Tele Thin Line - Top Wood Questions

All,

Most of the tops I have seen on the Thin line Tele's are beautiful Maple, really nice stuff. I received my new copy of Wood Magazine yesterday and they talked about the beauty of Sycamore wood.

So I ran down to the local wood supplier here, and sure enough he has some stunning Sycamore that I could use for a top - what are your thoughts on this wood?

Go for it. And then take pix.

I bought a piece of quarter sawn sycamore a week ago, and I am really excited to use it as a top.

American Sycamore or Euro? They are different species I believe - American is of the Planar family - Platanus occidentalis & English Sycamore is of the maple family / Acer Pseudoplatunus. Two very different woods, and the maple would probably be fine, but the planar is what is called water maple here in the South, as is grows very near water supplies, and is full of water in the wood.
English Sycamore DESCRIPTION: Lustrous white to pale yellowish white, occasionally with a tight fiddleback figure. The preferred wood for violin backs. Works easily with hand and power tools. Takes stains and finishes well. English sycamore belongs to the maple family and is not closely related to American sycamore.

Euro sycamore is what bowed instruments have been made from since day dot.

The trees have keys that helicopter; US Sycamore has those evil spikey balls.

English Sycamore
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American Sycamore seed balls
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I built a partscaster a few years ago with a sycamore top and back on an alder center. As you can see in the pictures below my choice of color in 2009 wasn't particularly inspired, but the wood was nice. In terms of appearance I like flame maple better, but tonally I couldn't tell any difference. The grain is pretty, but not spectacular.

As mgdesigns says, English (well, British) sycamore is what Americans call "maple", and American sycamore is what the British call "plane". If American sycamore is cut to show the fleck properly it could make a stunning top.

If you can get QS, it's really good looking. If flat or rift sawn, that looks ok too. All of it has a good rep as tone wood. When I get home on leave in a couple weeks I have an appointment with a local wood monger who is holding some Sycamore for me. Can't wait to plunder through it.
Rex