Maple Pattern on Back and General Sound Traits

[Luna Pick]

I found a few related threads, but was wondering, is there a general correlation between sound/tone and the pattern of a maple back, e.g. curly, birds-eye, quilted, tiger, flamed?

Seems builders, understandably, go through runs of certain patterns. Lately seems to be quite a bit of tiger stripe on new mandos.

I know there are many other variables, but if everything else could be equal, is there a general difference in sound between, say, a curly back and tiger, or birds-eye an flamed? Sorry if I stated some of the names incorrectly.

Thanks.

[mandroid]

Doubtful.. you have access to a Lab to test this theory , to use Science?

[Charlieshafer]

I think she's asking, not telling. Coming at it from a different direction, Antonio De Torres, famous classical guitar builder, asked just this same question years ago. He took one of his finest tops and attached it to a papier mache body after it was on a regular wood body. His feeling was that the tone was in the top, and only marginally affected by the back and sides. Of course, the reason these forums exist is so that everyone can dispute this. A mandolin that sounds "warm" may not be because of a walnut or mahogany back, but because that's the way the top sounds, and of you put that same top on a maple mandolin, then it would sound just the same.

There are differences in hardness and density between the various maples, though. Most all the tiger/curly/fiddleback is harder than the quilted maple, which is a different species. Quilted would be tough to gauge just because it moves so much in different humidities and temperatures, so if you follow the theory that the back matters, you're quilted maple back would sound different in the winter than in the summer.

Everybody has anecdotal theories, not a lot of hard-core research has been done, which is what android was referring to.

[stevedenver]

I think she's asking, not telling. Coming at it from a different direction, Antonio De Torres, famous classical guitar builder, asked just this same question years ago. He took one of his finest tops and attached it to a papier mache body after it was on a regular wood body. His feeling was that the tone was in the top, and only marginally affected by the back and sides. Of course, the reason these forums exist is so that everyone can dispute this. A mandolin that sounds "warm" may not be because of a walnut or mahogany back, but because that's the way the top sounds, and of you put that same top on a maple mandolin, then it would sound just the same.

There are differences in hardness and density between the various maples, though. Most all the tiger/curly/fiddleback is harder than the quilted maple, which is a different species. Quilted would be tough to gauge just because it moves so much in different humidities and temperatures, so if you follow the theory that the back matters, you're quilted maple back would sound different in the winter than in the summer.

Everybody has anecdotal theories, not a lot of hard-core research has been done, which is what android was referring to.

Bob bennedetto did the same, similar conclusion.
Personally, other than for necks, and i have plain, Birdseye, flamed, no difference.
Agreed difference in hardness. Western vs eastern , slow growth, etc.
To my knowledge, quilted is like a growth virus, not a species.

Nope, nothing scientific, just years of experience, not hearing anything characteristic.

I like pretty.
Plain maple is, well, plain.

[Folkmusician.com]

I believe this is near impossible to know for sure (without many in-depth studies). A good mandolin will have the top and back graduated based on the characteristics of the individual pieces of wood. If they were carved and graduated the same, then it would come down to luck, as the graduation would favor certain pieces. This more than likely wouldn't be a case of the figuring.

[rcc56]

Coming at it from a different direction, Antonio De Torres, famous classical guitar builder, asked just this same question years ago. He took one of his finest tops and attached it to a papier mache body after it was on a regular wood body. His feeling was that the tone was in the top, and only marginally affected by the back and sides.

So what was Torres' conclusion?

[Charlieshafer]

So what was Torres' conclusion?

That the tone was a function of the top, and not the back and sides.

[fscotte]

One time I tried to make my banjo sound like anything else except a banjo, so I removed the curly maple back. To my dismay, yep, still sounded like a banjo.

[fscotte]

On a seriouser note, much of the mando's tone is produced by the top. The lower notes are affected more by the back and the air inside the soundbox. Since the mando is primarily a treble instrument, the back's affect may not be as noticeable. I see the back as a way to control the punch and bass in the G and D strings, and to lesser extent, the trebles.