Official Luthiers Forum!

Michael,
The post on what guitar do you WANT was suffering from severe drift...& I plead guilty. Well, partially.
Anyway, interesting comment about the midrange that you get out of Koa tops. I've done two, a 6 and a 12. The 12 doesn't count, cuz all you hear is jangle. But the 6 was a really different sound. I would call it "dark". The upper overtone structure just wasn't there...at least not like it is in a good piece of spruce. There was a bit of rumble in the lower end, but again, not quite like a good piece of spruce. It would be interesting to have your ears to hear this-- would you call it midrange? I found it a really pleasing sound, but still I wouldn't choose it if it was to be my only guitar. I want to hear bells as well as waterfalls when a guitar is played. I guess more (much more) experience with Koa top wood is in order. But I'm still trying to figure out Sitka.

Are you getting consistent results w/ the Koa, so that you can predict how it will sound?

Steve
Steve Kinnaird38470.9772569444

_________________
From Nacogdoches...the oldest town in Texas.

http://www.stephenkinnaird.com

Your right It is not Dark but Warm. It is different than spruce by a mile. Bass is extenuated a bit. There may be a little less ring to the treble. The first couple I had a little trouble maintaining sustain on the treble end. Koa tends to blend the overtones a bit. I an a finger style player and I like it. It is a bit scary though, my OOO and OM top come out pretty thin .095-.105. If I get the chance to stop by next month I will check it out.MichaelP38471.429837963

This is interesting to me because of the "dark" description used.

I built a cutaway dred from koa b/s and a redwood top. It was described by all the folks that played it as sounding dark. To me it just sounded a little flat.

I had a guy build my web page for me in trade for a guitar and gave him a choice between 2 dreds and 3 OMs. He immediately chose the koa cutaway. Said he liked the tone of it better than all of the others.

Go figure.

_________________
Dave Rector
Rector Guitars

Koa is what I would call warm it blends the hi-overtones into the mid-overtones. As a top I think it works well on smaller bodies OO, OM and GC for finger style play anyway. If I had to short phrase describe the dif between spruce and Koa top in terms of tone I would say the Kao is throatier you don't loose the treble but the mid tone is more dominate base is deeper but not dominating (throatier) like a baritone vs. an tenor. I love Koa tops on IRW backs and sides.

Michael--I suffer from not having done dozens of these things, ergo, not enough data. (And I don't really want to start experimenting....) But mine was a Small Jumbo, and everything was Koa. What was doing what? Dunno, but again it was a pleasing sound. And Koa topped guitars certainly look beautiful.
I wonder how those Taylors w/ Walnut tops sound? Never heard one.

SK

_________________
From Nacogdoches...the oldest town in Texas.

http://www.stephenkinnaird.com

Me either. I may have to try Walnut top. My guess is it would be a bit woody in tone. If we have room In the truck in May when we are that way I will bring my OM Rosewood/Koa with me. After thinking this afternoon you could describe the diff. as more homogenous, more blended. Almost a bit Classical tone to the high end and a woodwind tone to the low. It suites my ear but probably wouldn't someone that is use to a big box sound like a D-28.MichaelP38471.7351157407