Does anyone know if its possible to get a piece of hard maple that looks somewhat granier than regular maple? I'm looking to get a jazz bass body made out of maple (with a quilted or flamed top), but I want it to appear somewhat like swamp ash. It doesn't have to be a dead ringer, but the closer the better.

Also, pictures would be helpful.

I don't think you'll be able to get this. Maple is one of the more closed pore woods out there ...good luck, though, sounds like an interesting idea. There are, although rare, pieces of figured ash out there!

If you can get to a place that sells Maple, you might want to look for a piece that has been cut near the pith(Center rings of the tree) If you can find on(not hard in a good lumberyard) you might find what you want, a there would be loops of grain. I'll look in my wood box to see if I have a piece to better demonstrate what I am talking about.

This is what I am talking about. It's a mild quilt figure, but cut near the center rings gives more grain look. bes I can find on short notice.

Yeah, I guess big leaf probably has the most pronounced lines. Some northern red maple gets mineral stains, not exactly what you want, and ambrosia maple has wiggly worm lines in it.

Maple is maple and it is not ring porous like ash is.