AAA maple necks. Is there any noticeable diference in tone from regular maple?

[Wyliee]

How about Q-sawn? Is there more stability?

It's not only more stable, it often exhibits a more attractive grain. Both qualities are desirable, which when added to the extra labor required to get it, make it more expensive.

Not entirely true.  Quartersawn wood will still move.  You've only taken the grain and rotated it 90 degrees from flatsawn.  It just moves in a different direction.  Additionally, larger diameter lumber is necessary to get larger quartersawn pieces.  You need a bigger tree, which are less commonly available.  Less supply, more cost.

I know it'll still move. All wood moves. But it's more stable than flatsawn. Still not cast iron, but we don't want that anyway.

No, no it is not more stable.  The only difference is the direction of the movement.  If flatsawn moves, it will be like a bow in the neck from a playing perspective.  Quartersawn will move side to side. (ie. toward the high or low e strings.)  Adding a laminate (ie fingerboard) will help counteract that movement.

 

[DangerousR6]

How about Q-sawn? Is there more stability?

It's not only more stable, it often exhibits a more attractive grain. Both qualities are desirable, which when added to the extra labor required to get it, make it more expensive.

Not entirely true.  Quartersawn wood will still move.  You've only taken the grain and rotated it 90 degrees from flatsawn.  It just moves in a different direction.  Additionally, larger diameter lumber is necessary to get larger quartersawn pieces.  You need a bigger tree, which are less commonly available.  Less supply, more cost.

I know it'll still move. All wood moves. But it's more stable than flatsawn. Still not cast iron, but we don't want that anyway.

Every material on this earth moves, it's just a matter of which direction it's going to move and what causes it to move. And it's all in relation to grain structure. :icon_biggrin:

 

[T50]

I rather want the neck on my guitar to move forward and backward
than side to side. That's for sure. Forward/backward movement can
be re-adjusted with the trust rod. But side to side?????

 

[Unwound G]

Timber is such a complex subject that generalization of flat sawn versus quarter sawn timber merely touches on the surface of wood stability.  One of the the main criteria a timber trader looks for is log grading.  The size of log is near the top of the list and therefore commands a premium price.  Size relates to age of the log which also determines recovery of commercially useable pieces of timber from the log.  Age also relates to timber stability.

Timber close to the inner core is more stable than those near the bark since a living tree grows out around its trunk.  Therefore inner older portions are more stable.

Air and kiln drying is also important to wood stability on the moisture content remaining in the wood.  A properly dried quarter sawn piece, especially cut near the center core, should be very stable.

All the above will be determined by how much anyone is willing to pay to have a quality piece.  I know we bitch about prices W charges but with their warrantee and quality, we sleep better.