I like cedar for it's buoyancy, and natural water/rot resistant properties. I'm not exactly sure what kind of cedar they grow in California but i'm sure it will do. However, for carving fine details, it can be frustrating. The grain that is there is much harder than the wood between the grain if that makes any sense. So I can make for a difficult process to carve details. I prefer bass wood if I want to add any fine details, that stuff carves like a block of butter, it is amazing.