Question Flamed maple necks

[Gio_Force_One]

I brought my PDN Morse in to the shop to show them cause they are friends and they said to me that flamed maple necks are very unstable and tend to twist and do funny things cause of the way the grain is . I have never heard of this before and doesn't seem like guitar makers would use it on necks if this is the case.

Has anyone else ever heard of such a thing?

 

[mikeller]

Gio

I have never heard that. I have heard that necks with a ton of burl in them are more finicky, but nothing like twists etc.

 

[kimonostereo]

I've heard this many times but I haven't really given it much concern. I have had many guitars with flame, quilt and birds eye in them but none have ever had any issues. In the end, if the guitar sounds good and plays well, then who cares. If the guitar neck looks good, that's a plus!

 

[Gio_Force_One]

I just don't like hearing stuff like that especially when your still excited and have a great looking guitar. I said next just don't say anything unless there's a problem.

 

[DrKev]

It's an old guitar myth and it is nonsense.

And EBMM have 30 years of customer service data. If there was an issue, they would not reserve the most figured necks for their top instruments.

 

[kimonostereo]

I just don't like hearing stuff like that especially when your still excited and have a great looking guitar. I said next just don't say anything unless there's a problem.

Maybe its the new way folks downplay the fact that you have a great looking/playing/sounding guitar and they don't? Maybe it makes them feel good about themselves?

 

[Sweat]

Thats nonsense, total BS, never had an issue with any neck and had some nice flame and birdie ones. Had an issue with a Fen**r Str*t with a plain rock maple neck. My thought it is in the manufacturing process that causes issues not that it is flamed, you see the same stuff posted about roasted necks.

 

[ksandvik]

Next time, ask for a scientific reason why this is the case. I doubt they have one.

 

[Gio_Force_One]

Thank you my friends.

He said it's the way the wood grain is on the flame part the fights the other grain and it twist ...and so on and so forth.

 

[QuietSpike]

Absolute rubbish.

Keep them as friends, but maybe not as guitar advisors! .

 

[wolfdogg]

Some very interesting conversation about this located here. Banjo FAQ's

Might be worth grabbing an AcuRite to stay on top of humidity changes as it seems to be the primary variable involved with potential damage.

 

[mikeller]

Yeah Gio - I wouldn't give a bit of concern. I have had plenty of all varieties and never problems

 

[jzeijen]

Uther nonsense... Just onze of those 'hearsay' stories that gets worse every time someone tells it. About half of the EBMM I have owned have a figured neck, mostly flame maple. Rock solid, period.

 

[uOpt]

Always heard the rumor, never seen it in practice.

Yes I can see the theory that the way that flame is made from uneven growth could build up tension. But only if one side of your neck had flame and the other did not. The flame maple necks I see have the flame go all the way through, evenly. So where is the tension supposed to be coming from?

You could also make a point that such uneven growth wood has more tension already released during growth, aka generally shaking it up before it even gets made into a guitar.