Guitar myths.

[ksdaddy]

In the 90's it got super hot to have birdseye on the neck, and folks naturally took it to mean theirs was better than everyone else that didn't have birdseye.

 

Yeah, I read a book along those lines when I was a kid.

 

[pippy]

If you use the words "Burled Maple" and "Birdseye Maple" you mean two different things, and they are not interchangeable...

 

I'm happy to be wrong, this is just memory of a long time guitar person here...

No, I don't think you are wrong, rct. At least....it's consistent with what someone told me......lol!

 

From my own past I remembered that Burr Walnut(*) was always from a burr (obvioulsly) but that Bird's-eye Maple - although visibly similar - was so marked for a completely different reason. The drummer in the band with whom I often 'guested' was a buyer for a timber merchant and this is what he told me when I was asking about figured woods way back then.

 

FWIW the wiki entry for Birdseye Maple includes the following;

"It is somewhat reminiscent of a 'Burl', but it is quite different: the small knots that make the burl are missing."

 

Rabs has a friendly Timber Dealer with whom he is in contact.

I'll send him a PM to see if he can sort it out once-and-for-all...

 

(*) A 'burl' is more commonly called a 'burr' to we UK-english speakers.........:P

 

Pip-Pip.

[capmaster]

If you use the words "Burled Maple" and "Birdseye Maple" you mean two different things, and they are not interchangeable.

 

...

 

Burl is that big chunk of mess, usually near the bottom of the tree. Not huge planks made from it, but plenty of ply available as it is thick, usually. Not neckable in size I don't think.

...

 

rct

I think that, too. Compared to birdseye maple, burl of any wood species seems to lack predictable and consistent strength and durability.

[Rabs]

Yes.. Burr or Burl is quite a different thing from birdseye maple...

 

This is what internet says..

 

Burl wood is a type of wood used by artists to create sculptures and other items, such as clocks and even some forms of furniture. It is highly prized by artists because of its unique shapes and ring patterns. This wood is a type of fast growing, abnormal growth found on some trees. It grows because the tree has experienced some sort of environmental stress or damage, and it is often caused by either a fungal attack or an attack by insects.

 

The number of trees that produce burl wood is quite low. In addition, certain areas tend to create more than others, because all or many of the trees in a particular location are likely to be attacked by the same fungus or insects. Certain species also tend to be more susceptible to attacks and, therefore, more likely to develop burl wood. For this reason, certain types are more rare and prized than others.

 

Often, a tree that has developed burl wood is still quite healthy. In fact, many of these trees can go on to live for many more years. Other trees develop burl wood offshoots that are so large and heavy that they create additional stress on the tree and can cause it to die.

 

 

Birdseye maple, one of the rarest kinds of wood on the planet, has a distinctive pattern that looks like tiny, swirling eyes disrupting the smooth lines of grain. This isn't a variety or species of maple, but rather a phenomenon that occurs within several kinds of timber due to an unknown cause. The valuable anomaly might showcase the wood's reaction to a fungal or viral infection, genetic mutation, bird pecking, climate change, soil conditions, growth history, or some other mysterious element.

 

This type of maple has a medium density and variable color. The outer rings of the tree create lumber that's usually a creamy, light amber color with darker birdseye patterns. The inner rings, called heartwood, might be deep amber or reddish with dark brown birdseye. Depending on the frequency of the swirls, each 0.125 to 0.375 inches wide (0.3175 to 0.9525 cm), the wood may be extremely valuable. Woodworkers prize the timber because it "turns" well on a lathe, meaning it can be shaped into decorative canes, chair legs, or handles. After it's finished, birdseye maple doesn't scratch easily.

 

The only thing you can say for sure about bird’s-eye is that you cannot say anything for sure about bird’s-eye.

 

So even though they do produce some similar effects.. a Burr is usually a growth on a tree..... No one quite knows what causes the birdseye effect but its the whole tree that effected, not just a small area.. But chances are it could be some kind of tree infection. Or magic guitar elves :P :)

[Rabs]

It all comes down to seeking perfection where perfection doesn't exist. Sometimes you gotta say "that's close enough".

Isnt that one of the things rock n roll is all about.. Not being perfect and just going with the flow :)

[capmaster]

...

 

The only thing you can say for sure about bird’s-eye is that you cannot say anything for sure about bird’s-eye.

...

No one quite knows what causes the birdseye effect but its the whole tree that effected, not just a small area.. But chances are it could be some kind of tree infection. Or magic guitar elves :P :)

Makes me tending to vote for the elves, but I feel unsure about that

 

Isnt that one of the things rock n roll is all about.. Not being perfect and just going with the flow :)