Acacia vs Koa - How Similar?

buddhuu

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People selling acacia 'ukuleles often seem to make a selling point of how acacia is related to koa. The implication (even if not stated outright) is that there will therefore be some significant similarity in sound.

The acacia ukes I've heard in sound clips sound very nice, but I've never played one and a PC isn't the best medium for getting a real idea of how something sounds. Similarly, koa ukes seem to have a nice bright, strong tone - similar to how the acacias sound... but again, that's through laptop PC speakers or 'phones.

I'm not actually researching for shopping, just very curious.

So, you guys who have played both, what do you think? Do the two woods give similar sounds?
 
There is an even more significant difference between different Koa-Models than between koa and acacia. My Koaloha and my Bushman Koa are sounding not even close and the Kala acacia I played had nothing in common with both of them. So, the statement "acacia sounds similar to koa" is not really resilient. On the other hand: If you put the most popular tonewoods (Koa, spruce and mahogany) on the line and compare them to acacia, it may be true, that of all three, koa and acacia sound closest. Reason is: spruce and mahogany have (in my nonprofessional opinion) very significant characteristics, while koa has a lot diversity. So, I think that acacia "may" sound similar to a koa uke, but will never sound similar to a mahogany or spruce-topped uke. But in the end I consider it just a marketing gag.
 
Rick this question interests me, I know you are a man of great knowledge in the guitaring/uking world but the thing I've been thinking lately is although woods bring general sounds to the instrument. The way the instrument is put together and other parts used will affect this sound, so you could have two Koa's that have completely different sound characteristics... do you think this is a fair comment?

I had a certain Acacia Tenor and found it to be quite dull almost dead sounding to my ears, many people said Acacia shouldn't sound like that it should sound like Koa but in my perseption of dull tone it did, I certainly didn't get the feeling of brightness (the bridge was starting to lift away from the body and the saddle was pretty loose so this may have contributed).

Note: I've not played Koa yet so don't take my comment from a perspective that I have.
 
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Good responses.

I guess what I'd really like to see would be comparison videos/sound clips from a range of otherwise identical ukes made from different woods.

For example, in a single video made with high quality equipment I'd like to see the full range of Ohana or Kala or whatever ukes played one after another by the same player, playing the same piece.

My curiosity is not limited to those two woods, but it was the marketing hook that they use on the acacia that really started me thinking about comparisons.

There are loads of comparison clips out there, but they were all made by different people with different ukes and equipment, playing different tunes in different styles!

If the manufacturers did like a video catalogue so we could compare models, with all other variables being equal, it'd be so much easier to judger how something sounds.
 
Rick this question interests me, I know you are a man of great knowledge in the guitaring/uking world but the thing I've been thinking lately is although woods bring general sounds to the instrument. The way the instrument is put together and other parts used will affect this sound, so you could have two Koa's that have completely different sound characteristics... do you think this is a fair comment?

I had a certain Acacia Tenor and found it to be quite dull almost dead sounding to my ears, many people said Acacia shouldn't sound like that it should sound like Koa but in my perseption of dull tone it did, I certainly didn't get the feeling of brightness (the bridge was starting to lift away from the body and the saddle was pretty loose so this may have contributed).

Note: I've not played Koa yet so don't take my comment from a perspective that I have.

Had a certain acacia concert and returned it...and the saddle wasn't loose. Yes, construction: a soundhole (too small), the use of ebony for too-thick wood, and the wood, Taiwanese acacia...that's also used to make beam supports in coalmines. Variability? Forget about grain variety, the color looked like coffee served with skim milk, not dark as in vids and other photos.

Your statement about koa is not only fair but completely accurate. While construction varies and yes different levels of "brightness" and projection will vary I think koas hold up in general with a better, fuller midrange. By contrast, I think mahogs do treble and bass ends the best...and based on construction certain lam mahogs sound closer to my ears to koa than acacia because their brighter. Acacia IMO gets blurred edges here and there in the midrange. Koa, after playing (not buying) some Kamaka koa sopranos start out with that defined relative brightness and maintain that defined midrange.

BTW, the word "mellow" gets most often applied to these new offerings. I also get "submerged" and at times "slightly soggy." I prefer a uke that has the vibe that relates to that first shot of vodka...and not number 7.

Acacia IMO is another one of those "idea of it" tonewoods. After listening to more "idea of it tonewoods" I grow more a fan of mahogany and yes, good construction.
 
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Just to inject another thought into this...

The comparison of some of personal acacia experiences described might not be exactly a particularly fair description though of what acacia is like as a tonewood (and especially in relation to koa) simply because the ukes in question tend to be kind of lower end chinese factory instruments. I'm not thinking that they're really going to give you a great idea of the potential of acacia as tone so much a selling point about botany.

The potential is maybe there, but we might not know until somebody makes a decent instrument out of it.
 
Just to inject another thought into this...

The comparison of some of personal acacia experiences described might not be exactly a particularly fair description though of what acacia is like as a tonewood (and especially in relation to koa) simply because the ukes in question tend to be kind of lower end chinese factory instruments. I'm not thinking that they're really going to give you a great idea of the potential of acacia as tone so much a selling point about botany.

The potential is maybe there, but we might not know until somebody makes a decent instrument out of it.

Fair statement.

But a good question: why so few better end acacia offerings? For starters, with price increases, folks might opt for mango or even koa? I think the "graininess" of acacia is the dealbreaker...and it'sworkability relative to something like mango.

BTW, the construction of that acacia was fine. Design, not fine.
 
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I recently bought a Kala Acacia soprano. It is closer in sound to my mahogany ukes than to my one Koa uke, which is a Kumalae. As previously mentioned, construction, and the natural variation from one piece of wood to another, make it very difficult to predict what any uke will sound like. Even two identical ukes from the same batch can sound different.

When you have tried a good number of koa versus mahogany ukes, the generalisation about koa sounding "brighter" than mahogany holds up well, but I've played some pretty dull koa ukes, and some very bright mahogany ones.

My Kala Acacia is currently my favourite uke ("new baby" syndrome?). I find its tone very rich and satisfying, and it has decent volume, but wouldn't blow your socks off. My Ohana with a spruce front is my loudest uke, but the tone is much less complex than the Kala Acacia.

It should also be mentioned that it makes a great deal of difference what size of ukulele you are referring to.

John Colter.
 
Amen, John Colter. That's one of the reasons I stick to sopranos, LOL. IMO, sopranos can pull off a better variety of tonewoods and even lams!

I can honestly say that I could see how the accaia soprano would succeed where at least for me the concert acacia was kind of meh.
 
Good responses.

I guess what I'd really like to see would be comparison videos/sound clips from a range of otherwise identical ukes made from different woods.

For example, in a single video made with high quality equipment I'd like to see the full range of Ohana or Kala or whatever ukes played one after another by the same player, playing the same piece.

My curiosity is not limited to those two woods, but it was the marketing hook that they use on the acacia that really started me thinking about comparisons.

There are loads of comparison clips out there, but they were all made by different people with different ukes and equipment, playing different tunes in different styles!

If the manufacturers did like a video catalogue so we could compare models, with all other variables being equal, it'd be so much easier to judger how something sounds.


Rick,

About the sound clips you'd like to hear.... What about MGM's clips? Same equipment, same player, same tunes on every clip, many different instruments. Seems like just what you'd want....
 
Rick,

About the sound clips you'd like to hear.... What about MGM's clips? Same equipment, same player, same tunes on every clip, many different instruments. Seems like just what you'd want....

Yeh, that's very close.

I do love Mike videos - the sound demos and the Friday jams! - but, with great respect to Mike, the equipment does not seem to be clear enough pro-quality for the kind of clear, serious sound comparison that should be possible. I hope that doesn't sound rude - Mike's videos are very helpful.

I think some serious pro videos would be of great use to those ukers who have to buy online due to having no good uke retailer nearby.

What I think is needed is a combination of good quality recording and consistency of variables:

Same player
Same tune/arrangement
Same (professional) equipment
Same strings
Same position relative to recording equipment

That'd be so helpful, and I ain't seen it yet.

It may be expensive and asking a lot, but if I was thinking about ordering an 'ukulele from, for example, Hawaii or mainland USA it would be pretty reassuring.
 
hold on...you're telling me the great buddhuu doesnt know anyone with a koa or acacia uke??

it seems that one could interpret your post as you possibly having a koa uke, but never having heard an acacia one other than through sound clips. I live in nowhere, Indiana in a farmtown with 3500 people. This town is the last bastion of civilization when heading east, and I have an acacia...and guy down the street owns a koa.

buddhuu...I'm confused
 
hold on...you're telling me the great buddhuu doesnt know anyone with a koa or acacia uke??

it seems that one could interpret your post as you possibly having a koa uke, but never having heard an acacia one other than through sound clips. I live in nowhere, Indiana in a farmtown with 3500 people. This town is the last bastion of civilization when heading east, and I have an acacia...and guy down the street owns a koa.

buddhuu...I'm confused

Mate, most of the UK is still in 'ukulele denial! LOL

Most of the people I know well own cheap Mahalos or Makalas! We get the occasional decent uke brought along to our session, but usually by drive-by participants who never show up again. I do try every uke I see in stores, but again UK stores don't do well in terms of uke stockage. My local shop has the odd Kala and Lanikai on a good week but that's about it.
 
Mate, most of the UK is still in 'ukulele denial! LOL

Most of the people I know well own cheap Mahalos or Makalas! We get the occasional decent uke brought along to our session, but usually by drive-by participants who never show up again. I do try every uke I see in stores, but again UK stores don't do well in terms of uke stockage. My local shop has the odd Kala and Lanikai on a good week but that's about it.

Sounds like New Jersey.
 
I was in a local 'ukulele shop a couple weeks ago, and he had both a KALA soprano solid acacia, and a KALA soprano limited production solid Koa. I played both side by side and the Koa was surprisingly brighter than the Acacia. I was expecting a similar sound from the two woods.
 
"the Koa was surprisingly brighter than the Acacia."

That seems to confirm my impressions, based on my own Kala Acacia soprano. It sounds much closer to a mahogany uke, than to a typical koa uke. It has a very pleasing voice, and good volume.

John Colter.
 
"the Koa was surprisingly brighter than the Acacia."

That seems to confirm my impressions, based on my own Kala Acacia soprano. It sounds much closer to a mahogany uke, than to a typical koa uke. It has a very pleasing voice, and good volume.

John Colter.

Great honest post.
 
I also own a Kala Acacia Tenor, and the best way to describe the sound is "buttery" ...not dull or muffled...loud too. I absolutely love it.
Yes it has its "bark" quality, but not a bright sounding uke. I'm not a fan of overly bright ukes, so am pleased.
Definitely sounds different than my Mainland Mahogany... which is good because it gives me the excuse to keep both.
If I had to classify it, I'd put it somewhere between Mahogany & Koa - which IMO is the perfect place to be.
(of course this could have a lot to do with construction, bracing, etc.... blah, blah, blah)
 
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