|
|
#1
10-01-2011, 08:06 PM
|
|||
|
|||
does anybody NOT like an all koa guitar for steel string acoustic?
I am considering ordering an all koa down the road. I would get the best densest curly koa for the top back and sides. Think rock, folk, jazz, bluegrass. Some fingerpicking but mostly flatpicking. The builder will be a real pro whoever gets it. Does anybody not like this? One builder didnt' love koa with spruce tops, but said it worked with the koa top. I have only seen a few, one of them was a Bourgeouis with all koa. If anyone has an opinion, please let me know.
|
|
#2
10-01-2011, 08:24 PM
|
||||
|
||||
|
Are you looking to own an all-Koa guitar for sound or for the look?
Please elaborate...
__________________
Larry Pattis on Spotify and Pandora LarryPattis.com American Guitar Masters 100 Greatest Acoustic Guitarists Steel-string guitars by Rebecca Urlacher and Simon Fay Classical guitars by Anders Sterner
|
|
#3
10-01-2011, 08:29 PM
|
||||
|
||||
|
Judging by the wood wish, it is about looks, because that's not how we get sound. But maybe you will choose a luthier who is able to lead you through that if sound is a priority after all. About 1 in 4 of the all Koa guitars I've seen works well by my standards. Just sayin'.
|
|
#4
10-01-2011, 08:31 PM
|
||||
|
||||
|
I assume that an all koa guitar has the potential to be a fine instrument, but there is SOOO many more factors that contribute to a guitar's sound than just the wood. This means, to me, that an all koa guitar has the potential to be ho-hum, too. I think your "real pro" builder would be a better source on this question than those of us who have too little to go on to really be of much help.
cotten
|
|
#5
10-01-2011, 08:42 PM
|
|||
|
|||
|
You should talk to Steve Saville (SteveS here on AGF). He built and has for sale an all-koa SJ that sound really good. A lot of folks got to play it today at the AGF Gathering in Southern California.
Koa Small Jumbo
|
|
#7
10-01-2011, 09:59 PM
|
|||
|
|||
|
It is possible to get an all Koa guitar that both looks and sounds good. The key is finding a luthier that has experience working with Koa, and who can bring out the best in it's tone. This is where talking to luthiers is important.
__________________
Andrew White Production: Cybelle 112 Rosewood/Sitka Andrew White Production: Cybele 312C Crossover Rosewood/Red Cedar Clark: A-Wedge Koa/Snkr Rdwd 12-str Clark: A-Wedge Monkeypod/Snkr Rdwd Cornerstone: Zion All Koa Cornerstone: Tenor Ukulele Prototype #2 All Koa Fay: OM Mac Eb/Englemann Stehr: Aud. Braz/Snkr Rdwd 8-str Plaid Coyote's gone home to play Last edited by Fliss; 10-02-2011 at 05:37 AM. Reason: response to deleted content
|
|
#9
10-01-2011, 11:47 PM
|
|||
|
|||
|
I really like my Goodall Royal Hawaiian for its sound and its looks. If this guitar did not sound as good as it looks, it would have been long gone.
__________________
"Dreams are the answers to questions that we haven't figured out how to ask." - Mulder Last edited by Fliss; 10-02-2011 at 05:38 AM. Reason: response to deleted content
|
|
#10
10-02-2011, 12:00 AM
|
|||
|
|||
|
The only all Koa guitar Ive played was an all Koa Taylor, and must say it was the nicest sounding Taylor Ive come across. The looks also was an absolute killer but I was really impressed by the tone.
Wasnt so impressed by the price tag though.
__________________
The Big Fat Lady 02' Gibson J-150 The Squares 11' Hummingbird TV, 08' Dove The Slopeys 11' Gibson SJ (Aaron Lewis) The Pickers 43' Gibson LG-2, 09' Furch OM 32SM (custom) , 02' Martin J-40 The Beater 99' Cort Earth 100 What we do on weekends: http://www.reverbnation.com/doubleshotprague
|
|
#11
10-02-2011, 05:15 AM
|
|||
|
|||
|
Koa has as much of more variation within the species of any tonewood I know of. I believe that's why all Koa guitars are kinda hit and miss. You need a builder who can choose individual pieces with the properties needed to get a great sounding guitar. IMHO the back/sides needs different properties than the top does.
Here's a sound clip of an all Koa guitar I built. All Koa 12 fret W body Here's an AGF build thread on that guitar. http://69.41.173.82/forums/showthread.php?t=172877
__________________
woody b politically incorrect since 1964
|
|
#12
10-02-2011, 06:06 AM
|
|||
|
|||
|
Well, since you asked, I don't like them. I have never played an all koa guitar that I would want but then I'm not fond of all mahogany guitars either. (Mahogany is much more consistent wood than koa.)
|
|
#13
10-02-2011, 06:21 AM
|
||||
|
||||
|
I just played a new 6k all Koa Taylor that left me flat. But I bet the one built right after it was a great one.....
|
|
#14
10-02-2011, 06:55 AM
|
||||
|
||||
|
Count me among those who dislike the tone of hardwood tops be it Koa or Mahogany. The tone just doesn't excite me... at all.
|
|
#15
10-02-2011, 07:58 AM
|
|||
|
|||
|
All Koa guitars
One of the considerations is expectations. If you expect it to sound like a spruce-topped guitar, you'll probably be disappointed. IMO, there are a lot more bad to mediocre koa topped guitars out there than really good ones, as it requires a different mindset to build than a spruce topped guitar.
Properly done, the results can be quite good. Top selection, I think is critical, as is, of course, the skill of the builder. I played one of Bruce's a couple of years ago at HGF and it was among the best guitars at the show.
|
