spruce or ....

[Adrian Levi]

Originally Posted by Arnold Schnitzer

Sitka is actually one of the lesser-used varieties. European spruce is more common. It grows throughout western Europe and in the Balkans. In the Italian Alps they have a variety they call Red Spruce, which is different from the Red Spruce that grows in North America. The North American Red Spruce is extremely hard, and rather heavy, and is sought-after by guitar makers because of its brilliant tone. The French used a lot of Silver Fir; it is easily identified by its wide, wandering grain. Engelmann Spruce is commonly used these days; it grows in the western USA and Canada, and has an excellent stiffness-to-weight ratio. I personally use Engelmann and Sitka, and occasionally European. Each has to be worked a bit differently, and has somewhat different tonal characteristics. You asked...

Thats really interesting Arnold !! In my part of the world there is a surplus of old (80yrs plus) Oregon pine (Douglas Fir) - would this suffice as tonewood or would it be ?