Quilted Maple

[Istvan]

I love the look of Big Leaf Quilted Maple, but it may not be the best for tone. I would like the input from other players/builders who have experience with building and playing Quilted back mandos.

Thanks!

[John Bertotti]

I love quilted maple this piece was from Burce Harvie of Orcas Island tone woods when OldWave, Bill Bussman, built my Oval A. Sounds great! Its has that old A4 sound. Exactly what I wanted. I haven't played another mandolin, other than an occasional spin with the old Vega BowlBack, since I got this one. I am starting to mad for an F style though.

I would say the wood won't be the tonal issue. Picking the builder two knows how to get the sound you like form it will be the bigger decision.

[HoGo]

Many great builders build from quilted (and any other interesting figure) maple regularly and noone complains about hose.
If you have very specific tone in mind (like one of previous builds of the maker) some of them might suggest using harder variety of maple as quilted is typically big leaf maple) but all depends on the builder.

[Steve Hinde]

In my experience, quilted gives a deeper (darker) tone compared to Sugar Maple combined with the same kind of top wood. Overall tone can be taylored by changing top/ back combinations. Engelmann with quilted will have more
'color' compared to red spruce with a hard Maple back. All depends on what you are after. And tone is subjective. And...there are hard and soft examples in each wood type.

[Steve Sorensen]

Built many with quilted maple. It tends to be softer than sugar maple, which as Steve said above, inclines the response to be warmer, and perhaps less "snappy" than harder maples carved for similar movement.

Sure can be lovely ....





Steve

[John Bertotti]

Maybe those warmer traits are why I love mine so much. Is that a common trait of older Gibson oval A’s?

[Rob Roy]

Built many with quilted maple. It tends to be softer than sugar maple, which as Steve said above, inclines the response to be warmer, and perhaps less "snappy" than harder maples carved for similar movement.

Sure can be lovely ....





Steve

Steve, Please stop torturing me with these pictures your amazing mandolins! Your craftsmanship and sunbursts are sublime!

[oldwave maker]

If I was always playing in a circle of drunk banjo players, I'd use a harder back material, like sugar maple or titanium! For warmer jams, quilted maple is not so scary....

[amowry]

I don't use quilted maple for necks, but for backs it can be great-- just be sure to carve it substantially thicker than you would other maples.

[TheMandoKit]

If I was always playing in a circle of drunk banjo players, I'd use a harder back material, like sugar maple or titanium! For warmer jams, quilted maple is not so scary....

Yeah, Mr. Bussmann has a way with quilted maple. My Oldwave F4.