"Paint Grade" Korina?

[shreddermon]

The Jackson custom quote sheet lists two options for korina bodies - "paint grade" and "trans finish grade".

Is "paint grade" black korina and "trans finish" white korina? Or does it mean something different? :think:

Anyone have experience ordering a custom shop guitar with korina body and/or neck woods, that knows the answer to this question?

[Jason1212]

I dont have any experience with order, but I believe your assumption is correct.

[Grandturk]

It probably has to do with the color and look of the wood grain - i.e. you don't want to trans finish a wood that has an ugly grain pattern and mineral streaks.

[Spivonious]

I would imagine "paint grade" is a piece of wood that looks ugly, not necessarily different colors.

edit: Grandturk beat me to it but only by a couple of seconds.

[Grandturk]

edit: Grandturk beat me to it but only by a couple of seconds.

I win the internet!!!

[shreddermon]

Of course it has to do with the color and look of the wood grain. That's essentially the difference between black and white korina. They're basically the same wood. But black korina has lots of gnarly grain patterns and black streaks in it. White korina doesn't. It's primarily an appearance difference - kind of like spalted maple vs plain maple.

But, just because people associate korina guitars with "white korina" (think 50s/60s flying Vs) doesn't mean that "black korina" would look bad with a trans finish. It just wouldn't look like what people expect for a traditional trans-finished korina guitar.

Specifically what I'm thinking is this: a black korina ("paint grade") neck and body, say with an amber or cherry trans finish and a pretty flamed/quilt-maple top. I think that'd look killer, have traditional mahogany/maple-top-like tone, and give the back of the guitar a cool alternative look.

...Just not sure if what I'm envisioning is what Jackson really means by "paint grade" korina? Maybe it's something more than that. :think:

[lhrocker]

It's more like mineral streaks, knots and discoloration on the wood. For paint quality, you don't care about the above except for knots as it will be painted. For trans quality, it will look good plain.

[Jason1212]

I personally think that the black korina they show on Warmoth would look pretty cool if cleared. As far as a back wood goes, I think that would look very cool especially with the cherry trans finish. I would think that would make the lighter portions red and the darker streaks kind of blood colored.

Here is an example from Warmoth.

[atdguitars]

Paint grade.. requires clothes and makeup..
Stain or natural.. well. you get the idea.

[Newc]

Isn't Korina tonally similar to Mahogany, though? If that's the case, and you're not going specifically for the unique grain of Korina (i.e. cover it with a maple cap), then why not go with regular Mahogany?

[Flatpicker]

I thought Korina had more Mids?
I usually like it because it's lighter weight for the same tone.

[AK47]

Re:

I just found this out...

I was told two days ago from a major wood suplier that all Korina has worm holes in it here and there. They went on to explain the larger the piece of wood the more likely of a small worm hole and they need to be filled. Even the best quality Korina will always have a worm hole somewhere in it usually you just dont see it.

[Brian]

Isn't Korina tonally similar to Mahogany, though? If that's the case, and you're not going specifically for the unique grain of Korina (i.e. cover it with a maple cap), then why not go with regular Mahogany?

Tonally it's similar, but not the same. It's also typically a lot lighter in weight than Mahogany.

[shreddermon]

Isn't Korina tonally similar to Mahogany, though? If that's the case, and you're not going specifically for the unique grain of Korina (i.e. cover it with a maple cap), then why not go with regular Mahogany?

Uhh, for the same reason that people cover the unique grain pattern of mahogany with a flame/quilt-maple top.

I just think it'd be cool to have a unique grain pattern for the back of the guitar, too, ya know? And, since korina is tonally similar to mahogany, it's what I'm looking for tone-wise. But "white korina" isn't the look I'm going for.

Also, yeah, that warmoth pic is pretty much exactly what I'm thinking about for the guitar (on the back).

...and worm holes? :ROTF:

[ulijdavid]

Here are some other pics of Black Limba / Korina. And AK47 is correct. Most of the Black Korina has lots of worm holes. But, the black korina has a bit more "character" than the white korina. White korina is pretty boring - like natural alder. The one pics has just a clearcoat and the other pics are candy blue - no stain.