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 Post subject: binding with koa
PostPosted: Tue May 01, 2018 1:48 pm 
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Koa
Koa

Joined: Tue Jul 22, 2008 9:34 pm
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Location: ottawa, ontario, ca
First name: Mike
Last Name: McNerney
City: Ottawa
State: On
Country: Ca
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Status: Amateur
I'm trying to decide what kind of binding to use with curly koa back & sides. I've go a selection of most species. Pics are always appreciated

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 Post subject: Re: binding with koa
PostPosted: Tue May 01, 2018 2:14 pm 
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Cocobolo
Cocobolo

Joined: Tue Jun 30, 2009 3:20 pm
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i would consider curly maple with b/w/b. i don't do shell, but you could purf that with some black on either side.

fwiw, i make short 1 inch long binding and purfling combo "stubs" for tryout and checking rebate dimensions. makes choosing a bit easier.



These users thanked the author arie for the post: Jonny (Wed May 02, 2018 8:41 am)
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 Post subject: Re: binding with koa
PostPosted: Tue May 01, 2018 2:48 pm 
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First name: Dennis
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For some hue contrast, purple looks good next to orange. Either purpleheart, camatillo rosewood, or bois de rose (although it's nearly black). Green might also be interesting, so lignum vitae, verawood, or greenheart. Ziricote is also a bit on the green side, though less striking. Indian rosewood or curly maple would also be good for a more tame look. Spalted maple would look good, though would need to be drowned in thin CA to harden it up.


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 Post subject: Re: binding with koa
PostPosted: Tue May 01, 2018 3:25 pm 
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Koa
Koa

Joined: Fri Feb 16, 2007 12:14 pm
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What are the fretboard/bridge/headplate materials?

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 Post subject: Re: binding with koa
PostPosted: Tue May 01, 2018 3:58 pm 
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i have used curly eucalyptus. It's good if you want to go subtle.


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 Post subject: Re: binding with koa
PostPosted: Tue May 01, 2018 4:43 pm 
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Koa
Koa

Joined: Tue Jul 22, 2008 9:34 pm
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Location: ottawa, ontario, ca
First name: Mike
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City: Ottawa
State: On
Country: Ca
Focus: Build
Status: Amateur
I'm thinking African blackwood bridge, head plate, fret board. I did use lignum vitae binding on a uke last year & it bent easily. & maybe that Argentinian ironwood for the bridge.

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 Post subject: Re: binding with koa
PostPosted: Tue May 01, 2018 4:49 pm 
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First name: Brian
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Country: Canada
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Somewhere there was a pictorial library of binding/purfling schemes.
Anyone remeber where?

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Last edited by Bri on Tue May 01, 2018 9:05 pm, edited 1 time in total.

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 Post subject: Re: binding with koa
PostPosted: Tue May 01, 2018 5:16 pm 
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Koa
Koa

Joined: Mon Jul 11, 2005 5:17 am
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Location: United States
City: Tyler
State: Texas
Blood wood looks great.


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 Post subject: Re: binding with koa
PostPosted: Tue May 01, 2018 5:25 pm 
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Brazilian Rosewood
Brazilian Rosewood

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"I'm thinking African blackwood bridge, head plate, fret board."

Black plastic....


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 Post subject: Re: binding with koa
PostPosted: Tue May 01, 2018 5:39 pm 
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Brazilian Rosewood
Brazilian Rosewood

Joined: Thu Nov 04, 2010 1:46 pm
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For flamed koa I like flamed maple

Image

Image

If its not flamed I like not very flamed maple

Image

Image

Throw on a black accent line to set them off



These users thanked the author Freeman for the post: ernie (Wed May 02, 2018 7:11 am)
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 Post subject: Re: binding with koa
PostPosted: Tue May 01, 2018 5:50 pm 
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mikemcnerney wrote:
I'm thinking African blackwood bridge, head plate, fret board. I did use lignum vitae binding on a uke last year & it bent easily. & maybe that Argentinian ironwood for the bridge.
How is the color on the lignum holding out?

Sent from my SM-N910T using Tapatalk

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 Post subject: Re: binding with koa
PostPosted: Tue May 01, 2018 8:36 pm 
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Cocobolo
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Joined: Mon Apr 14, 2008 3:20 am
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Location: Kapolei HI
First name: Aaron
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I've done a few Koa bindings recently. I like the looks. So do the clients.


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 Post subject: Re: binding with koa
PostPosted: Wed May 02, 2018 12:31 am 
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African blackwood might look pretty good. I am currently building two EIR guitars and one macassar ebony. I'm thinking of using macassar ebony to bind at least the ebony guitar, maybe all three. Dark can be good

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 Post subject: Re: binding with koa
PostPosted: Wed May 02, 2018 5:57 am 
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Koa
Koa

Joined: Tue Jul 22, 2008 9:34 pm
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Location: ottawa, ontario, ca
First name: Mike
Last Name: McNerney
City: Ottawa
State: On
Country: Ca
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how does curly koa bend & and how thick can you make it. The lignum is still a nice green.

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These users thanked the author mikemcnerney for the post: Pmaj7 (Wed May 02, 2018 2:31 pm)
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 Post subject: Re: binding with koa
PostPosted: Fri May 04, 2018 8:36 pm 
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Cocobolo
Cocobolo

Joined: Sun Jan 02, 2005 6:24 am
Posts: 208
Location: United States
Koa Binding


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 Post subject: Re: binding with koa
PostPosted: Sat May 05, 2018 6:42 am 
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Koa
Koa
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First name: Willard
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We apply purfling to curly koa at .090", then thin to .078" for bending. No special techniques for koa, other than as with any other lower hardness wood, which is to say that we ensure that the bender ram does not compress the wood (we use .078" x 32" x 1.75" sacrificial filler strips of whatever scrap is handy on either side of the binding packages to ensure the pressure at the waist or in the cutaway area is even). Supersoft II works well with koa, but we usually don't use it on bindings due to the possibility of discoloration of the bindings due to the mobility of the water and glycol-soluble extractives. Koa can discolor badly if any aluminum comes in contact with the wet wood, causing a blue/green stain, so the same kraft paper we use for the moisture reservoir in the bending package does double duty as a barrier.

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 Post subject: Re: binding with koa
PostPosted: Mon May 07, 2018 5:27 pm 
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Cocobolo
Cocobolo

Joined: Thu Mar 19, 2009 10:52 am
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State: PA
Country: USA
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Curly koa bindings with Australian blackwood.
Attachment:
END GRAFT-12 Small.JPG


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 Post subject: Re: binding with koa
PostPosted: Mon May 07, 2018 5:31 pm 
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Koa
Koa

Joined: Tue Jan 22, 2008 8:57 pm
Posts: 763
Location: Austin, Texas
perhaps I'm totally missing the point, but I'm pretty sure the OP wants binding choices for a koa bodied guitar, not for advice on how to bend curly koa...

that being said, I rather like the black plastic binding on my '86 Taylor K20...of course I'm not recommending plastic as binding, but I think ebony, African blackwood, or similar would look nice.


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