Korina Wood, White & Black

White Korina and Black Korina

Many People mistake Korina for Koa... They are definitely not the same ! Koa comes from Hawaii and Korina comes from Africa. Koa has a little more red in it than Korina also Korina wood is usually a little lighter in weight.

Tonally, most people would agree that Korina wins on an electric guitar & Koa wins on an acoustic. The problem with that theory is, there are so few Korina Acoustic Guitars that this writer thinks it would be hard to make that judgment. By Jan of 2008, I plan to build several Korina Acoustic Guitars, simply to see what the difference really is. In my entire career I don't think I have ever encountered a Korina acoustic guitar of any kind. So if any brave souls wish to get involved in my little Korina Acoustic discovery project, Please let me know. Theoretically, Korina should sound great! I have some moving and restructuring plans for 2006 & 2007 so I am putting off this project for a little while. As I said above if any one wants to get involved by ordering one of the prototypes, I will of course give the guitar to them at a greatly reduced price.

Ed Roman

May 2006

Custom Made Abstract Juvenile Delinquent 2004
Customer Traded This In For A Quicksilver With A Similar Body Shape.
Guitar Is Available For Sale

White Korina Guitar
White Korina With No Stain
This wood sounds excellent !

No Longer in Production From Hamer
Never Fear "RVC" Can Build you a Beautiful Replica !!
RVC stands for " Roman Vintage Custom"

Custom Built RVC Guitar for Elliot Easton of "The Cars" 2004
White Korina, Ebony Fretboard, Jason Lollar Pickup
RVC stands for " Roman Vintage Custom"

White Korina Tele Style
Available with or without binding, Korina or Rosewood
Your choice of pickups, Custom Hardware
See some of the ones we have built

The "Magic Twanger" is a bolt on single cutaway traditional shape guitar. I am offering this guitar in any type of pickup configuration imaginable. You can buy a hollow body or solid version. There are over 43 types of wood available for the body. You can order virtually any shape pickguard. Tremolos are available, MIDI,
B Benders, Piezoelectric systems.

The Pearlcaster offers even more options.

This Magic Twanger offers a beautiful Black Korina Body. Awesome Birdseye Maple neck.

Specially made to order many years ago this guitar was covered with inlays front and back.

The boxy, traditional shape, by nature of it's square design, simply does not lend itself to gracefulness. Yet somehow these guitars still seem to exude a natural beauty that is unexplainable!!!

Contact Ed Roman if you would like something like this built to your exact specifications.

Custom Shop
(702) 597-0147

LSR Headless also made right here in our custom shop

The Body is Black Korina & The Neck is Koa Wood

Abstract Neck Through Double Cut Guitar

James Hetfield Model In Figured Korina
He has a beautiful one in Macassar Ebony
Also I have seen him with a Chechin & a Mahogany Model

Korina is The Holy Grail of Tone Woods
Korina Wood Guitar
Built For Rudy Seanez

Korina Wood Guitar

Guitar Built for Rudy Seanez 2000
Abstract Wanderer Model

White Korina Wood Guitar
White Korina With Gloss Finish
The white Korina is what Gibson, Dean & Hamer use on all their Korina models.
This is a custom made guitar made from white Korina

Korina Wood Guitar
This is a custom body that I made for a newer PRS guitar,

It Looks Better than Original. It Sounds Better than the Original.
It Weighs Less than the Original.

My shop is always looking to improve on stock instruments.
There is virtually nothing that can't be made better in some way.

Korina Wood Guitar
Neck Through Double Cutaway Model
Call Ed Roman For Pricing & Availability (702) 597-0147

Korina Wood Guitar

Avanti

JET, Quicksilver, Centurion & Abstract

Korina Wood Quicksilver Body

Solid Korina Quicksilver Bodies.
These guitars are some the best sounding & most tonal guitars you will ever play
Please take 5 minutes and read about the different concept of construction of the Quicksilver


Koa	Korina/Limba
Korina is sometimes confused with Koa. These are two different species. Koa only grows in Hawaii. Sometimes it can be flamed the color is a reddish brown. Korina is darker brown or white I have never seen it flamed.

Custom Bodies

Custom Korina Body

Korina LSR EB-1

Korina, is the wood that Gibson used in the late 50's to make some of their most resonant guitars.
These were the original "Flying V", "The Moderne", The "Futura" and the original "Explorer".

Jimmy Wallace's early 1980 Les Paul 59 reissue's have Korina Wood backs. These guitars sell today for $30.000.00. The only real difference is the Korina

Today these guitars are selling in the $35,000.00 range. The original "Flying V's" and "Explorers" are bringing prices in excess of $200,000.00. So it's a fair statement to make that Korina Wood Gibson's are also some of Gibson's most valuable guitars. Korina is legendary as a tone wood, It is not overly expensive but it is rare. My theory on it's rarity is there aren't many lumber importers bringing it in to the country because there is simply not enough other uses for it.
The guitar business is actually minuscule in the grand scheme of things. For most similar applications mahogany works almost as well. Mahogany is extremely plentiful readily available anywhere and inexpensive.

There are two varieties, black Limba and white Limba.
The Dean's in this photo are all white.

These are front shots of the two guitars above.
Both Retopped in My Shop

The Abstract EXP model above are the same guitar,
The top one has been wiped with a wet towel.
Wetting it down gives an example of what a clear coat of finish will look like.

Gibson Custom Shop Guitar,
Ltd Edition 10 made, African Korina Wood
Gold Hardware, Black Binding,
Rosewood Board, & Gibson's usual plastic inlays yechhh !!
Original Street Price in 1995 $8,000.00 (Ouch)
Overpriced to be sure.

Jim Triggs builds a much better single cut guitar for much less money!!!
The Maximus is the only neck through body version of a single cut
The JET Caldera is an awesome looking single cut guitar
PRS makes a quality single cut guitar I don't like wraparound bridge or the 22 fret limitation.
Dean makes one, It's OK, but it is not as good as their traditional models.

Korina is legendary as a tone wood. It is not overly expensive but it is rare. My theory on it's rarity is there aren't many lumber importers bringing it in to the country because there is simply not enough other uses for it. I believe it is the absolute best wood to make a guitar from.

The guitar business is actually minuscule in the grand scheme of things. For most similar applications Mahogany works just as well. Mahogany is extremely plentiful readily available and very inexpensive.

For this reason very few companies offer it as a standard option. As of this writing I only know of several companies offering it. These companies are Gledura, Gary Jacobs, JET, Pagan and of course myself .

Dean & Hamer have discontinued it's use. So a very good investment would be one of those.

Ed Roman
04/17/00

Korina Wood Pearlcaster