Is there a tonal difference between flame and quilted maple caps?
Aside from the cosmetic aspect, the biggest difference between flame and quilted maple is in the weight of the wood. Flame maple tends to be harder and heavier than quilted maple, which can translate to a slightly more focused attack with fewer overtones. Lighter weight quilted maple tends to bring out more of the acoustic qualities of the guitar, which can create more complex overtones. This is a subtle difference that may not be true 100% of the time. Like most statements about wood, there can always be an exception to the rule. The weight of the mahogany body will also affect the tone of the instrument.
