Official Luthiers Forum!

[QUOTE=larkim]

as I understand this hybrid of Claro crossed with French Walnut is very very rare.
Kim[/QUOTE]

That's very close, Kim and I'll add what I know from research although French walnut can only be grown in France

"Bastogne" is a hybrid of European walnut (Juglans regia) introduced into the west as nut stock grafted to root stock of native western walnut (Juglans hindsii. There's only one commercial European walnut and it takes it's trade name from the growing region i.e., French walnut, Italian walnut, Russian walnut and so on, but all are Juglans regia.

Besides Juglans hindsii, we have eastern black walnut, Juglans nigra scattered about, J.rupestris, J.major and J. californica in the west. Somewhere along the line two trees cross pollinated and hybridized. Botanist are not sure of what two trees and the combinations of cross pollination seem to vary the tree scientist claim. One common property of "Bastogne" is it's very much increased weight...if it isn't extra heavy it ain't "Bastogne"