Torrefied Spruce

I just received a few sets of torrefied spruce. Torrefaction is a fairly recent process of slowly roasting the wood in a vacuum, thereby influencing the tonal qualities while also enhancing dimensional stability. Reportedly, this process imparts tonal qualities that are characteristic of vintage instruments, by speeding-up a process that takes many decades to occur naturally in tone-wood.

There is a remarkable difference in color! The soundboard on the left is untreated sitka spruce, and the soundboard on the right is the torrefied version. In the second photo, I applied some solvent in order to enhance the color, demonstrating more closely what the wood would look like after varnishing. It is dark like cedar with honey-colored, caramel, or amber hue.
I would be remiss if I didn't mention the smell. It is definitely toasted, and not subtle, somewhere between the smell of an extinguished campfire and the smell of an old church.

David J. Pace (Luthier)

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