Walnut wood is a popular choice for guitar makers due to its unique combination of tonal qualities and aesthetic appeal. It is a hardwood that comes from the Juglans genus of trees, which can be found in various regions around the world. The wood has a distinctive brown color with darker streaks, which gives it a beautiful and natural look. In this discussion, we’ll dive into the qualities of walnut wood, its uses for guitar making, and the pros and cons of using it for this purpose.
Qualities of Walnut Wood for Guitars
Walnut wood has a unique combination of tonal properties that make it a desirable choice for guitar makers. It has a warm and balanced tone, with a good mix of lows, mids, and highs. This makes it a versatile choice that works well for a variety of playing styles and genres. Walnut wood is also known for its sustain, which refers to how long the note rings out after being played. This quality is highly desirable in guitar making, as it allows for long, smooth notes and gives the instrument a full-bodied sound.
Another quality of walnut wood is its strength and durability. It is a hardwood that can withstand the stress and strain of playing without warping or cracking. This makes it a reliable choice for guitar makers who want to create instruments that can stand the test of time.
Uses of Walnut Wood for Guitars
Walnut wood is used for various parts of the guitar, including the body, neck, and fretboard. The body of the guitar is typically made from solid walnut or walnut veneer, which is a thin layer of walnut wood applied over another type of wood. The neck and fretboard can also be made from walnut, although some guitar makers prefer to use harder woods like maple or rosewood for these parts to provide additional stability and sustain.
The use of walnut wood in guitars is not limited to a particular style or genre. It can be found in guitars used for everything from jazz to heavy metal, as it provides a balanced and warm tone that works well across a range of musical styles.
Pros and Cons of Walnut Wood for Guitars
Like any type of wood, walnut has its pros and cons when it comes to using it for guitar making.
Some of the pros include:
- A warm and balanced tone that works well for a variety of playing styles and genres.
- High sustain, which allows for long, smooth notes and a full-bodied sound.
- Durability and resistance to warping or cracking, which ensures that the guitar will stand the test of time.
On the other hand, some of the cons of using walnut wood for guitars include:
- It is not as hard as some other woods used for guitar making, which may affect the guitar’s sustain and overall tone.
- It can be more expensive than other types of wood used for guitar making, which may limit its availability for some guitar makers.
- The unique look of the wood may not appeal to all guitar players or buyers.
Guitar Brands That Use Walnut Wood
There are several guitar brands that use walnut wood in their instruments. Some of these include:
- Gibson: Gibson has used walnut wood for various models throughout its history, including the Gibson Les Paul Deluxe and the Gibson L-6S.
- Fender: Fender has used walnut wood for the Fender Stratocaster Elite and the Fender Telecaster Elite models.
- Taylor Guitars: Taylor Guitars offers a range of acoustic guitars made from walnut wood, including the Taylor 526ce and the Taylor 614ce.
Walnut wood is a popular choice for guitar manufacturers due to its unique sound and appearance. It has a rich, warm tone with a good balance of high and low frequencies, making it suitable for a range of music styles. Here are some more popular guitars and guitar manufacturers that use walnut wood, and how they incorporate it into their instruments:
- Taylor Guitars: Taylor is known for their use of high-quality woods, including walnut. They use black walnut for back and sides on their 500 Series and higher models, which provides a warm and earthy tone with good projection. They also use Claro walnut for their Presentation Series guitars, which has a beautiful figure and a slightly darker tone than black walnut.
- Fender: Fender has used walnut wood for various guitar models over the years, including the Stratocaster and Telecaster. Walnut provides a smooth and balanced tone with a slight midrange emphasis, making it well-suited for blues and rock music. It also has a unique look, with a grain pattern that ranges from straight to wavy.
- Gibson: Gibson has used walnut wood for their SG and Les Paul models, among others. Walnut provides a warm, woody tone with a strong midrange and good sustain. It also has a distinctive grain pattern, with dark streaks that contrast nicely against the lighter wood.
- Ibanez: Ibanez uses walnut wood for their Artcore series of semi-hollow and hollow body guitars. Walnut provides a warm and mellow tone with good sustain and a slightly scooped midrange. It also has a unique look, with a grain pattern that can range from straight to swirling.
- Martin Guitars: Martin uses walnut wood for their Performing Artist series of acoustic guitars. They use a variety of walnut species, including black walnut and claro walnut, which provide a warm and rich tone with good projection. Walnut also has a unique look, with a deep, rich color and a subtle grain pattern.
- PRS Guitars: PRS uses walnut wood for their S2 Series guitars, which are made in the United States. They use a variety of walnut species, including black walnut and Peruvian walnut, which provide a warm and balanced tone with good sustain. Walnut also has a distinctive look, with a grain pattern that can range from straight to wavy.
- Breedlove Guitars: Breedlove uses walnut wood for their Pursuit series of acoustic guitars. They use black walnut for the back and sides, which provides a warm and earthy tone with good projection. Walnut also has a unique look, with a grain pattern that ranges from straight to wavy.
- Guild Guitars: Guild uses walnut wood for their M-240E Troubadour acoustic-electric guitar. They use a variety of walnut species, including black walnut and claro walnut, which provide a warm and balanced tone with good projection. Walnut also has a distinctive look, with a deep, rich color and a subtle grain pattern.
- Washburn Guitars: Washburn uses walnut wood for their Woodline series of acoustic guitars. They use a variety of walnut species, including black walnut and Peruvian walnut, which provide a warm and balanced tone with good projection. Walnut also has a unique look, with a grain pattern that can range from straight to wavy.
- Yamaha Guitars: Yamaha uses walnut wood for their A-series and AC-series acoustic-electric guitars. They use a variety of walnut species, including black walnut and claro walnut, which provide a warm and rich tone with good projection. Walnut also has a distinctive look, with a grain pattern that can range from straight to wavy.
