[Mike Sylvia]

Originally Posted by harpon

I'm not sure what the extra cost is these days- I can tell you for certain that the rosewood back and sides gives a kind of softer sound than the mahogany, but as far as I'm concerned it's largely a matter of taste.

Six or seven years go, I went to Guitar Center with the intent of purchasing a Cordoba C5 on sale. I left with a Manuel Rodriguez with rosewood back and sides for the same cost, even without a truss rod then and although I even like the appearance of mahogany over rosewood.

It simply sounded better to me.

Subsequently through the years I noticed that the body of the Rodriguez was just a little bit diminutive, in fact it matches almost exactly the dimensions of a Cordoba 7/8 Dolce and now an Estudio 7/8 as well. I also finally got a Cordoba C5 too, and then saw that the body was slightly larger than the Rodriguez, and have the feeling that the C-5- with the original strings- Savarez Cristal Corum- and discussed in another thread here now- has a larger booming bass that maybe drowns out the trebles a bit. It's not that considerable but I don't often play the C-5 and it still has the original strings that came on it when I got it for half price new with the bridge saddle lifted off. I glued that back on and it's been fine for 2 or 3 years now.

You might consider BOTH- a C-5 is maybe the most prolific guitar on the used market- they apparently sold many of them and they are easy to find at considerable savings- at Guitar Center for instance where you can return it to a nearby store if there's a problem .

As far as a cutaway with electrics- a C5 is a good choice because it already has a big soundbox before the cut away and electrics are added.

Thank yo very much for all your time. I really appreciate it.