Wanna see something UGLY

[jingle_jangle]

And that's not kitsch; it's merely serendipity. Go for it, unless your appetite gets the better of you!

[blazer]

Still I would love to see a 4004 bass or a 360 guitar made in from that wood, just because it has such a wild grain going on. A nice break from the straight grain maple Rickenbacker favors.

[ilan]

Still I would love to see a 4004 bass or a 360 guitar made in from that wood, just because it has such a wild grain going on.

That's not grain. That is fungus attacking the grain. Spalted maple is decaying wood. That is why you can only use it as a top, but you can't construct a body from it, it will just fall apart.

[rickenmetal]

It's quite ugly. It reminds me of those guitar toilet seats.

[jingle_jangle]

Toaters, eh? Are those like Pop-Tarts?

Oh come on, are you stating that you don't make a typo once in a while?

You're right, Wouter, no question. And I've also been goofed on whenever it made for a funny or succinct comment!

I'd be afraid of a toilet seat made of spalted maple--it has a tendency to be structurally er, tricky? But stuff like doorstops stamped "Branson, Missouri", or perhaps, "Dollywood", are appropriate uses, IMO.

[rickfan60]

Ooh, spatled maple! Let me at that thing, I'll rip out the clock, rout it for a neck put some toaters in it and have myself a cool exotic wood 360-ish guitar.

Seriously, why do you guys think it looks ugly?

Spalted maple is an acquired taste I suppose. I have seen it used to great visual effect on some instruments, and on others where it was downright offensive. For the life of me, I cannot tell you what makes the difference. I just know it when I see it. That is not a bad looking piece of wood but maybe I am prejudiced because expect RIC shapes to be made of clean white maple.

[paologregorio]

Ooh, spatled maple! Let me at that thing, I'll rip out the clock, rout it for a neck put some toaters in it and have myself a cool exotic wood 360-ish guitar.

Seriously, why do you guys think it looks ugly?

My eyes say it's UGLY.

I've always thought that type of grain(?) pattern looked hideous. Combine that with body proportions that are off(and that the NS "toilet seat" 360 shape is my least fave Rick shape), the ugly knobs(Gibson `70s speed knobs?), a blackened faux slash soundhole, a FREAKIN' clock face in the middle, finished off with a rounded off stump end where the neck should go, and it all spells h-i-d-e-o-u-s in my book. I do have a lovely fireplace that it would burn nicely in, however.

[paologregorio]

Toaters, eh? Are those like Pop-Tarts?

Yes, but Rick shaped, with checkered icing around the edge.

[alanz]

Spalteds and burls make for very interesting laminates on furniture and instruments. One of the things I like about some of the smaller/lesser-known guitar manufacturers are their relatively wide variety of wood choices. Carvin has some gorgeous choices as does Warmouth. Maple is nice but as we've discussed here recently certain guitar manufacturers seem to be running low on interesting-looking pieces for their guitars and basses with transparent finishes.

http://www.warmoth.com/guitar/options/o ... ywoods.cfm

http://www.carvin.com/wood_finish/

[pflash4001]

I don't know...of all the "exotic" woods I have seen, Spalted maple just doesn't do anything for me. I think its an ugly wood grain...buth then, that's only my opinion, and we all know what they say about opinions...

[jingle_jangle]

Spalting has little to do with grain in wood...it is not part of a growth pattern, but rather the incursion of mineral-intense water into the wood cells, which stains the fibers. I think it's ugly in guitars but interesting in sculpture and free-form furniture.

Start doing clocks and thermometers, and I think "Branson" right away.

Not that I've ever been there...