Best Cordoba Classical Guitars: Cordoba makes excellent classical guitars in the mid-to-high range. If you’re serious about learning classical and wish to upgrade to a better guitar, do check out this brand. Best makes some excellent sounding nylon string guitars.
Introduction
While you do get classical guitars from other brands, Cordoba classical guitars look beautiful because of their traditional Spanish style design. Flamenco, old school Beatles, unplugged Nrivana, Zepplin all sound great on this beautiful nylon-string guitar.
A bit pricey (compared to Yamaha, Rodriguez, Ibanez and other guitars in that price range) but these feel better and have a nicer, warmer, mellower sound, something that you expect in a good classical guitar. In fact, the sound projection is superb at low and high ranges. The overall tone is rich with a nice sustain, there are no buzzy frets and no weird resonances.
- These sound great and look beautiful, you will love playing these classical guitars.
- High quality guitars that sound great, entry-level models recommended for any beginner
- The sound is consistently good, bass notes come through magnificently and the higher notes sound warm and bright.
Top Cordoba Guitars
Lets take a look at the top Cordoba classical Guitars.
Cordoba C3M Classical Guitar
Cordoba C3M classical guitar (“M” stands for its light matte finish) is probably the best sounding entry-level Nylon String Guitar out there. This is an affordable, full-sized & handcrafted nylon-string acoustic guitar that’s perfect for beginners as well as intermediate level players.
This is a full-sized, handcrafted guitar from the Iberia Series. Features solid cedar top and mahogany back and sides, hand inlaid wooden rosette, a rosewood fingerboard, gold tuning machines with pearl buttons.
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Cordoba C3M is the entry-level model in the popular Iberia series from Cordoba. Though its affordable, its built with traditional Spanish fan bracing, a solid cedar top and mahogany back and sides. It also has a hand inlaid wooden rosette, a rosewood fingerboard, and gold tuning machines with pearl buttons.
- Pros: Affordable, Good build quality
- Cons: Tone is okay, tuning machines are okay
- Best Uses: For learning, as a gift
The top is made of solid cedar and not laminate top (most manufacturers do it to cut cost) so no compromise on this front from Cordoba.
This guitar has an attractive and natural matte finish. So is it made of solid wood or just solid top? As per Cordoba customer service: “The C3M features a solid cedar top and laminate mahogany back and sides. For your reference, any body woods listed under “full specs” at our website for any guitar can be assumed to be laminate unless the word “solid” precedes them.”
Its easier to play because of its nice, finger-friendly action and also because of its slightly compact size (its surprisingly lightweight). The perfect off-the-shelf action suits most players.
Some users, especially those with smaller hands have expressed their inability to comfortably play this guitar (The action is definitely within spec, probably a bit higher than a high end guitar but still playable). Although most decent sized hands should be able to comfortably play this guitar, in case you’re really struggling you could get the action lowered to make it more playable.
Definitely recommended for anyone who’s learning how to play classical guitar (its not very expensive). A full size guitar ready to be played without any adjustment.
Here are the main features of this classical guitar:
- Solid Canadian cedar top, Back & Sides: laminated Mahogany, Matte finish
- Binding/Bridge: Black ABS Binding / Rosewood bridge
- Purfling/Inlay: White and black ABS top, Rosette: All natural wood inlaid
- Neck/Fingerboard: Nato neck, Rosewood fingerboard / Traditional (Classical) Style Neck
- Traditional Spanish fan bracing system
- Tuning Machines: Nickel Plated with Pearl Buttons
- Scale length: 25.6”, Truss Rod: Yes, 4mm, Scale Length: 650mm (25.6 in.), Nut Width: 52mm (2.04 in.)
- Fret Marker Inlays: Mother of Pearl at 5, 7, 9, 12, Nut/Saddle: Bone
- Number of Frets: 12 to body, 19 Total
- Bracing/Build: Spanish 7 fan bracing
- Body Width & Length: 375mm (14.75 inches) width at lower bout, 1,003mm (39.5 inches) total length
- Body Depth: Standard Spanish Classic Body Depth, 95mm upper bout / 100mm lower bout (3.7 / 3.9 inches)
- Strings: D’Addario J45
Overall, the Cordoba C3M is a great guitar for starters, and has a reasonably good sound (despite having solid top). If you like the tone of a solid top, this model is a good fit. The action is set up well for beginners, and the truss rod can be adjusted if required.
Buying Links
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The Cordoba C3M Classical Guitar is a full-sized classical guitar suitable for players of all levels.
More Cordoba Guitars
Cordoba 15CM Concert Ukulele
The Cordoba 15CM is a handmade, entry-level concert size ukulele with mahogany top, back and sides.
Cordoba C5 Classical Guitar
The Cordoba C5 is a full size nylon-string guitar (from the Iberia series), handmade in the traditional Spanish style. It features Canadian cedar top, mahogany back and sides, rosewood fingerboard.
Cordoba C5-CE Acoustic Electric Classical Guitar
The Cordoba C5-CE (Iberia series) acoustic electric is handmade in the traditional Spanish style. It features a solid Canadian cedar top and mahogany back and sides, has a soft cutaway and a slightly thinner neck. Comes with The Fishman Isys+ 2band pickup system – making it perfect for gigging and recording.
Cordoba Guitars: Buying Guide
Cordoba produces top quality nylon string classical guitars, are one of the most popular factory-made brands, and going by the quality of their guitars, they surely deserve this kind of popularity.
Cordoba guitars combine traditional craftsmanship with modern techniques to create beautiful acoustic instruments. Cordoba guitars are lightweight, very responsive, and apt for guitar players looking to own a Spanish guitar.
Unlike most concert-quality classical and flamenco guitars that cost at-least a few grands, serious guitar students can own a Cordoba guitar for much lesser price and these guitars still deliver superb tone and play-ability.
You do get Cordoba classical guitars that are priced around a few hundred dollars (which is inexpensive considering the overall quality of these guitars). Given their price range, these are among the finest instruments that you can lay your hands on, especially for experienced steel-string players looking for excellent crossover guitars to incorporate some Spanish guitar into their repertoires.
KeytarHQ editorial team includes musicians who write and review products for pianists, keyboardists, guitarists & other musicians. KeytarHQ is the best online resource for information on keyboards, pianos, synths, keytars, guitars and music gear for musicians of all abilities, ages and interests.
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