Where can I get some Koa???

Justin Read

Justin Read

New member
After alot of contemplation, I have decided to make a Reb Beach Suhr inspired guitar. Koa body and Pau Ferro neck and fretboard. Unfortunately I've already hit an obstacle.......

Does anyone know where I can source (affordable) Hawaiian Koa large enough for this project? Either as 1 piece or 2 book matched pieces.

Cheers Justin
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Re: Where can I get some Koa???

A guitar like that will cost thousands. Its banned for export. I think they can still get it now though and make you a body or neck.Ask Chris of Arabia, he's the Warmoth guy around here . It won't be cheap. Ive seen Koa necks go for close to one thousand dollars alone, but paired with a Brazillian Rosewood fingerboard. I just got a Koa neck (Warmoth ) with some age on it, and a Madagascar Ebony board for 250.00, cause i jumped on an Ebay one over the holidays when no one was looking, but in general, be prepared to pay through the nose.
The bodies are a different story entirely, I think. They are mega expensive. You better count on close to or even more than a thousand dollars for a legitimate well made Warmoth quality body- even more for flame.
 
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Re: Where can I get some Koa???

There is no such thing as "affordable" koa, especially in pieces big enough to make a whole body. It's an endangered tree that only grows in Hawaii.
 
Re: Where can I get some Koa???

Justin Read said:
Wowwwwzerzzz...... 1000 just for the wood ������
Click to expand...

I'm fairly certain you still can source the raw wood cheaper. Just check around the internet .If all else fails, theres lots of new growth Honduran Mahogany around ( the old stuff is banned) , although it is similarly endangered and still relatively scarce, it's a similar tonewood. Koa is said to be richer in tone ,more dimensional, and somewhat brighter than new growth Honduran Mahogany I think.Also, and I may be quite wrong, but I am guessing lots of the Koa you may find is still old Growth.
 
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Re: Where can I get some Koa???

I've also been reading up on Tasmanian Blackwood. It supposedly sounds similar as it is from the same family.

My goal is Koa though. Let's see how I go
 
Re: Where can I get some Koa???

I still prefer the grain and colour of Koa.

I have my fingers and toes crossed for a magical piece to come knocking
 
Re: Where can I get some Koa???

My name in lights? Actually, whilst I know quite a bit about what Warmoth can offer in terms of design and options, I wouldn't say I'm much up on the more exotic woods, much less Koa. Dark Matter may be someone you could contact, as he works there. His role is in the CNC programming dept though, and he probably doesn't have an up to the minute view on material stock - I'd like to bet he could ask though. Whether you could get a blank in Koa from them is another matter - scarce material, big mark-ups? That suggests you manufacture yourself and sell the result, not the raw material.
 
Re: Where can I get some Koa???

Thanks Chris. Yes.... your name in Neon 😃

I'll contact DarkMatter and see if he can help with the raw wood. The more contacts, the better.
 
Re: Where can I get some Koa???

Heres the used Warmoth Koa neck I picked up just last week. I got it for 250.00, and I havent seen one for that price. It's Compound radius, which i need,and it has the double expanding trussrod, which some purists do not like. Its got a slate black Ebony board, and a Boatneck, which is all good, but the frets and nut width are too small for my prefernace ( 6105/1nad 5/8"). I slapped it on my 30 year old air dried Swamp Ash body- an oddball combination- and it plays good, sounds very warm and really lush.Its fairly plain, but it IS Koa, and I'd be hard pressed to find another that suits me this much at anywhere near the price.In fact, I seldom see used Warmoth Koa necks at all.;
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