Wood selection

[stringjunky]

Muninga or the Walnut.

[Mr Fingers]

I'd go for the silky blackwood. I'm bored with overly figured, showy wood, don't know why anyone builds with sapwood (which used to be categorically avoided), and think the Wenge is simply unattractive. I remain unconvinced about walnut, perhaps because most of the examples I've encountered have been lesser guitars clearly using the wood as an alternative material rather than to exploit whatever properties it may (or my not) have. The silky blackwood has everything going for it -- straight grain for long-term stability, tone, and understated rather than shout-out beauty. I realize that few buyers operate on these terms anymore, so it's best to ignore me!

[Truckjohn]

Walnut is fantastic.... Walnut doesn't give up anything tonally.

It's funny to remember that back in the day - Mahogany was the cheap alternative tonewood to Walnut and Cherry... Martin used it because he could get clear big mahogany lumber nearly free at the New York City dockyards..

And for years - perfectly cut, clear, pattern maker's grade quartersawn mahogany cost 1/2 what FAS Walnut and Cherry lumber cost.... Never mind that getting well quartered, clear walnut and cherry in commercial quantities is nearly impossible......

[LouieAtienza]

Originally Posted by Mr Fingers

I'd go for the silky blackwood. I'm bored with overly figured, showy wood, don't know why anyone builds with sapwood (which used to be categorically avoided), and think the Wenge is simply unattractive. I remain unconvinced about walnut, perhaps because most of the examples I've encountered have been lesser guitars clearly using the wood as an alternative material rather than to exploit whatever properties it may (or my not) have. The silky blackwood has everything going for it -- straight grain for long-term stability, tone, and understated rather than shout-out beauty. I realize that few buyers operate on these terms anymore, so it's best to ignore me!

When someone builds a maple guitar, it's basically all sapwood! As to beauty, it is in the eyes of the beholder; and to me all woods possess a certain beauty - well, maybe not poplar, but I'm sure someone out there likes it.

That said, I do agree that the silked Tasmanian blackwood set is a good choice, beautiful in its own right... But straight grain does not always gurarantee stability as even dead straight grain and silking may belie the "inner structure" of the wood. I have some ovangkol with such silking as well, and I'm sure the finish will really bring out the chatoyance of the wood.

[mercy]

That walnut set is just really unusual and will be a completely different tone than the Wenge guitar.

[colins]

Originally Posted by Mr Fingers

I'd go for the silky blackwood. I'm bored with overly figured, showy wood, don't know why anyone builds with sapwood (which used to be categorically avoided), and think the Wenge is simply unattractive. I remain unconvinced about walnut, perhaps because most of the examples I've encountered have been lesser guitars clearly using the wood as an alternative material rather than to exploit whatever properties it may (or my not) have. The silky blackwood has everything going for it -- straight grain for long-term stability, tone, and understated rather than shout-out beauty. I realize that few buyers operate on these terms anymore, so it's best to ignore me!

I'm a sucker for blackwood (I have a blackwood guitar) but walnut can give a very rewarding tone on a good guitar as well. I have great memories of playing Baraniks, Goodalls and others in walnut, and it was a walnut McCollum that got me hooked on Lance's guitars. But I guess you have to want that tone, which to me is warm and woody, sort of in between a koa and a mahogany.

Col

[GeoffStGermaine]

A bunch of great options!

My personal preference would be the first set of Blackwood. Maybe that's because I'm working trying to track down a nice large billet with figuring similar to that one for an electric build.

[Bill Kraus]

I cast my vote for the euro walnut.

[Max Spohn]

Sorry for the late reply guys. First of all thank you for so many replies!!!

So that is what you have voted for:

Muninga: 4

figured Blackwood: 6

silky Blackwood: 1

figured Walnut: 12

And I am too curious to see the walnut under the finish to not build with it so I am going to start the builds soon! And you will for sure get a build thread!

Originally Posted by Tony Done

Easy. Figured blackwood rules! But I'm a bit biased, I don't know anything about muninga, and my limited experiences with walnut have left me not wanting to look any further.

You should mate it with a bunya top.

I love Blackwood. But haven't used it yet. What is bunya? I haven't heard of this. I just have King Billy pine and bearclaw huon pine as a top wood from Australia in my stock.

Originally Posted by LouieAtienza

Max you're right... some tough choice there!

And I already did some tough choices

Originally Posted by j. Kinnaird

The muninga has an excellent reputation as an instrument making wood in its country of origin. It's stable, sounds good, is a source of medicine for curing bl backwater fever, and is now a protected tree. Also known as kiaat. I vote for muninga. But that first set of Blackwood sure looks great, as does the walnut. Split vote.

Have you ever build with muninga? I bought it because the tap tone is really great. Somewhere between rosewood and mahogany and very resonant.

Originally Posted by Mr Fingers

I'd go for the silky blackwood. I'm bored with overly figured, showy wood, don't know why anyone builds with sapwood (which used to be categorically avoided), and think the Wenge is simply unattractive. I remain unconvinced about walnut, perhaps because most of the examples I've encountered have been lesser guitars clearly using the wood as an alternative material rather than to exploit whatever properties it may (or my not) have. The silky blackwood has everything going for it -- straight grain for long-term stability, tone, and understated rather than shout-out beauty. I realize that few buyers operate on these terms anymore, so it's best to ignore me!

I can understand your decision. I also love the silky blackwood. And the tap tone of it is also more resonant then the tap tone of the figured one. But as you said it is hard to find a customer for this.

[maurerfan]

Muninga ...

[colins]

Originally Posted by Max Spohn

And I am too curious to see the walnut under the finish to not build with it so I am going to start the builds soon! And you will for sure get a build thread!

What is bunya? I haven't heard of this. I just have King Billy pine and bearclaw huon pine as a top wood from Australia in my stock.

Great Max, looking forward to the build thread, particularly as I chose walnut

Bunya is used by Aussie maker Cole Clark and I think Maton use it too. That said, I have not played a bunya guitar myself; the only "locally" topped guitar I have uses kauri from New Zealand.

Col

[Max Spohn]

I just started the build thread with the woods!

http://www.acousticguitarforum.com/f...d.php?t=503951

[lizzard]

Walnut - highly underrated

[David Wren]

I like them all ... but that figured Tasmanian Blackwood is really special!

[Jamiejoon]

One more vote for MUNINGA!