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Location: MA | Does anyone know what "figured" Koa is? Is it solid Koa wood or a Koa veneer on top of another layer? A friend has the 2009 collectors (sweet guitar) with the Figured Koa top. I am looking at a couple of Takamine guitars one thats also figure koa. Any info would be appreciated. |
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Location: Omaha, NE | The 2009 Collectors has a solid top.
Don't know about the Tak's, but the spec "figured koa" doesn't tell you one way or another. |
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Location: Phoenix AZ | Depends which Takamine you are looking at. Tops are almost always solid koa. On cheaper non-Jap models the back/sides might be non-solid. Best to ask over on the Takamine forum. |
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Location: closely held secret | I don't think the 'figured' has anything to do with whether it's a lam or solid, it refers to wood that has a non-straight (swirly) grain pattern. |
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Location: MA | Thank you everyone. I have tried looking up "figured" koa and could not find a proper definition. I also thought it may refer to the wood grain/pattern. Thanks |
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Location: Upper Left USA | Figured just means wavy grain and not solid/lam.
As far as Koa goes I think finding some straight grain Koa would be very tough - and boring.
Now "Flame" is striping, "Quilt" is pillowing and "Bearclaw" is somewhere between stressed and stretch marks...
... caught a flash on the tube last night of the OctoMom belly at 9 Months and I'm still shocked. |
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Location: Keepin' It Weird in Portland, OR | I know that my CK047-FKOA (figured Koa) is laminate.
Cuz the grain on the inside goes another direction.
(It is actually straight! follows the direction of the fretboard)
See Woody? This is straight-grained and boring Koa.
I don't know about things like the 09C or spendy Takamines...
But like our Woodsman sez, most of that Flame Maple and such is veneer... laminate. |
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Location: Upper Left USA | 
Life is too short for boring guitars... |
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Location: Blue Ridge Mountains | Figured Koa
Life is too short for boring guitars...
Woody I agree!
1998 Taylor W-65 F/B/S Figured Claro Walnut 12 string
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Location: NJ | ah. |
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Location: Upper Left USA | Way to stick your neck out Mikey... |
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Location: Florida Central Gulf Coast | Originally posted by MusicMishka:
1998 Taylor W-65 F/B/S Figured Claro Walnut 12 string  Mike, is that yours?!?! <drool, whimpering...> |
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Location: closely held secret | Aw... |
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Location: Phoenix AZ | Ah, that's a nice looking guitar |
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Location: Blue Ridge Mountains | Ahhh.....(yes) |
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Location: New Hampsha | Mike,
Those edges on the back look kinda sharp!
They cut into you when you play?
:D |
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Location: Blue Ridge Mountains | Ahhhh.......(nope, but they help keep it on my lap in case I don't use the included strap buttons to attach a strap) ;)
BTW, Mike the VXT is beautiful! |
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Location: Keepin' It Weird in Portland, OR | Aw Well... |
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| Ah, so. |
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Location: closely held secret | I would consider Mike's Koa's flamed. |
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Location: Colorado Rocky Mountains | There are lots of Koa models out there these days. There's a reason . . . they're beautiful!
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Location: 6 String Ranch | Ah, figured usually has some or a lot of curl flame. |
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Location: Right now? | Elderly has a GORGEOUS '09C for sale:
Gorgeous 2009 Collectos F-KOA
;)
Willa |
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Location: Keepin' It Weird in Portland, OR |  |
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Location: Right now? | :eek: If I didn't already have mine, I'd grab that one! Pricey though, huh?
;)
Willa |
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Location: Phoenix AZ | Nice photos. WOW |
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Location: Atlanta, GA. | Maybe this will help. From a specialty hardwood site...
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Location: Right now? | Hmm. interesting. So I guess the '09C is "Curly" at least on mine. I thought the "F" in "F-KOA" meant figured. The one up on Elderly sure looks like figured though.
Thanks for those photos, Colin.
;)
Willa |
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Location: Phoenix AZ | I never knew what the F stood for until Moddy was checking out my guitar and looked at the label. "Cool man, Freakin Koa"
Or something like that |
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Location: Orange County, California | Never seen another like it.
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Location: Florida Central Gulf Coast | I see a bat... or a fox... or...
That's got to look alive in person. Gorgeous! |
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Location: Colorado Rocky Mountains | Fred and I selected each of our Koala models within minutes of one another. He chose the figured top and I went with the wild lines look. All of these first run 12 fretters were marvelous. I'm sure the second run of 14 fretters was just as purdy, too.
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Location: Boise, Idaho | Mine's kind of a mix of both. By the time I got around to it, there were only a couple left and the picture doesn't really show the "flame" that's pretty subtle up toward the neck.
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Figured Koa?