It has been pretty hard to keep good, curly walnut in stock. It is pretty hard to find, expensive and you folks keep asking for it! My best source has been Goby walnut in Portland, where I often pick through the bins of shorts at the front of the store to find banjo sized pieces. It looks great combined with the raw brass banjo hardware and the greenish Pistachio from California orchards. This banjo was super fun for me to play today, with a growling, rumbling, dark and rich tone that still projects well. The lower tuning sounds great and it is ready for a lifetime of tunes!