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Does the grain pattern on the back have any bearing on resonance, sustain, and sound?

danzego

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Aug 21, 2018
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I'm currently in discussion with Gibson for a replacement on my 60th Anniversary V1 R0 that went if for warranty work right after I got it (finish issues). I did get it back and it came back with a ding on the back and the case wasn't mine. Gibson said they would be willing to do a replacement. Based on my preferences in a guitar, they sent over pictures of a potential replacement (I already turned one down due to a ho hum top).


The guitar is beautiful, but I'm slightly concerned about the back. It has the most swirl I've ever seen in an LP back and somewhere along the way, I read (via an interview with some reknown major company builder who escapes me at the moment) that the most resonant and best sustaining guitars tend to have straight grain. A bit of figuring wouldn't concern me, but I'll let the picture speak for itself:






Again, that's the most I've ever seen (along with perhaps a bit of distortion in the grain at points). The idea that a straight grain would lead to best energy transfer and, thus, best resonance and sustain, seems to make sense. SO, with that in mind, does anyone have any input into that based on their own experience? Please, take it easy on me if you have strong feelings about it. We're talking about a $6500 guitar here and I just don't want to get stuck with a dog, especially since the first one is actually a very nice guitar.
 

brandtkronholm

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Dec 3, 2006
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2,737
I am confident that the guitar in the picture will play just perfectly and sound great - just like a top-quality Gibson should.

The figuring of the mahogany looks really cool and will have no affect on the sustain, sound, or resonance in any way whatsoever.
 

fred dons

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Jul 20, 2001
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318
First of all that is a spectaculair guitar (back and front), straight grain works well in an acoustic but for a les paul i would be less concerned, the idea that the sound would be hindered by first going through the posts, maple top into the back and back again with a swirly back vs a straight grain back is not something i have noticed on any of my lps (i have about 30, with various types of mahogany)
 

El Gringo

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Apr 8, 2015
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I will side with the majority and say that the photos you posted are very lovely and IMHO there is no difference in the tone in regards to the pattern of grain or lack of pattern in the grain one bit what so ever , that goes for the maple and the mahogany or the rosewood board . It's all a visual appeal , and having said that the 2 photos you posted front and back are very beautiful and i would not hesitate one second what so ever and snap that Les Paul up in a heartbeat and blast her thru a Marshall amp and rock out . Play her in good health and enjoy that wonder of Beauty !
 

sinner

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Jul 23, 2004
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3,704
Wow, that is gorgeous! The back looks like a whirlwind and I think it just calls out to be played! (Actually, it looks a lot like "The Scream" by the painter Edvard Munch).
 

Keefoman

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Nov 4, 2009
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I would jump all over it! Top is great, and the pattern on the back makes it very unique!

"The Scream" would be the name! :salude
 

el84ster

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Sep 10, 2001
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1,420
Gorgeous!
Having said that I did read in one of the les paul books that back in the day (50s) they looked for straight grain on the backs and that they felt it DID effect the sound. I think
it was in an interview with McCarty if I’m not mistaken.
 

danzego

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Aug 21, 2018
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Gorgeous!
Having said that I did read in one of the les paul books that back in the day (50s) they looked for straight grain on the backs and that they felt it DID effect the sound. I think
it was in an interview with McCarty if I’m not mistaken.


That’s exactly who I thought said it. I ran into that comment a few months ago but couldn’t find it online before posting this. So obviously I’m not crazy....well, about that, anyway.

Of course, that’s not undeniable proof or anything, but yeah, that’s what sparked the concern when I saw the picture of the back.

I do appreciate all the comments so far! I’m waiting to hear back from them on next steps.
 

El Gringo

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That’s exactly who I thought said it. I ran into that comment a few months ago but couldn’t find it online before posting this. So obviously I’m not crazy....well, about that, anyway.

Of course, that’s not undeniable proof or anything, but yeah, that’s what sparked the concern when I saw the picture of the back.

I do appreciate all the comments so far! I’m waiting to hear back from them on next steps.
Greetings , also to help put your mind at ease about the pattern in the wood if you can be able to try out some different Les Paul guitars in a shop to get a feel if there is anything to it or it is purely cosmetic in the wood figure . That is what i believe that it is all cosmetic , at the same time i can't help lusting after some highly figured maple tops .
 

avereste

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Apr 19, 2005
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377
On spanish guitars you want the strightest and thightest grain pattern for the top, in the strings direction.
It's true that they work differently than the electrics back, but I would go that way too, and avoid fancy or strange grain patterns. Wood knots also add weight to it, so no, thanks.
 

LeonC

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Aug 30, 2002
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799
My opinion is that everything matters, including the wood used for the back of a solid-body Les Paul. Can one be assured that "mahogany" with a straight grain pattern always sounds and performs better than a piece with some kind of swirly / curvy grain pattern? I don't honestly know. I would think other factors would matter too -- density, weight, what happens to the grain under the visible surface, etc. I'd probably want to talk to someone who's built / played at a GREAT MANY Les Pauls and has been able to observe the differences and draw meaningful generalizations. I've only owned and seriously evaluated perhaps 10 or 12 Les Pauls in which the back's grain was visible. (Though I've owned 4 LP Customs in which I had no/little idea what the grain on the back looked like.) With this small sample, I've not really noticed a reliable difference. But I do know that some of them definitely sound/perform better than others and I don't doubt that the wood involved had an impact...I just don't know how much difference was made by the swirliness of the grain in the back...
 

brandtkronholm

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Dec 3, 2006
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here is your answer mid way thru the video ..... you are welcome


Skip to 14:40.

The host indicates that the weight makes a sonic difference. An 8.5 lbs back "makes a great sounding guitar". Other than that, the straight grained mahogany is selected for the back of the True Historic Les Pauls for the way they accept the red dye, the grain matches the quarter swan mahogany of the neck, and a bit of historical accuracy. In other words, straight grained mahogany backs are chosen for the looks.

So again, the fancy grain on the back of the OP's guitar doesn't have any bearing on the sound of the guitar. I would not know if the back of the OPs guitar is quarter sawn. All I know is that it looks awesome!
 
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