NCGD: Cordorba C10

[Rondoraymundo]

http://i1288.photobucket.com/albums/...ps81935df1.jpg

http://i1288.photobucket.com/albums/...ps20de4a79.jpg

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I'd like to thank many of the folks here in the AGF. If you posted in the past few years about Kenny Hill guitars, Cordorba guitars, La Patrie guitars and Yamaha guitars, chances are that I read it researching the forums.

My criteria were that I wanted an all wood guitar that would surpass my Garcia in resonance and that would be "record-able" for my next studio album. My budget was $1000.

For that kind of money I just could not beat the C10. I tried all the other Cordorba guitars, La Petries, Yamahas, Hills, Ramirez and the C10 just beat them all out.

Now you have to consider where I am coming from; I have been playing a good student classical in the Garcia for over 40 years. I never upgraded because I was putting my guitar money into the Martins that I have used on my other studio albums. But my style has changed over the years and I find that my stuff is leaning toward the classical side of fingerstyle. I want to record this material, but the Garcia was not up to the task.

Here specifically is what I like about the C10.

1. The radiused neck - helps my aging fingers.
2. Piano-like mids and upper register notes, the more precise and cleaner you can make prep, attack, and release, the more piano-like they sound.
3. The "booming bass". Now let me just say something about that because I have read users who didn't like this effect. Yes, the bass is loud on the C10, but to me its a HUGE advantage. All one has to do is to vary the thumb attack if the bass sounds too loud. But I'll take that bass sound because it has a range of resonance not found on my Garcia. In other words, I'd rather have a guitar that has this overtone range and vary my own playing accordingly, than to not have it at all.
4. The humidor case - wonderful idea, they didn't have these 40 years ago.
5. The overall feel of the instrument. I own nice nice Martins so I have an idea about craftsmanship when I feel it. You can tell by the sound and feel of this instrument that real hands worked on it.
6. Its weight. My own belief is that up to a point, the lighter the guitar the better. You certainly don't want to sacrifice strength in guitar building, but most of the truly great classical guitars I have ever played weighed in on the light side.

Anyway, that's my story and I am sticking with it.

YMMV because everyone has an anvil, hammer and stirrup that is different in size and density and those signals are transmitted to different brains, you may hear things differently than I do.

I have a saying that I first started using when, after playing for over 30 years, I could afford my first all wood Martin. Its the same saying I say about the Codorba. Every time I pick those guitars up I say to myself, "Boy am I glad I bought this guitar."

[fitness1]

Hard to go wrong with a C9, 10 or 12!

Glad it worked out.

If you have a very experienced local tech you may want to consider a fine tuning of the setup and intonating the saddle. It will make a big difference.

Next move would be adding a port!

[softballbryan]

I have said this before... I think Cordoba continues to improve and is a great choice for the market that they serve... I love mine too....

Enjoy your new companion....

Bryan

[mc1]

Originally Posted by Rondoraymundo

...Here specifically is what I like about the C10.

1. The radiused neck - helps my aging fingers.
...

thanks for the review. to clarify, this would be a c10 crossover model, correct?

[GHS]

How was the fret work on yours? My Cordoba Fusion 12 needed, (and needs more now that the humidity has gone down) attention from a Stew-Mac fret file. One other Cordoba in the store had near perfect fret work with no sharp ends. I have seen no other to compare it to.

[ewalling]

Originally Posted by mc1

thanks for the review. to clarify, this would be a c10 crossover model, correct?

If it is the C10 Crossover, I heartily endorse the OP's opinion. I got one some months back from MF, and it's as near perfect a nylon string guitar for me that I can imagine within my price range. I also own a C9 Parlor (it was called a C9 Dolce when I bought mine). I keep that one with the bass E string dropped to D. That's a real joy to play, too.

[Song Writer]

Originally Posted by Rondoraymundo

http://i1288.photobucket.com/albums/...ps81935df1.jpg

http://i1288.photobucket.com/albums/...ps20de4a79.jpg

http://i1288.photobucket.com/albums/...psa19a9263.jpg


I'd like to thank many of the folks here in the AGF. If you posted in the past few years about Kenny Hill guitars, Cordorba guitars, La Patrie guitars and Yamaha guitars, chances are that I read it researching the forums.

My criteria were that I wanted an all wood guitar that would surpass my Garcia in resonance and that would be "record-able" for my next studio album. My budget was $1000.

For that kind of money I just could not beat the C10. I tried all the other Cordorba guitars, La Petries, Yamahas, Hills, Ramirez and the C10 just beat them all out.

Now you have to consider where I am coming from; I have been playing a good student classical in the Garcia for over 40 years. I never upgraded because I was putting my guitar money into the Martins that I have used on my other studio albums. But my style has changed over the years and I find that my stuff is leaning toward the classical side of fingerstyle. I want to record this material, but the Garcia was not up to the task.

Here specifically is what I like about the C10.

1. The radiused neck - helps my aging fingers.
2. Piano-like mids and upper register notes, the more precise and cleaner you can make prep, attack, and release, the more piano-like they sound.
3. The "booming bass". Now let me just say something about that because I have read users who didn't like this effect. Yes, the bass is loud on the C10, but to me its a HUGE advantage. All one has to do is to vary the thumb attack if the bass sounds too loud. But I'll take that bass sound because it has a range of resonance not found on my Garcia. In other words, I'd rather have a guitar that has this overtone range and vary my own playing accordingly, than to not have it at all.
4. The humidor case - wonderful idea, they didn't have these 40 years ago.
5. The overall feel of the instrument. I own nice nice Martins so I have an idea about craftsmanship when I feel it. You can tell by the sound and feel of this instrument that real hands worked on it.
6. Its weight. My own belief is that up to a point, the lighter the guitar the better. You certainly don't want to sacrifice strength in guitar building, but most of the truly great classical guitars I have ever played weighed in on the light side.

Anyway, that's my story and I am sticking with it.

YMMV because everyone has an anvil, hammer and stirrup that is different in size and density and those signals are transmitted to different brains, you may hear things differently than I do.

I have a saying that I first started using when, after playing for over 30 years, I could afford my first all wood Martin. Its the same saying I say about the Codorba. Every time I pick those guitars up I say to myself, "Boy am I glad I bought this guitar."

Hey Rondoraymundo,

Great review, thanks for that. I am a Cordorba GK Studio Negra player and its a smooth machine, really like it a lot. I haven't had much of a chance to play the higher end Cordorba models yet so your review is helpful.

BTW, are you the "Ten Paths" guy by any chance?

[swsman]

OP congratulations on fine guitar. I had a chance to sample C7 and C10 locally not long ago. C7 was cedar/mahogany, C10 was spruce/rosewood. That day C7 was a better guitar, much more resonant, good intonation all over the neck too.

One thing I did notice is poor fretwork on some C3m and C5 models I have sampled over the last year or so. That is one of the reasons I bought older Yamaha im my signature. Fretwork is great, frets are dressed and crowned, when I sampled a brand new C3m just a couple days ago frets were small in size, flat and not crowned, bridge had a small gap in it (seems fairly common on this model for some odd reason). I did not want to spend over two bills (self imposed limit) and Yamaha fit the bill amd came well under that.

I will add that Cordoba 55 FCWE (local GC has a killer one used) had me thinking about bumping up my budget.
Enjoy yours and play the frets off of it.

[Rondoraymundo]

Originally Posted by mc1

thanks for the review. to clarify, this would be a c10 crossover model, correct?

Yes, radiused fingerboard crossover.

[jazzrat]

Every time I pick those guitars up I say to myself, "Boy am I glad I bought this guitar."

Congrats on your C10. I have this same feeling for my Fusion 12 Maple.

[rpguitar]

Congrats on the new axe!

It's Cordoba, not Cordorba. Cordoba is a city in Spain. Might want to edit your signature. Surprised nobody on the thread pointed it out.

[nylonstring]

[QUOTE=Rondoraymundo;4242261][url]http://i1288

For that kind of money I just could not beat the C10. I tried all the other Cordorba guitars, La Petries, Yamahas, Hills, Ramirez and the C10 just beat them all out.


Here specifically is what I like about the C10.

1. The radiused neck - helps my aging fingers.
2. Piano-like mids and upper register notes, the more precise and cleaner you can make prep, attack, and release, the more piano-like they sound.
3. The "booming bass". Now let me just say something about that because I have read users who didn't like this effect. Yes, the bass is loud on the C10, but to me its a HUGE advantage. All one has to do is to vary the thumb attack if the bass sounds too loud. But I'll take that bass sound because it has a range of resonance not found on my Garcia. In other words, I'd rather have a guitar that has this overtone range and vary my own playing accordingly, than to not have it at all.
4. The humidor case - wonderful idea, they didn't have these 40 years ago.
5. The overall feel of the instrument. I own nice nice Martins so I have an idea about craftsmanship when I feel it. You can tell by the sound and feel of this instrument that real hands worked on it.
6. Its weight. My own belief is that up to a point, the lighter the guitar the better. You certainly don't want to sacrifice strength in guitar building, but most of the truly great classical guitars I have ever played weighed in on the light side.
QUOTE]

I am the very happy owner of C10 spruce top. This is simply the best guitar I have every owned. I did have to have a luthier do a setup including a fret grinding and dress and a lowering of the action--a small price to pay. It now plays "like butta". And I agree completely with you about the rockin' bass on this guitar. It's what first attracted me to it. When I told the luthier what I paid for the guitar he was amazed and said the quality of the wood and craftsmanship and the tone of the instrument spoke of an at least $4000 handmade instrument. Kenny Hill designed this guitar and is controlling the QA in the Chinese manufacturing facility. He's doing an amazing job.