European Spruce

Family: Pinaceae - Order: Pinales - Class: Pinopsida

Scientific name: Picea abies

Trade name: German Spruce

Also known as Norway Spruce, European Spruce, German Spruce

Origin: Northern and Central Europe

Instrumental uses:
Soundboards, sound bars, bracing and bindings.

Tonal properties:

Very rich harmonic reproduction, great in tonal balance, reproduces all frequencies but offers a very long bass extension range and on the overall frequency range rings incredibly loud with very well defined highs, and great note separation. Huge presence and extraordinary sound projection. If from a master grade, very old, and naturally dried board, it can make a truly unique instrument with a stunning sound. Is also extremely expensive.

 Can and should be used for extraordinary sound bars and bracing building. The wood’s strength means less wood used resulting in very good sound optimization, as well as very straight and very consistent grains. These grains being especially tight are always recommended.

So, it produces incredible sounding tops on classical, acoustic guitars or other string instruments as well. The older the wood the better the sound and stability. When using centenary trees with regular, tight growth rings coupled with very old seasoned woods, it can make for a perfect match to the most noble woods used in back and sides.

 Even though it is a soft wood, it is very stiff, very consistent, with an average dried weight of nearly of 25  lbs/ft3 or 405 kg/m3. 

Picea abies is a big and large three, fast-growing from 30 to 55m tall and with a trunk diameter of 1 to 1.5 m. Can grow up 1m/year. After the 1st 25 years growth starts to slow down around when they reach 20m tall.

 It is a native of Northern and Central Europe but is also found on the High mountains of Southern Europe introduced from central Europe; often planted in the North and Central Sierras, in the Serra de Estrela planted above 1500 m to avoid heat; planted as an ornamental tree (and for the production of Christmas trees).

The color of bark is reddish-brown to grey. The sapwood is darker than Picea engelmannii  but typically whitish cream sometimes with red and yellow stripes and the heartwood is more darker and dense.

CITES status is unrestricted. Is reported on the IUCN Red List as least concern.