There's Some Little Red Spots on My Neck Today...

[WchoyCustomGuitars]

Oddball. I sometimes buy guitar bodies and necks through retailers other than Warmoth (I know, sacrilege) and I recently received a maple/maple neck like I've never seen before. The wood grain on the maple fretboard has a gentle ocean like wave, or soft cloud pattern. It kind of reminds me of a topographical map. Some of the wood grain is faintly colored dark red near the 12th fret, and the kicker is that there are maybe 6-7 small dark red dots or splotches dispersed on the fretboard. I immediately thought they were stain or paint, or blood even? Upon closer inspection, it looks like it's within the wood and not sitting on the surface. Anyone know anything that might cause this? Has anyone ever seen something like this before? At first I was let down and was considering returning it, but now it's grown on me, and I really can't wait to use it on a build. If anyone has knowledge about this, I'd love to hear it. Thank you.

 

[stratamania]

Mineral streaks occur naturally in maple. Probably it may be boxelder.

Red Stain in Boxelder

yardandgarden.extension.iastate.edu

 

[Rick]

Appear to be beauty marks organic to the wood. If not Mineral streaks then something akin to birdseye. It's something desirable .

 

[Strat Avenger]

It's syphillis.

 

[Spud]

Mineral streaks occur naturally in maple. Probably it may be boxelder.

Red Stain in Boxelder

yardandgarden.extension.iastate.edu

Exactly how they made the Elder Wand too

 

[vetteman]

Police puns really Sting....

 

[BroccoliRob]

idk, I think the wood is kinda cool, but plz tell us where you got it so none of us have to suffer the indignity of those horrifyingly rough fret ends