Acoustic guitars are defined by the wood that makes them up. Taylor k24ce acousticelectric guitar sn 1110228125. Humidity, koa, weissenborns, and everything about care. Sealing the inside of a koa guitar with shellac sealer beau. The highly figured koa top is reinforced using prs hybrid xclassical bracing as used on prs custom shop acoustic to provide support and enhanced resonance for peerless projection. Many cracks from humidity damage, they have been sealed and stabilized. Theres something undeniably inviting about the taylor gs minis scaleddown size, yet a single strum reveals the. Rh relative humidity is the amount of moisture present in the air expressed as a percentage of the total moisture the air is capable of holding at that particular temperature before precipitation occurs. Unfollow koa wood guitar to stop getting updates on your ebay feed. Even if you do not see a crack in the guitar, it has still lost moisture and the top has begun to sink.
Ibanez rg652kkb rg prestige 500 series hh electric guitar w tremolo koa brown. Aug 22, 2018 the highly figured koa top is reinforced using prs hybrid xclassical bracing as used on prs custom shop acoustic to provide support and enhanced resonance for peerless projection. Even on brand new koa instruments you see funny spots in the wood that. A tropical hardwood, koa s tone blends the midrange of mahogany with the top end of maple. Sealing the inside of a koa guitar with shellac sealer. Id look for some of the denser stuff, and follow the other guidelines regarding the saddle angle and wood grain. How to repair cracks in your acoustic guitar guitar alliance. The problem with koa is that it only grows on one set of islands in the world, only well on one island and only at its best at higher. A guitar humidifier will protect your taylor and keep it playing and. The spirit of the volcano lives in this tree and radiates from the lumber. If left unattended these cracks can spread open and create even more costly and highly visible repairs. Gibson sj200 koa acoustic guitar natural musicians friend.
Eclipse series the prestige eclipse series feature a grand auditorium body shape, with cutaway. The thin top, back, and sides of acoustic and semihollowbody guitars are the most susceptible to rapid humidity and temperature changes, but any guitar can be damaged if its kept outside of the safe zone for too long. It is endemic to the hawaiian islands, where it is the second most common tree. The koa yellow sign has always represented high quality, friendly service and fun, but were revolutionizing our campgrounds to make travel planning even easier by introducing the koa family. This stunning cutaway concert body shape guitar is crafted with a solid koa top and layered koa back and sides, resulting in a versatile play style guitar with a warm midrange that performs well as a strumming and rhythm instrument, but also responds to a light and gentle.
Using a guitar humidifier and other guitar humidity tips taylor. At 30% relative humidity you may see cracks in your guitar. This is why koa is rarely found on the modern production guitars of today. Most large factory built guitars like taks do specify when the instrument is all solid woods, saying something like solid koa, so if it doesnt specify solid, it probably isnt. Dec 09, 2009 koa guitars can vary tonally, in accordance with density and weight. If the humidity level is too high, this can cause your guitar to swell as it takes on more water from the atmosphere, and if it is too low, can often result in cracks appearing in. Also, koa guitars really benefit from being played a lot as this will speed up their break in period. Gibson sj200 koa acousticelectric guitar welcome to the wonderful world of koa and the beautiful full body tones of the sj200 acoustic. Dealing with humidity the ideal humidity range for an guitar is 45% 55% rh. We dry the wood well and assemble the guitar to avoid things like cracking. Jun 03, 2019 ukuleles usually develop small cracks because they are kept in very dry conditions. For example, if your local humidity drops very rapidly, the guitar cannot acclimate itself uniformly, causing cracks or failure of glue joints in different portions of the guitar as it tries to cope with the drying situation. Discover over 277 of our best selection of koa wood guitar on with topselling koa wood guitar brands.
Rapid fluctuations in temperature and humidity can have some notsosubtle effects on these instruments, and such changes heighten the risk of the wood developing cracks or glue joints becoming compromised. Hawaiian koa grows only between the 300 and 7,000foot elevations on hawaiis five major islands the finest. Warranty claims must be accompanied with the attached warranty card and original sales receipt indicating purchase date of the instrument dealing with humidity. Im ok with a laminate koa as the wood cracks easily but whats underneath the top. The sharp fret ends seen in 40% relative humidity will become more evident. I had a little problem, little cracks in the back, and the problem was the low humidity. I know us uke players who humidify like mad to stop cracking, even in mahogany ukes. I own a taylor with a sitka spruce top and koa back and sides that i purchased in 2005 and its the most balanced guitar that i own.
Shop the top 25 most popular koa guitars at the best prices. In my workshop,humidity is kept within a range of 45% 2% when assembling bodies and 3% at other times during construction of instruments. One reason so many koa ukes in the us have cracks is the huge difference between hawaii and, say, arizona. Correcting this problem requires rehumidification, conditioning, and fret filing. Taylor gs minie koa acousticelectric guitar natural. The ideal humidity range for an guitar is 45% 55% rh. A cracked guitar side is a difficult fix, especially when the sides of the split are uneven. If theyre abused with low humidity, either will crack, but dont worry about cedar. Among the first models to be voiced with taylors patented vclass bracing, this beautiful allkoa grand auditorium k24ce acoustic guitar will inspire players in both looks and sound. I seal the inside of my instruments to slow down not stop the rate that the wood can absorb and release moisture humidity in order to minimize cracks. The grand auditorium is tremendously versatile and equally suited to both finger picking and strumming.
Eventually this change can prove too stressful for the wood and it cracks. Opinions please the unofficial martin guitar forum. Each bellucci hand embossed case is a unique work of art hand stitched and built to last forever. It takes over 110 hours of very skilled and patient labor. Among the first models to be voiced with taylors patented vclass bracing, this beautiful all koa grand auditorium k24ce acoustic guitar will inspire players in both looks and sound. Its name in the hawaiian language, koa, also means brave, bold, fearless, or warrior. Afaik he was talking out his a, and it was my own fault for letting the humidity drop to 16% in my apartment. Controlling the detrimental effects of humidity on a fine. Extended exposure to high humidity can lead to guitar damage. Martin lx koa little martin acoustic guitar natural. Ukulele bindings are the same cost, even though they are shorter, but you can sometimes save considerable amount in the shipping. This iconic gibson sj200 has premiumfigured koa back and sides, motherofpearl torch and script headstock logo and inlays.
Controlling the detrimental effects of humidity on a fine acoustic guitar. Taylor gs mini series gs minie koa acousticelectric guitar natural. The pursuit exotic concert ce koa koa is one of the most popular pursuit exotic acousticelectric guitars. Guitar plays well and electronics have been tested. When paired with the right soundboard, it also has a wonderful tonal quality. If that air is at 100 percent relative humidity and you bring it into your house and heat it to 77 degrees fahrenheit, the relative humidity then falls, drastically, to 23 percent. Humidity is much easier to control and maintain in a small space. Still some woods seem to be better at resisting humidity cracks than. Thats because different parts of the guitar shrink and expand at different rates. Ive seen people so struck with the beauty of koa that they practically fall off their chairs as the guitar is removed from its case. Low humidity causes the wood to shrinkwe see a lot of these types of cracks in my minneapolis shop during the dry winter months. I can understand that as a repair shop hes probably biased toward seeing lots of cracked ukes from people who dont. Using a guitar humidifier and other guitar humidity tips. The hardwood koa top helps produce a balanced response across the tonal spectrum, with a clear, focused voice that lends itself to amplification through onboard.
When a guitar dries out, the fretboard shrinks and the frets protrude beyond the wood. Get a low price and free shipping on thousands of items. Pursuit exotic concert ce koa breedlove guitar company. Get the guaranteed best price on 6 string acoustic guitars like the martin lx koa little martin acoustic guitar at musicians friend. I know of no other wood possessing the chatoyancy or range of colors of koa. The bellucci guitar case will also fit other standard full size concert classical guitar brands. Ukulele bindings are available in curly koa, milo, indian rosewood, and ebony. Taylor gs minie koa acousticelectric bass guitar center. May 29, 2019 experts have recommended that your guitar should remain in an environment with a humidity of 4050% as your guitar will perform better if kept at this humidity level. Despite losing its shape and developing cracks on both the top and the back, bob taylor demonstrates the best way to bring this guitar back to. Elegant playability is the order of the day across the mahogany neck, whilst the luxurious tactile feel of the ebony fingerboard is the stuff of dreams.
Aug 16, 2017 taylor 310ce demo guitar in fair working condition. A lower density koa guitar tends to produce a more mahogany tone, whereas denser sets tend towards the rosewood spectrum. The ideal humidity range for your guitar is 4555% relative humidity rh. Due to its density, a new koa guitar tends to start out sounding a little bright and tight, somewhat like maple. Mar 19, 2007 ive seen people so struck with the beauty of koa that they practically fall off their chairs as the guitar is removed from its case. Ten things you should know about taylor guitars before you buy one. We also have curly mango wood and other hawaiian grown species for you to choose from.
If your guitar is showing signs of low humidity sharp fret ends, cracks, or separated glue joints, you need to have it evaluated by a reputable luthier. Note that this method only works for repairing cracks in wooden ukuleles. Koa light figure guitar neck blank hawaiian acacia koa 27 x 3 12 x 1. Koa guitars can vary tonally, in accordance with density and weight. Jan 24, 2017 solid cuts of wood rely on their natural resins and the guitars bracing for stability. Ukuleles made of other materials, or that are laminated, are not likely to develop cracks. The koa forests have been drastically depleted over the years, which explain the soaring prices.
The result is an inviting, portable and greatsounding instrument that makes playing acoustic bass more fun and accessible to a broader range of guitar customers. Wide board sets for guitars are becoming more difficult to get no matter how fast the tree grows. Taylor gs minie koa acousticelectric guitar natural guitar center. Keeping your guitar storage room humidified as close to 45 percent humidity as possible or using a special guitar humidifier is excellent insurance against cracks caused by a dry environment for more info on humidifying guitars, check out its not the heat, its the humidity, from the february 2006 print edition. Oct 28, 2018 i had a little problem, little cracks in the back, and the problem was the low humidity. Some guitar woods, such as brazilian rosewood, are more susceptible than others. The trick seems to be to build at the lowest humidity the uke is likely to experience. The effects of both high and low humidity are detrimental to an acoustic guitar. They are most often described as a warm sounding mahogany to a brighter sounding rosewood. Shop the top 25 most popular koa wood guitar at the best prices. Ukuleles usually develop small cracks because they are kept in very dry conditions. With all the koa hoopla, there is bad with the good here. Guitar bindings are available in curly mango and curly koa. In my workshop, humidity is kept within a range of 45% 2% when assembling bodies and 3% at other times during construction of instruments.
May 01, 20 the truth is that we have very few cracks at all with either wood. Koa has over 450 campgrounds across north america, with friendly service and great amenities. I can understand that as a repair shop hes probably biased toward seeing lots of. The bass features the standard gs mini body and scale length 23. I have a weissenborn, a 1927, and honestly, i had never thoguht about that. For example, if your local humidity drops very rapidly, the guitar cannot acclimate itself uniformly, causing cracks or failure of glue joints in different portions of the guitar as it. Ibanez s5520kkb s prestige 5500 series hh australian blackwood top electric guitar koa brown. In the uk we rarely get really low humidity, so koa survives. One of the common telltale signs of a dry guitar is sharp fret ends. Now we are taking care about, buenos aires has high humidity, but in winter we use heating system, so i ll need humidity suply system for this guitar.
If the humidity is too high during assembly, a guitar may suffer great damage when subjected to a north american wintersevere warping, multiple cracks, glue joint failure, etc. Luna high tide grand concert cutaway acousticelectric guitar, koa. If your guitar is showing signs of low humidity sharp fret ends, cracks, or. Using a digital hygrometer to monitor the guitar humidity level inside the case is the only way to be certain youre in the 4555 percent range. Rh relative humidity is the amount of moisture present in the air expressed as a percentage of the total moisture the air is capable of holding at that particular. Taylor 310ce w mike jenkins at collar city guitars youtube. Ukuleles need to be kept in humidity levels of 4060% to prevent cracking. But the more a koa guitar is played, the more the sound opens up, expanding the midrange and rewarding the player with a richer, sweeter, more.
While much of our energy is devoted to preventing guitars from drying out, it also is possible for guitars to become too wet. What every ukulele player should know about humidity. Dan erlewine shows how to pull a crack together and glue it neatly and permanently with the stewmac. Check out our list of frequently asked question about our campgrounds, value kard rewards program, policies and more. Keeping your guitar storage room humidified as close to 45 percent humidity as possible or using a special.
After a fair amount of moisture loss an instruments wood panels begin to shrink. Took in a solid acacia uke to get a crack beneath the bridge fixed, guy said it wasnt my fault, all koa ukes crack eventually regardless of humidity, even in hawaii. If you dont find what youre looking for send us a request and well get back to you. Relative humidity of less than 40%, over time, can cause many guitars and other wooden things to crack, and due to this seasonal drop in humidity i inevitably see more instruments coming in for repair of cracks in the top, and string buzz problems. May 08, 2018 i seal the inside of my instruments to slow down not stop the rate that the wood can absorb and release moisture humidity in order to minimize cracks. When heated to 77 degrees, that same cubic foot of air can now hold 22 grams of water. Cedar tops guitar blog the official taylor guitars blog. Im currently building a jumbo style 40 koa guitar back, sides and top for a. Guitar humidity and temperature levels dawsons music. If you cant decide between maple and rosewood, koa offers the best of both worlds. Lightweight, rigid, yet bendable, koa is a great material for guitar manufacturers to work with. Solid cuts of wood rely on their natural resins and the guitars bracing for stability. While high humidity usually will not crack the wood the way low humidity can, the adverse effects can be just as damaging and sometimes can be more costly to.
Taylor gs minie koa acousticelectric bass natural guitar. Dec 24, 20 the lengthy crack on this guitar tops lower bout is due to low humidity, but dont fretthese types of cracks can be repaired. Koa may be the most spectacular hardwood in the world. To prevent damage, keep your guitar at a consistent 40%50% humidity level. Best value koa guitars great deals on koa guitars from. To make your guitar playable you may need a higher saddle. If youre having trouble getting to that range, you may need to rewet the humidifier more frequently and consider adding a second or larger humidifier inside. Acacia koa is a species of flowering tree in the family fabaceae. A tropical hardwood, koas tone blends the midrange of mahogany with the top end of maple.
The truth is that we have very few cracks at all with either wood. And as most guitar owners know, extremes of humidity particularly low humidity. Hawaiian master grade premium quartersawn curly koa bookmatched aaaa tonewood guitar sets curly koa ukulele bookmatched sets curly hawaiian mango instrument sets highly figured fiddleback big island koa luthiers guitar builder artisan woodworker guitar bookmatched tops backs sides sets air dried. Ended up gifting it and getting a zebra wood in replacement and made sure my shelf was sealed, which now stays at a steady 52%. Layered wood is also less succeptible to changes in temperature and humidity, making it an excellent choice for players who travel with their instruments or simply. Discover over 405 of our best selection of koa guitars on with topselling koa guitars brands. At a critical point in moisture loss, the accumulated stress brought about by uneven wood shrinkage relieves itself by producing one or more cracks and. Oct 19, 2015 using a digital hygrometer to monitor the guitar humidity level inside the case is the only way to be certain youre in the 4555 percent range. Theres something undeniably inviting about the taylor gs minis scaleddown size, yet a single strum reveals the impressive voice of.
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