# Walnut and Spalted Elm for Guitar Build



## THRobinson (Jun 29, 2014)

Bought a few slabs of kiln-dried wood yesterday 1.75" thick, pretty cheap too. Solid Walnut, big enough for 2 bodies and a plank of spalted Elm, not quite wide enough, so being resawed and bookmatched together... maybe 3 guitar tops from that when done. $45CAD a slab... not shabby.

Anyone work with Elm before? Hoping to do an archtop and not sure if Elm is hard, or splinters, or anything about it. It's heavy, I noticed that. Doesn't seem commonly used... poor tone maybe? Hard to work with? Looking for advice before I start... would hate to get it all cut and start curving the top and have it all spinter or just can't scrape it at all.

Walnut, I was thinking of using for a Tele and a Strat body.

Would Walnut make a good back? like if doing a Les Paul, replacing the mahogany with Walnut? May be able to snag a thinner plank and use with the Elm to make a Les Paul (Seriph actually). Walnut any good for necks?

I seemed to pick 2 woods, that there isn't tonnes of info about guitar wise.

When the Spalted Elm is done, It's probably going to be about .75" thick... not sure how thick a Les Paul top is at the highest point... 0.625" I think so not far off. Just need a plank of Walnut around 1.375".

Maybe if Walnut is decent for a neck... use the full plank for a 1-piece back with neck, no glue or bolts? Then glue the Spalted Elm on top and rosewood fretboard?

Just looking for some feedback... whats a good or bad idea... maybe avoid some headaches before I start.


----------



## nnieman (Jun 19, 2013)

THRobinson said:


> Bought a few slabs of kiln-dried wood yesterday 1.75" thick, pretty cheap too. Solid Walnut, big enough for 2 bodies and a plank of spalted Elm, not quite wide enough, so being resawed and bookmatched together... maybe 3 guitar tops from that when done. $45CAD a slab... not shabby.
> 
> Anyone work with Elm before? Hoping to do an archtop and not sure if Elm is hard, or splinters, or anything about it. It's heavy, I noticed that. Doesn't seem commonly used... poor tone maybe? Hard to work with? Looking for advice before I start... would hate to get it all cut and start curving the top and have it all spinter or just can't scrape it at all.
> 
> ...


Elm is super heavy, super hard, has wild interlocking grain and is generally difficult to work with.

It wouldn't be appropriate for a guitar body. If you loved the grain of it you could slice it thin and use it for a top. I think you would want it thinner than 5/8".
Because of the interlocking grain it might be very difficult to carve an lp type top.
Depending on how you're planning on carving it.

Walnut should be fine for a neck, just make sure its quarter sawn.

Nathan


----------



## THRobinson (Jun 29, 2014)

Actually it's being cut thinner now.

Wasn't quite wide enough for a body, so getting it cut in half (probably about 3/4" after blade thickness) and I'll bookmatch it together. Still a bit thick but best they could do. Small hobby mill... didn't know people had them as a hobby... but also why it's cheap I guess.

Brought the Walnut home on the weekend... too many options... no idea where to start! 

Tele I think, seems the easiest to get started with and I never had one.

If not quarter sawn, would taking 3 pieces and gluing together work the same way? Reverse the grain direction of the middle piece... or use maple in the centre?


----------



## nnieman (Jun 19, 2013)

Yes it would.

Plus it would look super cool.

Nathan


----------



## Guitar101 (Jan 19, 2011)

You could always plane it to 5/8" if you know someone with a planer.


----------



## THRobinson (Jun 29, 2014)

I need to find some locals that do that.... unfortunately everyone I know has no hobbies at all, wouldn't know anything about woodworking. I think of everyone I know, I'm the only that actually owns tools. 

Few wood related places around... should be able to find someone. 

Too bad not thicker... like 1.25"... I think that's what SG's are? Haven't had one of those in a long time. First guitar was actually a Raven SG. I have a kijiji alert setup in case someone sells one... nostalgia and all.

I don't think quite wide enough for an Ibanez Destroyer II, I had one of those as well... sheet will be long enough for 2-3 guitars, not sure about width... was just 1-2" shy of being wide enough for a body so after cut and bookmatched, I imagine it'll be wide enough for a Destroyer or Flying V... but I got time to figure that stuff out.

I think, first build will be a Tele from the Walnut, tung oil finish. Will 'relic' the parts as well. Hoping to get all nickel and brass. Hate chrome.


----------



## 2N1305 (Nov 2, 2009)

No pictures of the elm? That would be sweet...


----------



## Alan Small (Dec 30, 2019)

I bought an old elm beam thinking guitars and discovered it was too hard and heavy after sizing it to a tele body...planed it down to 3/8" and made a couple deacon benches...strong as stink and even though it was 100 + years old still it warped some after the build...
Pretty though


----------



## THRobinson (Jun 29, 2014)

Thread is like 4yrs old! 

Well... I bought a slab of Walnut from one guy, and Ash from another. First guy was selling spalted Elm that was way way too thick and said no problem and would saw it in half for me (thickness wise) but then contacted me later saying he didn't want to risk blade damage because of how hard the Elm was so, ended up not buying it. Would have been a big waste of material sanding/planing it down in thickness.


----------



## knight_yyz (Mar 14, 2015)

There are a few walnut Les Pauls. The Special Tribute, and the Standard Figured Walnut. Nothing wrong with walnut for the guitar body. Not sure about the elm as I have never used it. But I think it should be a top cap


----------



## Silvertone (Oct 13, 2018)

I cut down a red elm a couple of years ago now and have 11 slabs that are about 30" wide x 60" long. It is highly figured but also highly warped when dried. Not sure what I'll do with it yet but it is quite heavy but beautiful wood.



















Cheers Peter.


----------



## knight_yyz (Mar 14, 2015)

Another Walnut Gbson is The Paul.


----------



## Moodivarius (Feb 26, 2021)

Walnut was nice to work with.

Made this last winter. Finished in March































Full build. A second Acousti-Tele.

Scott


----------



## Mark Brown (Jan 4, 2022)

I am getting geared up to make an explorer, going mahogany on the back and Black Walnut on the top or at least that is todays idea. Those tend to change from day to day.
Walnut is gorgeous.


----------

