This is the first instrument made with walnut from a friend's father's wood stash. Since 1965 he has collected a beautiful stash of American hardwoods, which I will be using on future instrument builds. I call it the Carpenter Ant stash and I will not tell you where to find it. ;) The pistachio is from California Orchards. I really think the concert neck is the most symmetrically pleasing and is a comfortable scale for my hands. The walnut is a nice "mellowing agent" for a little banjo like this, offering a balance between bright and mellow.