Regarding the durabilty of Cedar I've had a cedar-topped Lowden for 20 years now and played it heavily at gigs and sessions for about 15 of 'em and structurally she's perfect. There is still about the same ample amount of saddle poking up from the bridge that there was when it had it's first and only setup long ago but it does look like a woodpecker's had a go at her because they do ding easier than spruce tops.
I have heard it said that cedar-topped instruments start to fade abit after awhile. Don't know how true that is.