Birds eye maple guitar neck blanks are high-quality pieces of wood that are specifically used for making guitar necks. These blanks are typically made from birds eye maple, which is a type of maple wood that has a unique grain pattern resembling small "eyes" or circular patterns. Birds eye maple is highly prized in the guitar-making industry for its visual appeal and tonal qualities.
These guitar neck blanks are carefully selected to ensure that they are defect-free and of instrument-grade quality. They are kiln-dried to a moisture content of around 6%, which helps to stabilize the wood and prevent warping or shrinking. Kiln-dried wood is preferred over air-dried wood because it is more stable and less prone to movement.
One advantage of using birds eye maple for guitar necks is its unique visual appeal. The distinctive grain pattern adds character and can make a guitar stand out. However, some guitarists may prefer a more subtle grain pattern and find the "eyes" or circular patterns distracting. Additionally, some individuals have raised concerns about the stability of highly figured wood, such as birds eye maple, as extreme wood figure may be more likely to have stability issues compared to milder figure or plain maple.