Gibsons walnut craze

Andy79

Originally not a fan but I’m a convert to Gibsons Studio range. 

Played an utterly great G-45 and L-00 studio 
Very light builds, Fit and finish is superb. The 00 is kinda plunky in a good way, quick decay. Very nice finger picked and the the sunburst against the Walnut is lovely 

The G-45 can be had for less than £800. I preferred it to the standard. The binding was nicer in white and the thinner finish suits the guitar more
Anyone comparing it to the J-45 needs to stop, it’s nothing like one. Refreshing change from it in fact. Not dark, woody and thumping. more light, woody and jabbing

Anyone else a fan?

Kittyfrisk

Andy79 said:

Originally not a fan but I’m a convert to Gibsons Studio range. 

Played an utterly great G-45 and L-00 studio 
Very light builds, Fit and finish is superb. The 00 is kinda plunky in a good way, quick decay. Very nice finger picked and the the sunburst against the Walnut is lovely 

The G-45 can be had for less than £800. I preferred it to the standard. The binding was nicer in white and the thinner finish suits the guitar more
Anyone comparing it to the J-45 needs to stop, it’s nothing like one. Refreshing change from it in fact. Not dark, woody and thumping. more light, woody and jabbing

Anyone else a fan?

C'mon, just admit you were totally blown away by Mark Agnesi's authentic endorsement 
https://www.gibson.com/Guitar/ACCA5D830/G-45-Studio/Antique-Natural

They sound like very good guitars, made even better by the price point.

Epsilon

Cedar and Walnut are my favourite wood combination. Admittedly that was on Lowdens, so I'm sure there's an element of just having played some very well made guitars in that judgement. I've not tried the Gibsons, but I don't regard walnut as an inferior tonewood to rosewood at all.

Kittyfrisk

Epsilon said:

Cedar and Walnut are my favourite wood combination. Admittedly that was on Lowdens, so I'm sure there's an element of just having played some very well made guitars in that judgement. I've not tried the Gibsons, but I don't regard walnut as an inferior tonewood to rosewood at all.

+1 Good call. Walnut & Cedar are a favourite combination of mine (George Lowden certainly knows his stuff & it's his favourite pairing too). Must have an ebony board though 

earwighoney

Epsilon said:

Cedar and Walnut are my favourite wood combination. Admittedly that was on Lowdens, so I'm sure there's an element of just having played some very well made guitars in that judgement. I've not tried the Gibsons, but I don't regard walnut as an inferior tonewood to rosewood at all.

I agree, some of the finest guitars I've tried or heard have had Walnut Back and sides, it's somewhere between Mahogany and Koa. Aside from Lowden, all the cedar/walnut Brooks I tried were truly lovely, but a Spruce/Kew Gardens Black Walnut was one of the finest acoustics I have ever played.

I played a few J-15's which were largely outstanding.  IMO, Gibson's acoustic division shouldn't be lumped in with their electric division, it is a completely different factory after all. 

The new Walnut L-00 sounds like it'd be my kind of instrument, I should try to find one one day.

Andy79

I played a Lowden today. Just could not like it. Sounded very generic and generally uninspiring. Shoot me down. My taste in guitars is a little off piste maybe 

Andy79

earwighoney said:

Epsilon said:

Cedar and Walnut are my favourite wood combination. Admittedly that was on Lowdens, so I'm sure there's an element of just having played some very well made guitars in that judgement. I've not tried the Gibsons, but I don't regard walnut as an inferior tonewood to rosewood at all.

I agree, some of the finest guitars I've tried or heard have had Walnut Back and sides, it's somewhere between Mahogany and Koa. Aside from Lowden, all the cedar/walnut Brooks I tried were truly lovely, but a Spruce/Kew Gardens Black Walnut was one of the finest acoustics I have ever played.

I played a few J-15's which were largely outstanding.  IMO, Gibson's acoustic division shouldn't be lumped in with their electric division, it is a completely different factory after all. 

The new Walnut L-00 sounds like it'd be my kind of instrument, I should try to find one one day.

Regarding the L-00. It’s the closest modern guitar I have found in recent memory  to the dry tone of pre war mid size guitars (talking sub £1500 budget here)

Epsilon

Andy79 said:

I played a Lowden today. Just could not like it. Sounded very generic and generally uninspiring. Shoot me down. My taste in guitars is a little off piste maybe 

I've played a few that were uninspiring. If you find a good one though they can be truly exceptional. That said I do find that they reward fingerstyle and open tuning much more than singer-songwriter type playing.

Kittyfrisk

Epsilon said:

Andy79 said:

I played a Lowden today. Just could not like it. Sounded very generic and generally uninspiring. Shoot me down. My taste in guitars is a little off piste maybe 

I've played a few that were uninspiring. If you find a good one though they can be truly exceptional. That said I do find that they reward fingerstyle and open tuning much more than singer-songwriter type playing.

I believe you might have something there, the sustain & chime just seems to lend itself to fingerstyle and open tuning.
Which suits me   

pjf

Big fan of walnut, my experience is also limited to Lowdens though, like others here. Need to try the Gibsons! 

“Generic” is not a word you often see associated with Lowdens. I’m not offended it’s just they’re typically regarded as an acquired taste, a bit marmite-y. Some love them, some hate them, but you don’t often hear them described as ordinary/generic. What model were you playing, out of interest? 

Andy79

It was in the same place as the little 0-15 so I’ll check the model tomorrow..
Honestly I think the neck profile put me off and I didn’t recover from there. It was a C but with very full shoulders, more like a D and I’m not keen on that. Medium C or V for me. We both know how good the 30s Gibson V is. That’s truly the best neck evs 

stickyfiddle

Yeah, another walnut fan here - one of the best acoustics I ever played was a walnut J45. If it hadn't been pooburst I'd have bought it.

Andy79

pjf said:

Big fan of walnut, my experience is also limited to Lowdens though, like others here. Need to try the Gibsons! 

“Generic” is not a word you often see associated with Lowdens. I’m not offended it’s just they’re typically regarded as an acquired taste, a bit marmite-y. Some love them, some hate them, but you don’t often hear them described as ordinary/generic. What model were you playing, out of interest? 

It was a 010 and I had another 10 minutes with it today. It’s a grower. Very unique mid tones. 

earwighoney

Andy79 said:

Regarding the L-00. It’s the closest modern guitar I have found in recent memory  to the dry tone of pre war mid size guitars (talking sub £1500 budget here)

That's quite a recommendation.

thermionic

Larrivee made some limited editions with Peruvian Walnut back and sides a few years ago, looked lovely and apparently sounded somewhere between mahogany and rosewood. Regretted not forking out at the time.

pjf

I bet it did, walnut can be stunning. Here's my walnut back/sides Lowden: