Koa soundboard opinions

[thomastedder]

Having almost finished building my first guitar, I’m about to start building my second. I came across a spectacular looking piece of Koa. There is enough to do the back and the top in matching sets. I’ve never played a Koa top guitar and I am wondering what you guys think. Should I put Koa on all sides or stick to Spruce for the top? It will be either a dreadnought or an OM shape. I'm leaning towards dreadnought.

[tkersey]

I think sticking with spruce for the top would enable you to get a better understanding of koa’s sonic properties. If it’s the only thing that’s different you’ll be able to evaluate the overall difference of the guitars accordingly.

[H165]

I'd go (in fact, have already gone twice) with spruce top. I had a couple of koa-top Martins which did not suit my fancy.

I do like the koa-top full-hollow Weissenborn slides, but they are another animal altogether, and they require about 38" of top and back wood.

[luthier_93]

Koa is an interesting wood with interesting properties. I find it definitely has a specific taste in mind though- spruce is much more accessible to a larger variety of tastes. Depends on your goal for the guitar, I guess, but I'd lean toward a spruce top and koa back if it were me.

[Wade Hampton]

Thomas, koa soundboards definitely take a lot longer to break in than spruce soundboards - you’re looking at some two years for it to come in with koa versus six months or so with spruce. Plus the spruce sounds more broken in to start with.

It’s the difference between a hardwood soundboard versus a softwood soundboard.

Hope this helps.


Wade Hampton Miller

[The Bard Rocks]

I understand there are greater variations in the quality of sound produced by Koa than one might normally expect. Builders who are more experienced with it often get markedly better results.

[thomastedder]

Sounds like not many people like a Koa top

[thomastedder]

Here's what I'm working with.



https://i.postimg.cc/3NvpQDNM/AC75-A...C03064-B12.jpg

[jaymarsch]

As several have already said, spruce/koa combo will probably be a more versatile guitar. I think that koa is one of those woods that takes some experience and building a number of guitars with it to dial in what it brings to the table tone wise. So, it depends on what you are ultimately aiming for.
Best,
Jayne

[RussellHawaii]

Originally Posted by Wade Hampton

It’s the difference between a hardwood soundboard versus a softwood soundboard.”

I agree with Wade, this is the big difference. If you’ve played a mahogany top guitar, compare it to that. I think Koa sounds similarly to mahogany, and it’s not my preference for a top wood, acoustically.
It is, however, very beautiful! And stable. This along with the natural compression of a hardwood top makes a great plug in stage guitar.

[thomastedder]

If I do decide on the Koa top, what body shape lens itself best to an all Koa guitar?

[H165]

If I do decide on the Koa top, what body shape lens itself best to an all Koa guitar?

I prefer the deep body SJ, but that shape tends to accentuate the lower midrange (and thus goes well with my voice). Deep body SJ with a koa top might be too much midrange at the cost of other frequencies. The bracing scheme probably means more than the rest of it with koa.

[RussellHawaii]

Originally Posted by thomastedder

If I do decide on the Koa top, what body shape lens itself best to an all Koa guitar?

Hi, sorry to chime in twice, but I’ve been there. My first custom guitar, I chose a Koa top. The choice, as my builder described it to me, was better and louder sound with spruce vs. stunningly beautiful with Koa.
While I use the guitar sometimes on stage, it is never the one I reach for acoustically. It’s on the wall, being beautiful.
I regret the decision. My subsequent builds and purchases have all been spruce or other softwood tops, and I haven’t been tempted by a hardwood top since.
Good luck with your decision, let us know how it turns out either way!

[thomastedder]

Originally Posted by RussellHawaii

Hi, sorry to chime in twice, but I’ve been there. My first custom guitar, I chose a Koa top. The choice, as my builder described it to me, was better and louder sound with spruce vs. stunningly beautiful with Koa.
While I use the guitar sometimes on stage, it is never the one I reach for acoustically. It’s on the wall, being beautiful.
I regret the decision. My subsequent builds and purchases have all been spruce or other softwood tops, and I haven’t been tempted by a hardwood top since.
Good luck with your decision, let us know how it turns out either way!

Thank you. That makes sense.

[Pender]

Originally Posted by Wade Hampton

Thomas, koa soundboards definitely take a lot longer to break in than spruce soundboards - you’re looking at some two years for it to come in with koa versus six months or so with spruce. Plus the spruce sounds more broken in to start with.

It’s the difference between a hardwood soundboard versus a softwood soundboard.

Hope this helps.


Wade Hampton Miller

Well said, Wade. As always ;-)
My SCGC H koa is an amazing instrument but is turning 30 years now. To my ears koa is superior to mahogany in terms of sound but I never played a mahogany soundboard aged like my koa guitar.
As far as I can see, koa is a premium tonewood for the most builders. Maybe it's more for the esthetics. Anyway, I can assure based on my own experience that an all koa guitar, aged and builded by SCGC, is amazing!