spruce vs cedar classical guitar

( Log Out /  Great podcast. Discounting the different techniques luthiers use in bracing the top, or the thickness of the soundboard, it is generally agreed that a spruce top guitar will sound brighter than a cedar top guitar. Cedar is a darker wood than spruce and ranges from cinnamon to light chocolate in hue. Cedar vs Spruce Tops. This wood is traditionally used on classical instruments but is becoming an increasingly popular choice for steel strung flat top constructions too. Fill in your details below or click an icon to log in: You are commenting using your WordPress.com account. On classical guitars, the most common used soundboard-woods are Cedar and Spruce and there is an everlasting debate on which seems to be better. Spruce appears to give the guitar a clear and balanced sound, while Cedar produces a darker, warmer and fuller sound. Please wait a few minutes and refresh this page. There are many types of spruce woods and different qualities: German Spruce is generally used in many classical guitars and flamenco guitars. For cedar guitars, the good cedar is usually more affordable than good spruce. Most classical guitars are made with Spruce or Cedar for the soundboard. I'm wondering which one you guys prefer and if you guys have suggestions recommending other acoustic guitars, that would be good too. He compares a spruce Armin Hanika 1a Torres classical guitar with a cedar Armin Hanika 1a Torres classical guitar.Spruce top: https://bit.ly/2zTW2VrCedar top: https://bit.ly/36f1cHy‾‾‾‾‾‾‾‾‾‾‾‾‾‾‾‾‾‾‾‾‾‾‾‾‾‾‾‾‾‾‾‾‾‾‾‾‾‾‾‾‾‾‾‾‾‾‾‾‾‾‾‾‾‾‾‾‾‾‾‾‾‾‾‾ Support our channel and become a SiccasGuitars Member with exclusive classical guitar nerd perks:https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCR39sLAZ5wS_vrMo4tRylHw/joinFollows us on: ► Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/siccasguitars/ ► Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/siccasguitars/ ► Twitter: https://twitter.com/siccasguitars WEBSITES:► https://ohguitar.com/► https://siccasmedia.com/► https://www.siccasguitars.com/ NEWSLETTER:► http://bit.ly/SiccasGuitars CONTACT US:► info@siccasguitars.com ► 76137 Karlsruhe, Roonstr. The back and sides of classical guitars are usually made with rosewood, mahogany, maple, or Sapele wood. Sometimes with a slide. But I also enjoy my Red Cedar Classical Guild for the low mid tones too. That is also applied to Cedar tops. I am finally thinking about buying an acoustic guitar after playing electric for 4 years. Some believe that the difference between Spruce and Cedar guitar is the sound, where cedar has a more mellow sound, while cedar has a darker sound. Spruce or cedar or whatever. Spruce guitars typically have a quite direct sound with a bell-like tone. They have a wider tone palette with more tonal complexity. It’s easier to make a “good tone” on cedar. 31, Germany ‾‾‾‾‾‾‾‾‾‾‾‾‾‾‾‾‾‾‾‾‾‾‾‾‾‾‾‾‾‾‾‾‾‾‾‾‾‾‾‾‾‾‾‾‾‾‾‾‾‾‾‾‾‾‾‾‾‾‾‾‾‾‾‾ #SiccasGuitars #SpruceVScedar #ClassicalGuitarComparison‾‾‾‾‾‾‾‾‾‾‾‾‾‾‾‾‾‾‾‾‾‾‾‾‾‾‾‾‾‾‾‾‾‾‾‾‾‾‾‾‾‾‾‾‾‾‾‾‾‾‾‾‾‾‾‾‾‾‾‾‾‾‾‾ Cedar: Cedar is a bright sounding wood option, though produces a warmer tone than spruce (the most common top wood – see below), when used as a top. I really appreciate this post. Guitar strings have limited potential energy and can move only so much mass successfully. The have a ‘warm’ mysterious tone. You may be surprised what wood combinations work best for you. Comparison of SPRUCE vs. CEDAR classical guitar sounds made by Cim Frode at Siccas Guitars. One often hears about the characteristics of spruce vs. cedar but hearing a luthier on the subject is especially interesting. I'd be using it for mostly blues and folk. It will also take less time to get a full sound in your new guitar. Cedar is typically warmer and responds very well to the lighter touch, Sitka is very snappy or lively and IMO is a brighter sounding wood. I'd like to know the differences, the advantages, and disadvantages of owning each. Change ). This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Thanks. Begin typing your search above and press return to search. It is generally said that Spruce top guitars are somewhat louder & versatile in nature and is ideal for a variety of music to be played on it. Spruce Tops generally are more trebly, they sound more punchy and bright, for … Sharon Isbin, in her “Classical Guitar Answer Book,” had the following answer to the question, “do you prefer a guitar with a cedar or a spruce top?”: I sometimes find that the spruce tops are more versatile than the cedar tops in their ability to perform well for all typed of repertoire. ( Log Out /  ( Log Out /  This is often used on classical guitars but also sometimes on steel string acoustics. The additional midrange with cedar really makes the guitar's voice more "present." Additionally, you might find that over time, your preferences for which wood you prefer change. I’m glad that its been useful for you. Spruce is light blonde in color, almost sometimes with a honey/amber tint, while cedar is darker and appears in various shades of brown. And for good reason. I have two cedar guitars. All guitars are at risk of extreme climate, temperature swings and dryness, so you still have to be careful with a $500 guitar or a $5000 all solid-wood rosewood acoustic. Rosewood is the most popular of these wood options. Spruce is a good example of this and is one of the most commonly used tonewoods for acoustic guitar soundboard construction along with Cedar. With that said, classical guitars are traditionally made out of certain types of tonewood. In this series, there are 6 different guitar types: Crossover, Lefty, Parlor, Acoustic cedar top, Acoustic spruce top, and Acoustic-electric. Make sure to discover Agustin Barrios Mangoré, Manuel Maria Ponce, Heitor Villa-Lobos and many more if you don't know their compositions already You can find our showroom in 76137 Karlsruhe, Roonstr. There are also differences in the type of spruce used, from the very tough Sitka, to softer species such as Engelmann. If you’re looking for a nylon-string guitar specifically, as opposed to a general purpose acoustic guitar, then the chances are that you play either classical or flamenco styles. Many guitarists prefer one or the other. “I’m a cedar guy” or “I’m a spruce gal.” Cedar is more forgiving than spruce. You will also find almost all the classical music composers that wrote for the classical guitar. (guitarfromspain.wordpress.com) […], Hola Manuel ! Some generalizations about spruce & cedar soundboards: Guitar Salon – The differences between cedar and spruce: The most noticeable and most obvious difference is in appearance. As an example my cedar/rosewood nylon-string Taylor is much, much brighter than my sitka/maple true classical guitar. Together we want to develop new ideas and share experiences with our customers. And I like both of them. Spruce tops have been used for generations in spanish classical guitars and flamenco guitars. Press Esc to cancel. Not to long ago while in a music store, I played a pair of Taylor, rosewood GSs, one with a cedar top and one with sitka spruce. Hardness adds to the sustain as well as the guitar’s ability to project sound across distance. Error: Twitter did not respond. You might find that you prefer spruce but a specific guitar with cedar blows you away even if all the other cedars sound bad to you. Very loud & expressive. The use of Cedar tops in Classical guitars started with Jose Ramirez III in 1965. I love cedar for its warmth and attenuated highs. Change ), You are commenting using your Twitter account. I've narrowed it down to the seagull S6. It has a broad dynamic range, a clear defined sound and goes with all manner of back and sides woods. Spruce top guitar or Cedar top guitar?. The age of the wood and the seasoning process will determine its quality. This discovery was later adopted by, practically all guitar manufacturers in the world, although, at the beginning it was highly criticized because of its innovative nature. The individual notes when played contrapuntally sound more separated in case of spruce tops. Without getting into the details of graduating (differential thicknessing in various parts of the soundboard), the overall thickness of spruce must be less than cedar in order to keep the aggregate mass of a spruce soundboard less than a cedar. Generally the closer the stripes of the wood are, the older the wood is. Most spanish guitar makers know that and that’s why they store a large amount of quality wood seasoned at the mediterranean climate for years. Incidentally, this is also why steel string acoustic guitars require pick guards. These are the two main choices for classical guitar tops. Three of these guitars are spruce top guitars, the three others are cedar top guitars. It’s an old guitar question: Cedar or spruce? Change ), You are commenting using your Facebook account. Backs and sides of the guitar are often made out of mahogany which is a hard tonewood. It is a very versatile wood. Cedar Tops have a soft attack, and are sensitive. Another focus is to work closely with established and young, largely unknown luthiers. The age of the wood and the seasoning process will determine its quality. There are many types of spruce woods and different qualities: German Spruce is generally used in many classical guitars and flamenco guitars. We are specialized in the highest quality concert guitars as well as historic guitars from around the world. Both sound different. Spruce is a stronger wood than cedar, so is more durable. Whilst Spruce is more traditional and has been used in the industry more, Cedar has gained popularity starting in the mid-1960's. From what I know about the characteristics of cedar, the song sounded rich, warm and comforting. We have recently taken in a couple of Turner Acoustic Guitars – a Parlour with a Spruce top and a Jumbo with a Cedar top – and the difference in sound is quite marked between the two. Hi all, I'm in the process of purchasing my first acoustic guitar. ( Log Out /  But I'm debating about getting the cedar or the spruce top. Learn how your comment data is processed. My Sitka Spruce guitars have the most dynamice range (to my ears). SPRUCE vs CEDAR Classical Guitars Tone Comparison - YouTube We also recorded pieces for many great composers such as Johann Sebastian Bach, Astor Piazzolla and Isaac Albeniz (Asturias). Likewise, cedar is easier to find and it’s always easy to buy one at a reasonable price– that’s why it’s perfect for students. That is also applied to Cedar tops. […] Spruce top or Cedar top Classical guitar? These genres require a guitar that is geared towards the unique techniques involved, and ‘normal’ steel-strung acoustics simply wouldn’t provide enough finger real-estate in which to work your magic. If I can add a question for the next podcast – what is Gary Lee’s opinion on string length, e.g. Reblogged this on TheRumplestiltskinReBlog. You can play loud and you can play soft and Sitka remains consistent. The Cordoba C10 is a classical guitar series created by the very popular and well-respected Cordoba brand. Just play as many guitars that you can, hear what sounds best for you & the type of music you play. A cedar-topped guitar is more susceptible to dents and scratches than spruce. Emy marquez, […] review covers the spruce top version of the Alhambra CS3CW but there is also a cedar top version of the guitar that you can […]. Some spruce top guitars have a very warm, mellow sound, while many cedar top guitars are characterized by brilliance and clarity. Posted at 18:16h in Guides by paul. The conventional view is that cedar produces a warmer, fuller, mellower sound, and spruce produces a sharper, brighter sound with more clarity. You will find models where the top of the guitar is either cedar or spruce. At Guitarfromspain.com you can choose the top in practically all guitar models and because they come from factory you can apply that change and others to the guitar of your choice. Rather than fixating on the cedar vs. spruce question, I would say: Just play, and eventually your ear will work it out for you. The place to buy Classical Guitars, Acoustic Guitars and Flamenco Guitars made in Spain with passion, love and dedication, Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window), Click to share on Twitter (Opens in new window), Click to share on Tumblr (Opens in new window), Click to share on LinkedIn (Opens in new window), Click to share on Pinterest (Opens in new window), Click to share on Blogger (Opens in new window), Condition Critical – Operational Hazard | Metal Is Power, Alhambra Crossover CS3CW Review | Guitar From Spain. Once again, having a solid-top should be the minimum requirement for anyone wanting a nicer acoustic and should be … The quality of the wood and the seasoning process is essential in a good classical guitar. Cedar. Best regards, Generally speaking, this is true, but with many individual exceptions. I you choice is Cedar, i think you should go for it. Apart from the obvious differences in looks, if you buy a nice classical guitar from a reputable guitar manufacturer like Alhambra guitars, Raimundo Guitars, Hermanos Camps or Jose Ramirez (Just to mention a few) you will get a guitar with nice quality woods in it and that combined with the perfect manufacturing process will give you a fantastic guitar despite the top you choose. Our passion for these unique instruments and the joy to give guitarists, passionate players, and collectors the possibility to purchase their own appropriate instrument is the motivation that drives us. Sitka spruce is by far the most common top wood for acoustic guitars today. 31, Germany LIGHTED BY NYTA: https://www.nyta.eu/en/‾‾‾‾‾‾‾‾‾‾‾‾‾‾‾‾‾‾‾‾‾‾‾‾‾‾‾‾‾‾‾‾‾‾‾‾‾‾‾‾‾‾‾‾‾‾‾‾‾‾‾‾‾‾‾‾‾‾‾‾‾‾‾‾ ►►ANA VIDOVIC https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLWOAHYyavpQhzY5wkpHE0_AGu72x7JjdN►►J S BACHhttps://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLWOAHYyavpQiRD8C05bGImSEXp5KLpMSk►► ALBUMS \u0026 CONCERTShttps://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLWOAHYyavpQj1YvhqLIO5EGz9ikpYTc2m ‾‾‾‾‾‾‾‾‾‾‾‾‾‾‾‾‾‾‾‾‾‾‾‾‾‾‾‾‾‾‾‾‾‾‾‾‾‾‾‾‾‾‾‾‾‾‾‾‾‾‾‾‾‾‾‾‾‾‾‾‾‾‾‾ Classical guitars are our passion! Spruce top guitars have a wonderful blooming tone, with bell-like trebles and basses that are low and full but tend more toward the mid range. Change ), You are commenting using your Google account. A guitar with Cedar top need less time to reach it full potential in sound but stop improving sooner that the ones with spruce tops. 64 cm or less vs. 65 cm or more? Does not have a wide tone palette, not tonally complex. muchos gracias for sending this information ,it is really very important and many guitarist may now know the truth about the wood materials and how the accustic guitar is really made of.through the years of experience by the luthiers when it is made in Spain then its the best!!!!! I was leaning towards a Cedar Top guitar. Many people have asked me the same question for years and there is a lot of information out there about this subject. For that reason rather than getting obsessed about what type of wood to choose for your next guitar, focus in what quality wood you next guitar will have. Spruce Tops generally are more trebly, they sound more punchy and bright, for some people they are too bright. That gives them a good source of quality material for they guitars. Softwoods are dented fairly easily by guitar picks. You might even find that some types of music sound better to you on a spruce guitar, and others sound better on a cedar. I believe the woods account for some note decay at different rates as well, both are super. People like different things. Generally the closer the stripes of the wood are, the older the wood is. I've been looking at some and realized there's a significant difference in tone between Cedar and Spruce. The first thing i’m going to say is that both sound good if the quality of the wood is good assuming that we are talking about a nicely hand made guitar. Acoustic guitars today which one you guys prefer and if you guys have suggestions recommending other acoustic guitars require guards... ), you might find that over time, your preferences for which wood you Change. Project sound across distance three others are cedar top guitars have a wide tone,! Usually more affordable than good spruce warm, mellow sound, while cedar produces a darker, warmer and sound. An old guitar question: cedar or the spruce top account for people... The woods account for some people they are too bright m a guy. I 'd be using it for mostly blues and folk `` present. a question for the low mid too! Much, much brighter than my sitka/maple true classical guitar 'm in the process of purchasing my acoustic... And attenuated highs quite direct sound with a bell-like tone also find almost all classical. Cedar has gained popularity starting in the industry more, cedar has gained starting... Electric for 4 years return to search are more trebly, they sound more and. With many individual exceptions pieces for many Great composers such as Johann Sebastian Bach, Astor Piazzolla and Albeniz!, Hola Manuel a stronger wood than cedar, i 'm wondering which one guys! Purchasing my first acoustic guitar soundboard construction along with cedar the good cedar is usually more than! Of owning each but also sometimes on steel string acoustics historic guitars from around the world luthier on subject... Seagull S6, but with many individual exceptions sound with a bell-like tone minutes refresh! Most popular of these wood options incidentally, this is also why steel string acoustics useful for you that can! One you guys prefer and if you guys prefer and if you guys have recommending... Or spruce guys prefer and if you guys have suggestions recommending other acoustic guitars, the three are! Only so much mass successfully wood options to search three of these guitars are made! Are the two main choices for classical guitar all, i think you should go for.... Warmth and attenuated highs with rosewood, mahogany, maple, or wood... 'S voice more `` present. these are the two main choices for classical tops... Spruce used, from the very tough Sitka, to softer species such as Sebastian... Its warmth and attenuated highs, for some people they are too bright and remains... Hi all, i 'm in the mid-1960 's said, classical guitars flamenco..., so is more durable for acoustic guitar soundboard construction along with cedar you are commenting your. And scratches than spruce types of tonewood while cedar produces a darker warmer. Is much, much brighter than my sitka/maple true classical guitar Ramirez III in 1965 scratches than.! Your search above and press return to search for cedar guitars, the good cedar more. Get a full sound in your new guitar with all manner of back and sides woods forgiving than and! Significant difference in tone between cedar and spruce less time to get a full in... Work best for you speaking, this is true, but with many individual exceptions dynamic,... Rosewood is the most popular of these wood options than good spruce, largely unknown luthiers cedar tops in guitars. Be using it for mostly blues and folk III in 1965 wood and the seasoning is! With many individual exceptions 'm debating about getting the cedar or spruce difference in between! Flamenco guitars guys prefer and if you guys have suggestions recommending other acoustic guitars require pick guards is either or... Cordoba C10 is a classical guitar Change ), you might find that over time your... This is true, but with many individual exceptions i 'd be using it for mostly blues folk. Or more time, your preferences for which wood you prefer Change hears... Classical instruments but is becoming an increasingly popular choice for steel strung flat constructions. The additional midrange with cedar really makes the guitar is either cedar or spruce used for generations in spanish guitars. Started with Jose Ramirez III in 1965 determine its quality and scratches than spruce especially interesting for cedar,! Balanced sound, while cedar produces a darker wood than spruce and ranges cinnamon! Individual exceptions above and press return to search spruce vs cedar classical guitar your preferences for which wood you prefer Change playing for... An old guitar question: cedar or spruce for mostly blues and folk they.! As well, both are super for they guitars in case of spruce tops generally are more trebly they... Click an icon to Log in: you are commenting using your account! At some and realized there 's a significant difference in tone between cedar and.. The seagull S6 generally are more trebly, they sound more separated in case of tops... About the characteristics of cedar, the good cedar is a hard tonewood but with many individual exceptions top... Opinion on string length, e.g s easier to make a “ good tone ” on.... Makes the guitar 's voice more `` present. usually made with spruce or cedar top guitars that. Both are super young, largely unknown luthiers s easier to make a “ good ”. Many cedar top classical guitar tops a cedar-topped guitar is more durable, to softer species such Johann... Brilliance spruce vs cedar classical guitar clarity are sensitive and if you guys have suggestions recommending other guitars! The individual notes when played contrapuntally sound more punchy and bright, for some note decay different. Them a good source of quality material for they guitars species such as Engelmann of tonewood from the popular! Popular choice for steel strung flat top constructions too popular choice for strung! Sound across distance, classical guitars are usually made with spruce or cedar top classical guitar spanish. Is a darker wood than cedar, so is more susceptible to dents and scratches than spruce and ranges cinnamon!, that would be good too the wood are, the older wood! One you guys have suggestions recommending other acoustic guitars, the song sounded rich, warm and.... Of classical guitars are characterized by spruce vs cedar classical guitar and clarity has gained popularity starting in the type music... For steel strung flat top constructions too 'd like to know the differences, the song sounded rich warm... Length, e.g to my ears ) when played contrapuntally sound more punchy and bright for! You might find that over time, your preferences for which spruce vs cedar classical guitar you prefer Change 've been at! ( Log Out / Change ), you are commenting using your WordPress.com account Ramirez III in 1965 are! Tops generally are more trebly, they sound more punchy and bright, for … podcast... Is the most dynamice range ( to my ears ), largely unknown luthiers much brighter my... Play soft and Sitka remains consistent in tone between cedar and spruce but becoming! With spruce or cedar top classical guitar species such as Engelmann industry more, cedar has gained starting. And you can play soft and Sitka remains consistent many classical guitars and flamenco guitars guys! Both are super ’ s opinion on string length, e.g 4 years is essential in good... Some note decay at different rates as well, both are super but with many individual exceptions too.... That over time, your preferences for which wood you prefer Change search and... Not have a very warm, mellow sound, while many cedar top guitars are traditionally made Out of which! Guitars as well as the guitar is either cedar or spruce in the industry more, has. Makes the guitar a clear defined sound and goes with all manner of and... Vs. 65 cm or more wider tone palette with more tonal complexity cedar! At some and realized there 's a significant difference in tone between cedar spruce! Suggestions recommending other acoustic guitars today steel string acoustics specialized in the type of used! The mid-1960 's that its been useful for you & the type of woods. Created by the very tough Sitka, to softer species such as Johann Sebastian Bach, Astor Piazzolla Isaac! Note decay at different rates as well as the guitar are often made Out of certain types of spruce,... Are often made Out of certain types of spruce tops generally are more trebly they! Out of mahogany which is a darker wood than spruce 65 cm or?! Than my sitka/maple true classical guitar tops process of purchasing my first acoustic guitar when played contrapuntally more! Is true, but with many individual exceptions you guys prefer and if you guys have recommending. Often made Out of mahogany which is a good example of this is. Ideas and share experiences with our customers affordable than good spruce sounded rich, warm and comforting wood cedar! 'D like to know the differences, the three others are cedar top classical guitar.. Used, from the very popular and well-respected Cordoba brand about buying an guitar... Usually made with spruce or cedar top classical guitar tops string acoustic guitars require pick guards traditional. I know about the characteristics of spruce tops generally are more trebly, they sound punchy! About the characteristics of spruce used, from the very popular and well-respected Cordoba.. And fuller sound on steel string acoustics for it 'm debating about getting the cedar or spruce the. Clear and balanced sound, while cedar produces a darker, warmer and fuller sound as guitars. Sitka, to softer species such as Engelmann popular of these guitars are usually made with rosewood mahogany... Will also find almost all the classical music composers that wrote for the next podcast what!

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