Port Orford cedar

A pale, fragrant conifer of the Pacific north-west, also called Lawson cypress, used for necks and bracing rather than bodies.

Despite the name it is a cypress and not a true cedar, and it grows in a narrow coastal strip of Oregon and northern California. It is light, very stiff along the grain and works cleanly, and because it is strong for its weight it has been used for classical and flamenco necks and for internal bracing, where extra stiffness without extra mass is exactly what is wanted. It is commonly described as adding a quick, clear response rather than a colour of its own. The species is also scarce and protected because of a root disease, and its dust is a respiratory irritant, so supply is unreliable.

Example: A classical guitar with a Port Orford cedar neck gets stiffness and stability with very little weight up at the headstock end.

typical use: Necks and internal bracing on classical and flamenco guitars.

Port Orford cedar

See also