This should be interesting.

Westerly Wood said:

The Sitka had more bear claw, which Hoover chose on purpose. I forget the reason. It makes the top bind better?

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Here's some explanation:

Bearclaw sitka tops are denser and stiffer, and denser, stiffer tops can be thinned further for added tonal and dynamic range. So that might have an influence.
The bearclaw phenomenon almost always occurs in older trees that have dense, stiff grain structure and high sound velocity. Thus bearclaw is usually a reliable indicator of the better examples of tonewoods within any given species of spruce.

From Breedlove:



So something like this is considered pretty fine:




Or look at this following piece of wood from a Breedlove guitar. Breedlove said: "Lateral wood figure reinforces the stiffness of Sitka Spruce.
This stiffness and strength yields pure round root notes. Punchy and clear."



The following is a bit too much for my taste however:



Ralf

Yes, Ralf, your last photo looks like a guitar that has stretch marks!

The one leaning against a stool, however, looks like a very fine example of a GSR F30R . . . :rugby:

Yes Ralf! Pure notes and Power. that is where I want to be.

Interesting, Ralf, thanks!

walrus

That Cyr is Grizzly bear claw!

The Guild resting on the stool is a broken headstock just waiting to happen...

Don't try this at home, kids!

Neal said:

The Guild resting on the stool is a broken headstock just waiting to happen...
Don't try this at home, kids!

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That photo scared the hell out of me. :hopelessness:

Joe