Tell me about walnut?

Questions and answers for beginners. If you have a question, so do most other people.
ruby@magpage.com
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Re: Tell me about walnut?

Post by ruby@magpage.com »

And also - remember pore filling is optional
Ed M
nkwak
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Joined: Sat Nov 13, 2010 9:55 pm
Location: Pittsburgh PA suburbs

Re: Tell me about walnut?

Post by nkwak »

ruby@magpage.com wrote:I might suggest staying away from highly figured wood for your third guitar. Either that, or buy extra, similar pieces for the sides to practice on. I have used a lot of walnut in furniture making and can assure you it works very nicely. Like all woods, the figured pieces are harder to deal with and take some practice, but you can do this.

Also, you don't need expensive plywood for a mold - I use 2 layers of 3/4" A/C from Blowe's or Home Despot and 2X4 fillers between. You can buy 4'X4', 2'X4', and 2'X2' pieces. I am building my 3rd guitar in the same cheap mold and it looks like it will last forever.
This is all true. I would feel a lot more comfortable with a nice straight grain.

As for the mold, I made my first out of plywood and hard wood spacers from the big box stores. It was actually a bit of fun!
~ Neil
nkwak
Posts: 650
Joined: Sat Nov 13, 2010 9:55 pm
Location: Pittsburgh PA suburbs

Re: Tell me about walnut?

Post by nkwak »

nkwak wrote:
ruby@magpage.com wrote:I might suggest staying away from highly figured wood for your third guitar. Either that, or buy extra, similar pieces for the sides to practice on. I have used a lot of walnut in furniture making and can assure you it works very nicely. Like all woods, the figured pieces are harder to deal with and take some practice, but you can do this.

Also, you don't need expensive plywood for a mold - I use 2 layers of 3/4" A/C from Blowe's or Home Despot and 2X4 fillers between. You can buy 4'X4', 2'X4', and 2'X2' pieces. I am building my 3rd guitar in the same cheap mold and it looks like it will last forever.
This is all true. I would feel a lot more comfortable with a nice straight grain.

As for the mold, I made my first out of plywood and hard wood spacers from the big box stores. It was actually a bit of fun!
...speaking of which, I've noticed that StewMac has now started displaying the actual sets of wood for sale on their website. I see that several sets (which are more straight grained) that I was eyeing up have sold but that's okay as I have plenty of time. I see that the prices are not too bad and was wondering if any of you have ordered from StewMac?
~ Neil
Danl8
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Re: Tell me about walnut?

Post by Danl8 »

I have and still do occasionally, but not walnut. Quality has been good, however I lean towards supporting sponsors here (RC T) who sometimes have better pricing and selection anyhow.

I like your idea of staying with plain/straight grained wood for your builds as you gain experience. To contrast with that approach, I used a spectacular quality Brazilian Rosewood set on my second build in 1975 decades before I was really qualified to use it. While the instrument is good and I still play it, it could have been so much better had I waited.
nkwak
Posts: 650
Joined: Sat Nov 13, 2010 9:55 pm
Location: Pittsburgh PA suburbs

Re: Tell me about walnut?

Post by nkwak »

Yes, I had a good experience with RC Tonewoods, but the only walnut they have right now is figured and about $20 more than Stew Mac’s.

No matter; I don’t intend to purchase just yet. I need to save up money for “discretionary spending.” Number Two is begging to be finished too.

BTW, I went to Empire Music and played the Martin custom shop walnut/Adi deep bodied 00 they had there and it blew my meager D-16GT out of the water. The deep body brings more volume to the small body but still has focus and the headroom of what I call a “folk” size. If any that my, I’d say it reminded me a lot of another deep bodied 00 that I’d played that was made by Tim McKnight. Now that guitar gave me GAS.

Of course, the Martin 00 also had a center wedge of highly figured Madagascar rosewood in the rough shape of the 50th anniversary D-35 that drove the price up to $4K. I walked out without getting GAS over it. I’m looking forward to working with walnut in the near future and marrying it with Adi because of it though.
~ Neil
ruby@magpage.com
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Joined: Thu May 24, 2012 8:03 am
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Re: Tell me about walnut?

Post by ruby@magpage.com »

Beware: I built a Nick Lucas Special, which is a version of the L bodied Gibson from 1926 to about 1940. It is the same as the L-body except the body is 5" thick. Nobody makes a case that will fit it and one had to be custom made.

https://www.flickr.com/photos/ruby1638/ ... 130471994/

scroll left and right and text below

Ed
Ed M
nkwak
Posts: 650
Joined: Sat Nov 13, 2010 9:55 pm
Location: Pittsburgh PA suburbs

Re: Tell me about walnut?

Post by nkwak »

ruby@magpage.com wrote:Beware: I built a Nick Lucas Special, which is a version of the L bodied Gibson from 1926 to about 1940. It is the same as the L-body except the body is 5" thick. Nobody makes a case that will fit it and one had to be custom made.

https://www.flickr.com/photos/ruby1638/ ... 130471994/

scroll left and right and text below

Ed
You make another good point. I felt that the 00 was still a little too small. Perhaps a 14 fret 4.75” deep 000?
~ Neil
ruby@magpage.com
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Joined: Thu May 24, 2012 8:03 am
Location: Chestertown Maryland

Re: Tell me about walnut?

Post by ruby@magpage.com »

Here is an 000 12 fret that is 4-7/8" thick that I built. In mahogany, it is a dead ringer for my rosewood Martin 000 14 fret - absolutely fabulous sounding guitar. But again, I would have to have a custom case made for it if I wanted a case.

https://www.flickr.com/photos/ruby1638/ ... 913590767/

scroll right and left, text below

Ed
Ed M
Stray Feathers
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Joined: Sun Sep 08, 2013 11:39 pm
Location: Ladysmith, BC

Re: Tell me about walnut?

Post by Stray Feathers »

The two 12 fret OMs I built based on OM-type plans by Jonathan Kinkead are about 4.5" deep in the lower bout, plus top and back curvature, plus bridge and saddle (what is the correct way to measure depth?), and I had a little trouble finding a case deep enough. In the end I ordered a Guardian CG-044-OS and it fits really well, though it is quite a bit too long for a 12-fret (even though it says it is designed for a 12 fret). I use the space beyond the peghead to roll up the strap. I found it half price on Amazon.ca, don't know why, but it is worth looking there from time to time as cases seem to be randomly discounted deeply for no apparent reason. Guardian has excellent information on sizing for this series of cases (and others) here:
http://guardiancases.com/cg044.html
nkwak
Posts: 650
Joined: Sat Nov 13, 2010 9:55 pm
Location: Pittsburgh PA suburbs

Re: Tell me about walnut?

Post by nkwak »

Thx. I’m going to give myself a little time before moving forward and concentrate on my current build - though I should treat myself for my birthday by collecting wood. I also have the Kinkead OM plans too. I’m leaning toward doing a 14 fret 24.9” scale 000 - which as I understand the body is identical to an OM. I’m wondering if I can get away with 1/4” 00 bracing like Martin does with their 35s though.

In the meantime I’m gearing up from the long hiatus by making jigs. I want to try bending by pipe and I enjoyed making my own forms the first time around.
~ Neil
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