Preferred for its strength and tough elasticity, Sitka Spruce can endure abuse to which the other soundboard materials are less immune, like dirt specks on the workbench and roughshod handling by the player.
Sitka Spruce is very stiff and has a MOE-to-density ratio of 1.57 x 106 — the highest of commercially used Spruces. This higher ratio, in theory, is the most desirable for soundboards. Because of its strength and toughness it is well suited for steel string acoustic guitars. It has even been used successfully for classical guitars. (It was John Gilbert’s preferred Spruce for soundboards.)
The color of Sitka Spruce ranges from white to pink to light brown. Some tops display a lot of color variation. “Bearclaw” sometimes available.
