Koa Neck Feel

[partialdoctor]

Hey guys,

I've decided to switch the neck on my tele (ash body, overwound Rumplestiltskin pups) for a neck with a little more bottom end (current has maple/PF) and larger frets. I like the idea of an unfinished neck and am considering a Koa/PF neck, but I know the Koa must be finished. I would put a couple of light coats of Tru-oil on it. How do you suppose this would feel? Is Koa a fairly tight pored wood? I don't like the very open pore feel of Wenge for example.

Thanks!

 

[bagman67]

I understand Koa to have a similar open-pored nature to what mahogany presents. 

So you'd want to fill the pores, either with a grain filler product, or by using the Tru-oil - apply, sand to make a slurry of sand dust and tru-oil, repeat as necessary.  If you don't want to put a lot of Tru-oil on, I'd just opt for the grain-fill using a dedicated product.

Bagman

 

[partialdoctor]

Thanks. I'm thinking of going with rosewood instead. I want a very natural feel.

 

[Orpheo]

Thanks. I'm thinking of going with rosewood instead. I want a very natural feel.

rosewood is great, really. but wenge is closer to koa in terms of tone than RW.

 

[OzziePete]

Sorry for adding this late, I haven't noticed this Thread before now...

I have a flamed koa neck on  an electric guitar that was finished by Warmoth, and it feels very much like the Mahogany (finished in gloss) neck I have on another guitar (acoustic).....Tonewise, I am guessing that Koa is 'darker' in tone to maple, but maybe not as full dark as mahogany can get. In the tone comparison I am comparing the same pickups as used in one guitar with a maple/ebony neck, then that electroncis as heard in the new guitar, this time with a flamed koa/ebony neck set up.

 

[partialdoctor]

Sorry for adding this late, I haven't noticed this Thread before now...

I have a flamed koa neck on  an electric guitar that was finished by Warmoth, and it feels very much like the Mahogany (finished in gloss) neck I have on another guitar (acoustic).....Tonewise, I am guessing that Koa is 'darker' in tone to maple, but maybe not as full dark as mahogany can get. In the tone comparison I am comparing the same pickups as used in one guitar with a maple/ebony neck, then that electroncis as heard in the new guitar, this time with a flamed koa/ebony neck set up.

Thanks Pete!