ADIRONDACK or RED SPRUCE versus SITKA SPRUCE

Both of these timbers make great soundboards on flat top acoustic guitars. They have had popularity at different times in history heres the story so far. Adirondack or Red Spruce was very popular piror to WWII. It is found on a lot vintage acoustic guitars. The high weight to strength ratio made it useful in the construction of aeroplane wings during the war. The ratio is what makes it so prized amongst guitar Luthiers. After the war most of the good trees were gone, and what is still available, has cosmetic flaws. If you can put up with this it still makes great sounding guitars especially if you want a new guitar with that vintage sound. This scarcity led to the use of Sitka Spruce as the number one guitar top of the big guitar Luthiers. It is found on most guitars. If you step into some guitar shops like I have and ask to play an Adirondack you will often be greeted with a puzzled look from the shop assistant. The easiest way to get you hands on one is to play a vintage instrument or have a custom guitar built.

solid Sitka Spruce Picea Stichensis piceas del sitka soundboard and top for acoustic guitar      solid Sitka Spruce Picea Stichensis abeti rossi di sitka soundboard and top for acoustic guitar      solid Sitka Spruce Picea Stichensis sitka fichten soundboard and top for acoustic guitar

solid Sitka Spruce Picea Stichensis sitka fichten soundboard and top for acoustic guitar      solid Sitka Spruce Picea Stichensis piceas del sitka soundboard and top for acoustic guitar      solid Sitka Spruce Picea Stichensis sitka sparren soundboard and top for acoustic guitar
SITKA SPRUCE

Source: Western North America
Colours: Pinkish white to Light Brown, silky, even grain
Tonal: Good balance, clarity and resonation, bright, crisp
Suitable: Steel Strings sound boards, hard flat picking

solid Adirondack, Red Spruce Picea Rubens soundboard and top for acoustic guitar      solid Adirondack, Red Spruce Picea Rubens soundboard and top for acoustic guitar      solid Adirondack, Red Spruce Picea Rubens soundboard and top for acoustic guitar     

solid Adirondack, Red Spruce Picea Rubens soundboard and top for acoustic guitar      solid Adirondack, Red Spruce Picea Rubens soundboard and top for acoustic guitar      solid Adirondack, Red Spruce Picea Rubens soundboard and top for acoustic guitar     
ADIRONDACK (red) SPRUCE

Source: North America
Colours: Irregular grain, creamy white, little silking
Tonal: Strong, clear. Brilliance of Sitka/warmth of Engelmann
Suitable: Flat picking

This article has been published on the following internet sites:

www.australianluthiers.com.au
www.artsandentertainment.info
www.guitarsite.com
www.guitaradoption.com
www.searchwarp.com
www.ricsvintageguitars.com
www.goghguitars.com

.....as a quality Australian luthier in Perth, Western Australia Andrew Ellis of Ellis Guitars blends traditional old-fashioned handcraft with the latest technology to produce sweet sounding custom hand made guitars. Steel string dreadnought, 000, jumbo, OM, small jumbo, L1, Jumbo, Weissenborn, Left Hand Guitars and Lap Steel models, wood body and metal body resonators and custom wood and timber stomp boxes are all hand crafted and handmade. A combination of international solid timbers renowned for acoustic and sound-producing qualities, temperature and humidity controlled environments, attention to colour matching and design, and patient awareness of the delicate processes of manufacture including wood tuning, thicknesses, bracing and finishing techniques guarantee beauty and quality......