limited run-Western red cedar over walnut

[shellback]

Just wondering if anyone else has seen the limited run-Western Red cedar over Walnut dreads or,found soundclips of them,all I know is my art & Lutherie cedar top tone has aged well.I am not clear if they are original bracing or 40's pattern.

[William2]

I saw the email of this limited run. I've been watching videos of cedar topped guitars and wouldn't mind owning a cedar topped dreadnought. The different top wood interests me more than the type of tone wood. Is Red Cedar a specific type of Cedar and are there other varieties?

[B0WIE]

I've seen older ones but not a new run. Cedar on a dread kinda scares me but I'm sure it'll suit some players well. Especially fingerstyle dread players who are more focused on warmth than clarity. I really love cedar. It's so much more interesting than spruce.

[shellback]

I've seen western red mcmansions in Lake Tahoe,heard of,but never listened to port Orford ceder guitar soundboards & think but don't know for certain it is Spainish ceder that Martin used for the kerfing in my GC Rosewood dreadnaught that smells Ahh! well,you all know! we have cedar trees everywhere I look in western Washington state so must be many types right? now how do they sound

[shellback]

As for walnut back and sides,I hear (in general) I haven't played many, the sustain might! not be what it can be with rosewood species,that being said,Ed Bond over at Halycon guitars was making some guitars a few years back with some beautiful sets of flamed walnut back and sides that I considered.

[StringPicker6]

I be only heard good things about walnut, and I once had a Gibson J-15 with walnut B&S and it was lovely. I was an idiot to sell it.

[shellback]

that Gibson sounds like a mighty fine guitar-hope whoever got it appreciates it like you did.Also hope you got another one equally nice &; distinct in tone as they are.

[teh]

That would be a nice guitar to own and with only 19 being built, they will go fast if they're not already spoken for. The headstock inlay looks pretty similar to the 24 series and I love mine.

In 2021, Larrivee had enough Moonwood Spruce and American Walnut to make 19 Forum VI guitars. I was lucky enough to join the group and I added a Venetian Cutaway to mine. I don't know much about the tonal properties of cedar but I can say the walnut Larrivee uses is exceptional. I ordered mine with minimal knowledge about walnut but it was a great decision.

[B0WIE]

Cedar is very sensitive and responsive. It gives more harmonic overtones than spruce and is thus warmer sounding. While it takes less effort to sing, driving it hard and aggressively results in less clarity. It's popular for making small guitars sound fuller and warmer. It's not as common to see it on a dread.

Walnut is along the lines of a koa or mahogany in that it's very clear and doesn't darken the sound like an Indian rosewood. I'm a huge fan of the sparkly highs and dry bass walnut offers.

[William2]

I was watching a video on Acousti Letter. Quinton mentioned that he had a mandolin made for him and the maker made it with a Cedar top. He said he didn't know if it was true, but the maker told him that Cedar will sound warmer, fuller, and more mature out of the box, but spruce will eventually surpass Cedar in volume and tonal qualities.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nOz45z-lCXY&t=267s

[B0WIE]

I was watching a video on Acousti Letter. Quinton mentioned that he had a mandolin made for him and the maker made it with a Cedar top. He said he didn't know if it was true, but the maker told him that Cedar will sound warmer, fuller, and more mature out of the box, but spruce will eventually surpass Cedar in volume and tonal qualities.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nOz45z-lCXY&t=267s

Cedar is softer and doesn't take as long to conform to the new shape it attains when becoming an instrument. Spruce is "stiff" sounding for a number of years. Cedar requires less effort to make sound, regardless of age. Spruce had greater dynamic headroom and can project a louder sound when played hard, regardless of age. Cedar hits a sort of dynamic ceiling where it doesn't get louder and you don't have to play really loud to get there. Also, cedar is just a more harmonically rich wood and that doesn't change with time either. Granted, this is assuming that we're talking about quality samples. I didn't watch the video but if he's giving the impression that cedar starts better and spruce "catches up", I feel he's wrong. Spruce never attains the traits of cedar, it simply becomes less stiff and more resonant as it settles in.

Like I mentioned, I feel cedar favors fingerstyle players as it responds to a light touch. Getting a fuller sound for less effort is a great trait for a fingerstyle guitar. But, if you go to play some bluegrass licks you're likely going to be disappointed as it's going to sound muddy and compressed compared to the more dry and bright tone of spruce. With something like a mando, cedar avoids the spiky, edgy brilliance you get with spruce.

[William2]

That is a great explanation of the two types of tops BOWIE. Quinten did say he knew little about the subject just that that was what the builder told him. When I played classical guitar, I always preferred the Cedar to instrument. In fact, the only spruce classical I owned was made by Paul Fischer. I'll have to check with my dealer to see if he got in on this offer.