Anyone else picky about grain pattern?

I am really particular about grain pattern and prefer straight grain with no "V"s.

In fact, I won't buy a blank body now unless I can see it.

Anyone else this anal?

Given a choice, yes. But much of my wood has to be bought sight unseen. Just have to make do with what shows up. Sometimes the 'accidents' are better than what I'd pick anyway. ;-)

I'm just as "picky" but I'm looking for "character".

(Maybe that's why Tommy likes the hear the sound of my voice?)

Perfectly strait-laced grain to me is kinda "been there done that" for me. I did a kitchen like that and I just got sick of it after a while. Perfectly straightgrain ash, cabinet door after cabinet door. I overdosed.

Now, if it is swirly, weird, buckshot, whatever, I'm liable to take a likin' to it.

Or, maybe not. Depends. The heart's a fickle thing. And remember these are individual things - the background is where you want uniformity, imo. :cool:

Boris summed it up for me. I like a it to be "balanced" in grain character, too. Instead of being uniformly precise- I like it to be crazy all over. I once bought maple cabs for my kitchen and wanted something like boring birch, but was disappointed when they arrived with all sorts of "flaws". Good think I installed them, cause those 'flaws' sure do make it more interesting. I learned to appreciate the wild grain and variations in color. I don't know how this relates to tone in a guitar body, though.

Probably just because I was into gunstocks before I was guitars (where straight grain is not really prized), but I personally want wood grain as swirly and whacky as possible :). Just gives more "life" to the wood. When purchasing gun stock blanks the price is actually generally rated on how much figure is in the wood. The more hectic the grain pattern, the higher the price :).

Eventually I'd like to see about building a Tele with a very highly figured Myrtle veneer top.

Grain pattern?

In alder?

Under layers of flake?

:smile:

Grain pattern is one thing that I do not have to worry about.

I'm much more about weight than grain pattern.
I guess I don't look at my guitars much.
I notice the grain when I see a Pic of me playing the guitar.
The natural finish ones can look pretty stupid with that chevron
grain pattern. Its just so blatant.
The bursts or trans. finishes I just don't much care.
And like bucko' above says, under opaque , not important.

I'm not picky about grain pattern as long as it isn't partially a tight grain and partly broad leaf. Pine tends to be that way a lot.

In ash, I like it to be authentic to the '50-'54's...

Which means it can be just about anything grain-wise, in a one, two, or three-piece body.... :wink:

Grain pattern?

In alder?

Under layers of flake?

:smile:

Grain pattern is one thing that I do not have to worry about.

Thanks, I laughed out loud.

There isn't anything I go for in particular, I just know what I like when I see it.

I like to see as much grain pattern as possible. I love the look of all woods and I want to see and feel as much of it as possible.

http://i334.photobucket.com/albums/m408/apolloguitars/MIMF%20Challenge/mimf046.jpg
http://www.apolloguitars.ca/images/bt03.jpg
http://www.apolloguitars.ca/images/dcf04.jpg
http://i334.photobucket.com/albums/m408/apolloguitars/Guitars%20I%20Have%20Built/bt08.jpg

attractive grain pattern is certainly a plus, but to me, appearance in general is way down the list, with tone and playability being at the top ...

Grain pattern is one of my top variables when selecting wood. Tone first always then weight, size to avoid waste and grain pattern and not always in that particular order. Unique or stunning grain pattern will overrule size. Most times I'll search threw every board a supplier has and come away with nothing or only one board at best. Picky? Yes.

I like to see as much grain pattern as possible. I love the look of all woods and I want to see and feel as much of it as possible.

http://i334.photobucket.com/albums/m408/apolloguitars/MIMF%20Challenge/mimf046.jpg

Is that blackwood Jkingma???

Is that blackwood Jkingma???

No, it's Hackberry. In fact all four of them are Hackberry.

No, it's Hackberry. In fact all four of them are Hackberry.

Hackberry??? I ask because I was doing a build last year with what I thought was blackwood, but after looking at Hackberry I'm starting to think otherwise?

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3049/2891208563_d36d03ac24.jpg

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3025/2911827048_fcbbb2c00b.jpg

I'm not sure these pictures show exactly what I'm trying to get across, but the grain pattern is so similar to the guitars in your pictures!

In fact, I won't buy a blank body now unless I can see it.

Anyone else this anal?

Yep...especially wood with prominent grain like ash.

the wilder the better

for non opaque appearance, i always build around the grain pattern of the wood

there is no other way to achieve a unique appearance (using the natural appearance of wood ...tht is)

Hackberry??? I ask because I was doing a build last year with what I thought was blackwood, but after looking at Hackberry I'm starting to think otherwise?

I'm not sure these pictures show exactly what I'm trying to get across, but the grain pattern is so similar to the guitars in your pictures!

Well, I don't know what Blackwood looks like but I would assume it's darker than that. :smile: The grain certainly looks like Hackberry to me. The Hackberry I have is fairly yellow in an unfinished state.

http://i334.photobucket.com/albums/m408/apolloguitars/misc/quints008.jpg

One thing I find interesting it when I make a piece of furniture is that the points of the cathedral grain MUST point upward on vertical boards. But I've seen it work well horizontally (playing position) both ways on solidbody guitars.

If they point away from the neck they sort of look like a natural "Flame job". But if they point toward the neck, the grain "reads" from left to right which seams natural. Of course, reverse everthing for leftys. Now if the grain reads from right to left...that looks awkward to me. Hmmm, but maybe if I read Hebrew......

Tight, quartersawn and wide boards say "I'm old, sound and not so easy to come by." Wild or figured grain screams "Look at me! Look at me!". Even fungus "damaged" spalted wood looks interesting.

Picky....not me. I just have to find the right piece for the look I want.

I love the look of wood and consider it akin to heresy to cover it with paint , if worthy . With that aside . I am fortunate enough to be in possession of a considerable amount of good usable rough stock that is wide enough for 1 piece bodies . I am partial to the look of a 1 piece body . Just today , I stacked some more Silver Maple and Cherry , as well as some Mulberry . Tomorrow , we will be cutting some hard Maple and I am hoping to get some 1/4 sawn for necks . Virtually all of my wood has been free . Yes , I have had to cut and haul for much of it , but that just makes it more special to me . Some have been blowdowns . A little bit of everything . It is amazing to me how stopping at a construction site and asking can even get it loaded for free as well . Much of my Silver Maple will be virtually 1/4 sawn in 1 piece body size . That one came from the areas Ronald McDonald house . Look for a clowncaster in two years or so . Less , if the moisture comes down quickly . If it isn't worthy of going naked , I just may not want it for a guitar that I build .

I am picky about the graining also. It's gotta have "The look" with nice wide apart grain-lines in a tele ash body looks Old-Schoolishly grand! That's why I like ash bodies. It has the grain-thang going on. Alder doesn't have the same open-graining as ash. A nice light 1-piece swamp ash body with striking grain-lines is the bomb!!!

I love to see beautiful grain. Here are mine.

http://www.kpfotos.com/F19082012c.jpg

http://www.kpfotos.com/PKColor.jpg

No, not at all. Only a fool would start a thread about grain pattern or orientation.

http://www.tdpri.com/forum/tele-home-depot/307518-how-should-i-cut-piece-ash.html