Sitka Spruce Sound Boards Botanical Name: Picea sitchensis This has become the traditional wood for steel string guitars simply because it is tough and strong, and it's easier to get good quality wood from these large trees. Because of its strength and toughness it is well suited for steel string acoustic guitars. It has even been used successfully for classical guitars. The color of Sitka Spruce ranges from white to pink to light brown. Some tops display a lot of color variation.