(Acacia koa): Koa trees are endemic to Hawai'i Island and is among our most prized hardwoods.
Koa being protected by our government, all harvested lumber come from trees that have naturally fallen down or are ready to fall.
Hues vary from golden yellow, red to chocolate brown with "curly" lines and swirls with unique contrast. Koa is known for its unique tone that sweeten with time. Starting from a dynamic and clear sound, the wood opens up to velvet warm, while keeping richness and clarity.
Koa's complexity makes it one of the most beautiful and tonal wood in the world.
(Albizia saman): Often mistaken for Koa, Monkeypod features beautiful nuanced swirls and unique grain.
The "Rain Tree" may not be as rich as Koa, but gives a more serene vibe with its quiet curves. Some pieces can show unique figured grain, that we will gracefully highlights in our builds. Monkeypod creates warm and round tones, similar to Koa and mahogany.
(Falcataria moluccana): Although considered a high risk invasive species by the Hawai'i Invasive Species Council, we love the rare Chocolate Albizia for its lightweight, but big sounding tones. We discovered this treasure when we built, what may have been at the time (May 20, 2020), the world's first solid body Chocolate Albizia TigerLuv Guitars ™.