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sitka_spruce

Sitka Spruce

Picea sitchensis

Tall, fast growing conifer, native of Western North America. It prefers wet, acid soil in upland areas and is grown in vast quantities as a plantation tree. It can be recognized by its bluish needles and small rounded cones. The needles are thick and rigid and point forwards on the top of the stalk. They spread out from all around the stalk except the underside. Sitka Spruce has ascending branches.

Sitka SprucePicea sitchensis (Bong.) Carr. Sitka spruce is one of the tallest conifers, it can attain heights of more than 80 metres and can live for about 8 centuries. Its flaky, plate-like bark is a reddish-brown. The cones are easily distinguished by their wavy irregular-toothed outer cone scale margins.

Also known as Silver Spruce, Coast Spruce, or Yellow Spruce, this wood started out most used for utility poles, pulpwood, pallets, and framing for heavy construction.

However, its light weight, directly straight grain configuration and incredible proportionate strength, lent itself well to other uses and became particularly valuable in constructing aircraft. Very strong for its weight, it possesses greater strength and toughness than any wood of similar weight.

In later experiments it was found that Sitka Spruce which had grown slow, creating many growth rings per inch of wood has a tonal quality which is perfect for musical instrument tops, such as guitars and basses.

Further investigation has shown that Sitka Spruce laminated front and back with solid wood veneers produces a top for hardbody guitars that is unmatchable for beauty, and strength, and seems to add to the instruments' tonal appeal.