Another AFG question: The top wood?

dustymurphy · Post by **dustymurphy** » Sun Feb 18, 2007 2:58 pm

I have yet another Amber 660-660/12question. Are these going to have a flame/tiger maple top (as all that I have seen do) or a birds eye maple top(ala MapleGlo)?

A friend of mine saw one in a shop in Atlanta, and it had a birds eye top. The tag on it said that it was a AFG, not a regular FireGlo. It was brought in used (new, but second hand) and he even questioned them about it being a re-fin, because there's a guy that sells to that shop that paints and relics insturms to make seemingly one-off new models or replicas of famous guitars. (My friend bought an Epiphone '56 GoldTop LP that was made to look like Neil Young's that's really nicely done.)

Anyway, they said "No, it's not a re-fin. A seller bought this in Las Vegas and traded it in plus cash on a Roger McGuinn model." So that's all I know. He's going to go back later this week and get a picture if it's still there. Does anybody have any ideas?

Scastles · Post by **Scastles** » Sun Feb 18, 2007 3:12 pm

It came from Las Vegas? Possibly from Ed Roman? Hmmm.

marc61 · Post by **marc61** » Sun Feb 18, 2007 3:21 pm

When describing the guitar, I believe Ric uses the term "charactered" for the maple they use on 660's

dustymurphy · Post by **dustymurphy** » Sun Feb 18, 2007 4:33 pm

I don't know. Ed Roman was my very first thought as well. I went there once, and tried out some Rics (I was especially in love with a Blue Boy 370 but someone had it on hold.) and Ryan Adams was there buying two 330/6s with Union Jack flags painted on them. (One was completely stock, aside from the finish. The other one was outfitted with toasters, and a Bigsby. Both were BEAUTIFUL!) Anyway, he has a great selection, but the girl showing us around made me pretty mad by her ideas that Rics were flawed from the factory and that their shop could make them "playable". (Her exact word.) She also told me that a regular black 381 was a John Kay model, even though it wasn't. She said that she didn't know much about them, that she was more of a Gibson person. It's a great place to look around and feel like a kid in a candy shop. Anyway, back to topic.

I don't know where it came from. He didn't either, the shop just said Las Vegas.

What does "charactered" mean? I've seen a lot of birds eye MapleGlo models, but I'm not sure at all about the FireGlo and especially Amber FireGlo. I don't really mind either way, but I like to have a strong mental image of it in my head.

lars · Post by **lars** » Mon Feb 19, 2007 2:45 am

I think charactered means that the wood has some features out of the ordinary. It may be ripples, curls, flames, birds-eyes, quilt, stripes or any combination of these.

Scastles · Post by **Scastles** » Mon Feb 19, 2007 4:43 am

Dusty, my TP 660 has 'charactered' wood to it. Not exactly birds-eyes, but ripples and swirls in the wood. In some ways very similar to the look of my MG 360.

jingle_jangle · Post by **jingle_jangle** » Mon Feb 19, 2007 5:12 am

Dusty, the "tops" of Rickenbacker guitars are, indeed. only the "top surface" of the solid billet from which the guitars are made.

Your question seems to indicate that you are under the impression that RIC veneers their guitars like other manufacturers. In fact, "charactered maple" refers to the entire thickness of the wood.

"Charactered" is a good description for the range of figurings present in high-grade maple. These could include birds-eyes, quilting, curl, flame, ripple, washboard, and other "color words" which occasionally are misunderstood and sometimes more literary than accurate.

Furthermore, the grading system used by suppliers for premium lumber is not universal. What is "AAA" for one supplier may be "AAAA" for another. Although some might see this letter system as shorthand, it means little to the consumer and can be confusing to even a lumber buyer.

Scastles · Post by **Scastles** » Mon Feb 19, 2007 5:27 am

Here is a photo of my 660. You might be able to see the the swirls or curls.

lars · Post by **lars** » Mon Feb 19, 2007 8:49 am

Is this now a "show your charactered wood"-thread?

rumbush · Post by **rumbush** » Mon Feb 19, 2007 9:01 am

Must be, Lars. candles, flames, grain; no birds:

dustymurphy · Post by **dustymurphy** » Mon Feb 19, 2007 2:07 pm

Wow. Those are all beautiful. I love the look of the figuring on Lars' 381. I wanted one of those but the price made it prohibitive. I wish my 330 had a beautiful finish like one of these, but it's a JetGlo. It's beautiful in it's own way, but it pales compared to these.

I know that Rickenbacker doesn't lay a veneer down on their guitars. (Like a Les Paul.) I've always called the front a top for some reason. It's sort of like the scratch plate/pickguard difference. I've heard both. Brad mentioned today that the 660/6 he saw had a completely red back and the bursting was only on the top. So yeah, it was a refin.

As this is my first new Ric, I really wanted a strong mental image of it for whatever reason. But seeing the difference in these almost makes me glad to not know. It's like baseball cards when you were a kid, the excitement was in not knowing what you'd get. Any way that it comes, it's going to be beautiful.

Thank for all the help guys! And thanks for all the beautiful pictures. They're all stunning!

brammy · Post by **brammy** » Tue Feb 20, 2007 1:42 pm

Ed Roman is the real character.

elysrand · Post by **elysrand** » Tue Feb 20, 2007 2:02 pm

And THIS is why I call it a Gypson, Dusty. Veneer indeed! John Hall's creations are the Real Thing, through and through, a solid value indeed

tennis_nick · Post by **tennis_nick** » Tue Feb 20, 2007 2:10 pm

wow wow wow wow.... I love Ricks as much as the next guy but to walk in with, well a lie, as to Gibsons construction... I feel I must intervene.

The Only Les Paul to ever have a maple veneer would be, an Epiphone. They have thin thin thin maple veneers covering what is usually alder.

GIBSONS, on the other hand have a 2 piece maple top, which IS NOT a veneer, but 2 SOLID pieces of maple carved to that pretty look Rock stars love.

Even the 70's didn't see maple veneers, though they did see some horrible "design idea's"...

elysrand · Post by **elysrand** » Tue Feb 20, 2007 2:23 pm

Does that same solid piece of Maple extend through the entire body of the guitar, from front-to-back, side-to-side, solid maple with no veneering or other woods glued to her in sandwich fashion? One big piece of solid wood for the body?