The soul of a piano begins with its soundboard, and the best soundboards are made from Sitka spruce. This rare wood, prized for its strength and resonance, is used not only by Steinway but by many European, Japanese, and boutique piano makers worldwide. Today, however, the global supply depends on a single U.S. sawmill: Viking Lumber Company in Alaska.
 

Owner Kirk Dahlstrom explains that access to timber has become nearly impossible. In southeast Alaska, 94% of the land is federally owned, and the U.S. Forest Service tightly restricts harvesting. Although a 2016 plan promised millions of board feet for industry, no significant timber sales have been released since 2015.

For piano makers, the consequences are clear: rising costs, tighter supply, and the risk that substitutes will never match the tonal qualities of spruce.

Dahlstrom warns that without change, the industry faces mounting difficulties. His proposed solutions include legal action to enforce existing agreements and transferring some forest land to state control to secure a stable future supply.
 

The piano industry - already pressured by tariffs and global trade shifts - now faces an even deeper challenge. Without Sitka spruce, the very voice of the piano is at risk.