Walden Guitars G3000

As the original reviewer of this guitar, I have to say that I think this previous reviewer either is misinformed or has a very different G3000 than mine. Mine most certainly is a 1.75" (OM nut width as opposed to 000) nut and an ebony fretboard. Ebony has a very different grain structure than rosewood. That said, I don't doubt that this ebony board wasn't black to begin with and was later stained. That's standard fare even for Larivees and other "lower end" guitars (and even some higher end ones) being made today as a result of dwindling availability of pure black ebony boards. So dying the boards black to be more consistent in color is to be expected at this price point in particular. Also note that the consumer base may one day change their mind and come to appreciate natural wood variations. I welcome the day. Check out some the Macassar ebony boards that have streaks of brown and tan. They're beautiful.

I still like the sound. I added a passive K&K Western pickup which does the job. If you choose to do this, be aware that you'll have to use a chisel to flatten an exposed reference pin that the mfrs used to locate the bridge plate. The middle transducer will not be able to seat correctly if you don't. I also have found that I like using GHS strings on this guitar--and more than any other guitar I own, new strings really make the difference.

Very fast neck--kind of annoying to me to be honest. But I also realize it's a player preference. I prefer chunky necks and V-shaped necks for chords and fingerpicking. But playing lead runs on this is very comfortable. Someone with smaller hands would probably love the neck profile on this guitar. But my big mits get cramped sometimes after a long session.

The woods used on these guitars, whilst all solid, have more than likely been stained to appear more consistent in grain. Especially the darker woods: my guess is that they can get away with slightly lower grade woods by staining them, thus keeping costs down to pass the savings down to the customer. The Spruce has a tiny pin-hole knot towards the waist that is a minor distraction from the otherwise decent AAA soundboard. These are cosmetic non-issues, unless you're one of those people expecting medulliary rays and cross-silking, perfect black ebony boards, etc. in a $600 guitar. Congrats to you if you can find a steal like that. I never have.

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I still think this is a 10 for it's quality to price ratio. My tastes have evolved and I can certainly appreciate my $2000 guitars for what they are, but they also made me that much poorer in acquiring them.

Sorry folks, here's real specs of this guitar...

Body Style - Grand Auditorium
Top - Spruce
Back and Sides - Rosewood
Bridge - Solid Indian Rosewood
Neck - Mahogany
Fingerboard - Solid Indian Rosewood
Nut Width - 1 11/16th

To peoples who thinks that fingerboard is ebony. Well, take a look and scratch the little bit your G3000 fingerboard and you will notice that is black oil and below that you will see rosewood... =)

Scale Length - 25 1/2

Tuners - Die Cast Gold with tortoise buttons

Head Plate - Rosewood

Finish - Satin

OK.

OK.

The Walden G3000 is the little brother to the G3030ce, the flagship model for the Supranatura series. It has similar attributes but no electronic pickup and no cutaway. The G3000 also has a solid sitka spruce instead of the G3030ce's western red cedar. It has a satin finish over solid rosewood back and sides, solid sitka spruce top (nicely bookmatched), and flame maple solid wood binding (which is a VERY nice touch for a guitar less than $1000). Came with a nice brown faux-leather hard shell case that is very sturdy. The G3000 is made of all solid woods, and has an Ebony Fretboard with no position markers except for on the side of the fretboard. This minimalist style is present throughout the design of the guitar. This guitar has the playability of a Taylor, which approximates an electric: very easy runs because of the excellent fretwork and neck design. Players who enjoy a large neck profile such as that found on an old national resonator won't like this feel. It feels and plays very much like a Taylor. Here is a quick run down of the guitar's attributes:
Top: Solid Sitka Spruce
Back and Sides: Solid Indian Rosewood
Neck: African Mahogany, bolt-on joint
Bridge: Solid Ebony
Fingerboard: Solid Ebony
Nut Width: 1 3/4" (bone nut and saddle)
Scale Length: 25 1/5"
Bracing: forward shifted "pre-war" scalloped X-bracing
Finish: satin nitrocellulose lacquer
tuners: gold schaller copies with tortoise buttons

I give this section a 10 because of the features it offers at the given price point. I think the list price on one of these is $1200, but have seen them advertised for less than $1000.

The tone stresses the fundamental, much like a Larrivee. The body design is a lot like the 614/714 grand auditorium models of Taylor lineage, but you don't get that upper-register brightness of a Taylor. Personally, I'm not a big fan of that Taylor brightness. I like the darker tones elicited by the Larivee and Martins. This guitar doesn't have a pickguard, so you'll have to install one if you're a big strummer. In my opinion, this guitar is best for finesse flat-picking, fingerstyle, and lead runs. This guitar sounds really great for Travis picking and country-blues, which is the style of music I gravitate towards.
Evidently, the Supranatura series, of which both of the above-mentioned guitars are a part, was designed by an ex-Taylor guy. This explains why the guitar's tone has been described as somewhere between a Taylor and a Larrivee, a sentiment I share with one reviewer of the G3030ce (on HC). Again, for the price point, I give this a 10. And I'd still give it a 10 at it's list price.

I'm a picky guy when it comes to this stuff. I notice everything. Overall, the fit and finish are excellent, but not perfect. The frets are done very well, and the intonation is perfect up and down the fretboard. But the microdots along the edge of the fretboard are not perfect upon close inspection. A few of the frets could've been cut longer and filed down for better appearance, but it's not a bad job, just not perfect. Keep in mind that I'm comparing this work to a handmade Ehlers, which is definitely the cream of the crop when it comes to fretwork and "fit and finish". I've never seen better fretwork than an Ehlers, so that's what defines a 10 in my book. This is something I don't feel should be "pro-rated" for price point. So i give it an 8.

Surprisingly well made, solid. The Chinese manufacturers are starting to make a name for themselves with Blueridge guitars and the like. I looked at Blueridge, Epiphone Masterbilt, and a few other import guitars in search of an axe that cost less than $1000 and could stand up to my abuse and meet my needs sonically. This guitar was the winner. The Blueridge 183 and 243 guitars were close contenders, but I didn't like the gaudy inlays on the headstock and the build quality is highly variable with the Blueridge guitars. Walden is a sleeper on the market right now. It seems that not many people have heard of them yet in the states. I'd have no problem gigging with this guitar without a backup.

I've been playing for about 13 years. I own a Martin 000-28ec, an Ehlers concert model, a seagull "beater", an AXL German Silver tricone (which I reviewed here on HC...GET one of these if you can!), a National Delphi Deluxe, a '93 American strat, and have owned many guitars that I've sold. I keep a rotation going and like to try out new guitars periodically. I was concerned about the bolt-on neck joint as most of my guitars have been dove-tail neck joints. But many high-end guitar manufacturers are using bolt-on neck joints now because it is better for the long-term serviceability of the guitar. Neck resets are not as intrusive, this way. This guitar was proof to me that modern bolt-on necks are just as good as the dove-tail neck joints that martin uses. Taylor, Bourgeious, and Breedlove now employ bolt-on neck joints, so I think the matter is settled. Different strokes for different luthier folks.
I bought this guitar instead of the G3030ce because I'm picky about the tone woods being spruce/rosewood. i think cedar/rosewood combos are a b*st*rd child-they don't do it for me. Cedar and Koa, now that's different but also quite expensive. I also wanted the ability to choose my own pickup, as the stock electronics in almost any guitar seem to disappoint me. I don't usually like cutaways as they compromise volume; and this body style can't afford to if you want to play without a pickup, say, in your living room. I'd say that this guitar is closest to a high-end Blueridge or low-end Taylor/Larrivee in terms of sound/build quality. It's more like a Larrivee in the modest use of inlay. I tend not to want people to be checking out the appointments on my guitar and prefer that they instead listen to it. The sound is where this guitar shines.