Spruce or Cedar top classical guitar?
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- Опубліковано 7 лют 2019
- Struggling to decide on Cedar or Spruce? This video could help.
Mark is down at Fret Central in Minneapolis, MN playing two identical guitars. A Cordoba C10 with a spruce Soundboard, and a Cordoba C10 with a cedar soundboard.
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3:49 for spruce
4:59 for cedar
Gerat comparison! When first learning classical guitar, I preferred the tone of a cedar top, but as I progressed I've come to appreciate that spruce generally has a more articulate attack, better projection and brighter harmonic content. Spruce has a piano like tonal quality, too, which I find very appealing, compared to the cello like 'rounder' warmth of cedar.
To my ears the Spruce is more musical, with a warm low end and well defined and beautiful high end. Get the humidifier case to offset the lower resilience of the wood, and that gets you a lifetime warranty for the guitar...win/win!
To my ear, allowing for it being a UA-cam video, the spruce has a more "forward", more immediate sound, not necessarily brighter per se. The cedar was noticeably different, sounding like it was at the far end of a larger more echoey room, if that makes sense … on the other hand, the cedar has a deep warmth that is very attractive.
Personally I go with spruce, which seems more suitable for the varied range of music
I play.
All of which only goes to reinforcing the argument for having more than one guitar, but hey, let's deal with one rabbit hole at a time! 🤪🤓
Cedar feels like a warmer tone. thanks for reviewing these
I bought a cedar top one, a Takamine No.10 from 1986 for the same price as the Cordoba and it's still coming in the mail. From what I hear I like the spruce top better. I was relying on the Takamine name and history behind them, and on divine intervention and decided to buy it, thus breaking a rule to first actually play a classical guitar before deciding to buy. They also don't have a truss rod, so more expensive to change the distance from string to fret if you have to. I think though all is going to be okay and I'll soon have a phenomenal guitar. You are very talented and thanks for creating this major question classical guitar buyers encounter.
I liked both. Spruce was immediately punchier, brighter. Cedar more balanced and warm.
Might be my ears both the bass notes on both sounded really boomy. Quite overbearing at times.
Nice comparison and playing though so many thanks
Thank you! One might expect the spruce to have a tighter, more focused sound, especially in the high end, and that's what it sounds like here. However, no two acoustic guitars sound the same, so there could be other factors involved. Every piece of wood is different.
They both sound very nice. I think the spruce is brighter sounding, and the cedar is a little quieter and slightly darker sounding. I like them both.
I was going to say exactly the same thing.
My first classical was spruce (Cordoba C9 Spruce), and I just recently picked up a lovely 50-year-old Pablo de la Cruz cedar topped instrument. Taking into consideration that these are two different manufacturers, the basic construction (fan-braced, Spanish heel, all solid construction)....the differences in tone are considerable. As others have noted, the spruce seems a lot livelier, more crystalline trebles, more overtones and harmonics overall. The cedar's trebles are more subdued. I believe the tendency of cedar is to push more of the fundamentals, less of the overtones, and to have a little less sustain... which is what I am hearing. Still good, but noticeably different.
For your style playing and technique, I would go for the spruce. The spruce brings out the individual treble lines better. However, if you opt for playing a lot of Spanish pieces, which require more dramatic base lines, I would choose the cedar.
Hi Mark. Great job on this video. To me the Spruce top is clearly more to my liking. I play without nails which already gives me a warmer tone and the Spruce top will let me achieve clearer, brighter notes versus the cedar.
That's a great point. I'm basically a beginner at classical, and also someone who works with his hands a lot. So I've mainly played with either no nails, or with them so short that they barely touch the strings. Plus I have hearing deficiency at higher frequencies, so the brightness of spruce is very appealing to me.
Exelent demo i still haven’t received my c 10 spruce guitar from Amazon hope it sound like this one
Blond or brunette? Who can really say? One for the odd days and the other for the even days. That’s the only way to happiness.
At the end of the video, my 1st reaction was that the cedar guitar had a nicer, deeper, richer tone, but the intro, played on the spruce guitar sounded beautiful. Difficult choice. (go w the 1st one.)
Cedar for my ears.
The trebles on the spruce is miles ahead. More present, clear yet beautiful. For some reason the cedar trebles are dull and subdued, being swallowed up by the basses. Sometimes it's also the fact that the guitars are new.
Exactly what ive heard, cedar seems a bit muddy.
Thanks so much for the video. It served to confirm my own experience. I preferred the spruce. I have been playing classical for 3 years on an inexpensive cedar top Dean Espanã and am planning to upgrade to a Cordoba C7. The big question is CD or SP? I tried two C5s at Sam Ash, one CD the other SP. I was shocked by how much bass came from the CD. Much more so than my Espanã. It was almost overwhelming. The SP had less bass with much clearer treble and overtones. Very articulate. It seemed to be a more uniform response. I preferred the sound of the SP, so my plan for now is to get a C7 SP. Thanks again.
Thank you for mentioning the microphone you used!
Both guitars are awesome. I'm a big fan of cedar however this demo really illustrates the great projection of spruce. I believe the spruce was significantly brighter than cedar and may possibly allow me to better accompany steel string players. Still a fan of cedar but also impressed with the spruce. Nice job!
Just bought a ramirez 135th anniversary I felt the cedar a little warmer the spruce was nice and a bit brighter will buy spruce next time and have both I'm very lucky to be able to that
Help - what guitar should I get (or strings to use)
I like the deep, rich bass on the cedar but prefer the more bell like tones on the treble strings of the spruce. Is there a way to get both - or a good compromise ?
Cedar top - bass clarity a bit better/ more crispy? via a bluetooth headphone set. (bearing in mind auditory ability plays a vital role).
Just purchased a spruce top Eichi500 1974. It is so bright Im searching for the right strings to warm it up a bit. Any suggestions ?
left his lav mic on for the guitar recording part. Just sayin', but thanks, this is awesome. I like the spruce sound better. Cedar looks better imho. It could be that cedar is more gratifying in person. In the recording it has much more low end, which muddies up the clarity compared to the spruce a bit. But hey, they both sound good. Nice playing too!
For classical guitars, cedar just hits the sweet spot for me. Cedar top with maple back/sides is my dream combo and I pray Cordoba or another prominent guitar brand/ luthier will come out with a left-handed model of what I'm looking for. Until then, cedar/mahogany will do in the meantime...
;-)
Any classical guitar with nylon strings can be played right or left-hand. Just switch the strings. Steel string guitars are another story. 👍
Dangit, I wanted to like the cedar but the spruce has such a clear tone. It's probably more sustainable than cedar anyway. We have massive protests here over the logging of the last pieces of old growth cedar for tonewood.
Spruce wins for me. Nice demo :)
Nice playing!
Thank you for the video, I like both :). Only I suggest to put overlaying text on the screen with the type of guitar you are playing.
Difference between C9 and C10 in Cordoba guitars, please? I'm looking a guitar to play bossa nova. Which one is the best choice? Spruce or Cedar?
Does the spruce top sound get better as the guitar ages?
Guys I am thinking of getting a classical guitar, first preference is a C 12, or a C 10, spruce top either or, do you guys think that I need a humidifier if I live in a Northern California Bay Area, and if I am barely getting into classical, which guitar do you guys suggest.
I am looking for a guitar that plays well, easy on the hands, it’s playability being good.
Whats the difference between the c5 ce model and the c5 sp ?
I loved the c5 sp but can only find the CE locally
I’m new to classical guitars so thank you for making this video.
Because I’m new, I can only go by Feel. To me, the cedar grooves better.
As soon as you started playing that same tune on the cedar, my body started to move with your music. Uncertain whether you played it better or the guitar sounds better…. But if I had to decide now, I’d take the cedar.
Ceder is warmer, mellower.
Are those high tension strings on those 2 guitars?
What tune is that. Spruce for me
who can tell me what piece Mark is playing?
Thanks Mark! This was helpful. I didn't realize there would be such a noticeable difference between the two. The Spruce was way more appealing to me. I'm originally from Minnesota - now in Chicago. Weather isn't much different here.
Very helpful. Thx.
The C12 SP Luthier series has lattice bracing and is solid wood.
They both are nice. I prefer Cedar for the softer tone. Which for me, allows for more expression. Spruce has more bell like tone and I know this is a cliche. But accurate. The differences are subtle and somewhat subjective. However, comparing new guitars is like comparing two recently made bottles of wine. It is how they age that will give them defining characteristics. It comes down to personal preference and playing style. 95% of the time I use my cedar top Cordoba's. But once in a while, the subtle bell like tone of my one spruce top just suits the piece and the mood. The only bad decision is not to invest in the guitar that suits you.
1 of each please! 😉
Why does Washburn and Cordoba have the same model numbers.?
were the same strings?
Cedar, gotta hear it live side by side, cedar more musical, spruce clean not as dimensional as cedar. I ordered 5 guitars all different woods and sent them back as my inexpensive solid cedar top with mahogany back and sides just has a sweet musical tone, in my opinion.
been there - gotta trust your ear
No one cares clown
Very good comparison. I thought I liked Spruce tops better because of the clarity, so my most expensive guitar is a German Vasquez Rubio (student model) with a spruce top. But I acquired a Cordoba C9 and I like the warmth of the cedar. The much more expensive GVR sounds better overall, but I think I would have been happier, if I had got it in a Cedar top. Price range and quality can also play a part. In a $1,000 plus guitar, I think I like the Cedar top better. They do have a tendency to have a bass bump, that I don't like, but the warmth outweighs the clarity and brightness of a Spruce top. Also, consider a Cedar top for singing with the guitar. The warmth of Cedar goes better than the brightness of Spruce for vocals... in my opinion. For solo guitar playing, I could see someone going for the Spruce. I like the bright sounding Tusq saddle in my Cedar top C9, and other Classical guitars, but it is too bright and not enough mids and lows in the GVR spruce top. I'm going to go with a Micarta saddle in the GVR. I just put in a wood Purpleheart saddle, that sounds similar to Micarta. Just my two cents from my experience.
I met that guy, and Armand. Cool people eh?
They also knew of my builder, Darren R. Hippner. I got mine with the old old Alpine Spruce+centurion BRZ Rosewood. Layered sides, 2 sides of BRZ Rosewood glued/laminated together. Guitar is so special sounding. I've taken it everywhere since I got it.
I actually hiked 7000 feet up a mountain with it once (it's fine and the concert at the top was insanely epic).
Perhaps it's simply instrument to instrument, because when faced with this choice in my purchase of a C7, the cedar top was more responsive to my ears. But it may have been simply the two I compared, and not really universal. Bottom line- find one that you like, and be blind to which woods are used.
The Spruce is much warmer. I love it.
Cedar much warmer in my opinion. Cheers, P
Really wanted to like spruce but it’s cedar for me
get both.
Cedar is so mellow and sweet
I have a cedar classical guitar with a very mello tone. But in this video the spruce blows away the cedar.
All guitars are different. Depends on the maker, not the top. I have two spruce guitars from the same luthier and they are very different
YOU'RE 'different.' Very.
The treble on the spruce is more defined… every note on the spruce seems more crisp
spruce for me
🎙Since there are Rosewood Side and back for warmer tone, Spruce top add a little brightness to balance out the frequency range…a cedar top would add in more low frequency and thus make the guitar too warm with less brightness! Spruce is less dense than cedar So spruce is more subject to temperature and humidity change!🎼🎻🎻🎬🎬🎤🎙
Hello, do you have any experience with spruce guitar protection? What to do in dry weather and wet weather? Thank you!❤❤❤
The cedar top sounds more like what I would expect from a classical guitar
very good and useful video Thank you...cedar sounds more interesting in my opinion
I hear the cedar have more low tunes,(more romantico) the spruce has low voices but also the silver tenor voice
so its the choice , Pavarotti or Marco Bakker (a famous Dutch Bariton singer) I like
the two so I want them both
The cedar is warmer and has more center to the notes
Spruce by far the nicer sounding to me.
Spruce is next level
spruce over time will solidify and become more stable and balanced and ultimately have better sound.
Spruce has more definition and brightness while cedar is more mellow and warm
🎙 blonde or brunette? I would get both of them since they both can sing and I can swing back-and-forth between the two of them!😅😅😂😂👍👌🎼🎻🎷🎬🎤🎸🏅🪕🪕🏆🎙🎙🎙🎙
C10 didn't sound all that different - might be different on a higher end guitar. The sustain was not all that impressive but some might like that flatter sound.
On a lesser expensive guitar, spruce always wins with rare exception.
Cedar oui
Guys I am blind, I want to find out which guitar he plays first, the spruce, or the cedar. I’m thinking that he plays the Spruce guitar first, and the way it sounded that’s why I’m thinking that. More clear sound the first guitar more warm the second one, but please let me know guys.🎃
Cracks in one top versus the other is NOT a small matter to most all players. Very few humidify a nice guitar in the case and care for it well ....
3:49, 4:59
3:56, 5:06
4:04, 5:15
4:12, 5:22
Cedar is fingerstyle, and nylon classical guitars are fingerstyle so with that said cedar it is
spruce
Spruce sounds way better and looks more cool
Funny thing is when I'm playing for my own enjoyment, I prefer a spruce top guitar...
But when I attend a concert to watch someone else play on stage, I prefer *them* to be playing a cedar top guitar...
Classical guitarists believe that if the soundboard is spruce, what you get now will be the same as what you get years later (assuming the guitar is properly maintained). However, they also believe that a cedar soundboard will improve with age, with little or no apparent limit. That said, cedar tends to be warmer, because it emphasizes the bass. Spruce tends to provide a brighter tone (emphasizing the treble). As you aptly said, "it it a matter of personal taste."
Please verify your statement. What I read is on the contrary. That is, spruce will open up as time goes by. Therefore, the sound will improve with age.
@@Keith7Liu that’s what I heard lol
I'm a bit of a spruce snob. You couldn't give me a cedar guitar
Hello very good I bought a guitar cordoba c3m and c5 both I did not like so bad with manufacturing defects is what you know a classic brand much better than that
A
From what I heard...Spruce
I like cedar better. The sound is milder.
To me , cedar sounds like guitar and spruce sounds like piano ! End of story! How many of you feel the same ?
🎙 visually a blonde stands out more than a brunette!😅😅😂👍👌🎹🎷🏅🎼🎤🎤🎸🪕🎻🎬🎬🏆🎙🎸
I used to think these Cordoba guitars had a nice full sound till I heard them up against a Smallman guitar. Now all I hear is a paper thin sound from the Cordoba.
Please try to compare apples to apples or some kind of fruit instead of comparing apples to caviar.
Kim sorry, I meant to write smallman style guitar. Look up Aiersi Smallman style, another China made brand.
@@c1arkj Thanks Joe, I'm going to check it out. I refuse to pay more then 2.5k for an axe :)
Kim you can buy direct from Alibaba from their factory in China and get b-stock with hardly noticeable cosmetic defects for a deep discount. I’ve bought 3 guitars from them.
I play a cordoba solista spruce top and love it. I didn't like the high tension strings, I thought they squeaked to much. What string are you playing? Any thoughts on string preference?
the differences are so subtle. you can skip back n forth between the 2 guitars, eyes closed and it's undetectable. The best point he illustrated was in the beginning where he talked about the woods resilliance to climate fluctuations. Otherwise, tone belongs to the player.
Cedar if you plan on finger picking more. Spruce if you plan on strumming more.
Hi Joe! Why the difference in tops for finger picking and strumming?
cedar with a lighter touch. . .
Can't tell a difference
No difference.
The public comments, as usual, and sadly, show that the notions of the mass public are mostly worthless. You must depend on the views of a few cultivated people you trust, and yourself.
For both guitar the bass is horrible
they both sound lousy - don't waste your money