 made me a believer in maple, makes me want to have the opportunity to play a maple in size 0 and 000.

[Bob from Brooklyn]

My maple J200 is my favorite fingerpicker.

[L20A]

Ask Mary Chapin Carpenter about Maple guitars.
Check her out on Youtube with her Home Concerts.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZcFBfYjMLs4

[FormerFoodie]

Originally Posted by jklotz

Just curious. Why is maple not used on guitars for fingerstyle more? Or maybe I should say smaller body guitars, which to me, means fingerstyle guitars. I know Tommy Emmanual Maton's are maple b&s's but I can't think of any others off the top of my head.

I believe maple gets a bad rap and as a result, it's not as prominent as the big two (rosewood and mahoghany). I do think that some builders are better with working with maple than others.

I'm a rosewood guy through and through...but you know what my go to guitar is? A maple backed OM. It's incredible in every way and I probably finger pick 75% of the time.

In addition to the other artists mentioned, Al Petteway, a pretty good finger stylist in his own right, plays a maple backed Circa as one of his guitars.

[FormerFoodie]

One more awesome finger stylist with a maple backed guitar!



This piece is pretty awesome... I'm pretty sure that's a maple backed Kostal Michael Watt is playing...

[llew]

I picked up a used John Walker Wise River (J-45 style) with Adirondack/Figured maple back and sides from Steve @ AMW. He somewhat had to talk me into it but I'm sure glad he did. It seems to do everything well. Turned me around on maple as a tone wood.

[Michael Watts]

Originally Posted by FormerFoodie

One more awesome finger stylist with a maple backed guitar!



This piece is pretty awesome... I'm pretty sure that's a maple backed Kostal Michael Watts is playing...

It is indeed! And I'll be happy to add my love of maple to the conversation. It's amazing wood when you get it right!

[Ludere]

I recently had the good fortune to pick up a Taylor X-braced 612ce with Maple back and sides (right here at the AGF), at the encouragement of those who know far more than I about such matters ...

I am just starting my foray into fingerstyle, and my "stable" would likely not impress too many folks around these parts, but I can tell you that since I brought this beautiful instrument into the fold a couple months ago, it gets 97% of the playing time.

For those not familiar, it is one of the "revoiced" Taylors (with bracing and design considerations specific to maple), and to my ear it is remarkably sweet, responsive, and nuanced ... such that even I can appreciate it.

Not the guitar for those that want to really "dig in", but for light to medium expressive play, I am a fan ...

~ Paul

[BluesBelly]

Originally Posted by jklotz

Just curious. Why is maple not used on guitars for fingerstyle more? Or maybe I should say smaller body guitars, which to me, means fingerstyle guitars. I know Tommy Emmanual Maton's are maple b&s's but I can't think of any others off the top of my head.

Fingerstyle using flesh of fingers? Finger nails? Picks! Or a combination of those?
Those are the foremost considerations dictating the materials of the instrument that will provide ones sought after sound coupled with the preferred body size.
My style is bare flesh of fingers and I prefer mahogany bodies and spruce or mahogany tops. I have a spruce over maple that works well also. I do have a couple of spruce over rosewood guitars that respond well but I really prefer the mahogany.
The next player might play with long nails and Prefer spruce Rosewood all the way.
So, like everything musical, it’s all totally subjective.

Blues