Views (thoughts) of Full Koa (top, b/s) Owners Sought! Votes of Potential Owners too.

[jt1]

I'm a fan. I used koa on the one guitar that I've built.

[Cool555]

Originally Posted by SprintBob

My Taylor K-22ce was bought in 2017 and has subtly opened up over time. The tone to my ears is very balanced low to high and that is what I call “sweet”. It does not have the sustain and overtone complexity of my Froggy Bottom, Santa Cruz, and Collings guitars but at times that is what I like about it. I was not sure if I would bond with an all koa guitar when I got the K-22 but my experience with it has led me to believe I always want one in my collection.

Thanks for sharing your Koa-story! I’ll most likely have a full-Koa too in the very near future...

[Cool555]

Originally Posted by Lonzo

Hi all, I have a K26ce with florentine cutaway and upgraded with matte gold Gotoh 510s.. and a Bourgeois OM all figured Mastergrade Koa with a very tasteful burst around the top. The latter is even outperforming the first in the looks department, one of the most beautiful ones I hav seen if we talk only koa... if I only could post pics here..

Tonewise the Bourgeois has some room to open up still. Didn’t dare to tonerite it yet but will soon. Teted it with the K26ce and could discern a difference to the better.

Wow! You are blessed to own 2 great Koa guitars! Thanks for sharing your story.

I find it easier to post pictures using the App “Tapatalk”.

Is this a K26ce?

[Cool555]

Originally Posted by jt1

I'm a fan. I used koa on the one guitar that I've built.

Congrats on building your own Koa guitar! Looks and sounds beautiful! Love the sap wood! Great playing too!

[nolegsfngrpickn]

I love full koa, but on the guitar I'm getting built right now, since it's a small body and pretty thin, I decided to go koa B&S and adi top.

I do love the beauty of koa, and will surely miss having it all the way around, but I think it's a good decision to have a top wood that drives it a little more.

[Woolbury]

This is a Martin 12 fret all Koa I played side by side with my Colling 0002h and it absolutely blew the Collings away. It was so responsive, easy to play, I immediately fell for it. I've been back to play wit a couple times, if I could flip my Collings, I'd own that guitar in heartbeat. I've played Mahogany topped guitars before and never really like the compressed sound, this was a different thing altogether, Not sure if all Koa guitars are this responsive, but this one was a beaut!

[IMG][/IMG]

[Woolbury]

Originally Posted by Cool555

Congrats on building your own Koa guitar! Looks and sounds beautiful! Love the sap wood! Great playing too!

Ditto, great looking, sounding guitar, and love your expressive playing!

[Cool555]

Originally Posted by Woolbury

This is a Martin 12 fret all Koa I played side by side with my Colling 0002h and it absolutely blew the Collings away. It was so responsive, easy to play, I immediately fell for it. I've been back to play wit a couple times, if I could flip my Collings, I'd own that guitar in heartbeat. I've played Mahogany topped guitars before and never really like the compressed sound, this was a different thing altogether, Not sure if all Koa guitars are this responsive, but this one was a beaut!

It sure sounds like you have “fallen” for that Koa! Hope that guitar will find its way to your home soon!

[justonwo]

I played an all koa Martin Authentic 000-12 that absolutely killed. Lovely guitar. I’d be happy with one.

[Cool555]

Originally Posted by Quake17

BTW, the late Russ L. Was the real koa guitar man. There is a great picture of Russ surrounded by his beauties.

Haha! Didn’t know that...can’t seem to find pictures of him and his Koa guitars.

[S-10Ken]

I own a Spruce top 814Ce Taylor, a hog back and sides Cedar top, and an all Koa 12 fret. I think they all sound great but are distinctly different from each other. So I think it is more personal preference as to what tone you like, traditional sound or a more modern sound guitar. But as a tone wood they are as good as any of the traditional tone woods IMO

[Lonzo]

Is this a K26ce?

[/QUOTE]

Yup, definitely looks like one to me - and a florentine cutaway as well - haven't seen many - they usually seem to come with a venetian...
mine is not so flamed, has a burst & the classical Island vine fretboard inlay and the conventional X bracing scheme.
Will try the app to post pics later - am on the road and will not be able to do so until later this week.

[Lonzo]

Originally Posted by Lonzo

Is this a K26ce?

Yup, definitely looks like one to me - and a florentine cutaway as well - haven't seen many - they usually seem to come with a venetian...

mine is not so flamed, has a burst & the classical Island vine fretboard inlay and the conventional X bracing scheme.

Will try the app to post pics later - am on the road and will not be able to do so until later this week.[/QUOTE]Ok, it works from the road [emoji41] here they are both.

[Cool555]

Originally Posted by Lonzo

Yup, definitely looks like one to me - and a florentine cutaway as well - haven't seen many - they usually seem to come with a venetian...

mine is not so flamed, has a burst & the classical Island vine fretboard inlay and the conventional X bracing scheme.

Will try the app to post pics later - am on the road and will not be able to do so until later this week.

Ok, it works from the road [emoji41] here they are both.[/QUOTE]


Thanks for the picture! You’ve got yourself 2 beautiful Koa guitars! Both looks amazing!

How long have you had them?

[ljguitar]

Originally Posted by Cool555

…Koa-lovers and "haters", please feel free to comment

Hi C-555

At age 71 and having played thousands of instruments in the past 57 years, if there is a really unpredictable wood choice that has tone that's all-over-the-map, it's Koa. Particularly all-Koa guitars.

I've played really great ones, and absolutely bad sounding/responding ones. I've played same model side by side with good/bad characteristics.

I own a wonderful Koa/Sitka mini-jumbo (Kronbauer) which sings like crazy and is a proverbial 'banjo killer', which I always have attributed it's drive to the Spruce top and the skills of the luthier.



The best are stellar, and the worst would not stay in my collection despite how beautiful looking they might be.

I've played a couple Koa/Cedar models which were my favorites of the Koa family.