September 13, 2026. 3 minute read.
How to choose between the three Stone tenors.
The Koa, the Alder and the Solid Top Cutaway are built from different woods in different body styles, so the choice comes down to what you want to hear and to hold.
By David Macapinlac
The three Stone tenors are different instruments, with different woods, different bodies and different voices, and the body is what you hear and what you hold. They do share the parts that matter most for playability: the same 26-inch tenor size, an ox bone nut and saddle, a Richlite fretboard and bridge, chrome tuners, Aquila strings and a matte finish.
The Alder
The Alder has a laminated alder top, back and sides with black binding and white pearl inlays. It is the tenor we hand to first-time players and to teachers who need six of them at once, because it is clear and bright for its price and it stays in tune. If you are buying your first tenor, this is the place to start.
The Koa
The Koa is laminated koa with abalone binding and abalone inlays. It sounds warmer and rounder than the Alder, and it is the one people notice from across a room. If you already play and you want the instrument you reach for at a jam, this is it.
The Solid Top Cutaway
The Solid Top Cutaway is our first tenor with a solid-wood top and a cutaway for the upper frets. A solid top opens up as it is played, so this is the instrument that changes over the years you own it, and it is meant for players who know they are staying.
Hearing them
We are recording the same riff on each model with the same microphone in the same room, so you can compare them honestly. The sound samples will appear on each product page as they are finished.
