Idigbo or Korina

GSPBASSES

I've been following the postings by @TTony and @PeterC, both are going to try out Idigbo for a build. So rather than add my experience into their postings I thought I do a small post on what I found the difference between Idigbo and Korina.

I've been using Idigbo for over 20 years mainly the building Flying V’s, I have also used it for LP’s and LPJ’s. Whenever I'm asked to make a 58 Korina V I always try to persuade the customer to have it made in Idigbo. There are several reasons for this, firstly 20 odd years ago it was almost impossible to buy Korina in the UK, what was available was generally very heavy. I would estimate a V body made from Korina would be at least 1.5 to 2lb heavier then one made with Idigbo. I should say this is not always the case as you can get Korina that not so heavy now and Idigbo that's heavy, I think it's fair to say that Idigbo is always lighter.

The main differences between the two wood is kind of quantifiable, particularly if you don't believe in tone woods. I think guitars made from Idigbo sound more musical then Korina particularly when played unamplified, but also when amplified.

So @TTony and @PeterC I would have no hesitation whatsoever to recommend Idigbo instead of Korina. Although for authenticity Korina is the wood to use for certain guitars, unfortunately authenticity can stand in the way of using different materials and different building techniques. 

A few photos of some Idigbo builds.

2 Korina builds, the telecaster is made from black Korina that was very heavy, the only way to use it was to make a fully chambered F hole Tele, the Strat was also chambered.

TTony

For me, it's more about the availability, suitability and affordability of the timber, rather than whether it's the same species that was used 60 years ago on something. 

Not least because, 60 years ago, that particularly timber was probably chosen because it was available, suitable and affordable, rather than because it had any magical musical properties!!

Mine is still in plank form under one of my benches.    It's next on my list of workshop projects though, just as soon as I finish the firebirdbox and a cab or two for the self build amps.

Thanks for the observations Graham. 

WezV

i have always been happy to use both too.

I have generally found the korina i have had to be a bit prettier,and some of the idigbo to be a bit coarser grained with more pin hole knots,and i have had some with an unpleasant greener tinge.... but that stuff just gets used under paint.   There is plenty out there that looks great.


But can we shut up about it so it stays cheap please

PeteC

Great info @GSPBASSES - many thanks. 

Must admit I am enjoying the ease with which the Idigbo machines.   And its light and has a lovely ring to it so far. 
But yes @WezV we want to keep the price down !!  

PeteC

just resurrecting this rather than starting a new thread on Idigbo and its suitability...

I have quite a bit of it in 8" x 2" wide planks at the moment. 

After much deliberation on what to build next after the 2 juniors , I am planning to do two guitars sort of simultaneously : 

1) a DC special - so I can do my first 2 pick up guitar . I have all the basic DC templates and jigs now, ready to use. 

2) An Idigbo Tele .  I saw Rick Kelly's film a few months ago and was inspired by that to build a Tele.   I already have a Richie Kotzen Tele which is a beautiful Tele, but its a bit too "bling" for me if I'm honest, and I miss my old Jap plain cream Tele.

So, the plan is to do an Idigbo Tele in a Natural finish - but have a go at binding the body on this one.  There a nice Gregor Hilden video I saw on YT where he was selling a master built Korina Tele which had a nice dark brown binding.  I think that would look great on Natural Idigbo.   I cut the 2 pieces for the blank about an hour ago and have just router planned it ready for jointing. 

One question I do have though is.....If I wanted to make a neck with Idgibo should I be thinking about laminating a few pieces and re-sawing, reorienting and gluing up to make a false "quartersawn" neck blank, or is this just plain daft and I should just buy some nice maple ? 

cheers

WezV

You can make a neck from it.  I would laminate or reinforce, but it might be fine without

PeteC

Thanks @WezV    I will have a crack at it, perhaps laminating - I guess with a bolt on what’s the worst that can happen ! 

flyfisher12

Hi Guys I know its a long time after most of you wrote about Idigbo/Korina. I thought I'd chime my tupence worth in anyways. The beautiful Flying Vs in the photos are in my mind proper Korina and not idigbo at at all. My brother ran a joinery shop for years and often boards would come in that were very different in colour and texture and overall weight. This lighter wood was almost certainly not idigbo. It is of my humble opinion that because both timbers are cut in the same region of Africa, whenever there was a shortfall to fullfill an order sawn logs of Korina would be sent in lieu of idigbo. Either way both woods are eminently suitable for guitar building as they are very nearly as stable as Mahogany( which is a high benchmark with any one who uses it a lot) and is absolutely fine for neck making provided one uses a trussrod like any other neck. Just as a side note I am looking for a wide piece of this light Idigbo/ korina for an explorer build so if any one knows where there there is an 18inch wide board of the light coloured stuff I would love to hear from you

PeteC

If you're in the North , try Arnold Lavers (Sheffield or Leeds)  for the Idigbo - I got a really good price for my 9in ch wide 50mm thick boards - they can source wider boards and the quality/moisture content was very good indeed. 

GSPBASSES

When I first read what @flyfisher12 ; had written I kind of got stuck on how to correct what he had written, politest way would be to say “Should have gone to Specsavers” But I think it should be put in perspective and say it as it is you're talking a load of BULLOCKS

I find it offensive for someone to insinuate that I do not know the difference between Korina ( Limba ) and Idigbo, But I'm not going to make a big thing about it, we've had too many disagreements that I've got totally out of hand on the forum, so I'll just leave it with the comments below.

First of all let's clarify the name Korina, it is some sort of made up name, I believe it's a trade name, or a name Gibson made up in the late 50’s when naming the 58 flying V. Calling it the Limba 58 V doesn't exactly roll off the tongue very well, sounds much better the Korina 58V. I'm sure someone will tell us where the name Korina first originated from, but it is not the real name of Limba. It might have got the name Korina from the local dialect of the country that was cutting the trees.

The name Korina is now accepted as the name of Limba rightly or wrongly so, well I think we can live with that.

Idigbo is a totally different wood, it looks different, it smells different, it machines different and it sounds different, you do not get a black version of it or the lovely colours that you can get with Limba.

https://huckeguitars.com/korina-wood-in-the-uk

WezV

Indeed,  Two distinct trees that are easy to tell apart.

Termenilia Superba that gives some pale golden wood, some dark wood, gets lovely orange streaks where bugs tunnel into it

Termenilia Ivorensis that is mostly pale wood, sometimes more greeny or tan colours.  Noticeable coarser grain.

They both work well for guitars.   The individual piece is more important than the species here

I used to import a few bits of black limba which were perfect, most of the bits I see in the UK now are nowhere near the same quality.  Often too heavy with muddier grain.  Grey limba if you will


The trade names are ridiculous.  You won't easily find either of them called korina outside of the guitar world.

Danielsguitars

Korina always bugs me as a species name, one theory behind it was maybe Gibson didn't want people to know it was an African wood, given it was the 50s it's possible imo

PeteC

I have made 2 juniors - one with a mahogany body and one with Idigbo.   All I can say is that the Idigbo body is very light ( but the piece I used for my Tele is heavy).  The light Idigbo junior sustains an open chord for absolutely ages - much longer than the mahogany junior or my PRS McCarty.  It all depends on the properties of the individual pieces selected for the build I reckon.  

I’d would have liked some black limba to use on a build but have been very happy using the Idigbo for now.  

PeteC

The Idigbo is often found being called Emeri in the hardwood suppliers.  The guys where I bought mine referred to it a slabs of “Dick” ! 

flyfisher12

Quite interesting what GSPBASSES wrote with regard to my insinuating that he didn't know the difference between "Korina" Idigbo and Limba. That really wasn't my intention at all. The point I was trying to get across as there is definately 2 distict woods that I have seen over the last 10 years coming through my brothers joinery shop. I my opinion both woods are emminantly suitable ( clearly obviously selected stock suitable for instrument making). He is quite correct in saying they look completely different and yes smell different. His Flying V photos look closer in those pictures to Korina however I am fully aware that pictures which via my phone are small and don't necessarily reflect accurately their actual look in real life. Indeed I am currently building an instrument out of "Idigbo", but the neck is clearly completely different to the body and the neck is much more like Tom Bartletts explorer build on the telecaster forum which is definately Korina which he sourced in Africa directly, whilst the body has a much more Olive green undertone to the yellow colour tone of the wood and is heavier and much more like a lot of typical idigbo joinery I have seen. I certainly wasn't intending to be "offensive" in anyway and offer GSPBASSES my sincere apology. He like I clearly know his stuff about instrument building and am sure like myself has been instrument making for a heck of a long time.
My final words.. use and enjoy Idigbo theres way worse to use out there

PeteC

One thing about Idigbo which I have noticed, so far,  is that its quite difficult to stain evenly, and its made me wonder how to get a good looking natural finish, which might resemble some of the Gibson Korina finishes - particularly a "light tan" finish to remove some of the natural yellowness of the raw Idigbo.

   Most of the Korina/Idigbo/Emeri/Limba guitars I have seen are a lovely natural finish - but I'm not sure of a good approach to getting that right ! 

longjaw

That Flying V photo you've posted is truly a thing of beauty, @GSPBASSES - what would the ballpark cost be for a left-handed version?

PeteC

This was all Idigbo.    Finish was darker than I had intended.   @GSPBASSES how do you get that lovely light finish on the Vs ? 

GSPBASSES

PeteC said:

One thing about Idigbo which I have noticed, so far,  is that its quite difficult to stain evenly, and its made me wonder how to get a good looking natural finish, which might resemble some of the Gibson Korina finishes - particularly a "light tan" finish to remove some of the natural yellowness of the raw Idigbo.

   Most of the Korina/Idigbo/Emeri/Limba guitars I have seen are a lovely natural finish - but I'm not sure of a good approach to getting that right ! 

The V in the photo that's finished has no colouring it’s just clear polyester, you can get the same finish with any clear lacquer.

PeteC

That’s where I’m going wrong - tinted danish oil so far.    Thanks Graham.