Picea spp. of the family Pinaceae, the pine family
Woods commonly called spruce are from the genus Picea which consists of 40 to 50 species that grow mostly in North America, Europe, and Asia. There are several well known varieties (a few of which are represented below) with dozens of common names, and I will sort this out further at some point.
I used to comment here that spruce was famous for being the wood Howard Hughes used to build the "Spruce Goose" of aviation fame (or infamy, depending on how you look at it) but alert reader Gabriel Sroka pointed out to me that the name was just a derisive one used to mock Hughes and the plane, and the plane was actually built from baltic birch.
my samples:
both sides of a sample plank sold to me as spruce / Picea spp. (note: the plank is spliced, thus the odd pattern on the end grain and the line about 1/3rd of the way down the face)
end grain and end grain closeup of the sample plank directly above
both sides and both ends of a Norway spruce sample piece
end grain closeup of the piece directly above --- color has a vague hint of yellow-green that should not be there --- the wood is almost white, as is correctly represented in the pics directly above.
both sides of a sample plank of Norway spruce / Picea abies
end grain and end grain closeup of the piece directly above
both sides of a sample plank of blue spruce / Picea pungens
end grain and end grain closeup of the piece directly above
both sides of a sample plank of red spruce / Picea rubens
end grain and end grain closeup of the piece directly above
both sides of a sample plank of sitka spruce / Picea sitchensis
end grain and end grain closeup of the piece directly above
flat cut, quartersawn, end grain
red spruce (P. rubens, also listed as double spruce) from The Wood Book --- both levels of enlargement are avaiable for all 3 views
flat cut, quartersawn, end grain
white spruce (P. alba) from The Wood Book --- both levels of enlargement are avaiable for all 3 views
flat cut, quartersawn, end grain
Englemann spruce (P. engelmanni, also listed as rocky mountain spruce) from The Wood Book --- both levels of enlargement are avaiable for all 3 views
flat cut, quartersawn, end grain
blue spruce (P. parryana, also listed as silver spruce) from The Wood Book --- both levels of enlargement are avaiable for all 3 views
web pics
log end grain
plank with wet and dry sections
planks
sitka spruce planks
planks listed as sitka spruce / Picea sitchensis
englemann spruce planks
yellow spruce plank
blue spruce plank
wormy spruce planks --- whoa !!! Those were some active worms !
knotty spruce veneer
spruce guitar fronts --- given the very bland appearance, I have to assume that spruce is used because it has good tonal qualities.
sitka spruce guitar front --- very nicely photographed by the owner/maker, S.R.Murthy, whom I thank for the contribution to the site. Enlargements are present.
bear claw spruce guitar top
bear claw spruce guitar top pic provided by Gregory Pizzeck, whom I thank. Thanks to Gregory's excellent photography, enlargements are present.
10" diameter sitka spruce bowl by Steve Earis, big enlargements available
flat cut, quartersawn, end grain
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