Fancy figure thru the grip area is not a complete no-no, it depends on the grain and kind of figure. Fiddleback figure thru a grip with good grain thru the area is perfectly fine and maybe be better than without the fiddleback. I'm told the fiddleback figure is caused by the tree strengthening the wood by putting it across the grain. Burl type figure thru the grip is an absolute no go.
Phil
