Drak Posted April 17, 2004 Report Share Posted April 17, 2004 Finally got a chance to toss some coat on the Koa...here's the results so far. Lots left to do, but I'm lovin' it so far. The sides will be blacked out as well as the cavities. I tried the neck on it, hoo-boy, it's gonna rawk! The pic doesn't really show the refraction abilities of this wood. You turn it 1/4" and it just goes berserk with 'chatoyance' (hehehe) the figure dances like MAD I tell you! It's like a kaleidoscope of figure every time you move it at all. PS, it was pore-filled with CA (superglue) and damn it's sweet not having to worry about filling pores with lacquer. It's mad flat right off. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Maher Posted April 17, 2004 Report Share Posted April 17, 2004 very nice figure Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
renablistic Posted April 18, 2004 Report Share Posted April 18, 2004 NIIIIICEEE... PS: notice that LeeM posted at exactly 4:20.. so all things considered (cotton mouth) that drooling he said he was doing would not be probable. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
guitar_ed Posted April 18, 2004 Report Share Posted April 18, 2004 Drak, OMG. I love Koa, and this is one fine piece of it. Very pretty. Out of curiosity, how are the controls going to work? Also, what was the source of that wood? Take care, Guitar Ed Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Drak Posted April 18, 2004 Author Report Share Posted April 18, 2004 Ed, I got that piece from e-Bay for about $50.00. It was advertised as a gunstock blank. It was a very rough-hewn piece of wood in the pic and it was very hard to make out the figure hidden beneath, but I thought I spotted some telltale signs of figure, so I gave it a shot. When I finally got it sawn up, I was blown away with what I found inside. The controls will be: Volume Tone EMG EXG EMG SPC EMG Afterburner pre-amp I'm considering putting a Ghost acoustic simulator system on it too. Haven't decided on pkps yet, but I'm thinking Fralin Broadcaster 5% underwound for the bridge (gotta have that twang), or a Harmonic Design Tele Vintage+, a Barden Strat Deluxe in the middle, and a Lace Sensor (Hot Gold or Holy Grail) in the neck. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Brian Posted April 18, 2004 Report Share Posted April 18, 2004 Yummy Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Drak Posted April 18, 2004 Author Report Share Posted April 18, 2004 Thanks! I just put up 3 more pics I took late yesterday. And I blacked out the pkp cavities last night. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
croaticum Posted April 18, 2004 Report Share Posted April 18, 2004 WOW Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bizzare Posted April 18, 2004 Report Share Posted April 18, 2004 Exellent as always. Was there a time when you didn't get pro results? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Drak Posted April 18, 2004 Author Report Share Posted April 18, 2004 Yeah, for years. I didn't really start getting good results for about 3 years and about the first dozen bodies (probably more than that, hehehe) ...slow learner, and hard-headed to boot... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
skibum5545 Posted April 18, 2004 Report Share Posted April 18, 2004 DANG. Nice. To be honest, the pearloid binding looks kind of cheap and flashy compared to that figure IMHO, but it's still amazing. A neat little tidbit I just found out: even though Koa comes from Hawaii, it is actually shipped to the Seattle area for the most part to be milled into boards. Any Koa you find in Hawaii is lower quality, because all the best stuff stays in Seattle, and costs more. I found this out because I was in Hawaii over break and was visiting various cabinet shops for some Koa deals, only to find that none were to be found. Oh well. VERY nice guitar, anyway. Good figured Koa can go for as much as $50 a BF, so you really got a good deal (I think). How thick is the top? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Drak Posted April 18, 2004 Author Report Share Posted April 18, 2004 It's about 7/32, a tad shy of 1/4", a shade thicker than 3/16". Yeah, I think I agree about the binding, but ya have to try stuff out... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
VanKirk Posted April 18, 2004 Report Share Posted April 18, 2004 Nice bit of info on the Koa, skibum. I should look around since I'm in Tacoma about 30 miles south of Seattle. After seeing Draks wood (hehe) I'd like to try some out. Beautiful top Drak. I'd love to see that 3D effect in person since pics only show a little bit of the true beauty. (but your photography skills still do a great job at showing it). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MzI Posted April 18, 2004 Report Share Posted April 18, 2004 hey drak, what does you use for a camera those pictures are crystal clear, my pictures always come out fuzzy and im thinkin its time for a camera upgrade MzI Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
spirit Posted April 23, 2004 Report Share Posted April 23, 2004 WOW!! Thats some nice Koa! Damnit, you guys are all so good! I'm glad I don't have a digital camera or scanner for when I make a guitar................. On a different note, Drak, you seem to like EMG stuff. Why the SPC and EXG? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bow Posted April 23, 2004 Report Share Posted April 23, 2004 Damn! That is amazing! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JPL Posted April 23, 2004 Report Share Posted April 23, 2004 A neat little tidbit I just found out: even though Koa comes from Hawaii, it is actually shipped to the Seattle area for the most part to be milled into boards. Any Koa you find in Hawaii is lower quality, because all the best stuff stays in Seattle, and costs more. I got this from a hawian dealer so there must be some good wood there. To be fair this was by far the best koa that he had. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Devon Headen Posted April 23, 2004 Report Share Posted April 23, 2004 The only good looking stuff I can find on eBay is massive, and costs like 1000 bucks . Where do you guys get your koa? Minus Drak cause he already told us Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JPL Posted April 23, 2004 Report Share Posted April 23, 2004 I got mine from this guy. He no longer shows pictures of the sets on his site but I'm sure he will work with you to find what you want and send pix before you buy. He's a very nice guy and the service was second to none. His prices seem high but I found nothing even close to the wood he offers. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Morben Guitars Posted April 23, 2004 Report Share Posted April 23, 2004 Drak - Looking good!! Hey, if you want to install the GHOST pickups - get the cavities routed from the saddle area to the bridge p/u before you get too much clear on.. You'll thank me later. If you decide to not install the GHOSTS - the mod will be covered by the bridge and will be out of sight. -Ben Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
skibum5545 Posted April 23, 2004 Report Share Posted April 23, 2004 Don't get me wrong, there are (naturally) Hawaiian koa dealers, but that was info I learned from a cabinet-maker in Maui. I'm SURE some koa stays in the islands, to be sure. BTW Drewblanc, that is the best top I HAVE EVER SEEN!!! How much did that cost you?!!! Yours is nice too, Drak. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JPL Posted April 24, 2004 Report Share Posted April 24, 2004 I suppose a big reason most of it is shipped out is that it's more cost effective than shipping out a lot of small parcels. I wouldn't be suprised if that changes as koa becomes more scarce. I need to dig out the invoice but I think I paid about $300 for two consecutive sets. That one is 5/8 and I have it's 1/4" twin that will become a twelve string someday. My tastes lean more towards plain wood with a marquetry inlay but both me and my buddy I'm building this for fell in love with it. And now back to our regularly scheduled thread: Drak, that is one damned nice looking guitar. If you need someone to test it out I'll send you my shipping address. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Devon Headen Posted April 28, 2004 Report Share Posted April 28, 2004 (edited) I've got a question. I'm looking at some gunstock blanks, but most of them say that they're like 4 angling to 7.5 inches wide. How did you get a body out of that? Edited April 28, 2004 by StonesCreed Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kings_x Posted April 28, 2004 Report Share Posted April 28, 2004 I got a question. I'm looking at some cunstock blanks, but most of them say the they're like 4 anglin to 7.5 inches wide. How did you get a body out of that? Laminate two 7.5 pieces together and you have a 15 inch body. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Drak Posted April 28, 2004 Author Report Share Posted April 28, 2004 It did come quite close actually. I had to glue on a very small 'patch', about 1.5" by 1", on the upper outer tips of both sides, but if I didn't tell you, I bet you'd never even see them, they blend in almost perfectly. king's x, gunstock blanks are usually sold in a triangular form, as stones was inferring to, and yes, mine was triangular, and I 'just' pulled it out. Perfect for V's tho! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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