The most beautiful wood in nature!

About ten years ago I bought some Koa from an independent grower in Hawaii that looks very much like that perhaps not quite as flamed but beautiful dark streaks, awesome gold color. I still have a couple of sets left. I made some incredible instruments from it. If you've ever used it for top wood you know how great Koa is. I made a jumbo all Koa twelve string for a customer that was very impressive, loud, full and balanced! I hope Hawaii will manage their Koa and protect it, it is a truly special wood.

It's so cool to see the respect and admiration you still have for those pieces of wood

That wood is sacred. If you have ever been to Hawaii and were not immediately struck with the energy and the certainty that the heart of the Earth resides there, then keep trying. Koa is a gift from the heavens.

there are a million beautiful woods in thuis world; and kos is often very "plain/ordinary" in appearance.....but a highly figured piece of koa IS the most stunningly beautiful of all....uncanny, how it looks like a Hawaain sunset.....I shudder to remember, back in the 70's, when koa was relatively cheap....I think of my local exotic lumber dealer, who had up to 12/4 koa in 12' lengths! AHHH!!!!!!!

So so nice. Happy to hear about the responsible harvesting also.

Possibly the most beautiful wood that I have ever seen. And that is after living in Hawaii for years and going back to visit family numerous times. Insanely beautiful 🤩

Now that is an heirloom set! Definitely a keeper for yourself Tom. I was able to see Koa trees while in Kauai. The National Park staff directed me to a massive fallen tree that was waiting to be removed for harvesting. Had to be 4 feet in diameter. Too bad it didn't fit in my suitcase.

Aloha from Hawaii, so good to see someone so deserving reseving something so special.

Good picture on the cover of this video hooked me so good I could not resist. I'm so excited to subscribe to this channel, and stoked to be amongst one of the first 1500 subscribers. Just based on the first minute alone I get the sense of extremely high production value. Much more so then more established Channels with over a hundred thousand subscribers. Also this gentleman sounds extremely eloquent on like one other channel in particular that I enjoy but just hearing the gentleman speak makes me feel Dumber even though I actually learn a lot. Guitars in the background look absolutely beautiful. Now back to the video!

I worked briefly (summer job) in a sawmill in Hilo, Hawaii in the 1970s, as they cut koa. 1x12 boards less than 2' long were tossed away as waste in the bushes, but I took some home and made surfboard fins. They'd warp like crazy if not glassed right after shaping them. There is a lot of fallen koa in certain mid-elevation privately or publicly owned areas of Mauna Kea, sitting there rotting. I've wondered who might drive up there with a saw and slip away with some logs. Much of it will be waste but at current prices, much of it will have value too. There was an old house up there, simply built entirely of koa. I don't know if it's still standing. Those thin slabs (I have some similar) can cup if you give them a wet look.

Beautiful set of Koa!

your reaction to the Koa wood made my day. I love wood and have 3 pieces of KOA that I picked up for next to nothing at an estate sale. It was in a crate that had an address and it mentioned it was shipped from Hawaii most likely in the 1970s-1980s. Each piece is 2" x 8" x 36". Beautiful 3-D grain of KOA gets you smiling. I plan to cut one to make a small axe handle and small things like that.

Congrats on the 1k!

This one is special

Beautiful set. Though the tap tone seem relatively dull compared to other Koa I have handled of the same or better visual grade. For sure, a mastergrade set visually. Enjoy building it!

Whoa! 😍

sweet

Just compared the tap-tone of the Koa to the tap-tone of the Walnut you did previously and they do have different personalities. The Koa does not share the depth or sustain of the Walnut - it has a quick decay and is a pitch higher than the Walnut. I think it will be livelier once it has been thinned down when we’ll hear its true voice and power. However, it is totally gorgeous though - a really stunning piece, which will make for a really attractive guitar. Hopefully you are able to keep as much of the centre line as possible - very nice indeed. What top do you thing you might use for this guitar? Cheers Tom... K.

As a Luthie, Curly Koa is my favorite wood ,finding great pieces is getting tougher by the year.

Wow! Lovely wood! Me and my dad built a guitar when I was younger and last year I fell in love with a koa guitar- but my dad suggested to build one ourselves again instead of buying that one I saw. So now I‘m looking for a place where I could buy the wood from. Does your friend Joshua also sell to private people? If he does, would it be possible to get a contact/website? That would be absolutely awesome 🤩

I love these videos man, thanks for sharing your knowledge, whats your thoughts Aussie tonewoods? Have you had a play around with them? How does Tassie blackwood compare next to The og Koa?

When are you going to do the biggest celebrity wood, the Hollywood?

Question for you OK? I'm about to buy a D45 , out of two kinds of guitars 🎸 one being red ceder top rosewood back and sides, and the other is Koa top back and sides what one would you say is best out of the two ? Thanks 😊

sounds like wood to me ! :)

The tap tone sounded like koa but with an added rattle and hum

Lol like a big kid a Xmas. Imagine how the next owner will feel when it’s in the shape of a guitar. I’d be interested to know why Koa and Mahogany are often used in full as opposed to other woods paired with a spruce/cedar top?

Can you put the website where you bought that wood from sir? Thanks

Maybe this set should be used to build a special guitar for yourself - you may kick yourself if you don't :)!!

What do you mean by koa Joshua tree and isn't Acadia a wood that resembles koa

Woodglut comes with very useful plans with all the details you need.

Koa is way overpriced and overrated. Aussie blackwood is superior in every way. Price is great tone is great figure is great.