Bocote and Flame Maple Box - 169
Measures 13" x 9" x 5" $150
Flame maple (tiger maple) top: Also known as flamed maple , curly maple , ripple maple , fiddleback or tiger stripe , is a feature of maple in which the growth of the wood fibers is distorted in an undulating chatoyant pattern, producing wavy lines known as "flames". This effect is often mistakenly said to be part of the grain of the wood; it is more accurately called "figure", as the distortion is perpendicular to the grain direction. Prized for its beautiful appearance, it is used frequently in the manufacturing of musical instruments, such as violins and bassoons, and fine furniture. Another well-known use of the material is its use in guitars, especially the venerated Gibson Les Paul. The Gibson Les Paul "Standard", initially manufactured from 1958 to 1960, sported a flame maple top finished in a cherry-red sunburst on a mahogany body. Today, these instruments are some of the most prized on the vintage guitar market, and as such are unaffordable to most musicians.
Bocote base: The Bocote tree grows in Mexico and Central/South America. It reaches 65 to 100 feet tall with a 3 to 5 foot trunk. The wood has a yellowish-brown body with dramatic dark brown to almost black stripes. Color tends to darken with age. The grain patterning can be quite striking. It's not uncommon to see many “eyes” and other figuring: though unlike knots, they do not seem to present any special challenges in machining. It is commonly used for fine furniture, cabinetry, flooring, veneer, boatbuilding, musical instruments, gunstocks, turned objects, and other small specialty wood items.