Opinions on a KOA Strat w/ Duncans

[polarbare21]

I played one in a shop this weekend, and almost took it home.

Can anyone that owns one, has played one a lot, or even has one set up similar with the seymore duncans give me their opinion good or bad on that beautiful chunk of electric wood?

Thanks

[Marcondo]

The Special Edition Koa Stratocaster guitar marks the first time that we’ve used exotic and highly sought-after koa wood in an instrument outside our Custom Shop models.

The guitar features a koa veneer atop a basswood body, with a Light Burst Rosewood finish, modern C-shaped birds-eye maple neck, rosewood fingerboard, Seymour Duncan® alnico Pro II pickups, a two-point synchronized tremolo, and pearl pickguard and dot inlays.



They are made in Korea.

[NeoFauve]

In general, what thickness constitutes "veneer?"

In other words, is polarbare basically digging a basswood Strat with the added visual appeal of koa?

Koa actually IS a legitimate tonewood.

[Gravity Jim]

In general, what thickness constitutes "veneer?"

Any thickness that still shows grain... thin as paper, if you want, with modern cutting machines.

if the koa was thick enough to effect tone, I'd think they'd call it a "cap." Not that basswood is bad... two basswood Fenders (a Strat I owned and a Tele I should have) are still among the very best examples I've ever picked up in my entire life.

[LoveBandit]

Koa actually IS a legitimate tonewood.

Just ask any ukelele player.... 8-)

LB

[NeoFauve]

Not that basswood is bad... two basswood Fenders (a Strat I owned and a Tele I should have) are still among the very best examples I've ever picked up in my entire life.

That's why I'm wondering.

My dear, departed 50's MIJ Tele was basswood.
As was the MIJ 62 Tele Custom I had.
Great guitars. Light and comfy too.

I wonder if they've focus-grouped the idea of marketing a product named the "Basswood Strat" and determined that they'd better either pulp them or apply a thin film of something sexy to them.

[Gravity Jim]

I wonder if they've focus-grouped the idea of marketing a product named the "Basswood Strat" and determined that they'd better either pulp them or apply a thin film of something sexy to them.

I'll buy that for a dollar.

[NeoFauve]

They should just call basswood somthing else.

Like Gibson called the balsa-ish center block used in the ES135 (for a while) "chromyte."

Basswood... hmmm

[NeoFauve]

I played one in a shop this weekend, and almost took it home.

Can anyone that owns one, has played one a lot, or even has one set up similar with the seymore duncans give me their opinion good or bad on that beautiful chunk of electric wood?

Thanks

Bassed on my exp with 2 basswood Fenders, one with an ash or alder burst top (probably also a veneer), I'd say if you dig it (and it sounds like you do) and the price is right, go for it.

I only sold mine because I was itching to build a Tele, and stupidly, I had it in my head that I didn't want to rout either of them for a mini-HB in the neck spot.
I thought I be hacking up a desireable MIJ Tele. Which was true, but so what? They were mine!

[Gravity Jim]

Have you ever heard of filberts? The dark, round, ribbed little nut that always ended up being left behind in the bottom of a can of mixed nuts?

The grower's association in the Pacific Northwest decided to rebrand that bad boy a few decades back... they were finding lots of flavoring applications for the oil, but nobody wanted "filbert flavored" anything, it seemed.

So they came up with a new name. "Hazelnut." Today it's 'common knowledge' that hazelnuts are a cousin of the lowly filbert grown only in Oregon and Washington. Uh huh. :)

Maybe there's a rebranding potential for basswood. The tree that produces it in North America is also called Lindenwood, Beetree (it attracts bees like crazy, it seems), Whitewood and Limetree. Any winners in there?

[NeoFauve]

Maybe there's a rebranding potential for basswood. The tree that produces it in North America is also called Lindenwood, Beetree (it attracts bees like crazy, it seems), Whitewood and Limetree. Any winners in there?

I swear I've read reviews in one of the UK mags about something made at least partly of Lindenwood.

I recently played a pricey ($1900-ish!!!), upscale Parkwood (a GC brand, I think) acoustic model made of Australian Blackwood.
Supposed to be something like mahogany, but with a very figured, dare I say, "AAA" grain.
Pretty, and a fantastic sounding guitar.
Very, very expensive for a Parkwood though. I think they're made in Korea.


But I digress again.
polarbare, proof is in the playing and in the hearing.

[polarbare21]

Well thanks to all, It was used, bought in April this year. I took her home for a great price. thanks again!

[NeoFauve]

Alright.
Enjoy.

[melody]

Cool if you like it that's all that counts! Pics man we need some pics!!!

[Gravity Jim]

Rock on, man. Like I said, two of the best Fenders I ever heard were basswood guitars.

[polarbare21]

I'll post some pics if I can ever pick it up without throwing the switch to the Vox on .......

Thanks again you guys are great