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Hi Gang,

I recently was give a load of reasonable sized offcuts from a shopfitter's company including a LOAD of walnut.

I've made an acoustic guitar & a mandolin using it for the back & sides, but now I'm starting a luthiers club in the highschool I teach in and I'm thinking neck wood......

Would walnut be any good for necks? I can lam up some 40 year old mahogany, but it will need paid for......

I can put in CF strips if required.

Thanks

M

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My soundclick xx luthier blog xx luthier soundclick

Yes, walnut is good for necks.

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Jim Kirby
kirby@udel.edu

Martin, yes walnut makes a fine neck wood. Remember though to follow the general rules about grain direction etc.

Colin

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I don't believe in anything, I simply make use of a set of reasonable working hypotheses.

Martin, search the forum for walnut neck and look at a thread "Here goes" by cocephus. A very pretty example of a walnut neck.

I'd post a link to the message but I can't figure out how.

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Jim Kirby
kirby@udel.edu

I have built a bunch with walnut necks .. looks good on walnut or maple body guitars. Lovely rich color, easy to work, the aroma isnt for everyone when sanding.

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Tony Karol
www.karol-guitars.com
"let my passion .. fulfill yours"

Thanks folks, great news which the kid's wallets will definitely appreciate!!!

BTW Tony MY next build (now using walnut for the neck as well as the back & sides) will be a 6/12 double, so I'll be spending a LOAD of time looking at this pic.......

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I`m having pretty good luck with the walnut neck on my first build. Easy enough to work with and is just beautiful under finish. Yes, pay attention to grain orientation, and you should be OK. I didn`t use any reinforcement other than the truss rod and it`s behaving rather well, although time will tell.

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

I've used walnut for necks on several guitars. Both solid, and laminated. It works good either way. It makes good back and side sets,kerfing, back braces, and electric solid bodies as well.

Al

making one now...I'll post some pics when able.

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Dave Bland

remember...

"If it doesn't play in tune...it's just pretty wood"

You may want to stare at this one for a while then too ...

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Tony Karol
www.karol-guitars.com
"let my passion .. fulfill yours"

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My soundclick xx luthier blog xx luthier soundclick

Check out these threads.

One

Two

Three

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"An adventure is only an inconvenience rightly considered. An inconvenience is an adventure wrongly considered." G. K. Chesterton.

Tony You got my attention with that one!!!

Al

Another vote for walnut necks! I use it all the time, it's very good, nice and stable. I like it laminated with a strip of rodewood or maple in the middle.

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Mark Swanson
Swanson Guitars
http://www.MarkSwansonMusic.com

Hey Mark .. I like rodewood too, but havent driven over any worth stopping for lately.

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Tony Karol
www.karol-guitars.com
"let my passion .. fulfill yours"

M;
Walnut and Mahogany have very similar strength to weight ratios and many other closely related values.
If the wood your using is well seasoned there is no reason NOT to use it!

Mike Collins
www.collinsguitars.com

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Mike Collins

Mahogony or walnut are my two favorite neck woods also.
I have used walnut for the necks on guitars and mandos.
very similar to mahogony in stiffness.And carves easy.

Tom

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http://www.moriciguitar.com

Ahhh! Tony nails me to the wall on that one!
What's wrong with you, haven't you ever seen rodewood?

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Mark Swanson
Swanson Guitars
http://www.MarkSwansonMusic.com

[QUOTE=Tom Morici] walnut.... carves easy.
[/QUOTE]

Yum..

You don't know how delicious that sounds to a woodcarver... Sam Price38961.2451851852

[QUOTE=Sam Price] [QUOTE=Tom Morici] walnut.... carves easy.
[/QUOTE]

Yum..

You don't know how delicious that sounds to a woodcarver... [/QUOTE]

If someone has dyslexia and reads crave instead of carve, is he in trouble?!

Martin it's a good economical choice - it's free

As I dream and plan my future builds I find that I really seem to keep envisioning a walnut neck with my "on-paper" guitar choices.

I am drawn to the contrast and the wood's beauty when finished.

Yup, I gotta say I loe the look of the Mando & Dread that I've built with it so far. I've ordered the trussrod & fingeboard, so when they arrive I'll be getting stuck in!!

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[QUOTE=Mark Swanson]What's wrong with you, haven't you ever seen rodewood? [/QUOTE]
Got mine with a free 'Possum inlay!

[QUOTE=TonyKarol] You may want to stare at this one for a while then too ...

[/QUOTE]

Tony, you're a tease...

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

Here's one of mine. That's walnut for the back, sides, and neck.

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Todd Rose
Ithaca, NY

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

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