View Full Version : Black Walnut Tonewoods
Pablo Bosticio
Sep-19-2017, 9:47am
Does anyone have an opinion about using Black Walnut for tonewoods? I have some beautiful wood that has been in my shop for the last twenty five years. I am thinking of using the Black Walnut for a carved back and the sides. A Spruce carved top is also in the plan but I am not sure which type of spruce would be the best to use with walnut.
Bill McCall
Sep-19-2017, 10:24am
I think it's fairly indistinguishable from mahogany, and finishes quite beautifully. Very stable, so makes a good neck as well, assuming straight grain.
fatt-dad
Sep-19-2017, 10:42am
Dr. Cohen used walnut on my A5.
160916
With a redwood top. I love it!
f-d
Pablo Bosticio
Sep-19-2017, 11:22am
I have quite a lot of it, so picking out some choice pieces will not be a problem. Thank you!
Pablo Bosticio
Sep-19-2017, 11:23am
Beautiful Fatt-Dad! Why did you choose the redwood top?
Dave Sheets
Sep-19-2017, 11:27am
I've built a couple of fiddles out of walnut, smoother and quieter than maple from what I can tell. A nice alternative, and walnut looks great.
fatt-dad
Sep-19-2017, 11:33am
Beautiful Fatt-Dad! Why did you choose the redwood top?
I'd played similar from his shop. I also wanted my custom mandolin to be something different from what's available from typical commercial shops.
160919
f-d
bbcee
Sep-19-2017, 12:07pm
And walnut SMELLS good!
Spruce
Sep-19-2017, 1:22pm
Thousands of Epiphone walnut-back-and-sides archtop guitars pretty much led the way on this one....
Dr. Cohen used walnut on my A5.
160916
With a redwood top. I love it!
f-d
They're both nice finishes!
Rick Isham
Sep-19-2017, 3:10pm
Go for it! I just finished this, my first Mandolin, posted under 'can I get some feedback on this? ' . A couple of links: one to see and hear, one to read about the build.
http://hamjonesguitars.com/wally.html
http://www.hamsguitaringblog.com/
Rick Weaver
Ham Jones Guitars
Pablo Bosticio
Sep-19-2017, 3:32pm
Yo, very cool instrument Rick! The wood selection is awesome. Your blow by blow on the building sounds like something I need to be prepared for. I am planning on a basic A5 design to keep the bending to a minimum.
violinvic
Sep-19-2017, 7:19pm
I have done 2 OM guitars and 3 fiddles with black walnut back, sides and neck. I love black walnut. It bends quite easily. Sounds great.
Pablo Bosticio
Sep-19-2017, 10:34pm
I have walnut stock that will make a one piece back. Since I have had it so long and it has been in a stable environment is it reasonable to use for a one piece back or am I asking for trouble?
Karl Hoyt
Sep-20-2017, 7:37am
I have walnut stock that will make a one piece back. Since I have had it so long and it has been in a stable environment is it reasonable to use for a one piece back or am I asking for trouble?
I've used a lot of walnut over the years: very stable, very beautiful. In electric basses and acoustic guitars, it has a stronger fundamental note than mahogany without the midrange overtones, and not as bright as maple....... and it carves nicely. I would not see any reason not to do a one piece back. (Oh.... and it bends like butter!)
Karl
Scott L
Sep-20-2017, 12:09pm
Here's a mandolin built by Michael Lewis that has a beautiful one-piece walnut back. Michael has built some amazing instruments, both mandolins and archtop guitars, with walnut.
https://www.elderly.com/lewis-custom-f-model-2010.htm
Spruce
Sep-20-2017, 1:02pm
A Taylor guitar made from a grafted walnut tree, graft intact...
This pic also shows that fiddleback is genetic...if it was caused by the environment, both the rootstock and graft would display figuring...
https://farm5.staticflickr.com/4370/37350540875_5ff7cd825d_z.jpg (https://flic.kr/p/YUxhwF)
red7flag
Sep-20-2017, 1:11pm
Here is the back of Andrew Mowry's GOM made from Oregon Claro Walnut. Great instrument. Has a warm full tone.
billhay4
Sep-20-2017, 1:58pm
My Marty Jacobson 10 string.
160945
Bill
fatt-dad
Sep-20-2017, 2:29pm
that's a crazy back, Spruce!
f-d
whistler
Sep-20-2017, 2:50pm
I think it's fairly indistinguishable from mahogany...
Not sure about that - maybe in its acoustic properties, having similar density and hardness. But visually, walnut (any species of Juglans) can be a much more interesting wood, in my opinion. Besides, anything that doesn't involve cutting down rainforests has to be a good thing.
Not sure about that - maybe in its acoustic properties, having similar density and hardness. But visually, walnut (any species of Juglans) can be a much more interesting wood, in my opinion. Besides, anything that doesn't involve cutting down rainforests has to be a good thing.
I've used Euro walnut for body blocks instead of mahogany (not available here) for all my builds except one. It's a bit denser and harder than Honduran mahogany, but perhaps slightly lower than sapele that I have here (that's african, not true mahogany)
oldwave maker
Sep-20-2017, 5:39pm
I've used air dried NM desert canyon black walnut, kiln dried Illinois river black walnut, and Chesapeake Bay cured Virginia black walnut for sides/backs/necks. The Illini was half the density of the desert stuff, the Va. half the density of of the Illini. I prefer it for octaves and ovalhole mandos, maybe too little edge for an F5 when surrounded by drunk banjo players. Nice contrast with Arizona Sycamore binding.
If I had some grafted Ca. walnut, I'd want to use grafted pistachio from that guy in Gold Beach for the fretboard......
Pablo Bosticio
Sep-20-2017, 6:14pm
All beautiful examples of gorgeous grained wood. I can't decide after seeing all those wonderful instruments if I like the one piece or the book matched best. I suppose I will make up my mind when the wood is in front of me. Thank you all for sharing your photos!
Jim M.
Sep-20-2017, 8:35pm
I love my Arches F-4: 160948
JEStanek
Sep-21-2017, 7:07am
The custom Labraid I had used a walnut back. It had a wonderful, warm voice.
Jamie
Pablo Bosticio
Sep-21-2017, 10:59pm
Very interesting grain Jim! Outstanding!
Jim your F4 is about as good as it gets. Chris did an amazing job with that one. How does it’s voice compare with F2/F4. How wide is the nut? Did you pick out the wood and bindings?
161372
Timbofood
Oct-10-2017, 11:37am
Well, Orville himself used walnut on at least three instruments I have had in my own hands so, there is precedent. As well as the the examples put forth here. Give it a shot!
Bill McCall
Oct-10-2017, 12:28pm
Not sure about that - maybe in its acoustic properties, having similar density and hardness. But visually, walnut (any species of Juglans) can be a much more interesting wood, in my opinion. Besides, anything that doesn't involve cutting down rainforests has to be a good thing.
While I was speaking tonally describing the lack of sonic difference between the two species, I don't think anyone could tell the difference in tone between a walnut bodied and mahogany bodied instrument. Obviously the figure in walnut is quite different to mahogany, and also quite different between species of walnut, but plainer woods can often be easily confused with added coloring, as a lot of 'walnut furniture' is actually mahogany with an appropriate stain.
Both are great for building and I wouldn't hesitate to use either.
Magnus Geijer
Oct-10-2017, 10:39pm
Different application here, but the center block, rims and center of the neck are all black walnut in this thing. It sounds so close to what I was going for it almost makes me feel competent.
https://youtu.be/jrSjrTLrA3Q
Thanks,
Magnus
Inklings
Oct-13-2017, 11:01am
Magnus, what's the pickup in that? What I think I'm hearing is a really well matched set of electronics and woods. Thanks for posting this! Great playing, as well, btw. Very thoughtful touch on the instrument.
Magnus Geijer
Oct-16-2017, 9:07pm
You're very kind. The pickups are actually a pair of cheapo mini humbuckers from eBay. I bought them with the intent to upgrade when I had the kinks worked out, but they turned out sounding just like I wanted them to, so now I can't really see a need for that upgrade.
Thanks,
Magnus