{"product_id":"steven-walter-2026-cedar-guatemalan-rosewood","title":"Steven Walter 2026 Cedar\/Guatemalan Rosewood","description":"\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eInterested in reserving the next Steven Walter built for GuitarCollection.com?\u003c\/strong\u003e Write to us at \u003ca href=\"mailto:evan@guitarcollection.com\"\u003eevan@guitarcollection.com\u003c\/a\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003chr\u003e\n\u003ch2\u003eOverview\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThis 2026 Steven Walter was built for GuitarCollection.com, and it is yet another outstanding example from one of the great American classical guitar makers working today.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eWe have represented many Walter guitars over the years, and what continues to impress us most is how consistent and refined his work has become. This instrument was built to a similar brief as a previous Guatemalan rosewood we had here and loved, and he has done it again.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe cedar top features Walter's all-wood lattice bracing and his \"defined resonance area\" design, which focuses vibration toward the center of the soundboard for a strong, projecting voice. Side bracing along the ribs further stiffens the body and contributes to clarity and response.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003ca href=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/watch?v=i13GdJQyCHo\"\u003eWatch our full video review on YouTube.\u003c\/a\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003chr\u003e\n\u003ch2\u003eSpecs\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eYear:\u003c\/strong\u003e 2026\u003cbr\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eTop:\u003c\/strong\u003e Cedar\u003cbr\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eBack and Sides:\u003c\/strong\u003e Guatemalan rosewood\u003cbr\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eBracing:\u003c\/strong\u003e All-wood lattice with defined resonance area design\u003cbr\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eScale Length:\u003c\/strong\u003e 640mm\u003cbr\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eNut Width:\u003c\/strong\u003e 52mm\u003cbr\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eFingerboard:\u003c\/strong\u003e Raised, in the Thomas Humphrey style\u003cbr\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eBridge:\u003c\/strong\u003e Madagascar rosewood\u003cbr\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eSound Ports:\u003c\/strong\u003e Upper and lower bout\u003cbr\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eTuners:\u003c\/strong\u003e Scheller (black rollers, black ebony buttons, laser engraving)\u003cbr\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eStrings:\u003c\/strong\u003e D'Addario XTC45FF with a Pro-Arte nylon first string (\u003ca href=\"https:\/\/ddar.io\/guitar-collection\"\u003eddar.io\/guitar-collection\u003c\/a\u003e)\u003cbr\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eCondition:\u003c\/strong\u003e Brand new\u003cbr\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eBuilt For:\u003c\/strong\u003e GuitarCollection.com\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003chr\u003e\n\u003ch2\u003eSound\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe guitar is brand new and already sounds remarkably open.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe first string is where this guitar announces itself. Deep, vocal, and overtone-rich, with a singing quality that encourages you to slow down and shape phrases. It is a first string to die for. The second string surrounds you with overtones in the best way possible, with a warmth and presence that makes you want to linger on every note.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe third string is fat and clear, with plenty of body without losing definition. It is exactly what you want from a middle voice: present, grounded, and musical.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe basses are the hallmark characteristic of Steve Walter's guitars. The fourth, fifth, and sixth strings are huge and open, and you do not feel afraid to hit them hard. The sixth string in particular is really huge and really deep, with a fundamental that drops into the room and stays there. There is a broad dynamic ceiling across all the bass strings, which means you can drive them hard without the instrument compressing or choking.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eWhat ties the instrument together is the dynamic range and the separation of voices. These have always been defining characteristics of his work, and this guitar delivers both in full. The expressivity lives on those treble strings above all, and they are real separators of guitars.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003chr\u003e\n\u003ch2\u003ePlayability\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eSteve Walter is a fine guitarist himself, and that is always obvious in how his instruments feel. This one is exceptionally easy to play.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe 640mm scale gives the left hand a slightly looser, more relaxed feel while retaining the full body size and power of his 650mm instruments. The body size does not change between scale lengths. The nut width is 52mm, which pairs beautifully with the shorter scale.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe neck is a comfortable C shape, on the thinner side without being too thin. The action is set up at approximately 3.5 to 3.75mm on the sixth string and 2.5 to 2.75mm on the first, measured from the top of the fret to the bottom of the string.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eTall, wide frets and the raised fingerboard in the Thomas Humphrey style make upper-position playing exceptionally comfortable. Side dots at the 7th, 12th, and 17th frets are genuinely useful for upper-fret navigation and harmonics.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003chr\u003e\n\u003ch2\u003eAesthetics and Craftsmanship\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe cedar top is exceptional, with visible medullary rays throughout, a mark of a very high-quality piece of wood. The rosette is Walter's latest iteration of a design that recalls some of his earlier instruments, and it may be our favorite version he has made so far: elegant, colorful without being flashy, and perfectly suited to the overall aesthetic.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe back and sides are Guatemalan rosewood, rich and refined. The headplate matches beautifully. The Madagascar rosewood bridge has a subtle but distinctive grain division that gives it a distinctive look without being overstated.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eUpper and lower bout sound ports are a regular feature on Walter's guitars, giving the player a more open and immersive sense of the guitar's sound from the playing position. The Scheller tuners are top-of-the-line: black rollers, black ebony buttons, and tasteful laser engraving that fits the guitar's look perfectly.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003chr\u003e\n\u003ch2\u003eCondition\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eBrand new, excellent condition.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003chr\u003e\n\u003ch2\u003eFinal Thoughts\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eIf you have followed Steve Walter's guitars over the years, this is exactly what you would hope for from him in 2026: beautifully made, easy to play, full of color, and already impressively open for a new instrument. He just keeps getting better. The treble strings in particular are a standout, and this guitar's dynamic range and expressivity are exactly what serious players are looking for in a modern American concert instrument.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eWorldwide shipping is available.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eIf you're interested in purchasing this guitar or reserving the next Steven Walter built for GuitarCollection.com, please write to us at evan@guitarcollection.com\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003ePlease note: Free UPS 2nd day air shipping is included if paid via a feeless method. Please contact for payment information.\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Guitar Collection","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":53952937328932,"sku":null,"price":15000.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":false}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0938\/1543\/9652\/files\/Walter2026_378-2.jpg?v=1778632984","url":"https:\/\/guitarcollection.myshopify.com\/products\/steven-walter-2026-cedar-guatemalan-rosewood","provider":"Guitar Collection","version":"1.0","type":"link"}