What's your thoughts on Koa tops ?

JohnW63

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I may pull the trigger on a Koa topped guitar on Reverb. I've heard it can be a little hit or miss on the tone with this wood. It seems to be a really good price ( Under $1000 shipped ), but I am trying to tell myself I really don't need another guitar in the rotation. But....

GAS
 

davismanLV

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I've only played two at different times for a little bit. Very pretty. I tried to get into it but .... it was like mahogany without the OOOMPH of mahogany or the serious woody, yet mellow tone. But every guitar is different. I'm probably not the one to answer, John. There are people here who will, though. Frono should have an opinion and I know TX does..... LET 'ER RIP kids!!
 

GAD

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I love my Koa Taylor. It's bright and not mellow like an old Guild. It's also very crisp and articulate with a snappy attack. It sounds better than any acoustic I've ever played which is why I bought it. Mine has a spruce top, though, which I think balances the tone that you would get with an all-koa guitar.

Guild-S300-Tamarack-TaylorDNK.jpg
 

davismanLV

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Oh $HIT!! Gary had to show that!! I've been just casually looking at guitars because.... well, that's what I do. And now this. I think a spruce top would be good. But ...... killer photo, Gary. I'm just playing my GC-8 right now. They make some nice guitars....
 

GAD

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Oh $HIT!! Gary had to show that!! I've been just casually looking at guitars because.... well, that's what I do. And now this. I think a spruce top would be good. But ...... killer photo, Gary. I'm just playing my GC-8 right now. They make some nice guitars....

You should see the back!

_B0Z2479_800.jpg
 

geoguy

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Very nice, but the OP is asking about koa-topped guitars . . .

Here's a quote from an Acoustic Guitar article describing various tone woods & top woods:

"Hardwoods like koa, native to Hawaii, and mahogany, a Central and South American species,
are sometimes used for soundboards, usually with backs and sides of the same material.
These woods are low in overtones and sound very direct, with impressive mids."

Link here, if you wish to read more:

http://acousticguitar.com/a-tonewood-primer-how-to-pick-the-right-materials-for-your-optimal-sound/
 

mavuser

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Mrs. Frono's "Koa topped F-30" (or whatever it is called) sounds really, really, really great. And I am a big fan of the regular F-30s with spruce tops and mahogany b/s, those don't need any changes...but that Koa one is something special. it just sounded incredible, from what I recall.

Also Paul Laguadoc who builds *electric guitars for Trey Anastasio from Phish, has many pricelss crown jewels that he has built. in all likelyhood the best sounding/looking/most valuable one is a particular koa topped 'doc (Languadoc), the one with the Ocelot inlaid on the headstock (Ocelot is a Phish song as well), and this guitar is widely acknowledged as the "Ocel-doc" by fans, it is the nicest/best of them all.
 

AcornHouse

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I think, like most things guitar, it’s going to depend more on the builder, than the material. (Torres’ papier-mâché guitar, or Benedetto’s #2 lumber archtop both were said to be just as good as traditional materials.

Good wood can’t save a poor build, and a good builder can use most anything.
 

Antney

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Good wood can’t save a poor build, and a good builder can use most anything.

In layman terms, it ain't the meat it's the motion.

I've played one all Koa guitar that I remember as being bright yet balanced and very pleasing. I just didn't want bright all the time, and being more of a traditional guy I passed. But it was a very sweet sounding guitar
 

dreadnut

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It seems to me if it were that great it would overtake spruce as the desired top material...I'm just sayin, I think it has limited appeal.
 

dbirchett

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Maybe a Koa topped acoustic guitar is somewhere between a mahogany topped and a rosewood topped guiter. (Humor)
 

tommym

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I never played a Koa / Koa topped guitar that made me consider giving up any of my Sitka or Adirondack topped guitars. For me, it's just another tone wood with another set of nuances; all good stuff. Locally I got to play two Koa guitars that included Koa necks. They were out of this world impressive to look at, and heavier than most other guitars. Not sure what ever happened to those guitars. Not sure what happened to my old set of Koa chopsticks either......


Tommy
 

JohnW63

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That Gretsch is a looker ! If the Ovation I'm looking at looked that good, I'd buy it for the wall art alone !
 
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