German Spruce Violin/Viola/Mandolin Top #91 - AAAA Grade

German Spruce has been favoured as a top material on stringed instruments for hundreds of years.

Quality - We have several grades of German Spruce tops available. Regardless of the grade, all the tops we sell are dry and stable, quartersawn and straight-grained, capable of producing a fine instrument.

Look - This timber is white with slight pink to yellow hues. The grain lines are red/brown with the stiffer pieces having more pronounced grain lines (redlines). Higher grade tops have a fine, even and straight grain and are free from the small visual imperfections that may be present in lower grade tops.

Sound - The sound of these tops is second to none - fundamental and clear but also with a beautiful and brilliant tone.

Price - High grade tops are relatively expensive compared to other timbers. Low and mid grade tops are worth considering when sound and price are the most important priorities.

Availability/Renewability - German Spruce isn't strictly only from Germany and is harvested from the mountains of European countries near Germany. High quality pieces are becoming more rare every year as the large trees are logged.