walnut guitar neck?

[Dan of SC]

I see walnut getting more popular for sides and back of guitars but is there any reason not to use it for the neck? I know mahogany is preferred for it's stability but my first guitar has a cherry neck and if it has moved I can't tell it. Of course it was used about 35 years after the tree was cut down and sawed up. So anyway, I'm about to start another guitar using walnut sides and back, why not neck also? Thanks, Danny Gray

[multidon]

I have seen electric guitars with walnut necks. I have also heard that the old Selmer guitars used walnut.

I looked up walnut necks on the Warmoth site. They will make an electric neck from American Black Walnut. I don't know how accurate their information is, but they state it is softer than maple, yet stiffer than mahogany. They suggest pairing it with an ebony fretboard. The reason for that suggestion is unclear.

Since walnut is somewhat open pore I would think you need some kind of pore filler for a smooth feel. There would have to be some kind of finish naturally. I have also heard of walnut necks with contrasting laminations of maple.

Incidentally, since you mentioned walnut becoming more popular, the newish Gibson J15 is a good example. I looked at one. The walnut back and sides are stunning. But they use a maple neck on that guitar- with a rosewood skunk stripe! And a walnut fretboard. I questioned the wisdom of that in another thread. For the record, Warmoth states that they will make a walnut neck but not a walnut fretboard. I almost bought the J15 but ultimately rejected it because I believe walnut is not an appropriate fret board wood.

[sunburst]

I've used walnut for one guitar neck with no problems. Walnut is usually a little heavier than mahogany, and not quite so stable, but well chosen pieces are fine for necks. Regardless of wood species, wood for necks should be well chosen.
(As for cherry, it is very stable and seem to be becoming one of the most popular alternatives to mahogany for guitar necks.)

[EdHanrahan]

I had an early '80s Fender "The Strat" in all walnut, including its one-piece neck + fretboard, from about '93 to '03. No issues with the neck, other than the unfinished (or oil-finished?) fretboard showing finger-oil smudges more than most. But that was from before I owned it so I can't be sure what it had been subjected to. My fingers seem to be fairly oil-free (i.e., pretty easy on strings) and the neck didn't get any worse while I owned it.

[violinvic]

I have built two OM guitars with walnut necks. I laminated two pieces of maple with the walnut to make a five piece neck. I would guess that the lamination added strength and stability, but that was not my main concern. The guitars were trimmed out with curly maple and the neck just added some pizazz. I do not know if walnut would be as good a choice as mahog, but I would not be afraid to try it.

[Michael Lewis]

Walnut can make a fine neck. Epiphone (New York) used walnut for the Broadway arch top guitar and Strand mandolin. It has no more issues with finishing than mahogany, and is nearly as stable. Like John Hamlett said, choose your lumber with care and you should be fine.

I have made many mandolins and guitars of walnut, with no problems I can attribute to the materials.

Walnut is softer than HARD MAPLE (sugar and black maples). I find it similar to big leaf or western maple, which are both good materials for making instruments.

[Dobe]

2 Walnut mando necks here, with back and sides of the same, no problems getting on 3 an 6 yrs respectively. Walnut's nice and warm sounding !

[High Lonesome Valley]

I see walnut getting more popular for sides and back of guitars but is there any reason not to use it for the neck? I know mahogany is preferred for it's stability but my first guitar has a cherry neck and if it has moved I can't tell it. Of course it was used about 35 years after the tree was cut down and sawed up. So anyway, I'm about to start another guitar using walnut sides and back, why not neck also? Thanks, Danny Gray

I never liked the response of walnut, either as a tone wood or a neck wood. Just my 45 years-in-the-field opinion.

Mahogany for necks is used for it's warmer response as opposed to, say, maple. It's actually a sonics, rather than a stability, issue.