Figured Maple is our biggest seller and we get some of the best material available. It is available here in both flame figure and in quilt figure in various grades in either Les Paul™ or drop-top thickness.
Our grading scale follows a good (A grade), better (AA grade), best (AAA grade) premium (AAAA) scale. Do not confuse our grading with other industry grading, since our AAA grade is comparable to 4A and our AAAA compares to the 5A grades of other vendors. (By the same token our grading categories are broader.)
Our good grade has subtle figure that may not appear very distinct in the white, but good staining or shading techniques can bring out a beautiful, soft moving affect. In the better grade the wood will be distinctly figured in the white and with good contrast and figure throughout most of the pattern area. This is what you are used to seeing on vintage Les Paul™ models. The best grade has the highest degree of contrast and intensity of figure and is the hardest to find and acquire. The higher grade quilted tops are the rarest, and thus more expensive than even the finest flamed top. The highest grade tops of both the flamed and quilted tops really are something special, and will give an instrument a dramatic, eye-popping appearance.
