Cordoba C10 Parlor

[Crowyote]

Just got my Cordoba C10 Parlor last week, and I'm blown away with the tones available in this guitar.

I've owned many classicals over the years, among them: a Takamine Hirade, a Michael Thames Spruce/Rosewood, a Ramirez 2CWE, a Cordoba FCWE, a Cordoba Orchestra 12 Pro, and most recently a one-off Kremona Rondo R63CW TL 630mm Cutaway Classical (which I'm selling in the emporium).

This Cordoba beats them all!

In recent years, as I've been playing lots of electric guitar since leaving the SMU Classical Guitar program, I started playing thin-body classicals. I found them to be more ergonomical for my short stature (5'6") short fingers and thin frame. However, I have found that as I enjoy sitting and playing more and more lately that a thin-body guitar just isn't always practical and very rarely do them have enough presence to be impressive(except for the Cordoba FCWE Reissue I had between 2010-12)

My last guitar, which is a beautiful Kremona Rondo R63CW 630 mm prototype, introduced me to the shorter 630 mm scale. I acquired the guitar for playing latin jazz, swing and styles that call for a mellower tone. However, in all practicality, I've been getting called on more often to play classical, Spanish and flamenco, so the Kremona really hasn't the right fit tone-wise. I've found the shorter scale to be a decent fit for my hands, and I've been wanting to go back to a flat radius board as pinky bars and such are a real PITA on a radiused board.

Upon deciding to sell my Kremona, I ordered a Cordoba C10 Parlor from Empire Musical. I was really excited to hear that Cordoba had begun to produce a version of the C9 Dolce with higher quality tonewoods this winter, and if my previous experiences were any judge I had a sense that the guitar would sound great.

I was right. The scale is almost a perfect match for me (although I'm tempted to try a 620 sometime), the flat radius fretboard is exactly what I needed and the tone is mind-blowingly rich. I really can't believe that a short scale guitar can sounds so lively and have such timbral variety! The tonewoods are top notch looks-wise and in terms of resonance. This guitar sounds much bigger than it looks, and it's body is a perfect fit for my lap. I think I can safely say this has been my best sounding Cedar top guitar, so far.

My only hope is that they might start producing a cutaway version at some point.

Here are some vids:

Milan Pavane No.3


Milan Pavane No. 2


Romanza de Amor


When I finally figure out how to record a decent vid using one of my mics, I will post if I can.

[Dogsnax]

Originally Posted by Crowyote

Just got my Cordoba C10 Parlor last week, and I'm blown away with the tones available in this guitar..

Perry...thanks so much for your helpful take on the C10 parlor. I'm not a classically trained guitarist, but I had to transition to classical guitars about ten years ago due to severe eczema (allergic to nickel and formaldehyde..).

Like you, I've owned some very nice, performance level guitars in years past, including an Eric Sahlin and my current Robert Garcia Hauser 37. I've had the chance to babysit for a couple of nice Cordoba guitars - a C5 and the lattice-braced C12 - and I recently spent a week with one of the basic GK Studio guitars. I'm absolutely astounded at the consistency and sound quality of the Cordobas. I know that Kenny Hill has been working with their design and production teams for a number of years and the results are apparent. My first nice nylon string guitar was a Hill Master Series Crossover Parlor and that was a fantastic guitar (I soon learned to prefer the classical-sized neck and fingerboard). I'm guessing your C10 parlor shares the same basic body size the Hill parlor-sized classicals. And you're right - they really sit well and a breeze to play.

Quick question...is yours a cedar or spruce-topped C10 parlor? I'm guessing cedar from the videos.

Thanks again for the great review and videos. I think you've successfully inspired me to look into buying a C10 parlor.

Fred

[Crowyote]

Most definitely Cedar top . . . and I really don't think it sounds too dark or warm at all.

[ewalling]

Good to hear you're liking your C10 as much as I am the C9, which is the cedar/mahogany version. Our experiences sound quite similar. I'm a fingerstyle player - blues, ragtime, jazz classics, folk, and a little classical - and I began to include nylon around 2007. Since this time, I've owned an Ovation Folklore, an Ovation Classic, two Takamines (TC135SC and H5), two Kermonas (Sophia and Fiesta), two La Patrie (Motif and Etude), and two Taylors (NS44 and NS72). For the non-classically trained, mainly steel-string player, the challenge has been to find something ergonomic that has the rich sound of a classical. I also like the guitar to have truss rod, too.

So, the Cordoba Parlors seem a great response to this kind of demand. I've found that the shorter scale enables me to do stretches that have been impossible or injury-threatening on full-scale classicals. I'm currently dabbling with some pieces transcribed by US classical guitarist Douglas Niedt, and the C9 Parlor has opened up some of the more difficult passages.

Anyway, good to hear that someone else has had a similar positive experience with this model!

[softballbryan]

The cordoba brand has really started pulling ahead in many areas especially when you consider the choices.... Much of it at acceptable prices too....

Thanks for the videos... My eyes enjoyed your playing... Never enough classical playing on this board...

Bryan

[Crowyote]

I'm going to be selling this guitar.

I got hired to play a gig for an upcoming exhibition of Lladro procelain at local jewelry store, and it required amplification and a brighter snappier tone overall.

I picked up a Cordoba 55FCE Negra Limited Edition, which I'm overall impressed with, even considering the fact that the Ziricote back and sides appear to be laminated. I'm missing the resonant tone and scale length of the C10 Parlor, but the cutaway, Fishman pu and thin-body help me out immensely.

PM if interested.

[Crowyote]

Just listed my guitar. In the process of taking pics I found the serial number inside . . . and discovered this!



MADE IN CHINA???!!!

Wow who knew. It sounds pretty good for being built there.

[ewalling]

Originally Posted by Crowyote

Just listed my guitar. In the process of taking pics I found the serial number inside . . . and discovered this!

MADE IN CHINA???!!!

Wow who knew. It sounds pretty good for being built there.

I knew. I don't think all-solid Cordobas made in Spain would be sold for under $1,000. But these are excellent quality guitars, nonetheless. Cordoba China is a big success story when it comes to nylon string and classical guitars.

[87Standard]

I thought it was pretty widely know that this whole line is made in China.

The higher-end Cordobas like the Loriente line are made in Spain.... and priced accordingly.

Originally Posted by Crowyote

Just listed my guitar. In the process of taking pics I found the serial number inside . . . and discovered this!

MADE IN CHINA???!!!

Wow who knew. It sounds pretty good for being built there.

[Crowyote]

Originally Posted by 87Standard

I thought it was pretty widely know that this whole line is made in China.

The higher-end Cordobas like the Loriente line are made in Spain.... and priced accordingly.

Yup . . .I have the 55FCE Negra, and it is built in Spain.

I know a local luthier (and quite a famed flamenco guitarist) who has practically accused Cordoba of using child labor at their workshops in Spain. Gypsy kids and teenagers are trained to build the guitars according to him. I wonder if they do the same thing in China (or if the accusations are even true)?

[dosland]

I can't speak for the Córdoba factory in Spain, but the other factories I have visited do employ some teenagers, some of whom eventually become master luthiers working in the same shop... I also know plenty of Spanish and Portuguese Gipsy kids who could do a lot worse than working in a guitar factory in Spain. In Spain, these factories are at least theoretically run by real companies with tax numbers and government-mandated work safety regulations. A kid who was slaved out in one of them would need only to contact the nearest media outlet to have the whole slaving operation blown to pieces. The shops I've seen wouldn't do a very good job keeping something like this secret, nor would it be a very efficient way to maintain their tiny profit margins - Spain's minimum wage is low enough that it's better to let the government make up the shortfall than feed and clothe the person yourself while maintaining full prison security and some sort of lodging for these people. Never mind the quality control issues that would come up... Those are my late-night responses to the local conspiracy theory. I suspect that "slavery" could just be slur used to justify a massive price difference between the factory guitars of one label and those of a boutique luthier. And again, I can't speak for conditions in every shop in Spain, let alone China. Or Korea, or Taiwan or Japan or Mexico or the US, for that matter...

[87Standard]

I guess anything is possible but the chinese-made Cordoba guitars I have played have all been pretty impressive so it seems to me that they're being made by craftsmen who know what they're doing.

If I recall correctly Kenny Hill was involved in setting up their Chinese operation to some degree...

Originally Posted by Crowyote

Yup . . .I have the 55FCE Negra, and it is built in Spain.

I know a local luthier (and quite a famed flamenco guitarist) who has practically accused Cordoba of using child labor at their workshops in Spain. Gypsy kids and teenagers are trained to build the guitars according to him. I wonder if they do the same thing in China (or if the accusations are even true)?

[Crowyote]

Well, I will say one thing . . .the quality of craftsmanship on the inside of the C10 Parlor seems to have a little more finesse than the 55FCE Negra.

If I look inside the soundhole of the C10 Parlor, everything is nice and clean. There appears to be no excess splinters or sawdust. The inside of the heel joint is a lovely piece of (oiled?) mahogany that looks like something you would see on a luthier guitar.

Inside the Spanish built 55FCE Negra, there are scratches and scuffs on the laminated Ziricote back. The braces that are visible along the back have rough chisel marks and dents in them and there are splinters along the edges. The inside of the heel looks somewhat sloppily done and there are excess cuts/chisel marks along the internal seams where they fit the pieces together.

The outside presentation is somewhat of a different story. The C10 Parlor's finish looked spotless, but there are small filler spots on the ebony fretboard. On the other hand, the 55FCE has a few finish imperfections, but the Spruce top and fingerboard ebony are clearly of a higher quality and finished beautifully. Both are extremely playable.

I remember reading in a book, (Christopher Parkening's Method?) that you can tell a great deal about the quality of the guitar by looking inside the soundhole. Many Spanish guitars that I've owned over the years looked quite dreadful from a inner soundhole view, Ramirez's, Rodriguez's and the 55FCE Negra isn't the worst looking Cordoba (although close) from that perspective. Maybe they should reconsider serving wine at lunch?

[Blueser100]

I was wondering if the C9 and C10 parlors come with poly foam or hard cases. The Córdoba website specs say poly foam but some online listings include a hard case for the same price.