Walnut

The timber of the Juglans genus, a dense hardwood with an open, often strongly marked grain, used for acoustic bodies and occasional necks and tops.

Its voice sits towards the warm and dry end, with a solid midrange and a top end that is present without glare, so it suits fingerstyle playing and instruments where a rosewood-like depth is wanted with slightly less ring. It is heavy, so a solid body in walnut is a substantial thing to wear, while its figure makes it a favourite for natural finishes. As with any species, the individual board matters more than the label.

Example: a walnut-backed acoustic records with a warm, controlled low end that avoids the boominess a rosewood body can introduce.

typical use: Acoustic backs and sides, and occasional solid-body tops and necks.

Walnut

See also