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

Atkin Essential 000 Baked Sitka/Mahogany Aged Natural Acoustic Guitars / OM and Auditorium
Atkin Essential 000 Baked Sitka/Mahogany Aged Natural Acoustic Guitars / OM and Auditorium
Atkin Essential 000 Baked Sitka/Mahogany Aged Natural Acoustic Guitars / OM and Auditorium
Atkin Essential 000 Baked Sitka/Mahogany Aged Natural Acoustic Guitars / OM and Auditorium
Atkin Essential 000 Baked Sitka/Mahogany Aged Natural Acoustic Guitars / OM and Auditorium
Atkin Essential 000 Baked Sitka/Mahogany Aged Natural Acoustic Guitars / OM and Auditorium
Atkin Essential 000 Baked Sitka/Mahogany Aged Natural Acoustic Guitars / OM and Auditorium
Atkin Essential 000 Baked Sitka/Mahogany Aged Natural Acoustic Guitars / OM and Auditorium
Atkin Essential 000 Baked Sitka/Mahogany Aged Natural Acoustic Guitars / OM and Auditorium
Atkin Essential 000 Baked Sitka/Mahogany Aged Natural Acoustic Guitars / OM and Auditorium
Atkin Essential 000 Baked Sitka/Mahogany Aged Natural Acoustic Guitars / OM and Auditorium

Atkin Essential 000 Baked Sitka/Mahogany Aged Natural

$3,899.00
Atkin Dust Bowl 0 Mahogany Natural Acoustic Guitars / OM and Auditorium
Atkin Dust Bowl 0 Mahogany Natural Acoustic Guitars / OM and Auditorium
Atkin Dust Bowl 0 Mahogany Natural Acoustic Guitars / OM and Auditorium
Atkin Dust Bowl 0 Mahogany Natural Acoustic Guitars / OM and Auditorium
Atkin Dust Bowl 0 Mahogany Natural Acoustic Guitars / OM and Auditorium
Atkin Dust Bowl 0 Mahogany Natural Acoustic Guitars / OM and Auditorium
Atkin Dust Bowl 0 Mahogany Natural Acoustic Guitars / OM and Auditorium
Atkin Dust Bowl 0 Mahogany Natural Acoustic Guitars / OM and Auditorium
Atkin Dust Bowl 0 Mahogany Natural Acoustic Guitars / OM and Auditorium
Atkin Dust Bowl 0 Mahogany Natural Acoustic Guitars / OM and Auditorium
Atkin Dust Bowl 0 Mahogany Natural Acoustic Guitars / OM and Auditorium

Atkin Dust Bowl 0 Mahogany Natural

$3,999.00
Martin Custom Shop D-28 Authentic 1937 Natural Vintage Low Gloss Acoustic Guitars / Dreadnought
Martin Custom Shop D-28 Authentic 1937 Natural Vintage Low Gloss Acoustic Guitars / Dreadnought
Martin Custom Shop D-28 Authentic 1937 Natural Vintage Low Gloss Acoustic Guitars / Dreadnought
Martin Custom Shop D-28 Authentic 1937 Natural Vintage Low Gloss Acoustic Guitars / Dreadnought
Martin Custom Shop D-28 Authentic 1937 Natural Vintage Low Gloss Acoustic Guitars / Dreadnought
Martin Custom Shop D-28 Authentic 1937 Natural Vintage Low Gloss Acoustic Guitars / Dreadnought
Martin Custom Shop D-28 Authentic 1937 Natural Vintage Low Gloss Acoustic Guitars / Dreadnought
Martin Custom Shop D-28 Authentic 1937 Natural Vintage Low Gloss Acoustic Guitars / Dreadnought
Martin Custom Shop D-28 Authentic 1937 Natural Vintage Low Gloss Acoustic Guitars / Dreadnought
Martin Custom Shop D-28 Authentic 1937 Natural Vintage Low Gloss Acoustic Guitars / Dreadnought
Martin Custom Shop D-28 Authentic 1937 Natural Vintage Low Gloss Acoustic Guitars / Dreadnought
Martin Custom Shop D-28 Authentic 1937 Natural Vintage Low Gloss Acoustic Guitars / Dreadnought
Martin Custom Shop D-28 Authentic 1937 Natural Vintage Low Gloss Acoustic Guitars / Dreadnought

Martin Custom Shop D-28 Authentic 1937 Natural Vintage Low Gloss

$4,489.00
Taylor Builder's Edition 814ce Blacktop Grand Auditorium Adirondack/Rosewood ES2 Acoustic Guitars / OM and Auditorium
Taylor Builder's Edition 814ce Blacktop Grand Auditorium Adirondack/Rosewood ES2 Acoustic Guitars / OM and Auditorium
Taylor Builder's Edition 814ce Blacktop Grand Auditorium Adirondack/Rosewood ES2 Acoustic Guitars / OM and Auditorium
Taylor Builder's Edition 814ce Blacktop Grand Auditorium Adirondack/Rosewood ES2 Acoustic Guitars / OM and Auditorium
Taylor Builder's Edition 814ce Blacktop Grand Auditorium Adirondack/Rosewood ES2 Acoustic Guitars / OM and Auditorium
Taylor Builder's Edition 814ce Blacktop Grand Auditorium Adirondack/Rosewood ES2 Acoustic Guitars / OM and Auditorium
Taylor Builder's Edition 814ce Blacktop Grand Auditorium Adirondack/Rosewood ES2 Acoustic Guitars / OM and Auditorium
Taylor Builder's Edition 814ce Blacktop Grand Auditorium Adirondack/Rosewood ES2 Acoustic Guitars / OM and Auditorium
Taylor Builder's Edition 814ce Blacktop Grand Auditorium Adirondack/Rosewood ES2 Acoustic Guitars / OM and Auditorium
Taylor Builder's Edition 814ce Blacktop Grand Auditorium Adirondack/Rosewood ES2 Acoustic Guitars / OM and Auditorium

Taylor Builder's Edition 814ce Blacktop Grand Auditorium Adirondack/Rosewood ES2

$4,499.00
Gibson Original SJ-200 Original Vintage Sunburst Acoustic Guitars / Jumbo
Gibson Original SJ-200 Original Vintage Sunburst Acoustic Guitars / Jumbo
Gibson Original SJ-200 Original Vintage Sunburst Acoustic Guitars / Jumbo
Gibson Original SJ-200 Original Vintage Sunburst Acoustic Guitars / Jumbo
Gibson Original SJ-200 Original Vintage Sunburst Acoustic Guitars / Jumbo
Gibson Original SJ-200 Original Vintage Sunburst Acoustic Guitars / Jumbo
Gibson Original SJ-200 Original Vintage Sunburst Acoustic Guitars / Jumbo
Gibson Original SJ-200 Original Vintage Sunburst Acoustic Guitars / Jumbo
Gibson Original SJ-200 Original Vintage Sunburst Acoustic Guitars / Jumbo
Gibson Original SJ-200 Original Vintage Sunburst Acoustic Guitars / Jumbo

Gibson Original SJ-200 Original Vintage Sunburst

$4,232.00
Gibson J-45 Standard Sunburst 2023 Acoustic Guitars / Jumbo
Gibson J-45 Standard Sunburst 2023 Acoustic Guitars / Jumbo
Gibson J-45 Standard Sunburst 2023 Acoustic Guitars / Jumbo
Gibson J-45 Standard Sunburst 2023 Acoustic Guitars / Jumbo
Gibson J-45 Standard Sunburst 2023 Acoustic Guitars / Jumbo
Gibson J-45 Standard Sunburst 2023 Acoustic Guitars / Jumbo
Gibson J-45 Standard Sunburst 2023 Acoustic Guitars / Jumbo
Gibson J-45 Standard Sunburst 2023 Acoustic Guitars / Jumbo
Gibson J-45 Standard Sunburst 2023 Acoustic Guitars / Jumbo
Gibson J-45 Standard Sunburst 2023 Acoustic Guitars / Jumbo
Gibson J-45 Standard Sunburst 2023 Acoustic Guitars / Jumbo
Gibson J-45 Standard Sunburst 2023 Acoustic Guitars / Jumbo

Gibson J-45 Standard Sunburst 2023

$2,295.00
Fender American Acoustasonic Stratocaster Dakota Red 2020 Acoustic Guitars / Built-in Electronics
Fender American Acoustasonic Stratocaster Dakota Red 2020 Acoustic Guitars / Built-in Electronics
Fender American Acoustasonic Stratocaster Dakota Red 2020 Acoustic Guitars / Built-in Electronics
Fender American Acoustasonic Stratocaster Dakota Red 2020 Acoustic Guitars / Built-in Electronics
Fender American Acoustasonic Stratocaster Dakota Red 2020 Acoustic Guitars / Built-in Electronics
Fender American Acoustasonic Stratocaster Dakota Red 2020 Acoustic Guitars / Built-in Electronics
Fender American Acoustasonic Stratocaster Dakota Red 2020 Acoustic Guitars / Built-in Electronics
Fender American Acoustasonic Stratocaster Dakota Red 2020 Acoustic Guitars / Built-in Electronics
Fender American Acoustasonic Stratocaster Dakota Red 2020 Acoustic Guitars / Built-in Electronics
Fender American Acoustasonic Stratocaster Dakota Red 2020 Acoustic Guitars / Built-in Electronics

Fender American Acoustasonic Stratocaster Dakota Red 2020

$1,150.00
Cordoba C10 Cedar Natural Acoustic Guitars / Classical
Cordoba C10 Cedar Natural Acoustic Guitars / Classical
Cordoba C10 Cedar Natural Acoustic Guitars / Classical
Cordoba C10 Cedar Natural Acoustic Guitars / Classical
Cordoba C10 Cedar Natural Acoustic Guitars / Classical
Cordoba C10 Cedar Natural Acoustic Guitars / Classical
Cordoba C10 Cedar Natural Acoustic Guitars / Classical
Cordoba C10 Cedar Natural Acoustic Guitars / Classical

Cordoba C10 Cedar Natural

$895.00

Related Posts

Short Scale Basses at Chicago Music Exchange

Short Scale Basses at Chicago Music Exchange

It's the year of the Short Scale Bass! The best in Bass builders are all creating a Bass that fits your short scale needs. Basses from Fender, Supro, Gibson and...

Read more
Starter Guitars - Guitars for Beginners at Chicago Music Exchange

Starter Guitars - Guitars for Beginners at Chicago Music Exchange

From your first guitar to your best guitar, Chicago Music Exchange has everything you need to get started playing guitar. As your playing evolves and improves we are here for...

Read more
Strange Echoes: 5 Wild Reverb Pedals to Check Out Right Now

Strange Echoes: 5 Wild Reverb Pedals to Check Out Right Now

Where once we built giant rooms, enormous reverberating panels and walls, and huge machines to record and refract sound there is now—a box. For something as simple as sound 'persisting'...

Read more