Anyone have a koa topped F?

[Luthier Vandross]

If you are out there, tell me what you think.

Miles

[Greenmando]

I am making a F5 with a bookmatched Koa back and a one piece curly redwood face. Koa backs give a woody sound and I am hoping the redwood face will compliment it as well.

[Luthier Vandross]

I am building a Loar copy with a koa top, I was wondering if it might have a cousin.

I'm using an ivory bridge, matching set with a guitar.. ivory board too.. just in case it sounds bad.. ;)

Miles
-yes, people do look at you funny when you stuff a voodoo doll full of laxatives- hah!

[danb]

Miles-

I've played an octave mandolin (flat-top) all-koa.. my take comapring it to one with near identical body shape but spruce/maple was that the koa starts out much more "Alive", but dosn't really change much over time and break in more. Doesn't get worse either..

[Bob DeVellis]

I would've thought that ther would be issues with koa's tendency to crack that would make it a poor choice for a mandolin top. I gather (from recent communication) that many ukulele builders recommend not using koa for tops because of its proneness to cracking. But you guys have direct experience as compared to my hearsay.

[8ch(pl)]

Martin made mandolins and guitars with Koa tops. They are flat tops, so I don't know how well the wood may carve.

[krishna]

Is there anyone on the site that may have worked with Koa lots? I think THAT is the questionto be answered. I've personaly never heard of it having a problem cracking...And there are tons of different instrument out there with Koa tops...They are apparently having much trouble on the islands getting any of the wood with proper dimentions for instruments.There have been a few articals recently about it, and how certain companies , for the last 20 years have been replanting it ...Luthiers Mercantile sells quite a bit of it.They say , in the catalog , that there are 2 prominent classical guit builders useing it right now...maybe...VERY expensive...Kerry

[Greenmando]

I have a all Koa guitar, no issues with it at all.
I have been working with Koa for about 8 years and I have never had a problem with cracking. The Aussies are using Blackwood which is related to Koa with great success.

[Bob DeVellis]

My information on cracking (which may or may not apply to this case) came mostly from ukulele fans, stuff I've read on ukuleles, and specifically from Hawaiian luthier Joe Souza who built me a uke. If the moisture content is preserved, they'll do fine, but changes seem to be much less well toperated in koa than other woods. The old koa Martin ukuleles I've seen (or seen advertised) almost invariably have had a bunch of top and back repairs, but most of them date from the 1920s, so they're pretty old. Joe air dries is wood for years before building with it, works in a humidity-controlled shop, has a great supply of koa, but still recommends spruce tops for people who want the best sounding instrument and are willing to limit the "dazzle" to the back and sides. Again, this is an apples-and-oranges comparison and builders who have carved tops from koa will know much more than either I do (for sure) or my source does (he's a flat-top guy). I just wanted to let you know where I'd heard what I said earlier.

[Jim Garber]

I would've thought that ther would be issues with koa's tendency to crack that would make it a poor choice for a mandolin top. #I gather (from recent communication) that many ukulele builders recommend not using koa for tops because of its proneness to cracking. #But you guys have direct experience as compared to my hearsay.
That's funny... I have two vintage Martin ukes both of all koa and the only place they crack is on the back, not the top. Sound great. Martin always used harder woods for the tops of their ukes excpet in the very early days whne they made a few with spruce tops and they did not work acoustically.

I would think that the main opposition to using koa was its hardness. Like using maple for the top instead of a softer wood.

Jim

[Luthier Vandross]

Koa is our primary guitar wood, so I have worked with it, I've been considering the mando/guitar set for a few years, and just got a round tuit in the mail... heh

I don't have trouble with koa spliting, we have a ton of it, and I can't recall seeing checking, even in our largest billets.

Once I get it going, I'll keep you updated.. thanks guys.

Miles

[krishna]

One of the two Luthiers I contacted about this subject contacted me by email yesterday.Here's his post.hello kerry,
sorry about taking so long getting back to you, way busy(but lovin it).
although i've built many koa guitars i can only venture a wild guess that
koa would not be an ideal choice for a top wood on a mandolin. as you
know it is a gorgeous wood but i imagine it would be more prone to
cracking in the long run(i've repaired some old koa ukes), wouldn't be as
loud as a less dense wood(spruce/cedar). #i'm not crazy about the sound
from koa topped SS guitars.. however, my niche is classical guitars and
i've never played a koa topped classical.
so although my gut says use koa for the back not top, hey why not give it
a try? #sure will look good and the mandolin might benefit from the
higher damping and warmer tone. #different beast , could be great.(but
doubt it will be as loud)

my main suggestion for koa is to use a CLEAR filler. sacrilege to use a
poor pore filler on such pretty wood. #because the wood varies from brown
to gold the only way is to use clear fill. i recommend epoxy applied with
a razor blade (remove all excess ).

also, careful bending it. #i prefer a bending machine to free hand for
koa. #if free hand use a metal backer sheet.

hmm what else? its fun to finish!!!

well, let me know if you have any other specific questions and thanks for
getting in touch.

enjoy-
steve

[Gavin Baird]

Kerry
Who is Steve?

[krishna]

Sorry all. I knew I should have put that down.Steve Connor of Mass.Hows things Mr Baird? And is it your son who posts under the Baird name? Just wondering...