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SG flamed top


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why all flamed top SGs have to be out of maple (the top at least)?

 

the supreme and the limited ed. autumn burst both have maple on it, why cant it be mahogany? I understand that a full mahogany guitar wood be a killer to my wallet but even so, if they are ment to be the best , why not go full mahogany?

Is the would grain to make the flamed to only achievable with maple? or is it a cost cut or a weight cut?

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Well a standard SG is all mahogany and there are plenty of translucent finishes if you like mahogony grain but it doesnt have the distinctive patterning that maple has. So the answer is it has to be maple to look like that. Other woods can be used for their decorative features (walnut for example) but maple is the most commonly used for decorative guitar tops.

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Well a standard SG is all mahogany and there are plenty of translucent finishes if you like mahogony grain but it doesnt have the distinctive patterning that maple has. So the answer is it has to be maple to look like that. Other woods can be used for their decorative features (walnut for example) but maple is the most commonly used for decorative guitar tops.

thanks Geff, so it is a matter of "looks" the flamed effect can only be done with maple.

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Simplistically yes, maple has the unique grain pattern that produces the flame effect.

 

The majority of the guitar body is still mahogany. The maple cap is primarily for looks but may have an effect on tone too in the same way different woods used as fretboards can affect the tone and a Maple capped LP has slightly different tonal characteristics to a standard all mahogany SG.

 

It most definately is not for cost savings that maple is used. Even the faded Specials are solid mahogany.

 

Also, remember, an all mahogany body sounds different to an all maple body (as in the Raw Power) but neither one is "better" than the other. They are just different options.

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