Walden Guitars G740CE Natura

Solid Stika Spruce Top, solid Mahogany back and laminated Mahogany side.
Grand Auditorium body style with Scalloped-X bracing.
Thin neck, with Rosewood fingerboard (20 frets) & 2-way trussrod.
Fishman Classic4 Pre-Amp with built-in 4 band EQ.
Came with a gig bag, humidifier & some tools.

The GA body style isn't just gorgeous but also allows the guitar some nice projection with a tight bass, some warm mids and a very clean high.

At first I was looking for a Red Cedar guitar top, but I was unable to find it... Yet, when I first heard the G740CE, the sustain of the Spruce top caught me! Needless to say, it's very bright... Sometimes I do need to drop half step down to soften the highs a bit.

Plugged it's more bassy than bright but it's very detailed and versatile.

The action came a little too high for me, I still need to lower it a bit, but I'm saving money to send it to a luthier (to change the nut & saddle for bone's ones).

The top is properly bookmatched but it came with a finish flaw (it's a bit more rought on one side of the top).

This guitar really can stand a live playing! Everything seems so solid and I could use it on a gig without a backup one!

When I first bought the guitar, it came with a gig bag. But when I was coming home one of the zippers just fall apart! The same day I sent an e-mail to Jonathan Lee. 2 days later he aswered me and asked for more informations about the problem and the guitar's serial #. Some time later, a new bag came and now I can say that Walden's support ROCKS!

Nice value, nice guitar, very kind support = 10!

Features are more than adequate. It's great having the onboard pickup, with its considerble versatility and adjustability, etc. The finish, because is a relatively thin finish, makes the wood look and feel great. I was very impressed with this guitar's simplicity and elegance, notwithstanding it's relatively economical price!

Sounds great both with and without amplification (using the internal pickup). I have not micked it yet or recorded it yet. However, I can tell from it's room sound that it would record well in both ways. I would expect this rating to be 9 also.

I put fairly light strings on this guitar and it made the action absolutely perfect for me. I like low action and let me tell you - I got it! Plus, even with the light strings and low action, there is NO buzzing! My fingers can fly on this guitar just as if it were a high quality electric. Also, it stays in tune well and the machine heads look nice and adjust well. Observation about quality: I can always tell a cheaply made guitar by the workmanship and quality of the neck and especially the frets. Let me tell you: This guitar's frets feel like an ultra high priced Martin! There are no burrs or imperfections in the frets at all. My hand can glide freely along the frets and it feels like silk. This was the most startling thing to me considering the price and place of workmanship. Also, the thickness of the neck is very nice; it has a nice feel, almost like an electric guitar.

For all the above stated reasons, I am confident that this guitar can be effectively used, long term, for anything from recording, to live playing, to gigging anywhere or any place. Highly rated by this 30-year player. Thanks Walden, whoever and wherever you are, for this great instrument, it's great value for the money, etc.!!!!

n/a: Have not had the need for customer support.

See above. I highly recommend this guitar!!!!

The other reviews have already covered the features pretty well, but it is worth adding that the bridge, fingerboard and headplate are Rosewood. Also, the rosette and the Walden logo on the headstock are done in a very nice, understated mother of pearl. The manufacturer does not offer any extra options on this model, so if you buy one of these it should be identical to the descriptions here. I bought this straight from the dealer at a huge discount when I was working at a guitar shop, and new it comes standard with a heavy-duty hard case with a very plush lining that cradles the guitar perfectly. I think my guitar was built in 2004. I am rating this an 8 in features because you could potentially add a crazy pearl inlay or wood binding, but I've always found those things obnoxious, and they are often there just to distract you from a lack of tone anyway. This guitar is pretty in a very subtle way, and has a great sound that makes up for a lack of flash.

Unplugged, the guitar sounds great. It has a spruce top which adds to the high end and a big lower bout which helps it project. It is not as even and mid-rangey as a dreadnought, so it is not ideal as a rhythm or background guitar, but it is great for playing solo and for fingerstyle. The light, nitrocellulose lacquer really lets the instrument ring, and has the added benefit of opening up the pores of the wood as it ages, so like a well made violin it sounds even better the more you play it. I have only had this instrument a couple years and there is already a nice, glossy patina on the neck and on the top side of the strings where I put my hand. I have a feeling that in 50 years this will be the one I hand down to the grandkids. The downside of the thin lacquer is that if you scratch the front, there is no buffing the scratch out like on a glossy guitar, so be careful with it.

I must admit that I am not impressed by the sound of the Fishman pickup, but I feel the same way about almost any pickup on an acoustic guitar. I have used the pickup live maybe three times, but only out of necessity. Unless you are playing very loud or need a sound-controlled environment, it is almost always preferable to just mic the guitar. The included pickup is not terrible, but it robs the guitar's sound of a lot of its character, and makes it sound somewhat tinny and buzzy.

Unplugged rating - 9, Pickup rating - 6, so I have averaged it as an 8.

I have not yet had a single issue with this guitar's construction, and gig with it regularly. I sold a lot of Walden guitars and never heard a single complaint about a construction issue, although a beautiful cedar model once arrived at the shop, smashed to bits by UPS (sob!). Many of the customers I dealt with couldn't believe it was a Chinese guitar, based on the quality of the construction. The rep I bought from had taken a tour of the factory, and said that the working conditions and pay were comparable to American standards, which made me feel better about selling them.

Rated a 10 since since I have had zero problems so far, and the guitar is only going to sound better with time.

I never had a construction or warranty related issue, but Walden customer support was always very helpful and prompt whenever I had a customer submit a question I couldn't answer.

This is a fantastic guitar for the price, even without a discount.
If it was stolen I don't know if I would replace it, since I would definitely have to pay more for it now. I would search ebay and craigslist to track down and punish the jerk who stole it, though.

Again, the sound of the pickup may work for some but not for me. However, it is nice as a backup in case an extra mic is not available.

I chose this guitar because I like the sound and I like the company, and the price is great. I have been thinking about also buying a Martin dreadnought which can produce some sounds that the Walden can't, and which would also be better for recording. Between the two guitars, though, I would be set.

There are a few reviews of this guitar on the site already that amply descibe this wonderful guitar. I won't waste your time with repeated aculades. No-one however had a view on the after sale service and it in this fiels i wish to make my comments.
Please go to Customer Support

I play in a trad. irish group in Dublin, Ireland.
Due to a few too many Guinneass, always lightly to happen at our sessions, some idiot moved a table and the guitar fell. The tortoise shell machine head broke. I tried all of Ireland for some agent to get a replacement. In panic I e-mailed Walden and dealt with Jonathan Lee. Within a week I had a set of machine heads delivered toIreland Free Of Charge. If thats not Customer Support, What Is ?
If I could award 100 in this section I would

Gary

This is a 2005 Grand Auditorium style acoustic made in China from an American design. It has 20 frets and a solid Sitka Spruce top, a solid Mahogany back and Mahogany laminate sides. It has a Fishman piezo pickup as well as a 3 band EQ which includes a brilliance and master volume control. The finish is a nirocelluose satin finish and feels very woody, natural and light. The guitar features a cutaway for easy access to the upper frets. The tuners are nondescript, but work quite well. The neck is pretty thin at the nut 1 11/16 and is very comfortable in shape and size; somewhat akin to a full, rounded neck you'd find on an electric guitar. The neck is made of mahogany with a rosewood fretboard. My guitar came with a hardshell case and a couple sets of strings. I'm a pop/folk player that takes occasional forays into Django Reinhardt territory and this guitar has the sounds and feel to do anything I need it to.

This guitar is very versatile. Sometimes I play with a pick, other times I go fingerstyle. I play mostly original tunes that veer from Dylan style folk to Dave Matthews world funk to Beatles pop and have a couple of Django tunes in my reportoire as well. I'm all over the neck. This guitar handles everything. It comes with a very nice Fishman amplification system, but I mostly play unplugged. Unadorned this guitar gives me exactly the tone I'm looking for, somewhere between the robust bass of a Martin and the crystal treble shimmer of a Taylor. I love the way the guitar has the tonal fullness of a small body guitar, but still has a forceful dreadnought type volume. Some players may miss the bass "boom" of a good dread, but this guitar fits all my needs.

I had the guitar set up for me by the Glen, the owner of Nineveh guitars, and after talking to me alot about my playing style and sound I feel he set the guitar up perfectly for my needs. The action was comfortably low, but no buzzing at all. Like I said, the Django stuff sends me way up the neck at times, but I've yet to make this thing buzz. The solid spruce top has a nice, consistent look to it and I prefer the natural feel of the nitrocelluose finish to the "plastic" feel of an over glossed guitar. The binding on the neck and body is well done. The fretwork on the neck is even, very clean, not a hint of glue to be found. I don't know how the setup is from the factory since Glen did the setup prior to shipping it to me, but the nut, saddle and the like are all just fine. Again, I don't know if the factory setup is this good, but Glen did a great job for me. Flaws? Yeah, the X bracing on the inside had a few stray wood strands which I easily removed by hand. They did not affect the sound, but were an easily removable cosmetic flaw. Some of the work inside the body doesn't look as clean as the outside, but, again, it's all about sound.

Well, I've had the guitar a little over a month and it seems to be nothing but solid. I would have no hesitation about taking this guitar to a live gig, and I wouldn't feel the need for a backup. Everything about the guitar feels solid to me, including the strap buttons. I have no idea who makes the tuners on this guitar; they seem to be reasonably tight and stable, but time will tell. I've never had a guitar with this type of finish, and it does seem to be a very light coat, but, from what I've read, this type of lacquer can be applied very thinly.

I did not deal directly with the Walden company; I bought my guitar thru Glen at Nineveh guitars. This guy is one of the good guys in the guitar retail business. Normally he does not even stock this particular Walden model, but he did a special order for me. His Walden supplier was a little slow in sending it to him (not Glen's fault) but Glen kept in constant contact with me thru email an by phone. Nice guy and a good product at a fair price. Warranty? Um, not sure.

I've been playing guitar for about 13 years, the last two almost exclusively on acoustics. I've had Les Pauls, Teles, 2 Martins, a Strat and a Zager dread in the past. I did alot of research and sampled a number of guitars before buying (tried Breedloves, Taylors, Alvarez, Takamine, Martins) so I feel I made an informed decision I have no regret. If this guitar were lost or stolen I would most definitely buy one again. To my ears, the Walden has a wonderfully balanced tone and versatility. The versatility (not too much bass or treble), the comfort and ease of the neck, the cutaway, Fishman package, the Grand Auditorium body, solid top and back construction all these things led me to the Walden. I wish it had a TUSQ nut and saddle and that is something I may add in the future. So, is this like having a top of the line Martin or Taylor? No, but it a wonderful, versatile, comfortable guitar that is really rewarding to play. I really feel I could have spent a few hundred more and not found a better quality guitar. BTW: If you are considering a Walden, try one. If you want to buy one take a moment to contact Glen at ninevehguitars.com. He offers a good product and service at a fair price.

It's designed in USA, and made in China.
Top wood is a solid Sitka Spruce, solid Mahogany Back and Laminated side. They use Fishman Classic-4 pre-amp which is 4-way Selector. I'm not really know what the pickup config.,(maybe U/S/H).Neck is made of Mahogany,and had a satin finishing. The body style is Grand Auditorium. No include any gig bag or case.

I think its more suitable for the style of fingering, Good touching of left hand, its better to change Light-string or medium-light to push more bass when picking. I like it so much.

I buy it for backup / pratice in my office, so it maybe little boomy, but overall it's great! and I highly recommend it to the beginer and advanced players