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Many folks responded to a prior question I had regarding finger style, that many liked Cedar and Redwood.
Could someone please explain the difference. ie assume identical B/S and both tops braced by experienced luthier.
What would you expect to be the difference in the sound of the 2 instruments.
Why do you prefer one over the other and/or prefer over spruce?
Thanks,

I find that redwood offers a more crystalline high end, and better volume because it can be pushed harder.
It makes a great finger style guitar, and can also be good for light strumming Cedar on the other hand is warmer with more emphasis on the low to mid range.

This is a big generalization, a lot can change between each set of wood - and- how its braced, not to mention a ton of other variables that different builders use.

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Lance@LuthiersForum.com

Another generalization that I find to be true.-
For fingerstyle, cedar and redwood are better for allowing the development of lush overtones. Strummers generally don't care as much about that because they don't allow notes and chords the time needed for the overtones to develop.

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"An adventure is only an inconvenience rightly considered. An inconvenience is an adventure wrongly considered." G. K. Chesterton.

redwood also cracks if you look at it wrong.

I love it, but it is a little touchy to work with.

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Brock Poling
Columbus, Ohio
http://www.polingguitars.com

Could someone tell me what the "sinker" signification is in the "Sinker Redwood" monicker?
Cheers
Charliewood

Yeah, when the logging companies cut the trees they sometimes would transport them by putting them in the water and herding them toward the mill. Some would sink to the bottom.

The salvaged logs are called "sinker redwood".

It is my understanding though that most places have prevented these from being brought up due to environmental concerns to the local ecosystems.

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Brock Poling
Columbus, Ohio
http://www.polingguitars.com

Sinker redwood comes from logs that sank in the rivers they were floated down to get to the mills. Typically around 100 years old, so very tight grain, clear wood from large trees.

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Gene

Politicians and diapers must be changed often, and for the same reason- Mark Twain

[QUOTE=Brock Poling]
redwood also cracks if you look at it wrong.

I love it, but it is a little touchy to work with.

[/QUOTE]

That's funny, I looked at my redwood top wrong (actually has a chisel under one edge that I didn't see) and it cracked, small and easy to fix but VERY easy to crack.

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Thank You and Best To All

I've found with guitars I've owned in the past that I preferred the redwood
topped guitars over the cedar.
If it were strictly a fingerstyle guitar it might not make too much difference
but for me, I occasionally get on the guitar with strumming and find the
redwood can be pushed much harder.

I have helped build 2 redwood topped guitars and have had no problems
with cracking and I'm pretty much a reckless newbie.
I have currently began solo build #2 which is a redwood/claro walnut project
and so far everything is going quite well.

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Christopher C. Cordle
North Muskegon, MI

http://www.yardsaleunderwear.com
http://www.facebook.com/christopher.cordle

[QUOTE=uncleshish] I've found with guitars I've owned in the past that I preferred the redwood
topped guitars over the cedar.
If it were strictly a fingerstyle guitar it might not make too much difference
but for me, I occasionally get on the guitar with strumming and find the
redwood can be pushed much harder.

I have helped build 2 redwood topped guitars and have had no problems
with cracking and I'm pretty much a reckless newbie.
I have currently began solo build #2 which is a redwood/claro walnut project
and so far everything is going quite well.[/QUOTE]

Would love to see some pics of that walnut redwood combo.

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Thank You and Best To All