Solid Body Electric Lumber - Hog, Korina, Khaya, etc. .........

[bursty]

So, I have been playing solid body guitars for just shy of 50 years and I'm always interested in 'new' guitars aka new to me guitars.

The thing I like about different guitars constantly coming into my herd is I get to try 'new' stuff on a near constant rotating basis.

I'm always thinking about solid body guitar lumber and how it impacts, influences, contributes to, etc. the overall sonic response of any respective guitar.

So, I am to a point, after many decades, that I have this belief that Limba aka korina lumber is the true sweet spot for solid body guitar lumber.

I have had nearly a gazillion guitars made with Honduran hog, Khaya aka wannaB hog, hog & maple, who knows what lumber and my ears just keep coming back to Limba/korina for that overall most appealing solid body sonic response.

Has anyone here had a same/similar experience?
Am I just nutz?
Should I seek professional counseling?
Lemme know .........

 

[Big Al]

Limba has a sound. It's different and overall makes for good tone. As does HOG, Swamp Ash, Alder, Hard Maples, Soft Maples, Northern Ash, Sapele, Koa, Blackwood, Black Walnut, Paduk and many other woods. None own Best of Show for tone.

 

[jb_abides]

Know Thyself.

If you've found your match, that's great. Some people have that sense in mating strategy, too.

That one factor isn't my first decision point, I aim to cover bases, so I want some of everything.

Well, I can say that I do show a bit a favoritism to mahogany in acoustics, over rosewood or maple, but that's a different game,

So... Reverend Guitars is going to be receiving more business from you ...? That's a relative easy way to experience Koina in different shapes and pickup configurations. FWIW, I like the Reverend I own.

Or just your boutique luthiers are going to get Korina build orders?

 

[thin sissy]

I only own one korina guitar, so my experience is limited. But yeah, if it is representative of korina, I'd agree it is a very nice sounding wood.

It is middy in the upper register, and has a "hollow" sound. Very pleasing sound.

 

[Greywolf]

I've been a Luthier for 41 years, Korina aka Limba is a delightful tonewood . I like the black limba as it has more character.
PRS has used it in Private Stock (custom shop) for quite a while . It's janka # is low only 670 so it is a relatively soft wood and as such produced a warm tone . Mahogany can range from 8-900 lb to 3300 depending on sub species range so denser . Compare that to Indian Rosewood at 2440 .

 

[Subliminal lanimilbuS]

Korina is a really great tone wood. Gibson did some testing for this before using it for their Futuristic guitars in the 50's. A lot of people actually feel guitars made with Korina sound brighter than guitars made with Mahogany. That has been my experience as well. It can chip very easily when building with it and breathing in fine sanded particulates can be very unhealthy. Probably the main reason it wasn't used by Gibson on other guitars, after this was figured out, as it really is an amazing sounding and looking wood.

 

[jb_abides]

It can chip very easily when building with it and breathing in fine sanded particulates can be very unhealthy. Probably the main reason it wasn't used by Gibson on other guitars, after this was figured out, as it really is an amazing sounding and looking wood.

I recall Mat K alluding to as the reason Gibson USA weren't doing volume runs using Korina in the Nashville open factory; hence limited to Custom Shop where they employ more environmental controls [at greater cost!]... or overseas, hence the IBGC Vs and Explorers.

FWIW: So, for me, I would need to order Made-to-Measure Korinas from the CS, and-or get the Epi V and X as faux-placements, or both. Already have mahogany versions of both, so it's something I ponder but haven't acted upon...