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Having a friendly conversation about whether or not this top was bookmatched from the same billet. I think it wasn't. And very clearly so. Others are saying it is, what do you think?

Probably not as clearly so as you might think. First the book matching will cause the reflected light to make the color change slightly when folded out and then the matching of the grain will only be perfectly matched and the cut line. When you start carving an arch topped plate, the further you move away from the actual book matched surface, the more different they will appear, especially in the figure because as you move down into the plate the figure in the top and bottom halves will move in opposite directions. Also any runout or off vertical grain will make for even greater difference between the two halves. My own guess is that they probably are from the same billet.
What you really need to look at is the grain and not the figure. We cannot see the grain very clearly from the picture so you will have to be the judge.

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Tickle your guitar daily, and it'll tickle you back.

Jimmy it is one of those elliptical illusions!

Notice carefully the figure in each photo. You will see that the width of the curl reverses from one side to the other in the photos and therefore giving the illusion on not being bookmatched. You can see this on flat top acoustic guitars as well when being photographed or viewed in different light. One side of the top will appear darker than the other, until you move it in the light then it will reverse. Beautiful guitar, and I wouldn't worry about it.

Mike

I'm not looking at the width of curl. I'm looking at just the grain pattern and how the striations and variations dont match, or "mirror" the other side.

It looks matched between the pickups to me, The stripes are light on one side and a matching negative on the other. The reason it's only between the pickups is because as you carve away the top the figure stops matching, especially if the wood is less quartered. It also looks to me like the board slipped along the joint during gluing.
It's a sloppy job, but I think it IS a bookmatched billet.

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Old growth, shmold growth!

Chris if you were referring to my answer, I wasn't talking about the width of the stripes matching. If you will look at the cut away side of the guitar in both pics you will see a huge difference in the size of the stripes. This is that "elusion" I was talking about. It is hard to say this is a bookmatch or not if you don't have it in front of you. Change the angle a little, and the wood is going to change.

Mike

First picture, wide stripes on the bottom, (as a player would hold it).
Second picture, wide stripes on the top, (as a player would hold it).
Hope I got that right!
I would say same billet.
As Chris said, move toward the tail, and everything changes.
Ain't no mo bookmatching anymore down there.
Still, sure is pretty!