So..Is this Strat body KOA?

[arealken]

This is supposed to be an older Warmoth Koa body. Does this look like Koa to you? Thanks.;

 

[DangerousR6]

Nope..

 

[Cagey]

No. Not even close.

Looks more like old Alder or Maple to me.

See Koa examples here.

 

[DangerousR6]

No. Not even close.

Looks more like old Alder or Maple to me.

See Koa examples here.

I was thinking alder..

 

[TonyFlyingSquirrel]

No. Not even close.

Looks more like old Alder or Maple to me.

See Koa examples here.

I was thinking alder..

Same here.

 

[pabloman]

It's Noa!! :headbang1:

 

[AirCap]

If that was koa, it would be the most bland and boring piece of koa God ever grew.
I say alder.

 

[stratamania]

I would also say no and hazard a guess that it is a piece of alder with a stain on it.

Especially if you look at the tremolo mounting holes and the neck pocket you can see lighter wood showing through. There is also finish type wear under the pickups.

 

[Great Ape]

Yeah, alder gets my vote too.

 

[arealken]

Thanks again for the replies, I really appreciate your advice on this everyone.
So, heres what the party of the first part has to say about this body;

"Hello, the body is definitely Koa, it is my area of expertise (I've been working in the high end acoustic guitar manufacturing industry for almost 30 years). The wood is softer than Alder or Ash, or Maple and you can see proof of this looking at the indent from the neck plate on the back of the body. The Koa is not flame AA Koa, but flat sawn. Really the body feels nothing like a Maple, Alder or Ash body. Hope this clears this up,"

What say ye?

 

[mayfly]

I'm thinking the guy is really keen to sell this old body.  If it is in fact Koa, then it's not a piece of Koa worth owning.  IMHO

 

[TonyFlyingSquirrel]

Thanks again for the replies, I really appreciate your advice on this everyone.
So, heres what the party of the first part has to say about this body;

"Hello, the body is definitely Koa, it is my area of expertise (I've been working in the high end acoustic guitar manufacturing industry for almost 30 years). The wood is softer than Alder or Ash, or Maple and you can see proof of this looking at the indent from the neck plate on the back of the body. The Koa is not flame AA Koa, but flat sawn. Really the body feels nothing like a Maple, Alder or Ash body. Hope this clears this up,"

What say ye?

Even flat sawn Koa will have some degree of chatoyance, which this piece does not.  I've seen rough cut koa up close on the island of Kauai and even the most boring piece of Koa will bend some light just a touch. 
There's nothing about this piece that even resembles Koa in my opinion.  The color, the grain pattern, the streaking of the grain.  None of it.

I'm sorry, but I think there's a seller out there who may be trying to take advantage of you.

 

[Cagey]

I don't know what the guy did for the 30 years he worked for the alleged high-end acoustic guitar manufacturer, but it's a safe bet he wasn't identifying, buying or cataloging wood. That body doesn't even resemble Koa. Did you look at the pictures of the stuff on the site I linked to above?

And this is the body in question...

"One of these things is not like the others.
One of these things just doesn't belong.
Can you tell which is not like the others
By the time I finish my song?"

Plus, I'm not sure where he got the idea Koa is soft. It's more than twice as hard as Alder. It's an 1170 on the Janka hardness scale, vs. 590 for Alder.

Regardless of what it's made out of, look at the screw holes for the bridge on that body. That poor thing has been rode hard and put up wet. I'm not sure I'd take that body for free, let alone pay anything for it.

 

[stratamania]

Its just somebody saying blah, blah because of blah. Not verifiable.

Janker Hardness, for Koa is harder than maple so not sure where he got his data.

1170 Koa
850          Maple

 

[Logrinn]

Another thing: if this was koa, wouldn't Warmoth have tried gluing this two-piece body along the centerline, instead of off-center as it is now?

 

[mayfly]

If they were trying to make it pretty, I imagine that they would.  And of course, why use Koa if you can't make it pretty?

 

[TonyFlyingSquirrel]

It's likely an alder body that someone purchased unfinished from the showcase either because it was inexpensive or because they intended to put their own solid color finish on it.

If it had been a piece that was intended for a clear finish, as said above, the lamination would have occurred on a centerline.

Someone's trying to sell you some snake oil.

 

[JD0x0]

Yeah, I was going to mention calling the guy out on the Janka test. Koa is NOT a soft wood. You know what is Alder...


I'd chew this guy out a bit after claiming his 'expertise'
It could've easily been a mistake, but now I dont trust this person and feel they need to be put in their place before some unsuspecting person pays $500 for a POS alder body (no offence warmoth, you make good stuff)

 

[bbl4ck]

I guess I would ask why you are wanting to purchase a Koa body?  Most people that are looking for a Koa body do so because of the beauty of the wood. 
If that is your reasoning, then this certainly does not fill that requirement!
If it were me, I would turn around and run like the wind...
:rock-on:

 

[arealken]

I'm ashamed to admit I bought it already. I like older Warmoth bodies. Anyway, Im filing a claim. I paid 285.00 total. I haven't heard back from the dude after I showed him this, so that indicates he isn't on the up-and -up.. I'm worried I'll be stuck with it, but usually the return process is pretty straightforward.
If Fleabay won't approve it, Paypal will, I think.
I wouldn't mind having the body as an Alder body, but not for 285.00