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| Brazillian Koa, or Tigerwood http://www.luthiersforum.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=10101&t=18777 |
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| Author: | ncovey [ Sat Sep 13, 2008 10:02 am ] |
| Post subject: | Brazillian Koa, or Tigerwood |
Does anyone have any opinions on this species? I have quite a large supply of it, some with a lot of color variance and some with a lot of figure. Enough for 10 to 12 instruments. I've used it for backs and sides, fingerboards, bridges and tail-pieces, and find it is fairly easy to bend , carves easliy and is very stable and strong. Glues nice and is moderately hard (janka=2160). Stock should be ready for resawing this week. This is typical grain and color : unfinished |
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| Author: | Don Williams [ Sat Sep 13, 2008 11:07 am ] |
| Post subject: | Re: Brazillian Koa, or Tigerwood |
That's nice looking wood Nehemiah. I've never seen it before, at least that I can recall. It certainly looks like it's worth a try. |
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| Author: | Don Williams [ Sat Sep 13, 2008 12:18 pm ] |
| Post subject: | Re: Brazillian Koa, or Tigerwood |
verhoevenc wrote: Goncalo alves can be some pretty stuff! Chris Ah...that explains it. I didn't ralize that's what it was. |
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| Author: | ncovey [ Sat Sep 13, 2008 1:16 pm ] |
| Post subject: | Re: Brazillian Koa, or Tigerwood |
I looked it up and found many different names , goncalo alves, bosson, bototo, zorrowood. Found in Brazil, Bolivia, Peru, Guatemala and Mexico. I recently finished a small bodied 12 string in this (back/sides) and it had wonderful acoustic tone. Brighter than rosewood, crisp and nice sustain. Also a baritone Uke with similar results. I have some picked out for a dread that will be my own. (if I ever find the time). |
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| Author: | Howard Klepper [ Sun Sep 14, 2008 7:38 am ] |
| Post subject: | Re: Brazillian Koa, or Tigerwood |
I have never seen it called Brazilian koa. It does not resemble the acacias. Brazilian tigerwood is commonly used as the name in the flooring industry, but I never saw it outside the flooring industry. In the lumber trade in the USA, Gonçalo Alves is only name I've seen. Makes a good back and side wood. I used it for a 12-string. I'd describe it as tonally neutral. Machines to high tolerances and polishes well. IMO not quite dense or oily enough for fingerboards. |
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| Author: | ncovey [ Sun Sep 14, 2008 12:51 pm ] |
| Post subject: | Re: Brazillian Koa, or Tigerwood |
I hadn't ever heard it called brazillian koa either Howard, and I have been using it here and there for a couple years. With pretty good success, I think it is a useful species and some specimens are very oily (I save these for tail-pieces, bridges and fret boards). Overall I would rater it along side black walnut, with a little more difficulty in bending, but then i have had some of it I would rate up there with koa. |
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| Author: | joel Thompson [ Sun Sep 14, 2008 1:03 pm ] |
| Post subject: | Re: Brazillian Koa, or Tigerwood |
I agree with the klep, its a nice wood, it does oxidise over time to a lovely orengy/red which i love. It can be a pale when freshly worked. In fact it is used by furniture restorers as a substitute for old patinad cuban mahogany would you belive. I dont offer it as a fingerboard or bridge wood as i dont think it dense enough but i have sold it to folks who have asked for it (mine is not to reason why mine in just to supply). I love it for bindings its hard as nails (the a diference between hard and dense) and can take quite beating but it bends well and looks supurb. It often has wonderfull figure. Never heard of it called brazilian koa and i would say thats a misrepresentation if you ask me as its not even slightly related to koa (not even same genus i dont think). Its quite cheap here in the uk (where we call it tigerwood) but comes up rarely making it a high value item for me. Nice stuff use it and be merry, joel. |
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