Who likes quilted maple?

BR Ukuleles

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Got this one strung up yesterday and really pleased with it. I wasn't sure about building this instrument with a spruce top, thinking that all that light coloured wood might be too much, so paired up some lovely chocolate brown Western Red Cedar with the maple hoping the combo would work well. I think it's ended up looking quite different and striking. And the tone......I just love it.

Body - Quilted Maple
Top - Western Red Cedar
Rosette - Curly Koa and Gold MOP
Neck - Spanish Cedar
All trim including Fret Board and Bridge - Gidgee
Tuners - Grover Sta-Tites
Strings - Worth Brown
Finish - High Gloss Lacquer

Qulted Maple and Cedar Tenor_2014May04_009.jpgQulted Maple and Cedar Tenor_2014May04_012.jpgQulted Maple and Cedar Tenor_2014May04_015.jpgQulted Maple and Cedar Tenor_2014May04_022.jpgQulted Maple and Cedar Tenor_2014May04_003.jpg
 
Very nice. Love your rosettes - beautiful detail. Actually, nice details all around.

Quiled Maple is one of my favorites. Shawn has one on his site. When it was out in public, you would think people would want to pluck the strings to see how the instrument sounds. Nope - they wanted to touch the Maple, thinking it was bumpy. . .

For me, its the opposite from a design standpoint - Spruce top, and Quilted Maple neck. Yes, it is a very "white" instrument, but personally, visually striking. I got the idea from Cumpiano's Curly Maple in the book (with the curly Maple neck), & have been doing white for a while. You should try it - your rosette elements, and bindings, along with the heel detail will set it off nicely. Maybe go opposite on the headstock and match the veneer to the bindings or fretboard. I did that once (Cocobolo Fretboard and headstock veneer) - comes out cool.
 
Wow...that quilt is insane! I'm amazed you could resist the red or blue dye job that most quilt gets :p
 
The figure in this maple is really extraordinary for sure. Difficult to bend without it wanting to fracture along that very short grain though.

I do admire those dye jobs that some people put on maple, but I prefer the look of wood and letting it speak for itself.
 
Beautiful! Thanks for sharing. My UAS was at bay, now look what you did!
 
I'd say that worked beautifully. I just love the depth of curly/tiger maple.
Anne
 
I brought it back with me from a trip to Canada last year. I packed very light so that I could jam as much maple as I was allowed to carry into my luggage. Got a few raised eyebrows when going through the checkin at the airport.
 
I've said repeatedly on here that QM is my favourite wood. I just need to find someone who'll build a uke with a QM top.

Beautiful uke btw. My Patrick Eggle Berlin Pro has a QM cap.
 
I've built with curly maple, and that worked out really well, but this particular piece of quilted maple wouldn't make a good top at all. There is just way too much short grain to be a viable sound board . It has to be an instrument first and foremost.
 
Wow -- beautiful! I have always been drawn to quilted maple, though friends have warned me it is less stable than flamed? I still love it -- 3D without the glasses:)

I have a maple b/s with redwood top hammered dulcimer, and was considering a uke in the same woods, but now I am digging that chocolate cedar with the deep brown trim. Great work!
 
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