Lam top quality?

[misplacedsanity]

I'm going to be placing an order for a carved top soloist. I was wondering how much better the quality of wood is on the "unique choice" lam tops than if I just called and asked for a flame maple cap? The pricing is (as a percentage of the complete build) quite a lot ($305 for a flame top on mahogany. $350/$450 for just the really nice flamed tops). Now I don't mind paying the extra money, it's just that a lot of the flame tops I've seen on the showcase seem to be of comparable quality for a lot less cost.
Is it worth taking the risk and going for pot luck to save some cash, knowing that if it doesn't meet expectations I'm going to have to go back and order another one? 

 

[dmraco]

I could be wrong but the cost for the lam top is simply for the privilage to select a lam top.  There is no pot luck.  You must choose of the select woods.  BTW...it IS worth it!!!

 

[jackthehack]

If you're speaking of flame maple figuring quality, there's not a lot of Soloist choices to check out as examples; look at one of the body categories like Stratocaster and compare the lam top on the base priced ones there ($235) to some that are priced in line with some of the Unique Choice selections (+$100 or better from base price) and I think you'll see a considerable difference in the flame figuring.

You can roll the dice with ordering sight unseen, but your expectation for the lamtop at the base lamtop body price should be in line with the above.

 

[SlingBass]

It boils down to just how particular you are. The old adage: 'you get what you pay for',  often applies here...

 

[riverbluff]

One thing to remember about the show case is that is the eye candy.  Some of the lamtop in the showcase could very well have been unique choice pieces if Warmoth had used them to lure us to buy them.