Compression Koa Concert - Sold at Hale Ukulele

Also delivered to Hale Ukulele last week is this new Compression Koa Concert.

compression koa concert

That’s some pretty cool compression koa.

It’s a long neck or tenor !7″ scale instrument.  I’m making them all that way now.

compression koa concert

And a perfectly matched back.

It’s got koa, koa and more koa for the body–cool compression koa for the top and back with a color matched curly koa for the sides.  This set also from my major koa supplier Hearne Hardwoods.

compression koa concert

Mappa Burl wood accents.

I picked up some cool Mappa Burl wood from Tropical Exotic Hardwoods here in Carlsbad and thought I’d try that out. You know, girls just gotta have fun.  Besides, I’m running out of other exotic burl woods so it is a really nice to addition.  I used it in all the accent areas including the rosette.  This wood is from Croatia.

compression koa concert

Mappa Burl sound hole rosette with maple/black accents.

I used maple and black for the purfling since I thought it matched the Mappa pretty well.

compression koa concert

That’s a pretty good top back and side match.

The neck is Honduran Mahogany, the finger board and bridge are Macassar Ebony, the binding is India Rosewood, Romero low “G” strings and a Crossrock ABS case rounds out the build.

With the smaller body, there is less sustain but that is compensated for by brightness–even with that low “G”.  It’s still a full sound when compared to comparable instruments in the class with a better string tension than with a concert scale.

If we don’t get shut down again, you should check out the Compression Koa Concert at the Hale!