Walnut as a tone wood

[rokdog49]

I own a Gibson J15.
It’s really a perfect happy medium between my other two guitars.
It has a clear, clean and balanced voice, very good for singing with and recording.
It seems I end up with it in my hands a lot and my other two guitars aren’t slouches.

[tippy5]

I'm really happy with my Sitka Walnut Furch Orange Dread.
Deep - yet balanced.

For solo, all over the neck playing, I reach for my Goodall standard Eng / Macassar.
For Travis, and other non strumming all 6 string tuneage, I love the rosewood Gibson J-45. The guitar I play the most.


But for general song playing, ensemble and recording the walnut balance is my go to.

Additionally, I once owned an amazing Martin 00 custom shop with Englemann and Claro. It was warm sounding, like a nylon.

[MBee]

I have a cedar/walnut Webber OM with amazing tone and sustain. Hard to say whether this is due to the cedar, the walnut, or the magic in David Webber's hands. However, based on my experience, I wouldn't discount any guitar simply because it was made with walnut.

[Treky]

Well, I have been looking hard at those Gibson Generation walnut back and side models. The player port has me intrigued

[TacomaDR20]

Larivee does walnut as well as anyone. The only guitar I have ever regretted selling was an early OM--03W with this killer curly Claro Walnut back and sides. I became convinced that 1 11/16 neck was not for me and let it go, but have always missed that tone.

[Skip Ellis]

I really hope I like it as I have a new Brook Lyn coming next week with European (German) spruce over English Walnut. I haven't had any experience with it but most all reports I've read have been good. Almost all my guitars have been mahogany and I've always picked that over rosewood and I can't really tell you why.

[gmel555]

Originally Posted by TacomaDR20

Larivee does walnut as well as anyone. The only guitar I have ever regretted selling was an early OM--03W with this killer curly Claro Walnut back and sides. I became convinced that 1 11/16 neck was not for me and let it go, but have always missed that tone.

I was going to add a similar note about Larrivee to my post above. The best sounding walnut guitar (heck, one of the best sounding guitars period) I've played was a Larrivee, L-03 w/Peruvian Walnut under Cedar if I recall correctly.

[Wade Hampton]

Walnut is an exceptionally balanced tonewood, bass to treble: all of the frequencies are evenly represented. Rather than the “between mahogany and rosewood” comparison, the tonewood I would compare it to is koa, koa with fewer overtones.

I don’t know whether it’s a mere perception of loudness or if walnut is actually louder, but walnut cuts through in a crowd better than most tonewoods. I have a couple of walnut guitars and a couple of koa, and I tend to use the walnut instruments in group situations and the koa when playing solo.

All in all, walnut is a wonderful tonewood. I prefer black walnut over claro; it tends to be plainer-looking but more musically reliable.

Hope that makes sense.


Wade Hampton Miller

[caperrob]

Originally Posted by FingahPickah

Can't speak to Claro but I have a custom built ss dread Engelmann over beautifully grained Black Walnut that sounds awesome.

Very interesting tonal characteristics - to my ears it's like rosewood (my Martin D40) meets maple (my Guild D44M).

Warm, (not muddy) bass, out front-punchy mids and clear, ringing trebles.

This nails my thoughts on some Gibsons I played with walnut. Bang on.

[Coler]

Originally Posted by MBee

I have a cedar/walnut Webber OM with amazing tone and sustain. Hard to say whether this is due to the cedar, the walnut, or the magic in David Webber's hands. However, based on my experience, I wouldn't discount any guitar simply because it was made with walnut.

I would say exaxctly the same about my 6 string OM but substitute Ciaran McNally as the maker.

[Rockysdad]

I’m really liking my Larrivee, LS-03 Moonwood/Black Walnut.

[jimmy bookout]

Originally Posted by Wade Hampton

Walnut is an exceptionally balanced tonewood, bass to treble: all of the frequencies are evenly represented. Rather than the “between mahogany and rosewood” comparison, the tonewood I would compare it to is koa, koa with fewer overtones.

I don’t know whether it’s a mere perception of loudness or if walnut is actually louder, but walnut cuts through in a crowd better than most tonewoods. I have a couple of walnut guitars and a couple of koa, and I tend to use the walnut instruments in group situations and the koa when playing solo.

All in all, walnut is a wonderful tonewood. I prefer black walnut over claro; it tends to be plainer-looking but more musically reliable.

Hope that makes sense.


Wade Hampton Miller

You are spot on. I find Walnut to be more "neutral" if that makes sense, it records great and is certainly not endangered.
The old "sounds like a cross between mahogany and rosewood" has been used to describe pretty much every hardwood...except mahogany and rosewood...