# cedar vs. wild cherry



## Brian Hunter (Mar 14, 2019)

Good day i'm just getting back into playing guitar. play a little many years ago. manly played drums most of my years.
Anyways the question is i found , to what i believe to be 2 nice guitars. one is a 2006 art & lutherie wild cherry.
the other is a simon & patrick woodland cedar , around the same age.
and info on these two would be very helpful on me deciding which one to buy.
art & lutherie wild cherry is $375cdn. simon & patrick woodland cedar is $425cdn
both are dreadnoughts


----------



## Wardo (Feb 5, 2010)

I have a Norman B20 which I bought new in 2000. It is laminated cherry with a sitka top. The guitar is well made, plays ok and has held up structurally but I’ve never liked the sound of it. I scalloped the braces to try and get more bottom end and I think that helped a bit. I’ve played Seagulls and they kinda have the same tone. I keep it as a campfire guitar but I hate camping so that ain’t goin nowhere. Although you have to play them and decide for yourself if you like the sound. Godins are good enough guitars if you like how they sound.


----------



## Brian Hunter (Mar 14, 2019)

thank you Wardo, so if i understand , both guitars lack bottom end. will check out both guitars.


----------



## Wardo (Feb 5, 2010)

Brian, you might find that you like how they sound; I thought mine sounded thin but my other guitars are bass heavy. It’s all pretty subjective. I think I paid about 300 or something for the Norman guitar and in that price range it’s not bad - it’s what I would call a good student guitar.


----------



## zztomato (Nov 19, 2010)

I probably wouldn't spend that kind of money for either of those. I'm not sure they were that price new- likely less.

They are well made- in a utility kind of way- but not much on sound quality. The newer Godin (parent company) acoustics I've been pretty impressed with. 
It seems like Godin is trying to make a bit more of a move towards making finer higher end offerings. A good move IMO.


----------



## Acoustic Tom (Apr 6, 2020)

The s&p cedar is a nice guitar but I agree there isnt much bottom end. I've always put thicker e and a strings on it to compensate for this. Have you played either one or both yet? What feels nice in your hands? How does it sound to you? These are the questions I ask myself when I purchase a new guitar


----------



## Guncho (Jun 16, 2015)

I've tried Seagull (wild cherry) and Simon & Patrick (cedar) guitars. I found the Seagull's to have a very unique tone. Very brassy and brash. That might be your thing, it's not mine. I found the S&Ps to be well made and well priced but kind of boring. Like they did their job and that's about it.


----------



## Kerry Brown (Mar 31, 2014)

My only experience with those woods is a LaPatrie Etude classical guitar. It has laminated wild cherry back and sides with a solid cedar top. I would describe the tone as sweet. It is beautiful with nylon strings. I do not think it would do well as a dreadnought. As others have mentioned not a lot of bottom end. You may want to look at Yamaha guitars in that price range.


----------



## Guncho (Jun 16, 2015)

Yeah for bottom end at that price range, check out a Yamaha FG830 with laminated rosewood back and sides.


----------



## bw66 (Dec 17, 2009)

Both of those guitars should have wild cherry laminate back and sides. The Simon & Patrick will have a cedar top and the Art & Lutherie likely has a wild cherry laminate top, though it might possibly be spruce. The cedar top will be punchier than either spruce or laminate, but spruce would have a more balanced tone. The laminate will lack tone, but will survive a Winnepeg winter with very little care and feeding. Both would be overpriced in normal times, but I suspect that they are what the current market will bear. Of the two, unplayed, I would probably choose the Simon & Patrick. Try them and trust your ears and fingers.


----------



## Steadfastly (Nov 14, 2008)

I've owned both of those guitars but got them used for $125.00 in excellent condition. You would be hard pressed to find them these days for that price but there are quite a few used ones for sale out there. I preferred the S & P Cedar but both are decent guitars if you like their tone. The Art & Lutherie with the wild cherry is more crisp in its tone whereas the S & P is warmer and not as loud.


----------



## Sketchy Jeff (Jan 12, 2019)

sound to words is tough but
cherry plywood top will punch and drop
cedar top will punch and ring bright
move to spruce and it won't punch as hard and may or may not ring as long but the sound will be warmer less bright
amazing the prices good used acoustic guitars are going for these days just like bikes and camping gear and anything else active and creative you can do within your household
those are nice entry level instruments maybe keep an eye on your local market for a spruce top yamaha or similar since godin is having a bit of moment in the sun too as others said those guitars were in that price range new
j


----------



## Brian Hunter (Mar 14, 2019)

Thank you all !!!! for all the great info. the art and lutherie was sold, the simon patrick, well there was nothing with it just guitar itself. the owner was not pleasant at all. just rub me the wrong way. there were a couple of suggestions from some of you here, that maybe i should try a yamaha. (FG830)for example. thanks you all for the very helpful info, i can see there is a lifetime of valuable , interesting knowlege here.


----------



## GuitarsCanadaOracle (26 d ago)

Brian Hunter said:


> Good day i'm just getting back into playing guitar. play a little many years ago. manly played drums most of my years.
> Anyways the question is i found , to what i believe to be 2 nice guitars. one is a 2006 art & lutherie wild cherry.
> the other is a simon & patrick woodland cedar , around the same age.
> and info on these two would be very helpful on me deciding which one to buy.
> ...


You CANNOT compare a Norman with an art and lutherie. I have owned a couple Norman dreadnoughts, both of which I resold, as they both had a very flat (read as:very little bass and a thin sound). 

However, EVERY SINGLE art and lutherie I have played with a cedar top is RIDICULOUSLY bass heavy and booming.

The fact that Godin owns botg companies makes little difference, the different brands are made in different factories in different locations with different specs and materials.


Try them out before you decide anything.


----------



## KapnKrunch (Jul 13, 2016)

I bought an A&L at a yard sale last summer for $150. It's perfect beside the couch if I get a sudden urge to play. Also great for travel when damage or loss could occur.

Both guitars are a good place to start, but I agree that the prices are about twice what you should pay for a decent beater. With a case or bag.


----------



## zztomato (Nov 19, 2010)

GuitarsCanadaOracle said:


> You CANNOT compare a Norman with an art and lutherie. I have owned a couple Norman dreadnoughts, both of which I resold, as they both had a very flat (read as:very little bass and a thin sound).
> 
> However, EVERY SINGLE art and lutherie I have played with a cedar top is RIDICULOUSLY bass heavy and booming.
> 
> ...


I'm sure he sorted out what he was going to buy - post is almost a year old.


----------



## jazzereh (Oct 25, 2016)

Almost 2 years actually...


----------

