Hawaiian Koa: Thalia's New Mission

February 25, 2019 2 min read

Hawaiian Koa:  Thalia's New Mission


Thalia Capos was founded when Thalia dreamed of making a capo that would complement the Hawaiian Koa in the Taylor Guitar held by Taylor Swift on the cover of Rolling Stone. 


Not only that but Hawaiian Koa has always "secretly" been my favorite tonewood.  It is a very diverse wood that can range from golden yellow to dark chocolate in color.  It can also get so figured, curly and beautiful that it can force you to drop your jaw to the floor.   I fell in love with Koa the first time I went to Hawaii and have been obsessed with it ever since.

Now what I also really love about Hawaiian Koa is that it can be sustainably grown and there are a multitude of projects well underway in Hawaii to reforest the islands with the this amazing tonewood. 

We have recently embarked on an exciting new plan that we will be explaining in more detail over the coming months. But here is what I can tell you now about what we have planned...

We have decided to take on a new mission as it relates to Hawaiian Koa and sustainability.  Our mission is to play a meaningful role in the reforestation of Koa in Hawaii over the coming decade while also promoting the use of sustainably grown Hawaiian Koa from 2nd & 3rd growth forests.

We plan to do this through a number of initiatives that we will reveal over the coming months!  To kickoff this effort, we are doing a promotion using some absolutely amazing Hawaiian Koa that we have recently acquired from the Big Island.  This wood is super curly and has just unbelievable figuring. 
We are currently offering this super premium wood at a discounted price to celebrate the launch of our new mission.  We are also making a commitment as it relates to all Hawaiian Koa products made by Thalia going forward. 

All Hawaiian Koa products made by Thalia now come with our Hawaiian Koa Reforestation Commitment.  $5 from the sale of each Capo or Phone Case goes directly towards planting and maintaining new Koa trees in Hawaii.

While all of the woods and shell on our site are sourced from ethical vendors who have sustainability policies in place, with Hawaiian Koa we are going a step further.   For Hawaiian Koa we will directly source our wood in Hawaii, ensuring chain of custody of the salvaged logs.  These logs will then be sliced into veneer per our specifications.  Next, we will be actively involved in the planting and maintaining of new royal koa trees in Hawaii on the same islands where our wood originates.  

Here is the new AAA Curly Hawaiian Koa in our new products.

  

We are asking for your support going forward by purchasing our Hawaiian Koa products and supporting us in our mission as we unfold elements of our plans over the coming months.



Also in Fingerboard Stories

The Guitar Building Recipe
The Guitar Building Recipe

June 25, 2024 4 min read

Like good ingredients make a good meal, a great instrument is the sum of the parts. Much like ingredients, many factors can impact the flavor, differentiating between a Michelin-star meal and a dog’s lunch. How do woods shape the sound? What about the fretboard? Or the electronics?
Iconic Instruments: Prince and the Cloud Guitar
Iconic Instruments: Prince and the Cloud Guitar

June 20, 2024 3 min read

We’ve all seen Prince wield some very unique guitars, from the Love Symbol-shaped instrument he played during the Halftime Show at Superbowl XLI to the Hohner Mad Cats he’s been closely associated with (the one he uses while shredding to “My Guitar Gently Weeps” during a performance at the 2004 Rock N’ Roll Hall of Fame induction ceremony).
Making Sense of Odd Times
Making Sense of Odd Times

June 14, 2024 4 min read

Back in 2000, when I was studying music at Carleton University, I had the good fortune to attend a masterclass with double bassist and jazz legend Dave Holland (known for his work with Gateway, Miles Davis, and his own ensembles). He discussed his approaches to improvisation and crafting lines, including the concept of Gamala Taki.