Survey : do you prefer narrow or wide flame ?

• Sep 29, 2020

• #1

Dr. Green

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doing a little survey here - if you could have just one historic would you prefer wide or narrow flame ?

lets assume its Eastern maple for either of them

 

• Sep 29, 2020

• #2

El Gringo

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stumphead said:

doing a little survey here - if you could have just one historic would you prefer wide or narrow flame ?

lets assume its Eastern maple for either of them

Click to expand...

Big and wide and i prefer big leaf western ample

 

• Sep 29, 2020

• #3

C

C-4

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The shape, and width of the flame is not as important to me as the feel and sound of the particular guitar, but I would probably not want a BBQ looking top, or extremely straight, pencil-thin flame.
They just look too boring to me. ymmv.

 

• Sep 29, 2020

• #4

somebodyelseuk

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Flame doesn't do anything for me. You get it on everything with a maple top, regardless of pricepoint.
I own one of each - wide and narrow. If I had to start again, I'm going goldtop.

 

• Sep 29, 2020

• #5

G

GreenBurst

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somebodyelseuk said:

Flame doesn't do anything for me. You get it on everything with a maple top, regardless of pricepoint.
I own one of each - wide and narrow. If I had to start again, I'm going goldtop.

Click to expand...

I can take the pain out of making that happen. I'll trade you my Goldtop for your wide flame Rx.

 

• Sep 30, 2020

• #6

GotTheSilver

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Narrow and squiggly, like Pearly Gates!

 

• Sep 30, 2020

• #7

pdfiddler

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Narrow to medium interlocking like CC Sandy beautiful :yah

 

• Sep 30, 2020

• #8

kuwahara80

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Wide flame here. But not too wide.

 

• Sep 30, 2020

• #9

Bob Womack

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I'm sorry. I've previously voted on this survey with my wallet.

Bob

 

• Sep 30, 2020

• #10

jb_abides

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Medium-to-Wide, more ribbon or tiger than verging on quilt.

If Mike indulges, using his as an exemplar:

More here
https://www.lespaulforum.com/forum/...e-some-Les-Paul-reissue-tops-with-WIDE-figure

 

• Sep 30, 2020

• #11

El Gringo

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jb_abides said:

Medium-to-Wide, more ribbon or tiger than verging on quilt.

If Mike indulges, using his as an exemplar:

More here
https://www.lespaulforum.com/forum/...e-some-Les-Paul-reissue-tops-with-WIDE-figure

Click to expand...

This is a great Les Paul and i will ask this question and after some responses from the fine folks here i will give the answer that i was given in person Last September upon my visit to Gibson Custom . Using this most beautiful Les Paul - which part of the maple top do you consider the actual flame the lighter color or the darker color of the maple top ?

 

• Sep 30, 2020

• #12

jb_abides

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GotTheSilver said:

Narrow and squiggly, like Pearly Gates!

Click to expand...

pdfiddler said:

Narrow to medium interlocking like CC Sandy beautiful :yah

Click to expand...

Absolutely yes!

I draw the line at BBQ... Plaintops infinitely better than a grill!

:salude

 

• Sep 30, 2020

• #13

Z

zacknorton

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im with GotTheSilver... too. narrow and squiggly!

 

• Sep 30, 2020

• #14

Cliff Gress

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kuwahara80 said:

Wide flame here. But not too wide.

Click to expand...

+1

 

• Oct 1, 2020

• #15

C

chuck dale

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Wide!

 

• Oct 1, 2020

• #16

NINFNM

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Wide or plaintop. No other option

 

• Oct 1, 2020

• #17

El Gringo

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El Gringo said:

This is a great Les Paul and i will ask this question and after some responses from the fine folks here i will give the answer that i was given in person Last September upon my visit to Gibson Custom . Using this most beautiful Les Paul - which part of the maple top do you consider the actual flame the lighter color or the darker color of the maple top ?

Click to expand...

Now for the answer as told to me at Gibson Custom - the lighter part of the figuring is the actual flame . To some this may seem dumb but just as well for anyone that wanted clarity right from Gibson Custom .

 

• Oct 1, 2020

• #18

Dr. Green

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the light part is the flame

this is exceedingly interesting ...... :hmm

 

• Oct 1, 2020

• #19

jb_abides

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Sounds like fanciful clap-trap to me.

Growth pressure and other factors distort cellular wood fibers in an undulating pattern, figuring being perpendicular to grain.

You need both sides undulating pattern -- back and forth, or rising and falling -- known as 'chatoyance' to catch and reflect light.

They may be referring to what parts of the wood take or reject dye patterns used to enhance the so-called wet look.

:hmm

 

• Oct 1, 2020

• #20

6

6L6

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I don't have a big preference depending on the overall look. Here's an R0 anniverary V1 that I dig not just for the top but for the way it sounds and plays: