What are the best Sitka spruce guitars?

When it comes to looking for the best Sitka spruce guitars, there’s no shortage of choices to explore. After all, Sitka spruce has become extremely popular and used by companies worldwide.

The best Sitka spruce guitars produce a breadth of different tones, yet are strong enough to withstand all playing styles. With established brands such as Yamaha, Taylor and Washburn all using Sitka spruce in their guitars, there are plenty of options for musicians to explore.

So what are the best Sitka spruce guitars out there today?

The best Sitka spruce guitars revealed!

Washburn Harvest WD7SCE

When it comes to a great acoustic-electric model, the Washburn Harvest WD7SCE is well worth exploring. Featuring a Sitka spruce top with a mahogany body, it’s an instrument that is great for playing all styles of music. Coming in a classic dreadnought style, the Harvest is easy to hold and is suited for strumming, picking or jamming on stage or at home. There’s also a cutaway towards the neck making it easy to balance when playing sitting down.

In terms of the electronics, the WD7SCE comes with EQ4-T pickups giving the option to provide a warm style suited for pop, rock or country music. The fretboard is easy to grip when playing and the rosewood neck adds to the high-quality construction value. The instrument comes with a gloss finish that accentuates the spruce top. A great all-around instrument for all users.

Pros:

• Well-built
• Great look
• Easy to play

Cons:

• Stiff tuning keys
• Some internal parts may falter

Yamaha A-Series A3R

If you are looking for a great all-around guitar, Yamaha’s A3R guitar is an excellent instrument to check out. The guitar has gone through a lot of reshaping and profiling to give it a much sharper sound. This is seen all over the instrument such as the addition of a Sitka spruce top to give more resonance on lower notes. Furthermore, the neck itself has a rounded edge and a straighter profile to make it easier to hold and play.

On top of all this, the A3R is a great-looking instrument that sports either a natural finish or a retro sunburst finish that catches the eye. The quality is added to by the inclusion of an SRT2 pickup when linking to an electric rig. It also has Elixir Nanoweb strings to include richer tones and added longevity when out on stage. All in all, this is an excellent guitar that showcases Yamaha’s true attention to detail.

Pros:

• Excellent construction
• Well-designed
• Great looks

Cons:

• Difficult for some hands
• Wears easily on the pickguard

Breedlove Discovery Concerto Guitar

Breedlove is always a great option for unique instruments, and their Discovery Concerto is no exception. Larger than most acoustic guitars, this OM model delivers big tones. Generating warm treble and mixing it with droning bass tones making it great for big-stage performances. This comes via a Sitka spruce top combined with an Okoume mahogany body. It’s well-weighted too with the larger end balanced by a large cutaway section near the bridge joining.

Breedlove has spared no expense when putting together the Discovery Concerto either. The electric combination of the guitar is influenced by Fishman pickups, guaranteed to get a good sound when wired up. To make it easy to play for all users, the neck is tapered around the middle and end of the neck so that the frets easier to reach. The body is also finished off in a darkened gloss to give it a throwback look to yesteryear.

Pros:

• Stunning look
• Big sounds
• Well-weighted

Cons:

• Difficult to transport
• No spare strings with the instrument

Journey OF422 Travel Guitar

Some travel guitars may get overlooked for their sound, however the Journey OF22 breaks that stigma. This guitar is designed for life on the road. Sporting a fully collapsible neck, the guitar can be stored in half, making transportation between shows a breeze. The neck rejoins into the bridge via a lock mechanism that is latched into place via a screw-knob system. All this comes without having to sacrifice anything in terms of sound or style either.

With a Sitka spruce top and Pau Ferro body, you can get a wealth of light and summery tones that guarantee soothing melodies. Furthermore, the hollow is larger than conventional acoustics with an x-bracing to produce maximum amplification. In terms of storage, the OF22 comes with a special case that has different compartments for both the neck and body. The bag is suitable to fit on any vehicle and is also weatherproofed, making it an easy way to protect your guitar. A great travel guitar that is serious about life on the road.

Pros:

• Collapsible neck
• Easy to transport
• Natural sounds

Cons:

• Locking nut can fall out
• Smaller body may throw off some users

Blueridge BR-63CE Electro Guitar

Blueridge may not be a major guitar brand but they still know how to make high-end models for guitar enthusiasts. Proof of this comes via their BR-63C acoustic guitar. It looks like an excellent piece from a distance thanks to its natural Sitka Spruce top and darkened mahogany body. This look is backed by excellent tones when the instrument is played. This can come through bright acoustic sounds or a crisper, warmer style when the electric features are activated. The electric notes are influenced by a set of Fishman Presys pickups that are suited to all styles of music.

Moving away from the sounds, a lot of thought has gone into the design of the body itself. For example, the body has a cutaway to make it easier to play in all positions. On top of that, the forward x-bracing hollow helps improve the natural amplification of notes when in its acoustic mode. Add all these benefits with the all-natural finish and it makes for a great instrument that rivals the best models around today.

Pros:

• Great sounds
• Excellent electric pickup
• Great natural look

Cons:

• Only one finish available
• Case is strapless

Ibanez AAD50CE Guitar

Ibanez is never afraid to try unique combinations, and you can find plenty of that within the AAD50CE acoustic-electric. With a Sitka spruce top to promote natural sounds, the back and side are made from Sapele and basswood to give greater rigidity as it is played. Alongside that, the neck is formed from Okoume mahogany, giving it an excellent feel and great structural rigidity. These combine to warm, rich tones that are suitable for intimate performances and large gatherings.

You will find plenty of Ibanez hallmarks within the AAD50CE as well. This includes a bridge-pin construction to help prevent strings from snapping, and an easier grip when playing. Furthermore, it has a purpleheart fretboard that is a unique look and also makes it easier to guide beginners across the neck of the instrument. A well-made guitar from one of the industry’s biggest names.

Pros:

• Solidly built
• Natural look
• Warm sounds

Cons:

• Unusual construction
• Lack of finish customization

Sawtooth Left-Handed Cutaway

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Good guitars can be tricky to find for left-handed players but Sawtooth have looked to fill that void. They have an acoustic bundle that has everything a guitarist could need. The left-handed model is put together with a Sitka Spruce top and maple body to give the best range of tones possible from an acoustic model. The added combination of maple and spruce also allows for a louder sound than other tonewood combinations can produce.

Being an acoustic-electric model, Sawtooth has also included Fishman Presys pickups to give electric notes an added boost when played. Alongside the guitar itself, Sawtooth has included a bunch of different accessories to help guitarists find their sounds. This includes a 60W Amp and a Bluetooth speaker to allow for projected sounds. Meanwhile, there are also picks included to help beginners find their grips when playing. A great option for any left-handed player to explore.

Pros:

• Plenty of gear
• Designed for left-handed players
• Loud natural sounds

Cons:

• High action when unpacked
• Can be awkward to hold

Taylor BT-1e

When it comes to acoustic guitars, Taylor’s are often a top model for guitarists. Proof of this comes via the Taylor BT-1e. This instrument looks stunning with a natural spruce top mixed with a walnut body and neck. All this produces a bevel of different tones that are suited to a great range of genres from rock to country.

Alongside the excellent range of tones that the BT-1e produces, it comes with a natural finish that oozes class and represents the history of the brand itself. The instrument comes with a case that protects it from the weather and aids in transportation between shows. All in all, it is an excellent guitar that represents everything the Taylor name has associated with it.

Pros:

• Natural sounds
• Classic look
• Easy to transport

Cons:

• No customization options
• No straps on the case.

What makes Sitka Spruce good for guitars

Naturally occurring on the West Coast of North America, Sitka spruce trees are found in abundance along the Pacific coastline. It makes this particular type of wood popular in a lot of industries – including making instruments. So what makes Sitka Spruce a good tonewood?

An excellent sound conductor

The primary reason why Sitka spruce is used in guitars is thanks to its properties to conduct sound. Being a softwood and having a low-density profile, it allows for vibrations to easily travel through it as a string is hit.

As it helps hold vibrations and sound waves, these natural properties make it an excellent top for guitar bodies. Due to its lightweight nature, it also doesn’t restrict the amplification properties of sound escaping. All this combines to make this an excellent tonewood to be used on acoustic models

Easy to construct

One bonus that many people overlook regarding Sitka spruce is just how easily it can be shaped during the manufacturing process. Many of the best Sitka Spruce guitars are machine manufactured, meaning that woods need to be easy to shape and not affect mass tools or production lines.

As the wood is generally free from knots, Sitka Spruce can be easily shaped and sanded down without any imperfections arising. This allows the wood to maintain a near-perfect finish and grains shine through when the finish is applied. These properties also make spruce tops perfect for either a natural gloss finish or to be altered using varnish to give more stylish looks.

Surprisingly durable

Despite being classed as a low-density tonewood, Sitka spruce is also an extremely durable material for its purpose. By being the top body piece, it often absorbs the highest kinetic energy from vibrations when a string is hit. It means that it needs to be able to absorb these vibrations to survive regular use.

By having high rigidity and easily maintaining its shape, Sitka spruce is a material well-suited to be used as a guitar top. This maximizes the ability for vibrations to be absorbed over and over again without reducing the impact on sound or amplified sounds.

FAQs

Where is Sitka Spruce grown?

Sitka Spruce trees are naturally found across the Pacific Northwest. They can be found growing along coastlines ranging from Alaska to Western Canada and as far down as California. Its widely occurring natural range makes it the ideal renewable source for manufacturers.

Is Sitka Spruce suitable for electric guitars?

It is, but Sitka spruce would have its natural properties nullified by the inclusion of lots of electronic gears. As it is an excellent sound conductor, many of the best Sitka spruce guitars are acoustic models or acoustic-electric hybrids.

Is Sitka Spruce the most common spruce variant used in guitars?

Yes – you will find that many leading guitar manufacturers will opt to use Sitka spruce as a top body material. Even though other spruce variants such as Engelmann or Adirondack Spruce are also used, they are often overlooked for Sitka Spruce due to its better properties as a sound conductor and as an abundant natural resource.

Discovering the best Sitka Spruce guitars

As you can see, it isn’t hard to discover many of the best Sitka spruce guitars on the market today. Many of these come as either an acoustic or acoustic-electric model to maximize the natural properties of the wood itself. Some models come in bundles such as the Sawtooth Left-Handed Cutaway to cater for unique markets. Furthermore, smaller models such as the Journey Travel Guitar show how versatile the wood can be.

In more traditional constructs, the use of Sitka spruce can also be found in larger models, as proven in cult designs such as the Breedlove Discovery Concerto. Even major brands such as Yamaha, Taylor and Ibanez have excellent models to showcase the widespread use of Sitka spruce in guitars. However, we like the Washburn Harvest best as it not only looks and sounds great, but it is also designed to suit players of all levels. This is why it should be considered one of the best Sitka spruce guitars around today.