Tops: Quilted or Flamed?

[Achilles]

The finest flame top I own is this Heatley Tradition. Also note flamed maple binding on body and neck...

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Came *this* close to ordering a build from Scott about 20 years ago - ended up going with a Thorn instead (big mistake in hindsight)
Love the binding on the neck. David McNaught use to do that with his SC's also.

 

[JasonE]

Came *this* close to ordering a build from Scott about 20 years ago - ended up going with a Thorn instead (big mistake in hindsight)
Love the binding on the neck. David McNaught use to do that with his SC's also.

What model of Thorn did you get and what didn't you like about it? I always wanted a Thorn Artisan. By the time I decided to make an attempt at having him build me one he was so far backed up that it just wasn't something I wanted to do.

 

[JasonE]

Depends. I don't like the super tight flame tops all that much. A looser pattern that is a better description for the name "flame" is great.

The finest flame top I own is this Heatley Tradition. Also note flamed maple binding on body and neck...

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This one is dead sexy.

 

[SillyOctpuss]

I like a subtle flame or a plain top personally.

 

[Stratzrus]

I like flames on Les Pauls and quilt on Strats.

I'm so used to seeing flames on Les Pauls that flames on Strats don't look right to me, although flames on my HH Tele don't bother me at all (could it be the humbuckers?).

Silly but it is what it is.

 

[la szum]

Voted flamed but I actually prefer plain tops or lightly flamed ones.

Same here. I find overly blinged out axes a distraction.

 

[Zodiac]

 

[Achilles]

What model of Thorn did you get and what didn't you like about it?

I got an Artisan. I drove up to his place and hand picked all of the blanks and then waited about 19 months for it. Gorgeous as all hell and truly top shelf in every way.... except the heel joint is based around the first LP Jrs. from way back. I play thumb behind the neck so the upper fret access was literally impossible to work with. There were things I simply couldn't play on it because of the interference of the lower horn.

*not mine.

My bad all the way for not paying attention to such an obvious detail. I was blinded by all the bling!

Made a nice profit selling it since I'd already sat through the long wait time to get it.

 

[Zodiac]

I reckon my Schecter could be called a flame finish, or is it?

 

[mavrick102000]

Flame most of the time. It has to be the right quilt pattern for me to bite.

 

[metropolis_4]

I like lightly figured ash better than either

 

[the-trooper]

I like lightly figured ash better than either

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Ah, the "Grandma's highboy" finish

 

[spawnofthesith]

Yes to both!!


I feel like quilts have fallen out of fashion lately in years? Is that just me? I feel like you used to see tons of quilts out there but now it seems like flame has taken over

 

[Metron]

Yes to both!!


I feel like quilts have fallen out of fashion lately in years? Is that just me? I feel like you used to see tons of quilts out there but now it seems like flame has taken over

Could be due to Quilt quality getting worse and worse as more is used and it costing more and more to get the really great looking tops.

I like both about evenly in general, but have preferences with either. Flame for me tends to be more consistently good looking and I prefer Flame with natural and more yellowish finishes. Quilts are best in my eyes when they are black/dark dyed and then sanded back with another dyed then applied. Rich hues look the best to me with these types of Quilt tops, ven in lighter colors.

 

[State of Epicicity]

I'm in love with quilts, all varieties of quilt tops. Stain it with an intense color and I'm yours.

I love flames too, but nothing ever hits me like a strong quilt top. The swimming pool look is just gorgeous to me. I agree that it's a massive distraction and often you pay way too much, but if money were no object, I'd go quilt in a second.

 

[TSJMajesty]

Whichever look of wood you like, I like to reflect on the fact that the guitar I play was built from portions of a tree, that used to be a living thing!
That's just cool!

 

[State of Epicicity]

Whichever look of wood you like, I like to reflect on the fact that the guitar I play was built from portions of a tree, that used to be a living thing!
That's just cool!

It's like playing a corpse!

 

[TSJMajesty]

It's like playing a corpse!

Oh man, that's weird. I'm watching a dumb cop sitcom where a detective went on a date with an ME who apparently has a thing for dead people.

 

[Metron]

Oh man, that's weird. I'm watching a dumb cop sitcom where a detective went on a date with an ME who apparently has a thing for dead people.

Ain't nothing like cracking open a cold one.

 

[HotRats]

P90s Firebird I had years ago. No top, just plain mahogany.