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I was fortunate to find some really nice quartered Spanish Cedar neck stock lately and would like to put it to good use. I can't say that I've seen a steel string with a cedro neck (and possibly I just haven't been paying close enough attention).

I'd like some feedback on whether or not Spanish Cedar is appropriate for a SS neck. I do have some Mahogany stock available but can't help but wonder if the cedro would be applicable also. What would be the drawbacks to using it on a steel string?

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Peter

Depends on the density...I have measured as heavy as mahogany, which would work as a drop-in replacement, and as light as Engelman spruce, which I turned into braces and linings, way too soft for my no-carbon-fiber taste.
You could safely use the medium density stuff if using additional reinforcement.

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Build log

Martin uses Spanish Cedar for necks all the time. My D16GT had a Spanish Cedar neck. No problems with it, and loved that guitar. The only drawback was that it was much more easily prone to dents than the 'hog was. If it's well quartered I'd use it without hesitation. MHO.

Edited to add: If I remember my Martin history correctly, Spanish Cedar was the first neck wood Martin used, and they used to for quite some time before making the switch to mahogany. You may find this discussion intersting.http://theunofficialmartinguitarforum.yuku.com/reply/865991/t/Re-Cedar-VS-Mahogany-neck.html

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Mike

The only thing nescessary for evil to thrive is for good men to do nothing.

They used them up to about 1916, a period in which all Martins were built for gut strings.

They used them again for a couple of years about 10 years ago, on lower end models, iirc.

Almost all of it is softer and weaker than Honduras mahogany. I'd say you can use it, but if you want it to hold up to the pull of steel strings, add carbon fiber rods.

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Howard Klepper
http://www.klepperguitars.com

When all else fails, clean the shop.

Martin is actively using Spanish Cedar now, and have been for at least 10 years. Once they introduced it on the 15 and 16 series they never stopped using it. They are using it on much more than their low end models now. A simple search through the Martin site will confirm that. Many of their Standard series and others simply say "select hardwood" in the specs for the neck wood, which in "martin-speak" is a euphamism for Spanish Cedar, or anything else suitable that they can find to do the job in the future. If there were major problems with it for a neck material we'd have heard about it by now. And i doubt they're using anything but a truss rod. But the addition of carbon fiber rods couldn't hurt.

D 18
http://www.martinguitar.com/guitars/choosing/guitars.php?p=m&m=D-18

D 28
http://www.martinguitar.com/guitars/choosing/guitars.php?p=m&m=D-28

D 28 Marquis
http://www.martinguitar.com/guitars/choosing/guitars.php?p=m&m=D-28%20Marquis%20Sunburst
D 45
http://www.martinguitar.com/guitars/choosing/guitars.php?p=m&m=D-45

I could go on, but you get the point. Spanish Cedar is widely used in the Martin lines, and will probably be for the forseeable future. With the track record it already has, I'd use it in a heartbeat, as long as it was well quartered.

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Mike

The only thing nescessary for evil to thrive is for good men to do nothing.

SC is used for style 18, 16, 35, and I think maybe 15 series. All other models either get a stratabond or mahogany neck.

Not according to Martin's own specs. They list The D 45 as select hardwood, NOT mahogany. If it was mahogany, they'd list mahogany. And I doubt they'd use Stratabond on the 45 series.

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Mike

The only thing nescessary for evil to thrive is for good men to do nothing.

They list "select hardwood" for all of their guitars. On the UMGF Linda (Martin's wood buyer) has said countless times that they only use SC for a few models.

Yes. She has also said countless times that the reason they list them as "select hardwood" is so they can use spanish cedar(or any other wood they deem fit for the purpose in the future) if necessary. The point being that
a) Spanish Cedar is commonly used by them, and not just on their lower line, and
b) a buyer has no real way of knowing for certain which wood it actually is. Hence the term "select hardwood" instead of what the actual wood used is. It gives them an "out" to be able to substitiute if/when needed. Do I think Martin's going to halt production on their 45 series(or any other) because they can't find quality mahogany in the quantity needed? No, I think they'll take advantage of their "out", use Spanish Cedar, and send them out the door. And I'd be willing to bet they've already done that a few times.
So that
c) Martin has no qualms about the use of Spanish Cedar for their necks. I trust Martin in that regard. They've got a long and proven history of making good, high quality factory acoustics. They've also done the real world testing and proven it's suitability for that purpose.

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Mike

The only thing nescessary for evil to thrive is for good men to do nothing.

I used SC for a steel string neck with two carbon bars. No problems and it carved nicely. I can see where it might dent more easily.

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Ken Franklin
clumsy yet persistent
https://www.kenfranklinukulele.com

Thanks for all the responses.. I think I'll try it with two CF bars and an Allied truss rod on the two builds that I currently have planned.

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Peter