Requesting a Lesson on Spruce Types

[merlin6666]

I grew up in in the Black Forest area around 800m elevation. For me the European spruce is basically a monoculture forest product that is grown there for all sorts of uses. It never would have occurred to me that the same kind of wood from old trees that grow at higher elevation could be used for guitars.

 

[AcornHouse]

Hey, Chris,

Any chance of a full pictures of this beautiful set? That looks pretty rough-hewn. Is that how the wood sets typically come from the distributors?

Some sets come rough, some are sanded on the faces. Here’s another set I used for the classical. The sound hole cutout shows it without finish, against the first few coats of shellac.



What‘s more important to me, is the sound of the wood, and roughness doesn’t matter there. These Val di Fiemme sets are some of the most resonant wood I’ve had the pleasure of working with.

 

[chazmo]

Cool, Chris!!! Magnificent silking too in the picture.

 

[adorshki]

Now I'm confused with the add on of; (and Carpathian is Picea Excelsa o Picea Abies) Please clarify, Picea Excelsa o

And to put a fine point on it, the Carpathian mountains are that "J" shaped leg at the tail end of the big green belt in Chris's map.

 

[SFIV1967]

And to put a fine point on it, the Carpathian mountains are that "J" shaped leg at the tail end of the big green belt in Chris's map.

Yes, mainly in Slovakia, Poland, Ukraine and 50% on Romanian territory.



Ralf

 

[cutrofiano]

I grew up in in the Black Forest area around 800m elevation. [...] It never would have occurred to me that the same kind of wood from old trees that grow at higher elevation could be used for guitars.

In fact for a period of time and within a scientific research program in colaboration with the University of Freiburg, moon spruce from the Feldberg region (up to 1.500 m) was sold as far as to Argentina to build finest guitars but it is too rare and (old) suitable trees are not allowed for commercial use any more today.

 

[JohnW63]

So, did Vlad the Impaler use Carpathian spruce as his pointed stick of choice?

 

[HeyMikey]

I still have one set left of Val di Fiemme Italian Spruce.

Ok, dammit you guys. Now I have to acquire a set or two of Val di Fiemme to stash away for my retirement build(s). Can you recommend a legitimate source for this?

 

[AcornHouse]

The longer the top ages, the better.
https://www.ciresafiemme.it/tonewoo...-spruce-ciresa-ciresasrl-trentino-italy.html#

 

[chazmo]

The longer the top ages, the better.
https://www.ciresafiemme.it/tonewoo...-spruce-ciresa-ciresasrl-trentino-italy.html#

Hey, Chris, no knock on the wood at all; it looks spectacular. But does anyone really take this "moon" spruce thing seriously. I mean, trees only cut during a waning moon in the fall? Throw in some dancing virgins, and I'm sold.

 

[AcornHouse]

Hey, Chris, no knock on the wood at all; it looks spectacular. But does anyone really take this "moon" spruce thing seriously. I mean, trees only cut during a waning moon in the fall? Throw in some dancing virgins, and I'm sold.

Dancing virgins cost extra.

 

[AcornHouse]

But, seriously, there may be scientific evidence behind it. If the moon affects the tides, then it could also affect how the sap runs in the trees. (I don’t know, just conjecuring here.) So maybe people noticed that wood cut on certain days of the month tended to be better.

All I ask is that it be well quartered, well seasoned, well aged, and, well, to sound good!

 

[SFIV1967]

But does anyone really take this "moon" spruce thing seriously. I mean, trees only cut during a waning moon in the fall?

As Chris said. The old violin builders in Europe took it seriously, read again this link from before, it gives some examples why:

Moonspruce - best EuroSpruce: MoonSpruce + other Tonewoods

European + other tonewoods for luthiers of guitars & archtop specialized in all kinds of european, german, alpine, italian, swiss, spruce, moonwood, picea abies, picea orientalis, caucasian spruce

www.best-eurospruce.com

Ralf

 

[chazmo]

^ Interesting, Ralf! Thanks! I can the logic of reduced sap flow having some impact on the wood. I'm going to chalk the phase of the moon business up to superstition, though. Or just, perhaps, trying to maintain consistency year-to-year.

 

[Rayk]

Hehehehe …. You guys , who got ya going on about the moon ?
It’s all real though if the dang thing keeps me from sleeping then it has a effect on things .
So there

Don’t get me started on unicorns and fairy’s especially those garden gnomes they are really annoying !