Flamed maple ?

[kkmm]

I have a cello (which was damaged and I repaired it) with the back looking like this:



I have seen many photos of instruments with flamed maple on their back. And my cello looks just like that. When I took out the top, the wood pattern of the back plate does look like the photo except no finishing on it. Moving the finger on this back plate (inside or outside), I feel the wood goes a bit up and down like waves following the grain pattern and not perfectly flat as all other instruments I have.

If this truly flamed maple or some other kind of wood ?

I also had a violin (VSO to be exact), made in China, that also has similar pattern on the back plate, but I know for sure the pattern is painted that way, not natural wood.

[multidon]

The fact that you see similar figure on both sides most likely means it is real. You could achieve the same effect with laminated wood if you put figured veneer on both sides but why would anyone do that? More trouble than it would be worth. The waviness you feel come from sloppy sanding. I had a handmade tenor guitar with the same effect. Actually, that’s good, an indication of handwork. Also, painted on flame usually sticks out because it looks too perfect. Look at some pictures of Harmony instruments, especially under the Monterrey brand, from the 60’s and you will see exactly what I mean. Finally, the dead giveaway with true flamed maple is that it displays the characteristic of “chatoyance”. That is, when you reflect light off of it and change the angle slightly, you will see the dark bands apparently turn light and visa versa. Chatoyance is the same effect that apparently makes a peacock feather change colors depending on how light hits it. Hope this all helps! In short, I believe you have real flame there.

[Folkmusician.com]

All these year and I didn't know the word for visual wave effect! "chatoyance".

I agree with Don, That looks real, and on some instruments you can feel the flame in the wood. In addition to poor sanding, it can happen as the wood ages, climate changes, etc.. It just depends on the particular woods used.

[lflngpicker]

That is a beauty! Great photo.

[Don Grieser]

Some violin makers use scrapers instead of sandpaper to smooth the wood before the finish is applied. Joe Campanella Cleary does that on his mandolins. It leaves the wood so you can feel the grain and figure. It's a very nice effect. I wouldn't call it a bad sanding job--there was probably no sandpaper used on the body.

[kkmm]

Thanks for all the explanations. I see "chatoyance" (word and visual effect) now.
First time I touch and feel real flamed maple. Glad I own one.
I love the waviness feel at the touch.

[HoGo]

Thanks for all the explanations. I see "chatoyance" (word and visual effect) now.
First time I touch and feel real flamed maple. Glad I own one.
I love the waviness feel at the touch.

Most valuable Stradivari or Guarneri violins show that as well. The grain direction makes the wood deform into wavy surface.
The term flamed comes from faking the pattern (on ultra cheap instruments of late 19th and early 20th century) by wrapping the instrument with cord and waving it over fire that would leave dark/light stripes on the wood, or holding it near candle light that would create single stripe fading towards edge and repeat as many times as needeed.

[Tom C]

I has some small pieces I recently burned in fireplace. I was going to post a pic as the waves were very,very pronounced. visually about 1/16" inch waves. Ill see if I can find another.

[kkmm]

wrapping the instrument with cord and waving it over fire that would leave dark/light stripes on the wood

This is a nice trick to create interesting pattern on wood before finishing.
I will try that on my next project (build an electric mandolin, not acoustic, everything is in place, just waiting for the fret board).

[Ivan Kelsall]

You can 'just about' feel the grain under the very thin lacquer finish on my Lebeda,
Ivan

[f5joe]

I've handled a lot of valuable violins that are scraped. I consider it an attribute.