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Etudica

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Sep 5, 2012
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279
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PA
The Sweetwater ones don't seem to have much-figured necks... Shame. It's only aesthetics, but at this price and with 'figured' specified on the guitar's description, I'd definitely want it. My core JP15 has a great-looking flame maple neck!

I've also noticed a ton of variation in the eminence purple JP15s while shopping around for one. Not just variation in the roasted necks, but also some major differences in the consistency of the ebony boards (regarding lighter streaks and splotches) and even noticeably different hues of the stain:

Eminence_Variations.jpg

Not necessarily a bad thing though as it might be exactly what someone is looking for. Perhaps they prefer a slightly more violet top than the majority of the other builds, or a more unique board with some crazy randomness going on. I'm sure each one will make someone out there very, very happy for a very, very long time. It makes each one that much more unique.

The challenge is finding "the one" that has the perfect combination of neck, top, board, and color that fits your personal taste. Don't give up. It is out there somewhere!!! You just have to find it :)
 

tbonesullivan

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Aug 24, 2012
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New Jersey
"Figuring" in wood is technically a defect in the wood structure. So you want your defects perfect? Tough Crowd.

I would not have a problem owning any of those Paradise Pink JP15s from Sweetwater.

Wood is a natural product, and will always have variations in color, dye uptake, etc.
 

threeminutesboy

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May 11, 2003
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France
"Figuring" in wood is technically a defect in the wood structure. So you want your defects perfect? Tough Crowd.

I would not have a problem owning any of those Paradise Pink JP15s from Sweetwater.

Wood is a natural product, and will always have variations in color, dye uptake, etc.
+1
 

johnnyboogie

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Jan 27, 2017
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ATHENS, HELLAS
"Figuring" in wood is technically a defect in the wood structure. So you want your defects perfect? Tough Crowd.

I would not have a problem owning any of those Paradise Pink JP15s from Sweetwater.

Wood is a natural product, and will always have variations in color, dye uptake, etc.

Defect or not, it's something that is used for its attractive aesthetic nature. So when you say this guitar has a figured neck, it should have a figured neck. As far as consistency on that is concerned, check the PRS guitars. They all have ridiculous figuring, whether quilted or flame maple.

And that's coming from a hardcore EBMM fan. I don't even like PRS guitars.
 

tbonesullivan

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New Jersey
Defect or not, it's something that is used for its attractive aesthetic nature. So when you say this guitar has a figured neck, it should have a figured neck. As far as consistency on that is concerned, check the PRS guitars. They all have ridiculous figuring, whether quilted or flame maple.

Not all do, and they also charge a huge premium for their "10 tops". Another issue is the type of maple used. I'm pretty sure that the "ridiculous" tops are all Big Leaf Maple. This is the same type of maple that Carvin/Kiesel uses. It also doesn't have the mineral streaks that you usually see in the Michigan Area Sugar and Red Maples.

Torrefied/ Baked maple however can't use those maples: they are too hard. They need to use the much softer silver maple, or else the wood becomes so hard that it is nearly impossible to work with.

Then take into account the type of blank needed for a neck, compared to a top. Finding a piece of maple that has regular tiger stripe for an entire neck-length piece?

Furthermore, the chatoyancy of figured woods has always been notoriously difficult to photograph, unless you stain it. This is particularly true if you use a multi step staining process particularly designed to highlight it. I'm pretty sure they don't use that on the necks.
 

johnnyboogie

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Jan 27, 2017
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ATHENS, HELLAS
Interesting stuff, Big Leaf vs. Sugar & Red Maple. Thanks!!

I l also understand first hand that it's very difficult to accurately photograph a figured, it truly has a 3D texture that can only be appreciated and revealed once you hold it in hand.
 
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