Cordoba c7, truss rod question...
 

I have an opportunity to purchase a barely used Cordoba c7 for $200. I'm concerned about the truss rod. For those of you who own this guitar, how many times and how frequently have you had to adjust the rod? Also, for the owners, if I can give you a similar guitar without the truss rod, would you trade your c7 for it?

And lastly, how content are you with this guitar?

Why are you concerned about the guitar having a truss rod?

The old wives tale of the truss rods adding weight has long been dispelled.

I haven't owned that specific model from Cordoba, but I've owned at least 6 different models of their guitars.

Over the years, I've probably adjusted the truss rods in each of them once a year due to seasonal changes.

Given a choice between a classical guitar with a truss rod vs one without one.. I'll gladly take the guitar with the truss rod every day of the week.

Dave

I own a C9, which I think is similar enough to have an opinion.

After the initial setup, I have not adjusted my truss rod. It's my opinion that truss rods add stability to the neck, and provides slight adjustability when the environment is so harsh on the guitar that the metal rods can't keep the neck in place by themselves (that is to say without some human adjustment).

I'd only consider a non-truss rod design as a collector's item, or if it were made out of an alternative material that was resistant to humidity and temperature issues (no shrinking or swelling and no thermal expansion).

It should be said that I religiously put my wood guitars in a humidified room (set to 45-50 RH), and the temperature of the room stays between 68 and 80 F all year round. It is outside of that room maybe 40 hours a week for my practice and studies, otherwise it stays nice and comfy in there.

Thanks for the info, guys.

Update: I went to test out the guitar. The idiot put on steel strings for A and D...so I couldn't get a good tune. I spent no more than 5 minutes trying to tune the guitar at which point he rudely interrupted me to say he doesn't have time and that he thought it was going to be a fast deal. I responded by handing him the guitar and telling him, "Thanks for wasting my time."

Not only were A and D strings not able to be tuned, B and high E were also difficult to tune.....so obviously there is something wrong.

I have to admit, the Cordoba c7 felt good . It was light weight and the height between the strings and frets was ideal. I wish I could have actually played it.

When and by whom? Just curious.

A true "concert" classical guitar is, generally, a different instrument than a nylon-strung "cross-over". Many classical guitar makers and players don't want the added weight of anything: generally, light-weight tends towards "responsive".

I have classical guitars for four decades that don't have neck reinforcement or adjustable truss rods. Not a single one of them needs the amount of relief in the neck adjusted. Adjustable truss rods, if used for their intended purpose, aren't really necessary on classical guitars. Whether or not they are necessary on cross-overs is another question. I wouldn't think twice about buying a classical guitar that did not have an adjustable truss rod. I would think twice about one that did - it would make me wonder about the approach of that maker. Obviously, the sound and playability are what matter: construction details are secondary, if that.

Thank You for chiming in. For the time being, I have decided to no longer look into guitars with truss rods.

My opinion probably stinks as much as yours does regarding truss rods.

But going by the luthier's comments on the Delcamp forum, the so called added weight of truss rods is now considered a non issue.

Most also agree that any weight added is insignificant to a guitars performance or string sustain.

Having said all that; if you are that adverse to having truss rods in classical guitars;

Don't look at any Cordoba, LaPatrie, Kenny Hill, Takamine, most Yamaha's & Alvarez, and a host of other manufacturers classical guitars.

Don't forget that a lot of classical guitars have non adjustable carbon fiber rods embedded in their necks that you won't see.

Then comes the ebony strips on the backs of necks to stabilize necks.

Both of them are a form of non adjustable truss rods.

Good luck with your search :D

I'll happily keep playing mine and using the truss rods to adjust the neck relief after seasonal changes here in New England. :)

Dave

Yamaha has a long-standing reputation for good quality instruments at all price ranges. It's been a long time since I looked at their nylon-string offerings, though I still have a 45 year old entry-level classical of theirs that is as good as the day I got it. It's neck has no adjustable rod and no reinforcement.

Looking at their website, it appears that the only nylon-string guitars they make that have adjustable truss rods are their cross-over series, their NX series. If I were looking for an inexpensive classical guitar, I'd look seriously at their entry-level C40, selling for about $200. I haven't played one, but, I'd certainly start there if I was in that market. One can't really go wrong with a Yamaha.


I'm not really familiar with the Cordoba line of guitars and have not played one. So, I went to their website.

First on their list is their high-end "Friederich", about $4k. It's detailed spec states, "truss rod N/A". https://www.cordobaguitars.com/guitars/friederich/

Next is their "Esteso", about $2500. It's spec states that it has a dual action truss rod. Their "C5", about $500 also does.

It's curious that their highest-priced model, designed by "Daniel Friederich... influenced by the legendary French luthier Robert Bouchet...one of the most respected and influential luthiers in the world", has no truss rod.



Yes, those are both mechanisms for stiffening a neck. Some notable makers use those mechanisms and on some fine guitars. In my opinion, and that of some other luthiers, they aren't necessary. Regardless, both add less weight than a steel adjustable truss rod.

I can't speak to why that exact model doesn't have a truss rod. I'm fairly certain that it 's more of an exception than the rule when it comes to Cordoba.

Cordoba offers several really nice guitars that retail for over $6000 like this Torres limited which has a dual truss rod

https://www.cordobaguitars.com/guitars/torres-limited/

My Cordoba C-12 with elevated Fret board has a MSRP of around $2600 has a truss rod.

https://www.cordobaguitars.com/guitars/c12-cd/

We'll just have to agree to disagree about the virtues of classical guitars having truss rods :)

Dave

I paid $299 + sales tax for my C5. Check them out.

I have an Esteso model and it sure doesn’t seem to suffer any for having truss rod. I’ve compared Yamaha and Córdoba models in the 300 to 500 US price range and both sound quite good. Cordoba’s seem lightly built and quite resonant. Easily comparable to the Yamahas. Cordoba’s thinline models sound a bit better to me than did the Yamaha NTX I owned. That guitar was great plugged in but was really heavily built and suffered when played purely acoustically.

All that to simply say I don’t think a truss rod makes much of a tonal difference, all else being equal. With modern nylon string tensions seemingly on the increase I can’t see where a truss rod would be a bad thing.

Thank you, guys. I appreciate all your opinions.

I said I was no longer looking at truss rod guitars. Well, long story short, I pulled the trigger on a Cordoba c10. It has cosmetic imperfections but otherwise - a new guitar. $450 plus tax is what I paid. I'm excited.

I'm fine with that.

The point of my posting on this subject was as a counterpoint to your statements that...

Readers now have opposing opinions and can make their own determination.

C10= Great guitar. And $450 is a good price, probably 200 lower than the going used price.

Congrats. Now play the heck out of it!

Thanks, Brother. The frets on my old Takamine are worn down to the bare minimum. It's time for a new guitar.