I’ve been locking horns with the decision of whether or not to conclude the purchase of a new Kim Walker guitar for some months now. Kim was working on some modifications to the bracing to improve projection and other tonal qualities, and I guess I had my doubt concerning exactly what it was I was buying.

Well I FINALLY decided that the only way to know for certain was to travel down to Kim’s place and play the L-00. It had been finished for about 10 weeks, but Kim was playing it each day and continued to tweak the bracing and was otherwise coaxing the maximum potential out of the guitar before it shipped.

My wife was heading down to Myrtle beach with the kids, and she went in a van with her sister, and I took a detour down to Connecticut and then met up with my family a day or so later.

I wouldn’t be posting this if I didn’t think Kim Walker was one incredibly gifted builder. This post is about Kim Walker, not me. I may be receiving the guitar. And I will cherish the 00, but he has really achieved something with this and other guitars he has built, and I almost feel an obligation to scream it out to the world.

So, I arrived at Kim’s place, two weeks Saturday last. This bit below I have posted elsewhere, but it was hard enough writing about Kim’s guitar once. I wasn’t going to try twice. Here goes.

Kim was very generous with his time. I met him and his wife on Saturday morning. I then got a tour of the shop and I could see three guitars hanging in the corner, the L-00 was one of them – there was also an OM and an SJ. I was excited and a little nervous as you can imagine. I also brought my own guitar, a Collings 000C to compare tone and projection. After a hot cup of tea was poured for myself and a coffee for Kim, I held the L-00 in my hands. Ahhhh.

I was a little nervous; given Kim's reputation. And to be completely honest, I was expecting disappointment. I’ve travelled distances on many occasions to visit guitar stores and individual guitars, and in almost all cases, I have been disappointed with the results. Live in Canada, travel to the US.

Well as it turned out this story had a Hallmark ending, as you’ve no doubt surmised by now.

I still can’t get the tone out of my head. It registered slowly at first. A simple melody. Playing gently. Listening reflectively to the trebles, midrange and base. I played nothing in particular, letting myself warm up to the natural playability of the guitar. “Listen to the tone. Do you hear that edge? That dry edge? Listen to it,” I whispered. “And the clarity.”

This L-00 sports Brazilian back and sides and an Adirondack top with maple binding.

The projection, for such a small guitar was remarkable! As John T describes, the mids roar. I started playing a short riff of notes that ended with a interesting sequence of base notes getting thumped by an overindulgent thumb. Kim’s presence disappeared in the background as the depth of the tone engulfed me. “Whoh! Do you hear that base,” I whispered. “I’ve never heard anything quite like it. That wasn’t a complex riff at all. Just a few notes.” Over and over I played that simple riff. That’s when Kim said. “Yeh, I hear it,” with an appreciative smile. That’s when he told me his objective for the base was to get the guitar to sound like a cello. What a rediculous thought. Listen to that base.

The tone melted my heart. The trebles were an equal match and were distinctive in their own right. Both fat and crisp with enough bite to speak to the 14 fret 00 that it was. The dry edge pulled everything together. The midrange carried qualities of both treble and base. I had been drawn to his guitars by a recording. But it was clear I was going to gain a whole lot more experience in the years to come. I was truly shocked to have such a strong reaction to his guitars. I am so painful and difficult to please.

Kim Walker. You’re a gifted man.

Guitar ships tomorrow. Overnight air.

http://www.walkerguitars.com/temp/nick.walker.l00/index.htm

This message has been edited. Last edited by: Stuart,

Kim Sherman (at Cotten) has a Walker L-00. I played it a couple of weeks ago alongside two of her 30s L-00s and a 10 year-old Braz C-10.

The C-10 was, by far, the worst of the four guitars. And it was very nice.

John Thomas (who is co-writing a book on Banner Head Gibsons with Willi Henkes, of B&H fame) has a great article on one of Kim's archtops in the most recent issue of Fretboard Journal. Good reading.

Congrats, Stuart.

Thanks Mike,

Yeh, read the article,

John Thomas went down with a few friends and played my guitar yesterday. Steller reviews. It's quite the cut above.

The impact of the tone is subtle at first, and sort of hits you in ever incresaing waves, until finally, the tone gently engulfs you.


best,

Stuart

Congratulations Stuart. Can you comment on the price paid, publicly or privately? I'm on Kim W.'s wait list, but I'm unsure what it might eventually cost me when I gurgle to the top. Thanks.

Great story. And the guitar is a stunner. The wood pattern is so unorthodox that I wasn't immediately drawn to it, but that changed after a couple of seconds and now I think it's very intriguing. I'll bet it looks even better in person.

If possible, post a clip or two so we can hear what you're hearing.

Congrats!

quote:

Originally posted by Stuart:

John Thomas went down with a few friends and played my guitar yesterday. Steller reviews. It's quite the cut above.

I actually talked to (emailed) John a couple of days ago to consult with him about a banner head LG-2 on eBay (which I ultimately bought). He told me at the time that he was headed back to Kim's to check out a few guitars the following day.

It'd be cool if yours showed up in a future FJ article!

Congrats again

Privately is a better idea, homer. Bit of a story though.

I will see if John will post his reviews here, since Mike was kind enough to bring up John's article.

thanks guys. Magical instrument. I deserve it only because we all deserve it. Has more to do with appreciation than talent. But I'm still a workin on it.

Elambo, don't have a clip. I was wishing John had made one when he was don't but I don't think they did.

What incredible guitars he makes.


Stuart

Hi, folks! My ears were burning.

Thanks for the kind words about my Fretboard Journal article. With a subject this beautiful, how could I go wrong:



I did manage to sneak down to Kim's yesterday to play Stuart's 12-fret "Nick Walker." I'm currently hoping for a blizzard, ice storm, arctic cold front, or simlilarly poor guitar-shipping weather to arrive here in Connecticut. I'd like to play that guitar again! Simply put, Stuart's guitar slayed me. Really responsive, really loud, really sweet, and great sustain.

I'm the lucky owner of two Walkers, an Adi/Maple SJ and Adi/Mahogany "Nick Walker":



Kim has always finished all of his guitars in a warm varnish. Collings fans may particularly appreciate Kim's hand dyed "loarburst":

John,

That maple SJ is absolutely breathtaking. Unbelievable ...

If I end up hating that '34 L-1 too much maybe we can work something out ...

Good to see you on here! I should have a tone report on both the L-1 and the LG-2 at the beginning of next week.

Thanks for the pics

Mike,

Thanks for the kind words! There's nothing like a hand dyed (as opposed to sprayed) 'burst under varnish:



You "done good" on those two, classic Gibsons. Please do post a "tone report."

For the inlay, i drew Kim a big "S" and he caem up with several designs. I chose this one and Kim did all the work by hand:

That Walker archtop has got to be the most beautiful guitar! I pulled the pics from his website over a year ago...and now it's in Fretboard Journal? Guess I'll have to stop by the bookstore.

Stuart, that's a beauty you have coming! You haven't settled for second best, have you?

Thanks Eric,

No, I outdid myself this time. It's so fun to play. Such an interesting tone. I think I'll have a whole lot of trouble putting it down.

All the best,

Stuart