Spruce or Cedar: Understanding Classical Guitar Top Woods

Originally written by Yumit Demir; updated with additional research by Miljana Nikolic.

Spruce and cedar are the two soundboard woods most often compared by classical guitarists. Both can produce concert-level instruments, and neither guarantees a particular sound on its own. The top’s thickness, bracing, body design, maker and player all influence the result. The useful question is therefore not which wood is universally better, but how a particular guitar responds under your hands.

What the soundboard does

The soundboard converts string energy into audible vibration. Its stiffness, mass and damping interact with the bracing and the rest of the guitar. Spruce is generally valued for a high stiffness-to-weight ratio. Western red cedar is usually less stiff and can respond readily to a light touch. These are tendencies rather than rules: a lightly built spruce guitar can feel immediate, while a more strongly braced cedar guitar can offer substantial resistance and headroom.

Spruce and cedar at a glance

• Initial response: cedar is often perceived as quick and easy to activate; spruce may invite a firmer attack.
• Dynamic range: many players associate spruce with clarity and headroom, while cedar is often chosen for a rounded, direct response.
• Colour and surface: spruce is usually pale when new and darkens with age; western red cedar is typically darker and softer, so it can mark more easily.
• Important limitation: construction and setup can outweigh these broad material tendencies.

History and construction

Spruce has a long history in classical-guitar making. Cedar became widely used during the twentieth century. Guitarras Ramírez records José Ramírez III’s use of red cedar for the soundboard in the 1960s, after which the material became far more common among guitar makers.

Builders adjust thickness and bracing to suit each piece of wood rather than following one universal formula. Some modern instruments use double-top construction, combining very thin outer skins with a lightweight core. This is a separate construction choice, not simply a halfway point between a traditional spruce guitar and a traditional cedar guitar. For more detail, read Alba GB’s double-top and traditional-top comparison.

Does repertoire decide the choice?

No repertoire belongs exclusively to one top wood. Spruce and cedar guitars are used for Baroque, Classical, Romantic, Spanish, Latin American and contemporary music. A player may prefer one instrument for contrapuntal clarity, another for a softer attack or a particular recording space, but those are choices about the complete guitar and the player’s technique—not restrictions imposed by the species of wood.

The same caution applies to labels such as “bright” and “warm”. They can describe a first impression, but they do not tell you how evenly the guitar responds, how the bass and treble balance, or how much colour you can produce at different dynamics.

Strings, setup and room acoustics

Strings can change attack, tension, sustain and perceived brightness, but there is no universal rule that carbon belongs on spruce or nylon belongs on cedar. Test string type and tension on the individual guitar. Setup, nail shape, right-hand position, humidity and the room can all alter what you hear. Alba GB’s carbon and nylon strings comparison explains the main string differences without treating the soundboard as the only variable.

How to compare two guitars

1. Play both instruments in the same room and use the same short passages.
2. Test a light attack, a strong attack, single-line melody, chords and contrapuntal texture.
3. Listen for balance, note separation, sustain and how easily the colour changes near and away from the bridge.
4. Ask another player to perform while you listen from several metres away.
5. Record both guitars from the same position, then compare after a short break.
6. Choose the instrument whose response supports your technique and musical goals, not the label on the soundboard.

Care

Both woods need stable storage and careful handling. Cedar’s softer surface can be more vulnerable to dents, but spruce can also crack or distort if an instrument is exposed to unsuitable humidity or temperature. Use a protective case, follow the maker’s care guidance and consult a qualified luthier if the top, braces or action change.

Which should you choose?

Choose a complete guitar, not a stereotype. Spruce may appeal if you value resistance, separation and room to shape a strong attack. Cedar may appeal if you value an immediate response and a rounded first impression. A well-made example of either can be clear, warm, powerful or subtle. The best comparison is controlled listening and playing on the actual instruments you are considering.

Source

Guitarras Ramírez: José Ramírez III — first-party history of the workshop’s adoption of red cedar for guitar soundboards.