Woods @ Kanile'a 'Ukulele

Koa (Acacia Koa) is unquestionably Hawai'i's most prized wood. Hawaiians have always valued Koa for its beauty and durability.
Koa still remains the premier Hawaiian timber for 'ukuleles, furniture and other woodcrafts. Its diversity and shortage has made Koa prices soar. With an ongoing reforestation program, and sensible logging, Koa will always be available.
Koa's use for instruments is superb. It has a "tap-tone" quality that is almost second to none. Besides its beauty, our Koa instruments produce outstanding tones that are "Kanile'a".

Guitar and 'ukulele builders check our luthiers page to view available Koa sets.

Click on Pictures to see examples

Select Koa

Straight grained Koa is the most common form found. It usually has a rich orange-brown color and finishes beautifully.

Select curly Koa

Select curly Koa is hard to find. A piece like this; with its coloring and luminescence is of the rarest. All of our K-2 and above models are built using this grade!

Premium Select curly Koa

Of all the wood in the world, this has to be the absolutely most gorgeous of them all.
(O.K. I may be a little bias!)
Premium select full curly Koa like this is so rare the numbers are astonishing. Only one out of a hundred trees may you find a 3% to 5% yield of this grade.

South American Mahogany

South American Mahogany (Swietenia Macrophylla) has been a prime choice of tonal wood for many years. Its tonal response is similar to Koa with a slight "mellowness" that can be favored by an experienced players ear. Its strength properties are excellent which allows for this Mahogany to be a prime choice for instrument body and neck material.

Tonal Woods

For many years, Koa has been the preferred choice of wood for 'ukulele construction. In recent years the 'ukulele finally got the respect worthy for what it is, a potentially excellent tonal instrument. Through the years I have experimented with many different type of "tone" woods. I have found, that the woods listed on this page have excellent tonal qualities with the appearance to match.

Sitka Spruce

Sitka Spruce (Picea sitchensis) has a preferred use for soundboard material. Its strength and tough elasticity are highly valued. "Bear Claw" Sitka Spruce is rare. It acquired its name from the bear like claw marks in its grain. Sitka Spruce colors range from white to pink to light brown. I offer both because of the rich, mellow tone they produce.

Western Red Cedar

Red Cedar (Thuja plicata) Traditionally has been used by classical guitar builders. Its lateral strength is perfect for nylon stringed instruments like the 'ukulele. Tonally, Red Cedar built instruments will resemble aged Spruce from very early on.

Brazilian Rosewood

Brazilian Rosewood (Delbergia Nigra) is the most sought after wood for use in instrument construction. Collectors of fine guitars know the value of this wood. We are very fortunate to offer this fabulous tonal wood.

Claro Walnut

Walnut California (Juglans californica) is getting more and more popular with instrument makers. Its dark-brown color and beautiful tonal response makes it one of the best. Every instrument that I have built using Walnut, has become a customer favorite.

Curly Mango

Mango (Mangifera indica) has a color range from white to light brown. Commonly Mango will have an effervescent red to greenish-blue hue in its figure. Mango has an excellent tap tone and can be used for both instrument body and soundboard.

Curly Maple

Maple (Acer pseudoplatanus) is a wood traditionally used for violins. It is a prized figured specimen, particularly with its curly or fiddle back figure. Maples' coloring is white with golden medullar rays (silking). Its primary use is instrument bodies, but I have used it for soundboards with great results.

Curly Myrtle

Myrtle (Umbellularia California) is well known for its bright sound and excellent projection. I have found Myrtle to be one of the easiest woods to work with. Primarily Myrtle is used for instrument bodies (back & sides). Its color is a golden brown with a tinge of green.

Kanile'a 'Ukulele also offers other types of woods.
Red wood (Sequoia sempervirons) traditionally used for soundboards, African Rosewood (Bubinga) and East Indian Rosewood used for instrument bodies. email us for more information and availability.

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