Our grading system is meticulously designed to categorize our Sitka Spruce tonewood based on aesthetic qualities and other critical factors. It’s important to note that all our tonewood classified as suitable for instruments falls into the highest echelons of lumber grading. We further differentiate this top-tier quality into distinct grades, which are outlined below.

Texture: This attribute describes the nature of the wood’s growth and its annual ring count. Our texture classifications range from Fine, indicative of a higher ring count, to Coarse, denoting a wider spacing between rings. Variations can include a gradient from fine to coarse or a texture that is somewhat uneven throughout the wood.

Medullary Rays: Often referred to as “medularies,” these are the natural, silky patterns that run perpendicular to the wood’s growth rings and are highlighted when the wood is expertly sawn almost perfectly quarter-grained.

Stiffness: This characteristic pertains to the wood’s resistance to bending across the grain, an important factor in the tonal quality and structural integrity of the finished instrument.

Detailed Grading: Our tonewood grades are carefully determined, catering to guitars and smaller instruments, as well as larger ones up to the size of a cello. The differences between adjacent grades can be subtle and may be challenging to discern without extensive experience.

These classifications help guide our customers in selecting the ideal tonewood for their specific instrument-building requirements, ensuring a final product that meets both their aesthetic and acoustic standards.