What's your opinion of Cedar Tops?

Larry U

Larry U

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Back in the dark ages, when I was a struggling guitar player, I had a Seagull guitar with a beautiful cedar top. I loved the sweet tone and sound of that instrument and would like to have a ukulele that had a similar timbre. I've never played a cedar-topped ukulele but I would be happy to hear your experiences, opinions, and recommendations. I'm primarily a solo player, doing mostly fingerstyle arrangements (blues, classical, folk, etc.), but occasionally play with a strumming/singing group. My current main instruments are a KoAloha concert and a spruce/rosewood tenor (low G).
 
I've owned two Kala cedar top ukes - one concert and one tenor. I still have the tenor and it is my very favourite of all the ukes I have owned to date (the most expensive of which was a solid acacia Pono). I've never owned a high-end cedar top but if/when I do upgrade to something nicer it would be my first preference for tonewood.
 
I've had one, which is very good. I want to add that they smell really good. And they scratch easily, it's a fairly soft wood.
 
Great tone wood.

It is really important who manufactures the Uke, and what the sides and backs are made of to reflect the sound.
 
Cedar is one of the preferred tone woods for a ukulele and one of my very favourites. All builders from big brands to small custom builders use cedar tops. I have a tenor and a concert uke with cedar, I also have a Pono UL4-20 tenor guitar with cedar top. Cedar gives a full rich sound and responds easily making it a good choice for ukuleles.
 
I had been comparing mid range Kala ukes at my local dealer and fell in love with the sound of the cedar top tenor. I now have two of them. I felt that it had the best combination of warmth, projection and sustain of the ukes I sampled.
 
I can only comment on the Kala cedar topped baritone that I bought, it has such a lovely tone, (fitted with Living Water flourocarbon strings), & after having 'played' it for a few months, I don't intend on up grading it any time soon. :)
 
My good friend, Brian Griffin of Griffin Ukulele is finding Cedar tops to be his favorite so far. He has been using some very tight grained old growth cedar from the old water tanks on top of New York buildings.

I have a couple of Cedar top ukes and guitars. I do notice a difference between the ones with old growth tight grain cedar and the one I have with newer growth cedar. I realize the build makes a difference also.

Cedar is my favorite top wood. It has a more mellow sound and a wonderful patina as it ages. Especially when combined with a denser wood for the sides and back like East Indian Rosewood or Macassor Ebony.
 
My best sounding and playing uke is a Kala solid cedar top tenor cutaway with preamp, KAATP-CTG-CE.

Kala KAATP-CTG-CE 2.jpg
 
I have a cedar top concert that I occasionally think about selling. Then I play it, am delighted with the sound and keep it. I'd like a cedar top tenor to go with it at some point, so yeah - cedar fan here. I find the cedar sound to be "big" - good volume and good tonal range. It does mark easily but I don't mind.
 
Cedar is great. It somehow has that "warm brightness". I also think kala's best sounding Ukes are their cedar and spruce lines.
 
I have a western red cedar topped long neck concert made for me by Allen at Barron River. Allen suggested the cedar to me and I'm totally glad that I took his suggestion, especially now that I've settled on a string choice that gives me just the sound I wanted.
 
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?)
 
Pat, you have that wrong. The great soundboard wood from the NYC water tanks is Redwood, not Cedar. I have some marvelous Western Red Cedar and it is surely my second favorite, but I think this old, aged Redwood water tank wood is better. It has the warmth of cedar, but a little more clarity, character and projection. That last tenor I made for you is Redwood, It does look a lot like cedar.
Brian
 
I also played guitar over the years, and my preferred guitar top was cedar. I have spent the last three months researching and buying/playing as many ukuleles as I could afford/get my hands on. Cedar is far and away my favorite so far. I've tried Koa w/cedar top, Ebony w/cedar top, Mahogany with cedar top, Acacia with cedar top. They are all a bit different due to differences in back/side tonewoods, but they are all pleasing to my ears. Fortunately, as many have pointed out here, it is a commonly used soundboard, and as such, you can find ukuleles with cedar soundboards in all price ranges.
 
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Lol just realized I made a mistake and wanted to correct it before you found the thread Brian. I was too late!

Brian's cedar has a wonderful story on how he Collected it over 50 years ago. Check out his site and under woods you'll find the story. griffinukuleles.com
 
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An ukulele is never going to sound like a guitar...
 
The cedar topped ukes I've heard sounded richer and fuller to my ears than the same models with different tops. Have heard Kala's, Mainland, Ohana, Sailor, and Loprinzi cedar topped models and loved them all.
 
UkerDanno said:
An ukulele is never going to sound like a guitar...
Click to expand...
I fully understand that. I was just curious if the warm, rich tonality I've heard from cedar-topped guitars was transferrable to a ukulele. Obviously, it's going to be different, but certain characteristic can be common.
 
Cedar is a top you want for a richer, warmer sound but be aware it is very soft and dents easily or in the case of heavy strumming where you hit the finish, the lacquer will come off easier than say a spruce top. I too have a Barron River Tiger Myrtle and Cedar top,and it's one of my top players in my collection. I posted a YouTube a while back on it. Incredible tone and when played through an acoustic amp it's amazing. It changes color over time as well when exposed to sunlight which is nice to see over time. I love Cedar.
 
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