We currently offer figured koa and figured maple back and side sets through our online shop. Both are carefully selected for color, figure, and visual impact. These tonewoods are sourced through our in-house forestry initiatives: Big Leaf maple from the Pacific Northwest and koa from our sustainability project in Hawai‘i.

Each set is hand-selected and graded based on figure quality, consistency, and color. Koa is offered in three visual grades, while figured maple is available in two. All sets are presorted to provide balanced figure and color across the back plate and sides, helping you achieve a unified look in your build.

Yes, all back and side sets are carefully bookmatched and joined in mirrored pairs. They are surfaced and dimensioned for guitar building, but we always recommend letting them acclimatein your shop environment before final prep and gluing.

Our back and side sets are dimensioned to fit most standard acoustic guitar body sizes (such as OM, dreadnought, and classical). If you're building a larger or custom body shape, feel free to reach out. We’re happy to confirm dimensions or suggest alternatives.

Our koa is sourced from our regenerative forestry initiative in Hawai‘i, where we manage replanting and long-term stewardship of native forests. Our figured maple comes from within 500 miles of our Washington State mill, where we also cultivate and propagate Big Leaf maple to ensure a sustainable supply for future luthiers.

Koa has a rich midrange and natural warmth that suits both strummers and fingerstyle players. Its visual depth and chatoyance make it highly sought-after for premium builds.

Figured maple is often brighter and punchier, with excellent note separation and visual flame or quilting that reflects light beautifully.

Both offer aesthetic appeal, but they differ in tonal response. So, it’s worth considering your build goals and playing style when choosing.

We offer representative images on the product pages, but if you’re looking for something truly unique (for instance, a highly flamed maple set or a specific grain pattern in koa), we recommend checking our Vault collection. 

It’s a curated selection of rare or highly figured sets, often one-of-a-kind and available in limited quantities.

Absolutely. Many builders choose to coordinate their back and side woods with complementary or contrasting bindings. Our shop includes koa and maple binding options cut from the same tonewood stock. 

For tops, we recommend browsing our Traditional and Sonically Graded soundboards for spruce species that complement both visually and tonally.

We recommend storing your back and side sets in your shop environment so they can properly acclimate before building. Keep them stickered (with spacers between pieces) and under gentle weight to prevent movement or warping as they adjust to local humidity levels.

Even though our wood is carefully dried, letting it rest in your space for a couple of weeks (away from direct heat or sunlight) will help ensure stability when you're ready to bend or join.

Both koa and figured maple pair beautifully with a variety of spruce tops, but each shapes tone differently:

Koa and Spruce offers a warm midrange with crisp articulation. Great for light fingerstyle and players who want complexity and subtlety. Koa also pairs nicely with redwood for a darker, more blooming tone.

Maple and Spruce delivers a brighter, more immediate attack with excellent clarity and note separation. Ideal for percussive styles or players who need tonal definition in ensemble settings.

The back and sides influence projection and overtone character, so pairing based on the instrument’s intended use is key.