What's your opinion of Cedar Tops?

OK, I'm convinced! I think my next ukulele will definitely have a cedar top. I'm aware of the softness/lack of dent and scratch resistance issues, and frankly, that doesn't bother me much. My instruments are for playing, not for display in a glass case. :cool: Next, I need to dispose of a couple that aren't getting much play time for some cash and storage space.
 
I like cedar for soprano & concert ukes because it mellows them a bit (in some cases - not all).

For tenors & up, the only *cedar* I like is Port Orford *cedar* from Oregon. (By the way, it isn't really cedar but cypress -- so WHY do we call it cedar, I wonder?)

I have no idea. The tree we erroneously call a red cedar (Juniperous virginiana) is actually a juniper.

I've never owned a cedar top uke, but my mahogany top uke is pretty beat up, from fingernail dents. If it was cedar, it would probably look pretty bad.
 
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I currently have two cedar top baris and love them both. One is from an obscure Appalachian luthier and has a minimal satin finish. It gets played a lot and shows significant wear from strumming. I'm not bothered by this. It's my beater and has a warm full tone and good sustain. The other is a Pono PC. It too gets lots of play, but with its high gloss finish it is holding up quite well. It also has a lovely warm sound but has more clarity than the other Bari. It has perhaps a bit less depth and resonance.
 
I have 2 cedar top ukuleles. Both sound very nice, especially for fingerpicking. Excellent response.

One thing I have found, at least for me, is that you can't drive the soundboard like a koa top.

John
 
I have one cedar topped uke, specifically for fingerpicking, certainly no complaints about the tone. If (when?) I buy another ukulele I'd be torn whether to get one in koa or another cedar top. Only because I don't have an all koa ukulele. Yet.
 
I have 2 cedar top ukuleles. Both sound very nice, especially for fingerpicking. Excellent response.

One thing I have found, at least for me, is that you can't drive the soundboard like a koa top.

John
It will be primarily for fingerpicking, so I'm not terribly concerned about driving it for volume.
I have one cedar topped uke, specifically for fingerpicking, certainly no complaints about the tone. If (when?) I buy another ukulele I'd be torn whether to get one in koa or another cedar top. Only because I don't have an all koa ukulele. Yet.
I've got my all-koa ukulele (a KoAloha concert) and I love it, but it's BRIGHT and loud. Sometimes I want something soft and cozy and honey-smooth. I think cedar is going to meet my needs.
 
A follow-up: I just pulled the trigger on a Pono ATD-CR Tenor ukulele (acacia body, cedar top) from HMS. With a little luck and the gods smiling on me, I should have my new baby by Christmas. I'm pretty pleased. :D

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I agree. Cedar Tops Rock. I own only one, a Kala concert. I love the tone. That said, it is a little dark and some may even call it muddy sounding. Especially with a low G. But sometimes I like a darker sound. The cedar top is loud, resonant, and enjoyable every time I play it.
 
A follow-up: I just pulled the trigger on a Pono ATD-CR Tenor ukulele (acacia body, cedar top) from HMS. With a little luck and the gods smiling on me, I should have my new baby by Christmas. I'm pretty pleased. :D

I think you will really enjoy your new Pono. I sold a cedar top Kala to purchase my Pono Mango tenor. I liked the sound of the Kala cedar and found it to be a better instrument than I am a player. (I don't regret the sale too much because it went to my good friend, so I still get a chance to see him and play it occasionally. The Pono however, just beacons me to play more and my skills are improving every day. Good luck
 
Chiming in late with just another IMHO. :D I have a Mainland red cedar concert (Western red cedar top/rosewood back/sides) that I love! My fave uke ever, and I've played lots. However, I've played a Pono cedar top that didn't ring like my Mainland. It had a darker sound but somehow with less sustain. It just wasn't what I was looking for, but a fine uke in its own right. Played a Kala cedar/acacia concert and didn't like it one bit. I do believe there are tonewood characteristics. But grades/cuts of wood, different build techniques, and even finishes, + playability will determine whether you like a uke of any type. I chose well, for me, with the Mainland. I knew what I was getting (had played one before) and it was as I expected. But many times ukes, even from the same maker, are not so consistent.
 
I love them. My main player is now a mainland with a cedar top. Replaced my old Harmony I played for 7 years (I feel bad about that).
 
I'll let you know my thoughts next year. I have a Port Orford Cedar with Cherry body tenor on order from Oregon - Cedar neck too. I went for Cedar because I wanted a warm tone when fingerpicking high G. I've done my research and I think it will be a good addition to my range of instruments to choose from. Lucky position to be in I know. :)

PS: I did consider Redwood but, the samples I heard from this particular luthier didn't quite have the sound I was looking for. Maybe in the future with a different bout shape and size like the Rose Compass or Hive body shape. I think the Redwood works better to my ear in these larger, more exaggerated bout shapes.
 
I have a cedar over mahogany deluxe Pono as my one and only tenor uke. Have only had it a short time, but I like it a lot, even though I have no other tenor experience with which to compare it. I wanted something that would have clear note definition, especially in the lower register, as I have it tuned CGDA (viola tuning). The treble strings are fluorocarbon, the 3rd is a Thomastik guitar flatwound, and I wasn't sure what to use for a C string, so I tried putting a viola C string on, and surprisingly, it works. Another thicker Thomastik guitar string would probably work, too.

I was aware of the softness of cedar. Redwood is soft, too, and I have a redwood/walnut mandola that I love. Soundboard vulnerability is not an issue for my playing style, which is delicate and disciplined. I am very happy with the Pono cedar topped tenor, and think it was a great choice for me.

bratsche
 
I have a Bruko concert with a cedar top and rosewood back and sides. I have been mostly playing my mahogany soprano and thought I might sell it and concentrate on the soprano scale. But I strung it up linear and it sounds amazing. It sounds amazing re-entrant, too, and entirely different. Linear it sounds guitarish and warm and cozy. Re-entrant it sounds almost like a banjo and can cut through a group of 10 ukes. I don't understand how that works, but I'm going to hang on to it for a while, anyway, and maybe longer. It's also really pretty. I don't care for re-entrant tuning all that much, but it's nice to have it around in case I change my mind.
 
My MP tenor has a cedar top with Mango back/sides. It is the most balanced of my three acoustic tenors. Pretty much any string set sounds even and complimentary from string to string. My Acacia Pono is next in order on the balance front and the Dupont Spruce top is a bit more sensitive to string set imbalance.
 

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