Hawaiian Woods
Koa
Koa (Acacia Koa) is endemic to the Hawaiian Islands and can be found in many forests at higher elevations. The word “koa” means “warrior” in Hawaiian. The warriors of King Kamehameha the Great, created canoes and weapons from a wood plentiful on the Big Island of Hawaii. This wood became synonymous with the warriors themselves, and it became known as koa.
Koa is also a tonewood making it highly sought after in the use of other instruments. The wood can be highly figured with curls in it that give it a shifting and changing appearance as you alter the vantage point. A lot of the koa I work with is from the fall off of other woodworkers.
Koa is also a tonewood making it highly sought after in the use of other instruments. The wood can be highly figured with curls in it that give it a shifting and changing appearance as you alter the vantage point. A lot of the koa I work with is from the fall off of other woodworkers.
Three Different Pieces of Koa
Koa A-Frame Drone in the Key of D
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Curly Koa Wood
Koa Drone with Pheasant Wood in the Fetish and Drone Hole
Plugs in the Key of F#
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Mango
Mango (Mangifera indica) is of course well known for its delicious fruits, but it also has amazingly beautify looking wood. Because of the spalting that is commonly present, the wood can be a kaleidoscope of colors. Under normal circumstances, heartwood is a golden brown, while other colors such as yellow and streaks of pink and/or black can also occur. Curly or mottled grain patterns are also common.
Mango Wood
Mango Drone with Turquoise Inlay in the Key of G
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Mango Drone in the Key of G
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Monkeypod
Monkeypod (Albizia saman) tends to be a golden to dark brown, sometimes with darker streaks. Sapwood is usually thin and yellow/white, clearly demarcated from the heartwood. Monkeypod is sometimes seen with highly figured curly or wild grain patterns.
Other names are 5 o'clock tree and Raintree because in the evening and when it rains, the leaves fold up.
This is a dense wood with a beautiful and rich tonality.
Other names are 5 o'clock tree and Raintree because in the evening and when it rains, the leaves fold up.
This is a dense wood with a beautiful and rich tonality.
Monkey Pod Wood with Sap Wood and Hard Wood
Monkeypod Drone with Spalted Koa/Monkeypod Fetish
and Spalted Koa End Piece in the Key of F#
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Monkey Pod Drone Flute in the Key of F#
Monkeypod Single Flute in the Key of F#
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Pheasant Wood
Pheasantwood, also known as Thailand cassia or Senna siamea, is a rare species of hardwood (scientific name: Cassia siamea), named after the black and golden figured patterns of a pheasant's tail feathers. The flat or slab sawn face shows the most finely defined patterns with contrasting golden and black streaks. Pheasant wood is a very close color and grain match to Desert Ironwood. It is excellent for fine articles such as boxes, pens, and Flutes! Usually grown as an ornamental tree for showy flowers, this species is more difficult to obtain than Ebony and is a cherished wood from the Hawaiians to the South East Asians.
F# Drone Flute
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Australian Cedar
Australian Cedar is a sub-tropical rainforest tree in the Mahogany family. It is found throughout southern Asia, from Afghanistan to Papua New Guinea, Australia and Hawaii. It is a light, fine-grained timber bestowing a beautiful, even, deep-red color. In its natural, sub-tropical environment, Australian Cedar is actually deciduous, losing it leaves in winter to avoid the ‘dry season’. It is more durable than most cedars and has a light scented aroma.
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