Sitka Spruce vs German Spruce Guitar Tops

[@bobc.5698]

Daisy Tempest did a generic sound test with 3 varieties of spruce. Smokey mountain spruce (64 growth rings per inch...wow), moon spruce and Sitka spruce.

[@tylerhartman604]

Thanks for this video! Just ordered a used German Spruce topped Collings Short Scale OM, and was surprised at how dark the top was (it's 11 years old), and this video answers my question as to why it's so much darker than my Adi and Alpine spruce tops. The tone feels like it sits between spruce and cedar, and I absolutely love it.

[@AusLuthierSupplies]

Glad to solve that question about why the top of your guitar is darker! It's good to hear Collings have a German Spruce option and you're loving the guitar.

[@Beyonder1881]

Hi, I happen to have a similar guitar - a Collings OM1 GSS (German spruce, short scale) made in 2008. It's a great guitar way beyond my capabilities.

[@RaysTrack]

I have a guitar with a cedar top and now want to get the same model with a brighter sound. The European luthier offers Sitka, Torrified Sitka or Alpine Spruce (the dearest option and which I assume is German Spruce?). Given your remarks about German being a warmer sound than Sitka I'm wondering if I should just go for Sitka or risk having something too similar to cedar.

[@AusLuthierSupplies]

Cedar has a very mellow sound so either the Sitka or German/European/Alpine spruce will give a brighter sound for sure and not like cedar. Sitka is brighter overall while German is a bit warmer with more range of overtones and more of a delicateness, especially when played at lower volume. Hope this helps you make a decision!

[@carlosreira2189]

My experience is that German spruce is the stiffest, much like American red spruce, with stronger late growth. Alpine spruce is lighter in weight but preferred for violins evidently. Any good spruce is going to be brighter than Western red-cedar by a wide margin. Torrification lowers the frequencies, I'm pretty sure.

[@maxwellfan55]

Clear, well presented video, thank you. For those fascinated by guitar tone woods, this has unlocked knowledge about the two varieties of spruce we needed to know. Also, is Engelmann spruce the same/similar to German? Love the look of that semi-acoustic BTW.

[@AusLuthierSupplies]

We're glad you enjoyed the video. Sorry for the late reply, I replied earlier but it seems not to have posted. Engelmann Spruce grows in North America, it looks a lot like German Spruce when it's new but the German ages to a darker colour more quickly. The Engelmann is lighter in weight and prone to splitting than German and we find it is not as good in tonal qualities to either German or Sitka Spruce.

[@carlosreira2189]

You got some good Sitka there. The stiffest European spruce will be brighter than Sitka, but both species vary in MOE, as do all spruces, all softwoods, and probably all woods!

[@AusLuthierSupplies]

Good points! All timbers vary from piece to piece. It's one of the reasons that every guitar that comes out of a factory sounds different, even if it's the same model built to the same specs.

[@carlosreira2189]

@@AusLuthierSupplies yeah, true. Some Martins are exceptional, I've noticed that. Blessings to you and yours this holiday season.

[@carlosreira2189]

@@AusLuthierSupplies Yes, I once played an epic D-35. And quite a few dud D-28's. But I much prefer factory guitars to handbuilt, because they (Gibson, Marin, Fender) invented it, and they make enough to know what they're doing. Lots of handmade instruments on KZbin sound like garbage, though they might be made of the best wood and much care.

[@AusLuthierSupplies]

@@carlosreira2189 Great points! Manufacturers do a good job overall at making all of guitars decent, whereas a handmade guitar can be anything from really bad to sublime. The skills of the individual luthier make a huge difference to the sound and quality of a handmade guitar. Classical guitars seem to be one exception to this and overall handmade classical guitars are far superior to factory made ones.

[@flyonwall360]

And what about Adirondack Spruce?

[@AusLuthierSupplies]

Adirondack Spruce is a great tonewood and has been used in some legendary acoustic guitars. It's a timber we haven't had much experience with though.

[@BurninSven1]

In Europe German spruce is easier to get of course, even spruce from the nordic countries can work good but it does not grow so wide so you would need three pieces for a top

[@ozysean]

Thank you for pointing that out, it makes sense that European Spruce would be easier to get in Europe! Because we're in Australia supply is different to other places in the world. Nordic spruce is something we haven't heard of here, do the trees grow very slow so they are small?