Quote:
Originally Posted by Caoimhín View Post
how come we don't usually see much as much walnut used? Is it as Ken said that it's difficult to find long slabs with relatively straight grain? Or that it's more expensive or difficult to work with?
Might be that Bob Taylor's (Taylor Guitars) minions were sent to purchase futures in this beautiful wood. He likes to scope different species living trees globaly, and make investments from his headquarters in Southern California. His newsletters make no secret of this.
OK, just to illustrate Mr. Taylors fondness for figured Claro Walnut, I stumbled across a photo of him showing some off on p. 26 of the Oct. 2008 issue of Vintage Guitar Magazine.
These trees are growing all over California. About 10 years ago I purchased some beautiful 12 ft long 5/8" thick milled planks still in the shape of the tree they were cut from. Beautiful, and so affordable I couldn't pass up on them.
Wow, how the price for this lumber has skyrocketed.
Sort of the way that Hawaiin Koa did after everyone found out how well suited it is for high end instruments and exspensive sculpted furniture.
It's such nice sounding tonewood. Sort of like the best secret maples, but a with it's own character of course. My family has a 'coupla few instruments made with (largly) this stuff. Cittern, Folk Harp, Dreadnaught Guitar, and electric bass.
Anyway, it is wonderful to see such a beautiful instrument as Don's emerge, because it's the kind of bass has been on my own "Wish List" ever since I discovered the beauty of walnut as a tone wood.
Kudus to Arnold and Don for making this creation happen!
