English walnut

Jason Wolverton

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I'm building an all English walnut tenor ukulele. I used this same wood on a classical guitar with a cedar soundboard. English walnut is a really interesting and seldom used tonewood. I think it sounds great. It's density is similar to koa or mahogany.

Should be fun!

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Beautiful wood!
I have just bought two English Walnut tenor sets, albeit somewhat less stunning, and would be grateful for any tips on side bending you may be able to offer. I have just had to scrap a set of American Black Walnut guitar sides after the upper bout bends developed bad crush folds (if that description makes sense) on the inside. However, that was using a bending machine, where the results are not visible until it is too late!

I bend my tenor ukulele sides on a bending iron, and whilst I have had no problems with the English Cherry and Tasmanian Blackwood I have used to date, English Walnut is a new venture.
 
Paul, Sorry to hear of your troubles bending the black walnut. I've not worked with that wood before.

The English walnut I have bends very easily. I'm not really sure if it all bends as easy as the wood that I have.

I love the look of it. I wish classical guitarists were more open to it as a back and side wood.

Here's a photo of the guitar I made with this wood a few years ago...
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I like the bookmatch on that top. I guess it's going to get a lot darker with the finish, but I like how it looks right now. I'm going to show my total ignorance and ask what's up with the fretboard. Why the angle on one side?
 
Hi Jim. It's not total ignorance... That design feature is just an homage to old Stauffer and Martin guitars from the early 1900's. Do a search of Johann Stauffer and you'll see what I'm referring to. Many 19th C guitars had this feature too. It's purely an aesthetic choice.
 
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