Best Top for Fingerstyle Play (Sitka or Adirondack)

[William2]

All of my guitars have had Sitka or Mahogany tops. I recently purchased an
Eastman E-10DL with an Adirondack top and mahogany back and sides. I'm amazed it the instruments power and more importantly the notes sustain even when not plucked hard. Do players who play fingerstyle find an Adirondack top preferrable for this style of playing or did I just luck put and get a good guitar? I also wonder if an Adirondack top would perform better than my instrument if it had a minimal open pore finish as opposed to the high gloss finish my instrument has.

[J Patrick]

…I don’t think the species of spruce is relevant….I own 3 Kopp guitars…one has an Adirondack top…one has an Englemann top and one has a baked Sitka top….the baked Sitka top is the most responsive to a lighter touch and makes for an exceptional fingerpicking guitar….but the other two are almost as responsive….I conclude that it’s the design and build that have the most effect

[kirkham13]

in circa guitars latest video it was stated that Adirondack tends to be the most consistent of the spruce species used for tops - very stiff. That sitka especially was all over the place from top to top stiffness wise. So if I were buying a mass produced guitar I would look for adirondack. Of course thicknessing and bracing and finishes and everything else will effect the sound so you have to listen for the sound you are going for-

[William2]

Originally Posted by J Patrick

…I don’t think the species of spruce is relevant….I own 3 Kopp guitars…one has an Adirondack top…one has an Englemann top and one has a baked Sitka top….the baked Sitka top is the most responsive to a lighter touch and makes for an exceptional fingerpicking guitar….but the other two are almost as responsive….I conclude that it’s the design and build that have the most effect

Thank you for your response. I have to agree that the build has much do with the overall response. I think that's why I asked the question if Adirondack will sound even more responsive if the instrument has less finish like my other instruments. My Eastman E-10DL weighs 4.8# and my Martin DSS-17 weighs 4.0#. I'd say it is a draw on power between these two instruments. The DSS-17 weigh much less and has that matt minimal open pore finish. Id' also add that the Eastman with its Adirondack top and mahogany back and sides doesn't have that dry woody tone like the DSS-17 has. I wonder if the Adirondack top changes the flavor of the tone woods used.

[William2]

Originally Posted by kirkham13

in circa guitars latest video it was stated that Adirondack tends to be the most consistent of the spruce species used for tops - very stiff. That sitka especially was all over the place from top to top stiffness wise. So if I were buying a mass produced guitar I would look for adirondack. Of course thicknessing and bracing and finishes and everything else will effect the sound so you have to listen for the sound you are going for-

Thank you for the response. I had no idea that was so much variation in a Sitka top.

[rollypolly]

I just got an adi top Martin dread and I’ve owned two Sitka topped ones before. The adi does seem to enjoy harder attack. It makes fast fingerpicking really fun and it encourages harder and faster play. That said, the tone is still Martin and the differences are very subtle.

[Guitars44me]

IM not so HO, the builder and the build matter even more than the top wood.

That said, I LOVE Western Red Cedar tops. Nice and warm tone, almost never gets strident or harsh. And plenty of volume with fingers. And LOUD with fingerpicks and thumbpick. I can drive mine to breakup, but by then they are way too loud for driver comfort! Haha

YMMV, of course

Cheers

Paul

[William2]

Originally Posted by rollypolly

I just got an adi top Martin dread and I’ve owned two Sitka topped ones before. The adi does seem to enjoy harder attack. It makes fast fingerpicking really fun and it encourages harder and faster play. That said, the tone is still Martin and the differences are very subtle.

One of the places I watch is Maury's Music. There is a guy named Spoon Phillips who demos many instruments. On a recent video he said that all of his personal instruments have Adirondack tops. I just wish American builders would make Adirondack top instruments at a more affordable price like Eastman.

[massimo]

While I agree these may not be night and day differences, as many other build/builder facts must be factored in, I find European spruce tops to be best suited for fingerstyle guitar (with Italian being my favorite). Fast, vigorous fingerpicking may mate well with adirondack. There can be tons of exceptions of course, as I stated earlier.

[aschroeder]

For smaller body guitars I much prefer Adirondack to Sitka. I played many OM guitars before purchasing my Eastman E40om with an Adirondack top. For me the Adirondack is much more responsive and articulate for fingerpicking. The Sitka guitars always lacked clarity to me. For strumming I think sitka is great, but for fingerstyle I would go Adirondack.

It also very much depends on the guitar body size/shape (and builder). In most cases I prefer redwood or cedar for fingerpicking. But on a more traditional body shape like an OM I prefer spruce tops.

[jaymarsch]

I don’t think that there is a best top for fingerstyle. I have guitars with Adi, German, and cedar and they all sound great played fingerstyle. A friend of mine has an all-koa guitar that excels at fingerstyle.
Best,
Jayne