WHAT'S THE DEAL WITH KOA?

Why is Everyone Kookoo for Koa?!  

What is koa? Found on the big island of Hawaii and made from the Hawaiian acacia koa tree, this tropical hardwood blends the midrange of mahogany with the top end of maple. Due to its density, a new koa guitar often starts out sounding bright – but the more it is played, the more the sound opens up with a beautifully rich, resonant tone.

A Little Background on Koa:

Koa trees are very large – known to grow as tall as 82ft with a spread of up to 39ft wide (even larger if growing in deep volcanic ash). Koa trees were used by ancient Hawaiians to build canoes and surfboards and are sometimes still used to build furniture. Because koa is a 'tonewood,' it is used to make ukuleles, acoustic guitars, and Weissenborn-style Hawaiian steel guitars. In Hawaiian, the word koa itself means brave, bold, fearless or warrior.

The Hawaiian music fad of the 1900s-1920s brought farther reaching awareness to this unique and beautiful wood. In 1916, CF Martin created six models of all-koa wood guitars for their largest dealer at the time, Southern California Music Company in Los Angeles. After WWII, koa instruments started popping up all over the world. Taylor Guitars now makes an extensive line of koa guitars: the Taylor Acoustic Koa Series. 

So Why Are Koa Guitars So Popular?

While many believe that the Holy Grail of tonewoods is Brazilian rosewood, Hawaiian Koa just might be in the running. Koa is lightweight and has a wonderfully compressed dynamic range. It combines clarity with warm, thick tone and produces incredible separation for individual notes. Koa wood is diverse and complex with an incomparable appearance. The color spectrum and swirling grain pattern is as wide as it is breathtaking—from varying reds to cinnamon browns and bold charcoal streaks. So the sound quality and the look makes koa guitars highly sought-after instruments.

Another factor is the scarcity of the wood and the fact that koa guitars will always be in limited supply. Koa forests have been depleted over the years, making the procurement of koa wood more difficult and very expensive. This is why the Taylor GS Mini-e Solid Koa Top Lefty w/ES-B is one of the most noteworthy items we have in stock right now. GS Minis are already a popular Taylor model, so at $799, this GS Mini which features all-solid koa top, back and sides is an incredible value.

Chicago Music Exchange has an impressive selection of koa guitars in-store and online. Shop Koa guitars now!

SHOP ACOUSTIC GUITARS

Cort AF550 Natural 2004 Acoustic Guitars / Dreadnought
Cort AF550 Natural 2004 Acoustic Guitars / Dreadnought
Cort AF550 Natural 2004 Acoustic Guitars / Dreadnought
Cort AF550 Natural 2004 Acoustic Guitars / Dreadnought
Cort AF550 Natural 2004 Acoustic Guitars / Dreadnought
Cort AF550 Natural 2004 Acoustic Guitars / Dreadnought
Cort AF550 Natural 2004 Acoustic Guitars / Dreadnought
Cort AF550 Natural 2004
Cort AF550 Natural 2004 Acoustic Guitars / Dreadnought
Cort AF550 Natural 2004 Acoustic Guitars / Dreadnought

Cort AF550 Natural 2004

$100.00
Fender CP-140SE Sunburst
Fender CP-140SE Sunburst
Fender CP-140SE Sunburst
Fender CP-140SE Sunburst
Fender CP-140SE Sunburst
Fender CP-140SE Sunburst
Fender CP-140SE Sunburst
Fender CP-140SE Sunburst
Fender CP-140SE Sunburst
Fender CP-140SE Sunburst
Fender CP-140SE Sunburst
Fender CP-140SE Sunburst
Fender CP-140SE Sunburst

Fender CP-140SE Sunburst

$295.00
Farida OT-62VBS
Farida OT-62VBS
Farida OT-62VBS
Farida OT-62VBS
Farida OT-62VBS
Farida OT-62VBS
Farida OT-62VBS
Farida OT-62VBS
Farida OT-62VBS
Farida OT-62VBS
Farida OT-62VBS

Farida OT-62VBS

$350.00
Taylor BBTe Walnut Top ES-B Acoustic Guitars / Mini/Travel
Taylor BBTe Walnut Top ES-B Acoustic Guitars / Mini/Travel
Taylor BBTe Walnut Top ES-B Acoustic Guitars / Mini/Travel
Taylor BBTe Walnut Top ES-B Acoustic Guitars / Mini/Travel
Taylor BBTe Walnut Top ES-B Acoustic Guitars / Mini/Travel
Taylor BBTe Walnut Top ES-B Acoustic Guitars / Mini/Travel
Taylor BBTe Walnut Top ES-B Acoustic Guitars / Mini/Travel
Taylor BBTe Walnut Top ES-B Acoustic Guitars / Mini/Travel
Taylor BBTe Walnut Top ES-B Acoustic Guitars / Mini/Travel

Taylor BBTe Walnut Top ES-B

$629.00
Martin OM-42 Natural Acoustic Guitars / OM and Auditorium
Martin OM-42 Natural Acoustic Guitars / OM and Auditorium
Martin OM-42 Natural Acoustic Guitars / OM and Auditorium
Martin OM-42 Natural Acoustic Guitars / OM and Auditorium
Martin OM-42 Natural Acoustic Guitars / OM and Auditorium
Martin OM-42 Natural Acoustic Guitars / OM and Auditorium
Martin OM-42 Natural Acoustic Guitars / OM and Auditorium
Martin OM-42 Natural Acoustic Guitars / OM and Auditorium
Martin OM-42 Natural Acoustic Guitars / OM and Auditorium
Martin OM-42 Natural Acoustic Guitars / OM and Auditorium

Martin OM-42 Natural

$6,399.00
Martin D-45 Natural Acoustic Guitars / Dreadnought
Martin D-45 Natural Acoustic Guitars / Dreadnought
Martin D-45 Natural Acoustic Guitars / Dreadnought
Martin D-45 Natural Acoustic Guitars / Dreadnought
Martin D-45 Natural Acoustic Guitars / Dreadnought
Martin D-45 Natural Acoustic Guitars / Dreadnought
Martin D-45 Natural Acoustic Guitars / Dreadnought
Martin D-45 Natural Acoustic Guitars / Dreadnought
Martin D-45 Natural Acoustic Guitars / Dreadnought
Martin D-45 Natural Acoustic Guitars / Dreadnought
Martin D-45 Natural Acoustic Guitars / Dreadnought
Martin D-45 Natural Acoustic Guitars / Dreadnought
Martin D-45 Natural Acoustic Guitars / Dreadnought
Martin D-45 Natural Acoustic Guitars / Dreadnought
Martin D-45 Natural Acoustic Guitars / Dreadnought

Martin D-45 Natural

$9,699.00
Taylor 114 Natural 2010 Acoustic Guitars / OM and Auditorium
Taylor 114 Natural 2010 Acoustic Guitars / OM and Auditorium
Taylor 114 Natural 2010 Acoustic Guitars / OM and Auditorium
Taylor 114 Natural 2010 Acoustic Guitars / OM and Auditorium
Taylor 114 Natural 2010 Acoustic Guitars / OM and Auditorium
Taylor 114 Natural 2010 Acoustic Guitars / OM and Auditorium
Taylor 114 Natural 2010 Acoustic Guitars / OM and Auditorium
Taylor 114 Natural 2010 Acoustic Guitars / OM and Auditorium
Taylor 114 Natural 2010 Acoustic Guitars / OM and Auditorium
Taylor 114 Natural 2010 Acoustic Guitars / OM and Auditorium
Taylor 114 Natural 2010 Acoustic Guitars / OM and Auditorium

Taylor 114 Natural 2010

$495.00
Martin DX1 Macassar Sunburst Acoustic Guitars / OM and Auditorium
Martin DX1 Macassar Sunburst Acoustic Guitars / OM and Auditorium
Martin DX1 Macassar Sunburst Acoustic Guitars / OM and Auditorium
Martin DX1 Macassar Sunburst Acoustic Guitars / OM and Auditorium
Martin DX1 Macassar Sunburst Acoustic Guitars / OM and Auditorium
Martin DX1 Macassar Sunburst Acoustic Guitars / OM and Auditorium
Martin DX1 Macassar Sunburst Acoustic Guitars / OM and Auditorium
Martin DX1 Macassar Sunburst Acoustic Guitars / OM and Auditorium
Martin DX1 Macassar Sunburst Acoustic Guitars / OM and Auditorium
Martin DX1 Macassar Sunburst Acoustic Guitars / OM and Auditorium

Martin DX1 Macassar Sunburst

$518.00

Related Posts

CME Exclusives: Effects Pedals

CME Exclusives: Effects Pedals

If you're looking to explore the outer limits of tonal space on your guitar, synth, or anything that can be funneled through a 1/4" input, Earthquaker Devices makes the stompboxes...

Read more
The Ultimate Guide to Strings

The Ultimate Guide to Strings

Strings, despite their obvious importance, seem to be the thing most guitarists know the least about, but the string you use can shape your tone and affect your feel in...

Read more
What's the Deal with Koa?

What's the Deal with Koa?

What is koa? Found on the big island of Hawaii and made from the Hawaiian acacia koa tree, this tropical hardwood blends the midrange of mahogany with the top end...

Read more