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Thread: Does anyone have good recordings of a Cedar top?

  1. #1

    Question Does anyone have good recordings of a Cedar top?

    brother pickers,
    For the longest time I have wanted to find some recording of other cedar topped mandolins with other sound holes and bridges in order to compare it to my Weber.
    I'd like to really find out what differences (if any...) a d-hole with an ivory brekke bridges makes.
    http://www.youtube.com/user/brmichaelpaul?feature=mhee

    Thanks,
    br. Michael Paul

  2. #2
    Certified! Bernie Daniel's Avatar
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    Default Re: Does anyone have good recordings of a Cedar top?

    I have a cedar topped f-hole mandolin. Its a 2006 Shue A-model with X-bracing and mahogany back and sides. Unfortunately the only recording of it I have is a stab at a Frankie Rodger's tune that I made when I was piddling around one morning after my run. Its a little ragged but it probably sounds better than I looked that morning -- at least you can certainly hear the mandolin.
    Bernie
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    Due to current budgetary restrictions the light at the end of the tunnel has been turned off -- sorry about the inconvenience.

  3. #3

    Default Re: Does anyone have good recordings of a Cedar top?

    Quote Originally Posted by Bernie Daniel View Post
    I have a cedar topped f-hole mandolin. Its a 2006 Shue A-model with X-bracing and mahogany back and sides. Unfortunately the only recording of it I have is a stab at a Frankie Rodger's tune that I made when I was piddling around one morning after my run. Its a little ragged but it probably sounds better than I looked that morning -- at least you can certainly hear the mandolin.
    Thanks Bernie, the first thing that strikes me is the difference in the projection between f-holes and an oval hole, which goes without saying.

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    Certified! Bernie Daniel's Avatar
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    Default Re: Does anyone have good recordings of a Cedar top?

    Br. Michael, if I get a chance this weekend I will make a better recording of something I know on that mandolin. I didn't know that tune so I was just trying to follow the recording. It's the only recording of the Shue that I had.

    But as to the general topic I personally think cedar is under appreciated as a mandolin top material -- certainly spruce is the preferred and much more common wood utilized.

    However about five years ago I met a luthier from Maine at the Celtic Colours in Cape Breton and he had a number of his mandolins with him. I picked on a bunch of them and they were all very bright sounding. I really enjoyed them because they were such a contrast to the 1953 Gibson F-12 (re-voiced by Randy Wood) I had with me at the time which was very deep and bassy.

    As well, and again, this is just my opinion -- cedar tops seem to work best with oval holes?

    One downside is that cedar seems to more "brittle" than spruce and could be more prone to cracking in dry weather? But maybe this stiffness also gives it the bright tone?

    The aforementioned luthier from Maine had one mandolin with a crack that had occurred during his trip up to Cape Breton.
    Bernie
    ____
    Due to current budgetary restrictions the light at the end of the tunnel has been turned off -- sorry about the inconvenience.

  5. #5

    Default Re: Does anyone have good recordings of a Cedar top?

    Quote Originally Posted by Bernie Daniel View Post
    Br. Michael, if I get a chance this weekend I will make a better recording of something I know on that mandolin. I didn't know that tune so I was just trying to follow the recording. It's the only recording of the Shue that I had.

    But as to the general topic I personally think cedar is under appreciated as a mandolin top material -- certainly spruce is the preferred and much more common wood utilized.

    However about five years ago I met a luthier from Maine at the Celtic Colours in Cape Breton and he had a number of his mandolins with him. I picked on a bunch of them and they were all very bright sounding. I really enjoyed them because they were such a contrast to the 1953 Gibson F-12 (re-voiced by Randy Wood) I had with me at the time which was very deep and bassy.

    As well, and again, this is just my opinion -- cedar tops seem to work best with oval holes?

    One downside is that cedar seems to more "brittle" than spruce and could be more prone to cracking in dry weather? But maybe this stiffness also gives it the bright tone?

    The aforementioned luthier from Maine had one mandolin with a crack that had occurred during his trip up to Cape Breton.
    nice! thanks, I'd love to hear it. As for Cedar being underrated, I agree 100 percent, I'd just like understand why exactly

  6. #6
    Registered User Max Girouard's Avatar
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    Default Re: Does anyone have good recordings of a Cedar top?

    This is one I built a while back. Western red cedar with F holes.


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    Registered User Max Girouard's Avatar
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    Default Re: Does anyone have good recordings of a Cedar top?

    I also built this one (thread below) which also has a western red cedar top and F holes, the thread has some sound clips I made within hours of stringing it up. The mandolin in the video above had been strung up for about 6 months when I made that video.

    http://www.mandolincafe.com/forum/sh...light=girouard

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    Innocent Bystander JeffD's Avatar
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    Default Re: Does anyone have good recordings of a Cedar top?

    Myu guitarista friends argue about ceder vs spruce, one is for finger picking, the other is for flat picking (do I have that right? I am not sure.)
    A talent for trivializin' the momentous and complicatin' the obvious.

    The entire staff
    funny....

  9. #9
    Registered User Mandobart's Avatar
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    Default Re: Does anyone have good recordings of a Cedar top?

    I'm a huge fan of Western Redcedar, and oval sound holes. I like the mellower tone of cedar and sustain of oval holes. Have these on my octave mandolin:



    And mandolin. This was built for me by Sonny Morris to be the little brother of the Jessen OM above. Played when almost brand new, with J74's. It has mellowed a little in the past ~ 2 years.



    Both have standard two piece ebony bridges made by the respective builders.

  10. #10

    Default Re: Does anyone have good recordings of a Cedar top?

    Thanks for the videos gentlemen, I appreciate it. nice playing too btw...

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