Flame Maple Grain

[Rabbitz]

Obvious noob question...

Which way does the Flame Maple grain run?

Fretboard to heel or side to side?

[gavinturner]

Fretboard to heel. The flame figure runs perpendicular to the grain.
cheers,
Gav.

[stan]

the grain runs from neck to heel, but the flame runs side to side.
Actually a great question. The flame is a result of the type of timber and how it was sawn. The grain still runs along the timber as normal

[Rabbitz]

Thanks Guys.

I suspected it did and looking at the structure with a loupe it seemed to run fretboard to heel, but when you stand back...

Given how thin the veneer is I was concerned to start running the wrong way.

[stan]

looks like you have it in hand mate. Never underestimate the power of a pic if you are unsure bout something

[keloooe]

Rabz, don't worry about being confused, it happened to me!
Yeah headstock to heel is the way to sand, I nearly went side to side on my LP.... Luckily I emailed DB first!

[Brendan]

I remember Perry Ormsby putting out a FB post on how flames happen - from memory it's where there is compression on the grain - like in the crook of a branch. https://www.facebook.com/ormsbyguita...55190884755618 When you think of it in this way, it makes sense which way the flames / grain go.

[stan]

cool link Brendan

[keloooe]

I remember seeing a flamed tree last year, who thought a compressed tree would look so good on a guitar?

[dingobass]

Flames are the beggining of Quilt figure, caused by the tree becoming so large and heavy that it begins to compress itself and distort the growth rings.
When milled, it is usually the quarter cut planks that give the best figure but I have a chunk of NSW Blackbutt that shows the quilt and flame on all sides... It must have been one big mother of a tree!