Results 1 to 12 of 12

Thread: Aderondack vs. German

  1. #1
    Registered User
    Join Date
    Feb 2005
    Location
    pembina county
    Posts
    57

    Unhappy

    hi everybody,
    I have a friend who is getting a custom Collings guitar
    and he is wondering which is a better soundboard wood
    (for bluegrass) Aderondack or German spruce ?
    which do you prefer and why?
    thanks,
    MandolinTim

  2. #2
    Registered User sunburst's Avatar
    Join Date
    Nov 2003
    Location
    Kentucky
    Posts
    15,863

    Default

    You'll probably get a lot of various opinions on this, but I think it's the wrong question, to some extent.
    The better piece of wood makes the better top. Red spruce and european spruce can both be excellent, or poor, or anywhere in between. I'd select a good top and not care what species of tree it came from.

    In other words, I'll take a good european top over a bad red spruce top, and a good red spruce top over a bad european top.

  3. #3

    Default

    I prefer Aderondack or Sitka. German can break a liittle after a very hard attack. It is great for fingstyle or lighter playing. It subjective but if I was ordering a guitar for Bluegrass it would be Aderondack.

  4. #4
    Registered User swampstomper's Avatar
    Join Date
    Apr 2005
    Location
    Arnhem, the Netherlands; Nanjing, China; Ithaca NY USA
    Posts
    1,868

    Default

    Agree with sunburst, this is a non-question. It depends much more on the individual tree / growth process / aging than on the species. Adirondack (correct spelling please!) spruce is not allowed to grow so large for the most part nowadays (it goes for pulpwood) so you don't get the same wood as Martin got in the 1930's.

    As for German spruce -- that's like saying American spruce -- there's a wide variety.

    I have a Lebeda with a nice strong wide-grained Bohemian (in Czech Republic) spruce top, it sure isn't going to break!

  5. #5
    Registered User
    Join Date
    Sep 2002
    Location
    Grass Valley California
    Posts
    3,727

    Default

    Just a bit more perspective, I agree with John Hamlett's approach to the wood, but more important is the luthier and what he/she does with it. This is great for a generality, but you sais the guitar is coming from Collings and is to be used for bluegrass. In this specific case I would recommend the red (Adirondack)spruce because Collings has very picky standards for selecting their wood and they have a specific 'receipe' for making a guitar that will produce a very bright and powerful sound with this material. The other choice would probably be fine, but you will get an extra edge with the red spruce.

  6. #6
    wood butcher Spruce's Avatar
    Join Date
    Sep 2002
    Location
    Orcas Island, Washington
    Posts
    6,172

    Default

    I could send you samples of Engelmann, White, Red from the Adirondacks, Red from the Appalacians, European from Italy, and European from the Ukraine, and you (and I) would only be guessing as to which is which...

    So which is "better"?

  7. #7
    The Forrest Gump of Mando Rob Powell's Avatar
    Join Date
    Mar 2004
    Location
    Reston, VA
    Posts
    766

    Default

    I suggest you have Collings make that decision
    "If you can make it to 50 without growing up, you don't have to..."

    Rob Powell AKA The BeerGeek

  8. #8
    Café habitué Paul Hostetter's Avatar
    Join Date
    Sep 2003
    Location
    Santa Cruz, California
    Posts
    6,286

    Default

    I'm glad to see most of the folks here agree that species not at all the important question. Perhaps some piece of "German" did once break a little after a very hard attack, but I would never say that's a characteristic. No species of spruce is that homogenous, visually or structurally.

    If you're interested, click here for a piece I've been working on for a number of years about what is "German" spruce.
    .
    ph

    º º º º º º º º º º º º º º º
    Paul Hostetter, luthier
    Santa Cruz, California
    www.lutherie.net

  9. #9

    Default

    I have to say readings Paul's posts on this subject in the past, he is the expert!

  10. #10
    Registered User
    Join Date
    Sep 2002
    Location
    Grass Valley California
    Posts
    3,727

    Default

    "So, which is better?" Answer, the one that sounds best! And you won't know that until they are ALL made and played, which seldom happens at any one time.

    All this focus on the materials and technical aspects tends to miss the point that IT IS ALL ABOUT THE MUSIC! If it weren't for the music we wouldn't be making ANY instruments. That being said, I am glad that there are some folks that are sufficiently picky about their instruments that they don't mind too much about spending my price to get the tone or feel they are looking for. If it takes "better" wood to satisfy them, then we will use it to make their instrument. Actually, I think the "better" wood is just about any wood that is used well to take advantage of it's qualities.

  11. #11
    Registered User
    Join Date
    Sep 2003
    Location
    Nashville
    Posts
    4,966

    Default

    My preference, like many is Adirondak with Brazilian rosewood, however, the best sounding guitar I've ever played was East Indian rosewood with Sitka spruce top. If all things were equal and theory alone was the issue my first choice would be the best for Bluegrass. However, all things are never equal and each individual instrument must be judged on its own merit. Then there is the most important factor of all; different strokes for different folks! Isn't it grand? I love so many things it's hard to settle on a 'perfect' instrument. That is why I can love our MMs, Michael Lewis jazz mandolins and Rigels. They are about as different as night and day, but each an incredible instrument in its own right. Which is better? It's not about competition, but about the tone for your application today. Thank you.
    Have a Great Day!
    Joe Vest

  12. #12
    Registered User
    Join Date
    Feb 2005
    Location
    pembina county
    Posts
    57

    Default

    hi everybody,
    this is what I was thinking(to many variables), but I wanted a second opinion
    about it before I told my friend what to spend his money on!
    thanks,
    MandolinTim

Similar Threads

  1. New german school
    By Adam Fenn in forum Orchestral, Classical, Italian, Medieval, Renaissance
    Replies: 4
    Last: Sep-13-2008, 2:42am
  2. Old german catalogue
    By Martin Jonas in forum Vintage Instruments
    Replies: 3
    Last: Aug-27-2008, 9:05am
  3. German
    By jeffshuniak in forum Celtic, U.K., Nordic, Quebecois, European Folk
    Replies: 12
    Last: Oct-09-2007, 10:16am
  4. German mandolins
    By 12 fret in forum Looking for Information About Mandolins
    Replies: 15
    Last: Jul-23-2007, 11:59am
  5. German Bowlback Value
    By Fretbear in forum Orchestral, Classical, Italian, Medieval, Renaissance
    Replies: 4
    Last: Mar-04-2006, 6:18am

Bookmarks

Bookmarks

Posting Permissions

  • You may not post new threads
  • You may not post replies
  • You may not post attachments
  • You may not edit your posts
  •