Official Luthiers Forum!

I am cosidering a guitar with a Koa top. For those who have done this, are there any special considerations in the thickness and bracing as opposed to a Spruce top. Anything else to watch out for?

Has anyone used a Koa top with non-Koa back and sides?

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John Ressler

I've had some good success with koa as a sound board. I choose the soundboard as if it was going to made it out of spruce- stiff, light in weight, straight grained and as quartersawn as I can get . I choose these qualities in koa top as well, so I like light straight VG koa and don't usually choose the woods with the most figure for a top. If it happens to have all the qualities I am looking for AND some figure too, great. Highly figured wood is often more dense, so it could take more energy to drive the top.
I like my koa tops a to be a little thinner than a spruce top too,to keep the weight down.
I've thought about trying a koa top with a non koa back and sides, but haven't done it yet.

Thanks for the reply - that is what I was looking for - (Beautiful guitars on your website by the way)

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John Ressler