S & P Cedar top mini jumbo

Started by abalone at last, November 20, 2015, 07:51:21 PM

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I know a few people have posted about guitars with alternate top wood besides spruce. Here is a sample of a guitar with cedar as a top wood. I have always had a cedar top in my arsenal of guitars because they sound so warm, even with light guage springs. For some reason they like to be strummed hard as this video presents.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=26lvnjDXQI0
2002 LV-05

PRS semi hollow electric

I'd love a cedar topped steel string.  Something lightly braced that really sings.  Seems that when done cheaply they are dark and plinky.  But, when conducted well they articulate extremely beautifully with lots of nice overtones.
D-09 Brazilian w/ Eagle inlay. D-02-12
Used to own and love; SD-50, J70 maple Mermaid, SD60sbt, D03R, LV03E.

My sentiments as well, nice clarity with great overtones.  My Tak is very simply appointed with all natural woods... Love this guitar.
George

One thing about cedar tops are they are easy to scratch. Just ask Willie.
2002 LV-05

PRS semi hollow electric

I don't think Willie's has a cedar top. Lots of nylon stringed guitars have spruce tops, and that would likely be Martin's first choice, too.
2021 C-03R TE left-handed
Larrivee owner since 1992

Cedar is a soft wood for guitar tops, as is Italian Spruce. I have been really careful with my ETN10C cedar top and not so lucky with my Italian Spruce top, which I dented accidentally from a very soft blow against a cabinet corner... I was so crushed I almost sold it, and then just decided the very small dent gives it character.  That said, they sound so good it is well worth the extra care it takes...
George

You're right Mikeymac. Trigger is Sitka spruce over Braziliand RW. Cedar does scratch easily though.  :coffee
2002 LV-05

PRS semi hollow electric

I personally haven't had cedar or Italian dent more easily, but ymmv.  I don't doubt that it happens to some.  Scratches aren't from the wood being soft though.  Scratches are more about the finish and never reach the wood (when they do, they're gashes).
D-09 Brazilian w/ Eagle inlay. D-02-12
Used to own and love; SD-50, J70 maple Mermaid, SD60sbt, D03R, LV03E.

I am certainly Not a wood expert, but what I have read indicates that Italian Spruce has the stiffest spine rating, but the wood is softer than Sitka.  It sounds almost like an oxymoron to be stiff but soft?  Don't know what the deal is with Cedar, but I have always heard it is a softer wood than Sitka as well...
George

From my working on guitars more this year my experience is that cedar is soft.
But spruce in general is a soft wood as well and can easily be marred or dented, just with some pressure from a finger nail.
    The finish on our Larrivees was a UV cured  poly and protected the top very well. The forum  III with an Italian spruce top still has no dents, scratches or any blemish.  That's over six years now, I think.
     But my one year old OO-40R dented easily when I ran my thumbnail along the edge of a clear pick guard  I  was installing. I'll steam  that out once I remove the top finish and gloss out the entire guitar. For now it's so small no one notices but me.  This is the new finish Larrivee is using and I like it, I was just use to working on the UV cured poly Larrivees and made a mistake.

     So to me whether it's cedar or spruce it's soft wood and if you like the look and sound of Cedar, I say go for it.

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