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 Post subject: Peruvian Walnut
PostPosted: Mon Mar 10, 2014 6:59 pm 
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Joined: Tue Mar 19, 2013 3:34 pm
Posts: 1097
First name: Bob
Last Name: Russell
State: Michigan USA
Focus: Repair
Status: Semi-pro
I found a couple nice pieces of 4/4 Peruvian Walnut that is very near quarter sawn and has really nice straight grain.

It is my understanding it is a lot like Mahogany in sound quality. I am currently making perfling for my current build but I bought enough to make several sides and backs. The wood has a really nice bell like tap tone in its current 4/4 state.

I am curious if anyone has had any experience building using it. And if it is like Mahogany can it be also used for the soundboard? This piece I have has a beautiful deep golden brown with a finish on it and I think it would be a nice looking guitar.

If not it would make a really nice looking side table...

Cheers,
Bob


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 Post subject: Re: Peruvian Walnut
PostPosted: Mon Mar 10, 2014 7:21 pm 
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Brazilian Rosewood
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Joined: Wed Feb 20, 2008 7:15 pm
Posts: 7555
First name: Ed
Last Name: Bond
City: Nanaimo
Country: Canada
Focus: Build
Status: Professional
Peruvian walnut is a fine Tonewood. Sounds a lot more like walnut that mahogany. Nice fundamental type tone with a touch of overtones. Can be used as a top wood, we made a bunch at Larrivee in the final days. If you have a niceiece, I say go for it!


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 Post subject: Re: Peruvian Walnut
PostPosted: Mon Mar 10, 2014 7:25 pm 
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Cocobolo
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Joined: Wed Feb 19, 2014 7:48 am
Posts: 121
First name: Justin
Last Name: North
City: Chattanooga
State: TN
Zip/Postal Code: 37416
Country: USA
Focus: Build
Status: Amateur
I don't have any experience with Peruvian Walnut. I owned a Sitka/walnut OM for several years. It was a great guitar. It started out a little lacking in the low end, but it opened up over time. Overall, it was a very balanced sounding guitar after a while. Before I had the walnut & Sitka I had an IER back and sides guitar. I now own a mahogany and Sitka guitar, and I have to say that the walnut falls in between the two as far as tone goes. It has (to my ear) more pronounced top end, but once the low end fills out it's a lot more balanced.

As far as walnut for a top, I've only ever played one guitar that was all walnut. It was a Taylor grand concert, and it was beautiful looking guitar. It was a little bright sounding on the top end, just like my guitar had been but all Taylor's seem to favor the top end that way.

I think if you have some good looking walnut I think they make nice sounding guitars. It takes a little while for them to break in and have the low end fill out, but once that happens I think you'd be pleased.



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 Post subject: Re: Peruvian Walnut
PostPosted: Mon Mar 10, 2014 8:04 pm 
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Koa
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Joined: Thu Jan 10, 2008 5:08 am
Posts: 1906
Location: Raleigh, NC
First name: Steve
Last Name: Sollod
Focus: Build
Status: Amateur
I'm working on a Peruvian walnut OM right now with zebra binding and radial Purfling. I'm planning on using a sinker redwood top. It has a nice chocolate color. It's too early to tell about tone.

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 Post subject: Re: Peruvian Walnut
PostPosted: Mon Mar 10, 2014 8:25 pm 
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Joined: Tue Mar 01, 2011 1:32 pm
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First name: Alex
Last Name: Kleon
City: Whitby
State: Ontario
Zip/Postal Code: L1N8X2
Country: Canada
Focus: Build
Status: Amateur
My thinking is that whenever you find a nice piece of wood, you should just buy it. Peruvian walnut is usually priced about 20-25% more than N.A. walnut for flat sawn, so if you are getting the Q.S. for the same price, it's a bargain.

Alex

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 Post subject: Re: Peruvian Walnut
PostPosted: Mon Mar 10, 2014 8:48 pm 
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Joined: Tue Mar 19, 2013 3:34 pm
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First name: Bob
Last Name: Russell
State: Michigan USA
Focus: Repair
Status: Semi-pro
Alex Kleon wrote:
My thinking is that whenever you find a nice piece of wood, you should just buy it. Peruvian walnut is usually priced about 20-25% more than N.A. walnut for flat sawn, so if you are getting the Q.S. for the same price, it's a bargain.

Alex


That is pretty much what I thought too. I was looking for some wood for perflings and found a couple of 4' long pieces in a stack of flat sawn boards. It isn't fully quarter sawn as one end of it is a slight angle but it still has very straight grain compared to all the other boards there.

This is the one I cut up for sides and back and I have another one that is almost identical at just over 4 feet.

Even if I didn't use it for a guitar I could make some nice little project out of it. But from the comments so far I will keep it and when I get my new band saw (soon I hope) I will slice it up.

Even at 1" thick it has a really nice ring when tapped.

Bob


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