spruce or ....

[Adrian Levi]

Is sitke spruce the only spruce that is used for bass tops ? There seem to be various types of spruce available from the US and or Europe and I'm wondering if there is an absolute standard when it comes down to traditional bass making ...

[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...

[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 ?

[Ken Smith]

Most American Basses from the 19th century that I have seen were made with local Pine. Usually New England White Pine but not exclusively. Many English Basses were also made with imported American pine, Pitch Pine and Yellow pine. I have basses with these tops made in England. Also, quite a few Italian basses were made with slap cut local growth pine as it was available for one and also cheaper for the least important string instrument of its time.

From what I have seen on old Basses, grain direction and tone have no correlation. They do have strength issues between them being that the straighter the stronger and the higher arch stronger than the flatter is stronger as well. Flat sawn and flat arch = sunken top. Tight straight grain and high arch = a tight top..

On most Basses from France on east to Vienna, most of what I have seen is straight grained Spruce. Some older Viennese basses are occasionally made with irregular grain and multi piece tops like some Italians but from the most part, central Europe used straight grained Euro spruce.

[Adrian Levi]

Originally Posted by Ken Smith

Most American Basses from the 19th century that I have seen were made with local Pine. Usually New England White Pine but not exclusively. Many English Basses were also made with imported American pine, Pitch Pine and Yellow pine. I have basses with these tops made in England. Also, quite a few Italian basses were made with slap cut local growth pine as it was available for one and also cheaper for the least important string instrument of its time.

From what I have seen on old Basses, grain direction and tone have no correlation. They do have strength issues between them being that the straighter the stronger and the higher arch stronger than the flatter is stronger as well. Flat sawn and flat arch = sunken top. Tight straight grain and high arch = a tight top..

On most Basses from France on east to Vienna, most of what I have seen is straight grained Spruce. Some older Viennese basses are occasionally made with irregular grain and multi piece tops like some Italians but from the most part, central Europe used straight grained Euro spruce.

I was really under the impression that only one type of spruce was 'good enough' for instrument use. So it seems that Douglas Fir was used at times in America for bass making probably as it is common in the US.
Would a pic of the grain and general color of the wood I have help identify the species or are they too similar ?

[Adrian Levi]

Originally Posted by Adrian Levi

I was really under the impression that only one type of spruce was 'good enough' for instrument use. So it seems that Douglas Fir was used at times in America for bass making probably as it is common in the US.
Would a pic of the grain and general color of the wood I have help identify the species or are they too similar ?

I'm putting up a pic just in case / but doubt it can be pinpointed to an exact species from a picture !!

[Arnold Schnitzer]

Originally Posted by Adrian Levi

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 ?

I have worked on two basses with Doug Fir tops. Both sounded so-so, and both were riddled with splits.