A local hardwood supplier in my hometown mostly carries the usual local woods (cherry, walnut, oak, maple, etc) although they do have a small, but interesting selection of some exotics. Among these I found a perfectly cut board of Peruvian Walnut. It was in the same stack as the local black walnut and could easily be lost in the the crowd and perhaps that’s why it had been there for so long. I saw it about a year and told myself that if it was still there next year then I would buy it and it would become a few guitars and that is exactly how it worked out.
Although it smells and looks very similar to black walnut, it isn't nearly as dense. It is a very soft and light, yet stiff hardwood.
This guitar is the first I have built from the recently purchased board. The result is a guitar with a strong volume and a quick attach that has a uniquely velvet response - a soft, smooth and dark sound with plenty of power.
Both this guitar and no. 21 were built together and carried on a trip I took at the end of October 2014 to the Eastern Shore Guitar Festival in Chestertown, MD.
Specifications
- Scale Length - 650mm
- Neck Width at Nut - 52mm
- String Spacing at Nut - 43mm
- String Spacing at Saddle - 60mm
- Fingerboard Elevation - 5.5mm
- Neck Thickness 1st fret - 7/8"
- Neck Thickness 8th fret - 29/32"
Special Thanks for Becca of Flameheart Studios for these great pictures.