Official Luthiers Forum!

Hi All,

I'm new to the forum...working on building my first with guidance from Robbie O'Brien (Sr. WingNut). Anyway, I love the guitar building experience and am already thinking about my next one. So, I'm thinking about Walnut....anyone have experience (pro/con) of working with Walnut.

Cheers,

Karen (aka K2)

WELCOME to the OLF
You will love this site. Awesome help, and experience awaiting your
questions. I just started building about 10 months ago and I wouldn't be at
the level I am without this forum
BTW, Walnut is a beautiful choice.
It is good to have another woman on the site
(I am not one by the way)

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Andy Z.
http://www.lazydogguitars.com

Welcome Karen (K2)

Walnut is a nice wood, it is a joy to work and bend.

The only down side is it more difficult than say a East Indian Rosewood when it comes to getting clean lines as it is prone to flake a little when routing bindings etc.

That said this is fairly minor, all in all a very nice wood.

Karen, welcome!
Walnut is wonderful to work but use caution around the dust (as you really should around ALL dust) as it is toxic. Some people react worse than others.
There's a lady here that raises horses. A bunch of us give her our sawdust for horse bedding. Unknowingly, one of the wood turners gave her a big bucket of walnut shavings. She , also unknowingly, put it down as bedding and the next day the horse in that stall was dead. It can be pretty nasty stuff if you aren't careful.

[QUOTE=Pwoolson] Karen, welcome!
Unknowingly, one of the wood turners gave her a big bucket of walnut shavings. She , also unknowingly, put it down as bedding and the next day the horse in that stall was dead. It can be pretty nasty stuff if you aren't careful. [/QUOTE]

Very bad for horses. Walnut shavings, per se are not a danger to a horse, but when a horse urinates on walnut shavings it causes a chemical change in the walnut chemistry; the compound is absorbed thru the hooves and poisons the horse.

Hi Karen, welcome to the OLF!

Walnut is one of the choices i look for future builds, awesome figures in it huh?

Your gonna have a great time here i predict, my nickname is Bear!

Good to have you aboard!

Serge

I love walnut. It carves well, and bends easily. I have a walnut dred. in process right now and I have high expectations for it.

BTW Martin is advertising walnut kits right now.

Al

Welcom Karen, careful about this guitar-building bug! It bites hard!

We're near the same page. I built my first from Sitka and Mahogany. I have all of the wood collected now for #s 2, 3 & 4. They will all be Claro Walnut Neck, Back & Sides and Redwood tops. A "California Wood" guitar.

Looking forward to what you decide!

Alan

Welcome Karen, you sound familiar from somewhere...

I am gettaing ready to start my first walnut guitar, to be given as a gift. Keep us posted

How about as a classical?

Welcome and yes, I hear walnut makes a great guitar. I have a piece I'm going to cut up and try someday. It is a pretty nice piece of flamed claro with a natural edge.(sapwood). Good luck with your building and I'll look forward to seeing you here!

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Joe Beaver
Maker of Sawdust

Welcome to the OLF Karen, great to have you here!

Mike
White Oak, Texas

welcome Karen,
your in for a great ride , this site has the nicest people on the net. As Hesh said, it must be walnut month as I just recieved 2 8' by 12"x 1.25" boards yesterday. They're rough. Now I just need to decide what to do with them..
Mike

Another welcome, Karen. I`ll add to those who`ve already posted that walnut is very easy to work, quite beautiful, and yes, that dust can get to ya! Not so good for horsies! I`m closing up #3 before the change in seasons in case I have issues with climate control. Luv it!

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Give me 50 cents worth of regular.
Check my oil too, if you don`t mind,,,

Hello & Welcome to the OLF...And they say crack is addicting. IMHO, this wood thing bites pretty hard as well...There a nice piece of Walnut in there somewhere!

Welcome Karen! I just finished up a couple of parlor sized guitars a while back that were walnut. It's very easy to work with, finishes well and sounded great in those little parlors.

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Dave Rector
Rector Guitars

[QUOTE=Hesh1956] April seems to be walnut guitar month, I am starting a walnut guitar this weekend.

Hi Karen and welcome to the OLF!! I suspect that you will really enjoy working with Robbie. He is a natural teacher and very capable of articulating the process in a manner that is clear and entertaining as well. I still can't reach for the Titebond with out remembering to use my "high-tech glue spreading device" ala Robbie.



[/QUOTE]

So we can expect a fully finished guitar by mid-May, Hesh?   

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I'd like to be able to prove, just for once, that money wouldn't make me happy...

Where are my manners?

Welcome Karen! I think you will really enjoy your stay here at the OLF... Looking forward to seeing your work. Cheers

Alain

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I'd like to be able to prove, just for once, that money wouldn't make me happy...

Welcome, Karen! Hallelujah - a woman!!! Yours is the first post by a woman that I've seen since I joined this forum. It's nice to know you're out there. I wish you the best with your pursuit of guitar building.

I love walnut. Paul's comments are well taken. The wood smells great, though. When I empty my dust collector, it ends up on the compost pile, but I don't want the walnut shavings and dust going into my garden. It will greatly inhibit plant growth (or so I've been told). So, whenever I machine walnut, I empty the collector first and put that on the compost. Then, when I'm done with the walnut, I empty it again and that goes in the garbage.

In every other respect, I find it a joy to work with, and it can certainly make great sounding - and beautiful - guitars. Here's one of mine (the lighter trim wood is koa):

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Todd Rose
Ithaca, NY

https://www.dreamingrosesecobnb.com/todds-art-music

https://www.facebook.com/ToddRoseGuitars/

WOW, thanks for the warm welcome and the great information on Walnut.

Karen, welcome to the OLF....the greatest forum on the web!
I just finished a Walnut/Sitka Grand auditorium for a gift for my lovely wife....and its just waiting to be lacquered! Walnut looks beautifull and its great to work with. besides that....it bends like plastic!

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Peter M.
Cornerstone Guitars
http://www.cornerstoneukes.com

Do you have pictures you can share?

[QUOTE=ATaylor] Welcom Karen, careful about this guitar-building bug! It bites hard!

We're near the same page. I built my first from Sitka and Mahogany. I have all of the wood collected now for #s 2, 3 & 4. They will all be Claro Walnut Neck, Back & Sides and Redwood tops. A "California Wood" guitar.

[/QUOTE]

Ahhh...the "California Special"! Here's the back side of a walnut/flamed redwood 000 for your drooling pleasure. Excuse the light "flashes" and focus...I build guitars, not photograph them!