In 2005, a small group of experts, united by their passion for music and nature, was formed on the initiative of N.A. Andreev, a Moscow guitar maker, to prepare tonewood for the production of tops for plucked and bowed string instruments, so cailed “resonance wood”, in Russia.
lt is well known that traditionally masters were primarily interested in spruce when making tops, and the European spruce (Picea abies), which grew in the mountains of Tyrol and Switzerland, has been considered the best since the days ofthe old italian masters. However, E.F. Vitacech (1880 -1946), considered a founder of the Russian school of violin makers, in one his articles from the early 20th century, referred to the famous luthier and instrumentologist, Otto Mekkel, who quoted an unknown 18th century author, who discussed various species of spruce used by the masters of old, in particular stating that: "...the spruce which grows in Bohemia and Saxony contains too much resin and therefore cannot be used for expensive instruments, while masters believe Tyrolean and italian spruce to be the best." Further, he mentioned that: “Tyrolean spruce is procured by Iuthiers from the city of Füssen, on the border between Bavaria and Tyrol, while Italian spruce is brought in from Fiume on the Adriatic sea."
However, as the mountains around the city of Fiume, now the Croatian city of Rijeka, are virtually devoid of forests, it is clear that spruce soid in Fiume was not only Italian, but also imported. it would be reasonable to suppose that it was imported from the ports of the Black Sea, in otherwords it was Russian spruce from the Caucasus. Caucasian or Oriental Spruce (Picea orientaiis) forms the mountain forests of the Caucasus and Asia Minor at 1000-2500 metres above sea ievel and has simiiar properties to the best species of high altitude European spruce. lt normally grows together with Nordmann tir (Abies nordmanniana), also known as Caucasian fir, which has excellent acoustic properties aswell. With this in mind, we have made the Caucasus region the main subject of our attention.
As a result of several expeditions we acquired excellent samples of Caucasian Spruce and determined its potential for use in instruments. It should be noted that famous Russian iuthiers often chose Caucasian Spruce for their instruments in the hait of the 20th century.
