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Location: Colorado Springs, CO | What is koa ? |
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Location: Boise, Idaho | Wood. |
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Location: Bluffton, SC | This is koa
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Location: NJ | Kampgrounds of America(tm) |
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Location: Colorado Springs, CO | How is it for guitars? |
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Location: Earth·SolarSystem·LocalInterstellarCloud·Local Bub | It's a related Acaicia Tree Species native to Hawaii. Tropical Hard Wood. Good Tonal characteristics...
... if you like Uke music.
(used primarily for back and sides on guitars, but as pictured, sometimes as tops, as well) |
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Location: Scotland | Koa is a word used in the islands for a species of wood more commonly known as Acacia. The whole Koa thing is hype, it's just a hardwood, no better or worse than mahogany, rosewood or whatever. It's very prerty but you all need to stop buying into the bullshit and use your ears instead of your eyes. Some Koa will sound great, the rest wont. |
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Location: Bluffton, SC | Now JW's insulting trees! Somebody stop this maniac!! |
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Location: Colorado Springs, CO | How about for a guitar? |
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Location: Colorado Springs, CO | Paul Templeman can a guitar made from koa be a good one? |
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Location: Earth·SolarSystem·LocalInterstellarCloud·Local Bub | and don't think for a minute that i didn't consider working the " Tropical HardWood" angle...
and yes, a Koa guitar can sound very good, if it's made to sound good... |
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Location: Scotland | Originally posted by saccaguea:
Paul Templeman can a guitar made from koa be a good one? YES. Absolutely. But, my personal opinion is that softwoods such as spruce and cedar make for BETTER sounding guitars |
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Location: Bluffton, SC | Saw it and walked away too. Mom would be proud.
If she talked to me anymore... :rolleyes: |
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Location: NJ | Different woods for different textures of sound.
is anyone any better than the other NO but they are like different flavors of ice cream. |
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Location: Copenhagen Denmark | I would say that KOA would be interesting on a LAMINATED-TOP..Good Sound..Nice Esthetics...
Vic |
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Location: 6 String Ranch | Laminated tops always sound like....well...lamb. |
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Location: Wooster, Ohio | Had a change to play the koa 2006 collectors, pretty wood, sound ho hum.
Steve |
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Location: big island | koa is one of the prettiest woods you will ever see on an instrument or furniture. as a tonewood, IMO, it is best used in constructing an instrument for producing mids and trebles. koa on the back and sides of a guitar works well, as long as there is a less dense wood (spruce/cedar) on top. the vibration of the top is crucial for volume and warmth. there are usually exceptions to every rule and it seems the "koala" produces a well balanced sound, but i imagine it lacks somewhat in volume. |
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Location: Scotland | Koa can make great guitars, it's all in the design. The 2006 Koa prototype (same as the guitar in the pics) I played up at the factory had a stunning sound. If I needed another guitar I'd happily own one of these. |
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Location: Sunshine State, Australia | Originally posted by cwk2:
Laminated tops always sound like....well...lamb. I think you're getting marinated chops mixed up with laminated tops. ;) |
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| I have tried some nice Koa guitars (non-Ovations) that sounded really good, similar to mahogany I would say.
This one on ovationtribute.com is astonishing! Very nice flamed Koa.
Ovation 1778-KGC Custom Elite
HERE is another one! |
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Location: Copenhagen Denmark | Lamb sounds GOOD :)
Vic |
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Location: 6 String Ranch | I like the little body guitars for Koa. I had a Collings C-10 and it was stunning. had a little faggy neck so it's gone. Next winter I'll be building an all koa OO size, solid back, top and sides. 12 fret slotted peghead, 1 3/4 maybe biggier, probably mahogony and a rosewood board, Decoration however Charlie Kelly feels like it. Satin nitro lacquer, waverly keys. Hand built by the FGC or it might be CAWK, company. still working on the logo. We like 2Nia2CGBG but probably won't go with that one.
Could run anywhere from $4000 to $6000 or adjusted as you want it dressed up. would be just as easy to do several as one.
Any interest? |
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Location: SoCal | Sure. If you're buying, count me in. If I gotta come up with the jack, well, there may be a problem.... |
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Location: Fort worth Texas | I have played guitars that had the same wood but the shape was different and the difference was night and day some woods suit some shapes, it's a quest for tone and the best way to find the right guitar is to search by playing as many as you can and make your own choice, everyone who plays usually agree's that this is all a very subjective thing and the best way to go about buying what you will be happy ith is to spend several days in various guitar shops trying out as many as you can.
Good luck on your search, remember though that since Koa is rare that will increase the price a lot.
I like Rosewood back and sides with a Cedar top but you may like spruce and mahogony or a round back. Its all about what sounds good to you which will make the difference on how much you enjoy playing it and that is the end result. |
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What is koa ?
