Spalted Pineapple Back

Spalted Pineapple Front

Spalted Koa Ukuleles:

Sometimes I deal with koa wood that is a mixture of both sapwood, which is usually more lightly colored, and heartwood. If the wood has been allowed to languish in the elements before harvesting, various fungi enter the wood and discolor it in a variety of ways producing an effect termed “spalting”. Smaller color examples are shown in the page describing Koa Wood . The two examples here show some of the wonderful qualities of this color variant of koa. The 6-string tenor is my personal instrument. The soprano “pineapple” was made for ukulele collector Chuck Fayne. I am considering making 1 or 2 of these each year if the right wood is available to me.Click on left photo to see larger front and back views of a spalted koa 6-string tenor ukulele. Click on right photo to see larger front and back views of a spalted koa “pineapple” soprano ukulele..