Definitely. I really believe if you are going maple for the forearm, that straight grain overall is the best choice because it makes the veneers so vibrant and overcomes the lack of grain in the wood. I guess many would disagree, but I just think it looks the best. For a long time I found myself liking cues without even realizing it was because of the SGM.
+1 ... Really allows the focus to be on the prong work.