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  #1  
Old 03-25-2017, 09:04 AM
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bho bho is offline
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Default What is your favorite spruce?

Sitka, Engelmann, Adirondack, European, Lutz...and why?
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Old 03-25-2017, 09:30 AM
maurerfan maurerfan is offline
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Red ... because its the best!!
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Old 03-25-2017, 10:06 AM
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Way too many variables to say - what wood it's paired with, what body size, playing style....and, there is a lot of variance of stiffness within each type.

I've owned great sounding instruments built with nearly every species of spruce known to man.

Sorry for not being able to help, but I'm guessing others with a bit of experience will say something similar!
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Old 03-25-2017, 10:24 AM
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I'll step out - Engelmann
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Old 03-25-2017, 10:26 AM
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Yep, they're all good. The biggest focus is which one your builder can do magic with. Usually your builder will know which will work best with a certain guitar, long before you make a suggestion.
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Old 03-25-2017, 10:35 AM
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sitka and european for me! both was recommended by the builder.I have found it's easier to choose a back and side wood out of a player perspective, leave the top wood up to the builder
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Old 03-25-2017, 10:40 AM
billyg billyg is offline
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I agree with fitness1, it depends on what it is paired with.


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Old 03-25-2017, 10:41 AM
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That is like saying what is your favorite size of guitar. Actually that question is easier to answer. Given that guitars come in different sizes a particular piece of spruce may be better suited to building a smaller or larger guitar. And then do you want a guitar that you can strum and keep up with a banjo or do you like to do some fingerstyle or do you want a classical guitar? I am probably overthinking this though.
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Old 03-25-2017, 11:00 AM
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I, like most builders I know, have a couple pieces of wood stock that are so exceptional they get put aside for when just the right build comes along. I have a spruce top that is extremely light, it is exceptionally stiff along and against the grain, no run out, lot's of medullar rays, even grain, even color, perfectly quartered, and the tap tones are rich and complex. That is my favorite spruce!
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Old 03-25-2017, 11:33 AM
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I'll have what Mark's having.
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Old 03-25-2017, 11:39 AM
TokyoNeko TokyoNeko is offline
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Given all other things equal and purely based on plant species, Engelmann.
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Old 03-26-2017, 04:50 AM
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Mark Hatcher View Post
I, like most builders I know, have a couple pieces of wood stock that are so exceptional they get put aside for when just the right build comes along. I have a spruce top that is extremely light, it is exceptionally stiff along and against the grain, no run out, lot's of medullar rays, even grain, even color, and the tap tones are rich and complex. That is my favorite spruce!
^^^^ This is my favorite Spruce!
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Old 03-26-2017, 04:52 AM
geetaruke geetaruke is offline
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But still, I'm partial to englemann
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Old 03-26-2017, 06:36 AM
redir redir is offline
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Mark Hatcher View Post
I, like most builders I know, have a couple pieces of wood stock that are so exceptional they get put aside for when just the right build comes along. I have a spruce top that is extremely light, it is exceptionally stiff along and against the grain, no run out, lot's of medullar rays, even grain, even color, and the tap tones are rich and complex. That is my favorite spruce!
That's funny and I think most of us can relate. I have had a board of the most incredibly figured Imbuia since I started building 25 years ago still waiting to be resawn and used.... Some day... ��

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As for spruce I've got stock in all of the species for many guitars. No favorites, they are all just lovely..

Last edited by redir; 03-27-2017 at 06:34 AM.
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Old 03-26-2017, 07:02 AM
LaFaro LaFaro is offline
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Quote:
Originally Posted by maurerfan View Post
Red ... because its the best!!
German, Swiss or Italian Alpine spruce.. because it's even better
but without joke... it#s even said before... it depends on a lot of factors.
For me alpine spruce seems to work even better than red spruce... it seems to have a greater dynamic range and sounds "sweeter", more musical even played very gentle
I owned for some time a real beautiful Collings with Red Spruce and it sounded really beautiful, but my instruments with Alpine Spruce work for me even better
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