Curly maple (tiger maple), also known as flamed maple,  fiddleback, or tiger stripe, is a feature of maple in which the growth of the wood fibers are distorted in an undulating chatoyant pattern, producing wavy lines.  Prized for its beautiful appearance, it is frequently used in the manufacturing of musical instruments such as violins and guitars. It is also used for billiard cues and fine furniture. 

During the westward expansion of early settlers  curly maple was often used for making the stocks used on Kentucky rifles.