Blue spruce--any good for tops?

[Jim]

At the Northside Church of God in Muncie, IN, there lies a freshly downed 18"dia blue spruce. I haven't inquired as to my chance of getting it, because I have no idea if it is worthwhile as soundboard material. It is a stand-alone tree, well maybe there's a few others close by, but it has branches all the way from the bottom to the top.

Anybody ever use blue spruce for a top?

Jim

[Green Mountain Guitars]

They are having a discussion about it right now on the AGF.

http://www.acousticguitarforum.com/foru ... p?t=147739" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Glen

[whitespruce]

Well, both the US Forest Service tech sheets and my "Woods of the World" database list blue spruce as just another name for white spruce, Picea glauca.

And, in that case, ya it's good

But if there are branches way to the ground, there won't be any usable tops in it. Might be able to find some useable bracewood between the branch whorls, though.

G

[Jim]

Thanks, Glen for that reference. There's some good info on Picea abies there, in particular.

Grant, that's what I was concerned about--the branches. That confirms my lazy bone theory, which said let other people's sleeping, dead trees alone! I'll leave it to the Church of God people. I do have a large honey locust down the fenceline from my woods that I'd like to cut and get sawed into billets. But I'm gonna need a couple of guys to help. It's big and probably has metal fence nails in it the first 4 feet. I'll have to build a platform around it. It's actually not on my land but I have permission from both farmers on either side of the fenceline. Gotta get it before planting time.

Separate question for Grant about Picea glauca, white spruce. At one time, I believe you told me, Adirondack red spruce and white spruce were considered the same species. Can you tell me more about that or point me to a reference? I found that interesting!

Jim

[whitespruce]

Separate question for Grant about Picea glauca, white spruce. At one time, I believe you told me, Adirondack red spruce and white spruce were considered the same species. Can you tell me more about that or point me to a reference? I found that interesting!

Jim

Well, they are two separate species; White spruce, Picea glauca, Red spruce, Picea rubens. The term "Adirondack spruce" is one of several common names that have been applied to both of them.

For example, white spruce also goes by the following names: Adirondack spruce, Alberta spar, Alberta spruce, Alberta white spruce, Alberta-gran, Black Hills spruce, blue spruce, bog spruce, Canadese spar, Canadese witte spar, Canadian spruce, cat spruce, double spruce, eastern blue spruce, eastern Canadian spruce, eastern spruce, epicea canadien, epinette a biere, epinette blanche, epinette grise, epinette jaune, he-balsam, juniper, labrador spruce, Maritime spruce, New Brunswick spruce, northern spruce, Nova Scotia spruce, picea canadese, picea de Alberta, picea de Canada, picea del Canada, picea di Alberta, pine, Porsild spruce, Quebec spruce, sapin blanc, sapin de Normandie, sapinette blanche, sapinette d'Alberta, single spruce, skunk spruce, spruce pine, spruces d'america, St. john's spruce, transcontinental spruce, vit-gran, water spruce, western white spruce, wit-spar, and yew pine.

And red spruce also goes by the following names: Abetina rossa, Adirondack spruce, black spruce, blue spruce, Canadese rude spar, Canadian red spruce, Canadian spruce, double spruce, eastern spruce, epicea rouge du Canada, he balsam, he-balsam, Hudson-fichte, kanadensisk rud-gran, North American red spruce, picea roja de Canada, picea rossa del Canada, rot-fichte, sapinette rouge du Canada, spruce pine, spruces d'america, West Virginia spruce, and yellow spruce.

These names are from the US Forest Service tech sheets. I am sure there are more common names.

I hope this serves to illustrate the confusion that can be generated by using common names

G

[Jim]

Whew! I hope you were able to cut and paste all those names! But it was worth it, because I get it now.

Thanks, Grant Goltz. (I need to get more specific when I call you by your US Forest name! )

Seriously, thanks for taking that much time to answer.

Jim