I often use Adirondack spruce soundboards on dulcimers with walnut back and sides.

Dulcimer with Adirondack spruce sounboard and walnut back and sides by Doug Berch

Adirondack spruce was used for the soundboards of many classic fretted instruments made before World War II. It was also used to build airplanes and in other applications requiring a strong, light and stiff timber.

Adirondack spruce was over-cut and for many years was not readily available. It is slowly making a comeback thanks to careful forest management.

Heavy Stand Of Nearly Pure Spruce

Average Number Of Trees Per Acre In The Adirondacks in 1898

Measuring Timber With Calipers

Like many old books the full title is somewhat long; you can get the book at the always wonderful Internet Archive:

“The Adirondack spruce; a study of the forest in Ne-Ha-Sa-Ne Park. With tables of volume and yield and a working-plan for conservative lumbering” by Gifford Pinchot (1898)

But wait, there's more!