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My local wood vendor has a beautiful 8/4 billet of birdseye maple, and when I was there last Saturday I neglected to see if it was quarter sawn. My understanding is if the birdseyes are showing, it will NOT be quarter sawn.
My question is how well will this work for acoustic back and sides? I know quarter sawn is preferred. I've not bent any maple yet, although I have a set of ambrosia maple that I don't think is quartered either.

People with more knowledge than I have may correct me, but I think quartersawn is important only in the top and braces. For sides and back, appearance takes precedence and whatever cut produces good-looking grain is fine.

Yes Maple will work both ways . I have used it many times.

John, any problems bending it?

maple likes just s mist of water and heat so bend 275 to 350

That's good to know about the maple. The cherry that I used in my 00 came from a local lumber company. It has a grain that is totally wild. All of the billets are flat sawn and I had no problems with bending. It turned out so well that I went back and got more; they're sitting on a shelf in the basement.

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Good to know, thank you. I think I'm going to get that billet if he has it when I'm able to make a short trip again the the wood store.

John, one more question. Do you think I'll have any trouble resawing this billet of maple? I have a Woodslicer blade and have been successful resawing a billet of Sapele.

I'm just finishing up a birdseye cutaway. Best figure is flatsawn (I believe -- at least all of mine is) which can get squirrely. This one has a flat spot on the treble side, but I can live with it. I've had eyes pop out in the past when planed or chiseled or during band sawing (goes better with really sharp blades and a narrower set).

Looks very nice Dan, what is the binding?