Lanikai Cedar Series Concert Ukulele — Solid Cedar Top, Mahogany Back and Sides, NuBone XB (LCDSTC)

The Lanikai LCDSTC is a concert ukulele in the Lanikai Cedar Series — and the first instrument in the Lanikai range to feature a solid wood top. Where the LU Series and Mahogany Series use fully laminate construction, the Cedar Series builds a solid cedar top over mahogany laminate back and sides. Solid cedar top with satin finish, maple binding with wood purfling, inlaid bloodwood circle rosette, walnut fretboard with fretboard binding and white pearl 5mm dot inlays, NuBone XB White nut and saddle with 37.4mm wide nut, Grover open back chrome tuners, D'Addario EJ88 concert strings, chrome strap buttons and a Lanikai deluxe 10mm padded gig bag. The solid cedar top changes the acoustic character of this instrument fundamentally — producing a warmer, more responsive tone with clearer individual note definition and projection that improves with time and playing.

Cedar Series vs Mahogany Series vs LU Series — What Changes at Each Level

Solid Cedar Top — How It Sounds and How It Changes Over Time

Cedar is the softer and warmer of the two main acoustic instrument tonewoods — the other being spruce. Its tonal properties on a ukulele produce a specific and immediately recognisable character:

• Warm, dark fundamental: Cedar emphasises the warm midrange frequencies that give chords depth and body. Notes have a rounded, full character rather than the bright, cut of spruce
• Clear individual note definition: Despite its warmth, cedar maintains definition across the frequency range — individual notes within chords are clearly audible rather than blending into a wash
• Responds to light playing: Cedar's lower density means it requires less force to bring out its full tone. Players with a lighter fingerpicking touch will find cedar responds expressively even at low volumes
• Projection: The solid top amplifies vibration more completely than laminate, pushing more of the string's energy outward as sound rather than absorbing it into the glue layers of a laminate
• Improves with time: Cedar opens up faster than spruce — regular playing relaxes the wood fibres and the instrument becomes progressively more resonant, louder and tonally complex over months and years of use

Maple Binding, Wood Purfling and Bloodwood Rosette

The Cedar Series replaces the ABS plastic binding of the LU and Mahogany Series with real maple binding and decorative wood purfling — thin strips of contrasting wood inlaid along the binding edge. This is a construction detail associated with higher-end acoustic instruments. Wood binding is more labour-intensive to apply than ABS plastic and reflects the Cedar Series' position as a more considered, more refined instrument.

The inlaid bloodwood circle rosette around the soundhole is the most visually distinctive feature of the LCDSTC. Bloodwood is a deep red South American hardwood — its colour against the cedar top creates a striking contrast that distinguishes the Cedar Series immediately from the more understated aesthetics of the LU and Mahogany Series. The rosette is inlaid into the solid cedar top rather than being printed or applied as a decal.

Grover Tuners

Grover is one of the most established and respected names in acoustic instrument tuner manufacturing — the same brand found on instruments at significantly higher price points. Grover's open back tuners are known for smooth, accurate tracking and long-term reliability. The inclusion of Grover tuners on the LCDSTC places this instrument above any equivalent that ships with generic unbranded hardware.

37.4mm Nut Width — Wide Neck Profile

The 37.4mm nut width is the same as the LU21C — wider than standard concert ukulele specification, providing comfortable spacing for players with larger hands and reducing the chance of accidentally muting adjacent strings during chord fretting.

Deluxe 10mm Padded Gig Bag

The Cedar Series ships with Lanikai's deluxe 10mm padded gig bag — a meaningful upgrade from the standard gig bags included with the LU and Mahogany Series. The 10mm padding provides substantially more protection for a solid-top instrument that warrants more careful storage and transport than a fully laminate alternative.

Who Is the Lanikai LCDSTC For?

• Players who are ready to move beyond fully laminate construction and want the acoustic advantages of a solid top instrument
• Players who specifically want cedar's warm, dark, responsive tonal character over mahogany or okoume
• Fingerstyle players and those with a lighter touch who want an instrument that responds expressively at lower volumes
• Players who want an instrument that will improve in tone over time with regular playing
• Players who want the most refined aesthetic in the Lanikai entry-to-mid range — maple binding, bloodwood rosette, white pearl inlays, Grover tuners
• Players who want fully laminate construction at a lower price point should choose the Mahogany Series (LMAC) or LU Series (LU21C)

Specifications

Expert Advice at Angkor Music

At Angkor Music Melbourne we stock the Lanikai Cedar Series alongside the Mahogany Series and LU Series. If you want to hear the difference a solid cedar top makes compared to a laminate instrument, visit us in Altona to try them side by side, or contact us for advice on which level suits your playing and budget.

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Frequently Asked Questions

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