The Uchida-style cutaway allows for an easier access to the higher frets without sacrificing the tonal space that is taken away for most cutaway guitars.

Cedar just sounds better to me than anything, but it's really dependent on your style of playing, I think. I have big hands, fat fingers, and play with a purple tortex, so I do get a lot of good sound from cedar top guitars. Of course, Isaac tells me that I'd be just as happy with an Englemann Spruce/Cocobolo OM model.