Walnut guitar

LES STORY · 07-23-2009, 12:46 PM

:dim thinking about making a guitar out of walnut with an ebony fretboard . Have any of you guys had any problems with walnut. Ive seen a few guitars made out of it , but it dosent seem very popular .anybody know why?

Hyper · 07-23-2009, 12:54 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by LES STORY

:dim thinking about making a guitar out of walnut with an ebony fretboard . Have any of you guys had any problems with walnut. Ive seen a few guitars made out of it , but it dosent seem very popular .anybody know why?

Here's a reasonable explanation.

http://www.jemsite.com/jem/wood.htm

GreaseBox · 07-23-2009, 12:55 PM

only the shape & scale the same build

billyk · 07-23-2009, 12:57 PM

check out .."only the shape & scale the same" build only the shape & scale the same build

GreaseBox · 07-23-2009, 01:08 PM

Great minds think alike Billy!

billyk · 07-23-2009, 01:18 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by GreaseBox

Great minds think alike Billy!

why yes they do....

GreaseBox · 07-23-2009, 01:26 PM

Some examples:

69GTLP · 07-23-2009, 04:54 PM

I'm waiting for a Burled Black Walnut Tele From Roman.
Well the Top is walnut the back is Mahogany. Should be the cat's ass when done..

GreaseBox · 07-23-2009, 05:46 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by 69GTLP

I'm waiting for a Burled Black Walnut Tele From Roman.
Well the Top is walnut the back is Mahogany. Should be the cat's ass when done..

Sounds awesome!

69GTLP · 07-23-2009, 08:20 PM

I'm hoping so, I sent him enough black walnut to do four or five guitars and just wanted a basic unfinished tele body. He said he was cooking up something special for me. I'm hoping that it's this one in the pic. It's what he described to me at the end of May when he called me.

John Catto · 07-26-2009, 10:22 PM

I've built lots of guitars out of Walnut, I'm almost inclined to think it's a bit of a secret weapon. They tend to have similar characteristics to a Mahogany guitar except almost exaggerated, very responsive, tons of midrange and low end detail, very smooth sounding. Given the weight of Mahogany we see these days Walnut can even tend towards the lighter side, bothe the guitars below are around 7 1/2 ponds though they are both lightly chambered. Plus it looks really great.

LES STORY · 07-27-2009, 01:54 AM

Thanks john - love your guitars

John Catto · 07-27-2009, 04:29 AM

BTW a little finishing tip regarding Walnut. It doesn't look very good using traditional grain fillers like you would with Mahogany, they make it look at best cloudy and at worst will have visible streaks in the grain. I use 5 minute epoxy to grainfill walnut. Mix up a very small amount at a time and "squeegee" it hard into the grain using a single sided razor blade with the corners ground off. Do a small area at a time and get the maximum amount in the grain possible. Like regular grain filler you want it IN the grain not sitting on the surface. After the whole body is done remove any ridges with a scraper and sand lightly (after a couple of hours is easier than after say 8 hours when the epoxy is well and truly setup) then seal with shellac and shoot lacquer. This will bring out the maximum beauty and figure in the wood and allow you to have a glasslike surface with a very thin finish. This also works great with wood like figured mahogany and sapele which also don't take well to grain filler.

billyk · 07-27-2009, 05:38 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by John Catto

BTW a little finishing tip regarding Walnut. It doesn't look very good using traditional grain fillers like you would with Mahogany, they make it look at best cloudy and at worst will have visible streaks in the grain. I use 5 minute epoxy to grainfill walnut. Mix up a very small amount at a time and "squeegee" it hard into the grain using a single sided razor blade with the corners ground off. Do a small area at a time and get the maximum amount in the grain possible. Like regular grain filler you want it IN the grain not sitting on the surface. After the whole body is done remove and ridges with a scraper and sand lightly (after a couple of hours is easier than after say 8 hours when the epoxy is well and truly setup) then seal with shellac and shoot lacquer. This will bring out the maximum beauty and figure in the wood and allow you to have a glasslike surface with a very thin finish. This also works great with wood like figured mahogany and sapele which also don't take well to grain filler.

this is a great tip!! all i've made so far are walnut gtr's and i have noticed a little cloudyness sometimes...got one almost ready now for finish...gonna try this method....thanx john!!!.....billy

ExNihilo · 07-27-2009, 12:02 PM

Thanks for your help John. I am working on a Black Walnut bodied SG with a maple neck so I appreciate the information.

Sincerely, Scott

GreaseBox · 07-27-2009, 12:09 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ex-nihilo

Thanks for your help John. I am working on a Black Walnut bodied SG with a maple neck so I appreciate the information.

Sincerely, Scott

Oh really???

SG Lou · 07-27-2009, 03:35 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ex-nihilo

Thanks for your help John. I am working on a Black Walnut bodied SG with a maple neck so I appreciate the information.

Sincerely, Scott

I got the same thing in the works Scott, but with a Black Walnut neck.
Awaiting the wood for the neck so i can get started. Once I do i'll start a thread.

GreaseBox · 07-27-2009, 03:37 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by SG Lou

I got the same thing in the works Scott, but with a Black Walnut neck.
Awaiting the wood for the neck so i can get started. Once I do i'll start a thread.

Sweet, thanks Lou!!!

ExNihilo · 07-27-2009, 09:31 PM

I got some other stuff under development as well. I am making some computer models of a special guitar I am going to make and I am really pleased with how it is looking.... I think you guys will really like it.

Mongrel · 07-27-2009, 10:27 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ex-nihilo

I got some other stuff under development as well. I am making some computer models of a special guitar I am going to make and I am really pleased with how it is looking.... I think you guys will really like it.

Awesome! can't wait to see it!

GreaseBox · 07-28-2009, 06:29 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by mongrel

awesome! Can't wait to see it!

+1

07-23-2009, 12:46 PM	#1 (permalink)
LES STORY Member Join Date: Mar 2008 Posts: 33 Thanks: 0 Thanked 0 Times in 0 Posts	Walnut guitar :dim thinking about making a guitar out of walnut with an ebony fretboard . Have any of you guys had any problems with walnut. Ive seen a few guitars made out of it , but it dosent seem very popular .anybody know why?

07-23-2009, 12:55 PM	#3 (permalink)
GreaseBox V.I.P. Member Join Date: Jan 2009 Location: Home of the COLTS Posts: 4,454 Thanks: 30 Thanked 76 Times in 27 Posts	Re: Walnut guitar only the shape & scale the same build __________________ "...I've eaten the sun so my tongue has been burned of the taste..."

07-23-2009, 12:57 PM	#4 (permalink)
billyk Senior Member Join Date: Feb 2009 Posts: 190 Thanks: 0 Thanked 1 Time in 1 Post	Re: Walnut guitar check out .."only the shape & scale the same" build only the shape & scale the same build

07-23-2009, 01:08 PM	#5 (permalink)
GreaseBox V.I.P. Member Join Date: Jan 2009 Location: Home of the COLTS Posts: 4,454 Thanks: 30 Thanked 76 Times in 27 Posts	Re: Walnut guitar Great minds think alike Billy! __________________ "...I've eaten the sun so my tongue has been burned of the taste..."

07-23-2009, 01:26 PM	#7 (permalink)
GreaseBox V.I.P. Member Join Date: Jan 2009 Location: Home of the COLTS Posts: 4,454 Thanks: 30 Thanked 76 Times in 27 Posts	Re: Walnut guitar Some examples: __________________ "...I've eaten the sun so my tongue has been burned of the taste..."

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07-23-2009, 04:54 PM	#8 (permalink)
69GTLP Senior Member Join Date: Jul 2008 Location: MPLS MN Posts: 441 Thanks: 2 Thanked 4 Times in 3 Posts	Re: Walnut guitar I'm waiting for a Burled Black Walnut Tele From Roman. Well the Top is walnut the back is Mahogany. Should be the cat's ass when done.. __________________ Chris Tom Petty Junkie

07-26-2009, 10:22 PM	#11 (permalink)
John Catto V.I.P. Member Join Date: Aug 2007 Location: London, England Posts: 138 Thanks: 0 Thanked 0 Times in 0 Posts	Re: Walnut guitar I've built lots of guitars out of Walnut, I'm almost inclined to think it's a bit of a secret weapon. They tend to have similar characteristics to a Mahogany guitar except almost exaggerated, very responsive, tons of midrange and low end detail, very smooth sounding. Given the weight of Mahogany we see these days Walnut can even tend towards the lighter side, bothe the guitars below are around 7 1/2 ponds though they are both lightly chambered. Plus it looks really great. __________________ http://www.myspace.com/mondocatto http://www.myspace.com/thediodes

07-27-2009, 01:54 AM	#12 (permalink)
LES STORY Member Join Date: Mar 2008 Posts: 33 Thanks: 0 Thanked 0 Times in 0 Posts	Re: Walnut guitar Thanks john - love your guitars

07-27-2009, 04:29 AM	#13 (permalink)
John Catto V.I.P. Member Join Date: Aug 2007 Location: London, England Posts: 138 Thanks: 0 Thanked 0 Times in 0 Posts	Re: Walnut guitar BTW a little finishing tip regarding Walnut. It doesn't look very good using traditional grain fillers like you would with Mahogany, they make it look at best cloudy and at worst will have visible streaks in the grain. I use 5 minute epoxy to grainfill walnut. Mix up a very small amount at a time and "squeegee" it hard into the grain using a single sided razor blade with the corners ground off. Do a small area at a time and get the maximum amount in the grain possible. Like regular grain filler you want it IN the grain not sitting on the surface. After the whole body is done remove any ridges with a scraper and sand lightly (after a couple of hours is easier than after say 8 hours when the epoxy is well and truly setup) then seal with shellac and shoot lacquer. This will bring out the maximum beauty and figure in the wood and allow you to have a glasslike surface with a very thin finish. This also works great with wood like figured mahogany and sapele which also don't take well to grain filler. __________________ http://www.myspace.com/mondocatto http://www.myspace.com/thediodes Last edited by John Catto; 07-27-2009 at 01:13 PM.

07-27-2009, 12:02 PM	#15 (permalink)
ExNihilo Senior Member Join Date: Nov 2008 Location: Kitchener, Ontario Posts: 1,373 Thanks: 38 Thanked 362 Times in 30 Posts	Re: Walnut guitar Thanks for your help John. I am working on a Black Walnut bodied SG with a maple neck so I appreciate the information. Sincerely, Scott

07-27-2009, 09:31 PM	#19 (permalink)
ExNihilo Senior Member Join Date: Nov 2008 Location: Kitchener, Ontario Posts: 1,373 Thanks: 38 Thanked 362 Times in 30 Posts	Re: Walnut guitar I got some other stuff under development as well. I am making some computer models of a special guitar I am going to make and I am really pleased with how it is looking.... I think you guys will really like it.

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