So what grade would a piece like that be? It has some minimal marking somewhat like bearclaw but hardly visable. The two sides are almost but not quite the same color so there is a little runout but very little difference. When pics of the top were shown to me no difference was appearant in color.

I finished a guitar with amazing silking, but which also shows what appears to be runout in the long grain because the top photographs with the left and right halves being different colors. I'm not home now, but I will try to grab a pic to post later on. It is the Hurricane Sandy guitar by the way. I could not see any color shift before the finish was applied, but after...oh boy.

I'm certainly not saying you cannot have a top that exhibits both perceivable run-out and silking. That's not true. But all other things being equal, you would expect to see more defined medullary ray patterns in a hand-split, run-out-free (or as close as humanly possible) set than the same wood cut off axis. In other words, just imagine what your particular set would have looked like without any appreciable run-out.

. . .Actually, I had wiped it a few times with various liquids during the build. Though I am not certain if I used paint thinner. I did use mineral spirits, DNA and lacquer thinner because they were on or near the bench.

If this was any other member here I would assume this means De-Natured Alcohol, but since it is you, I have to ask.

And Alex, Where were you when I needed you?

Waves, yes that is what I see not bearclaw. In the right light I found I can see light silking and as I said the grains on the sound hole look straight up. So the conclusion Im understanding is the split is a little off but that doesnt effect the sound production of the guitar. This guitar was a commission for me, it is done, finished and paid for. So using another top is not an option.
The other custom I have has dramatic silking so I guess I expected that and not the milder top on this new guitar.
Thanks all