Wood quality classification

[nomadh]

I thought this was a cool article i found when looking up the different classes of maple top.
Other interesting things too from Gibson on neck carves and mahogany classifications. Alot of different details about the gibsons in 2014 and 15.
https://www.samash.com/spotlight/gibson ... ds-inlays/

[Partscaster]

Good to see. Thanks.
Their maple top accessors might need new eye examinations.

[slowhand84]

Good to see. Thanks.
Their maple top accessors might need new eye examinations.

It's less about that and more about the fact that "wood grading" is for the most part entirely subjective and largely a marketing ploy. One company will call their guitar's top "5A" and another company will call an almost identical looking top "3A" and another company will call a similar top "master grade" and charge $1000 for it .

[nomadh]

Good to see. Thanks.
Their maple top accessors might need new eye examinations.

Really. I thought the grading followed a logical progression. What did you disagree with.

[slowhand84]

Good to see. Thanks.
Their maple top accessors might need new eye examinations.

Really. I thought the grading followed a logical progression. What did you disagree with.

I know this question wasn't addressed to me so apologies for butting in, but this exact exchange goes to my comment above - that wood grading as it relates to figured tops really is just purely subjective and in the eye of the beholder. Sometimes the explanations provided don't even make sense, as in this article...for example, in comparing the "AA" to the "AAA" one of the things mentioned that sets the AAA apart from the AA is superior "figure consistency", and the figuring is far more consistent/even in the AA example shown than the AAA.

In fact I think the AA top they show there is the nicest of the bunch...way nicer than the AAA and even the AAAA .

[Partscaster]

Good to see. Thanks.
Their maple top accessors might need new eye examinations.

Really. I thought the grading followed a logical progression. What did you disagree with.

AA grade and AAA+ grade look to fit their incremental criteria worse than the preceding grade. IMO.

[Partscaster]

Good to see. Thanks.
Their maple top accessors might need new eye examinations.

Really. I thought the grading followed a logical progression. What did you disagree with.

I know this question wasn't addressed to me so apologies for butting in, but this exact exchange goes to my comment above - that wood grading as it relates to figured tops really is just purely subjective and in the eye of the beholder. Sometimes the explanations provided don't even make sense, as in this article...for example, in comparing the "AA" to the "AAA" one of the things mentioned that sets the AAA apart from the AA is superior "figure consistency", and the figuring is far more consistent/even in the AA example shown than the AAA.

In fact I think the AA top they show there is the nicest of the bunch...way nicer than the AAA and even the AAAA .

exactly my opinion, too.
although, my fav is the AAA, wide tiger stripes.
( bold text for each grade title is below corresponding photo)

[slowhand84]

Really. I thought the grading followed a logical progression. What did you disagree with.

I know this question wasn't addressed to me so apologies for butting in, but this exact exchange goes to my comment above - that wood grading as it relates to figured tops really is just purely subjective and in the eye of the beholder. Sometimes the explanations provided don't even make sense, as in this article...for example, in comparing the "AA" to the "AAA" one of the things mentioned that sets the AAA apart from the AA is superior "figure consistency", and the figuring is far more consistent/even in the AA example shown than the AAA.

In fact I think the AA top they show there is the nicest of the bunch...way nicer than the AAA and even the AAAA .

exactly my opinion, too.
although, my fav is the AAA, wide tiger stripes.
( bold text for each grade title is below corresponding photo)

Oh whoops didn't notice the grade title is below and not above , I did mean the AAA with the wider figuring was my fave.

[nomadh]

Yea I think that AAA is the winner however to make a good comparison I suspect each pic should be a little movie showing the figuring as you move. Otherwise we would just do photo tops.