Cordoba C9 cedar top vs. spruce top

DejaEntendu · #1 02-24-2013, 11:45 PM

I know the spruce vs. cedar topic has probably been discussed to death and I do apologize! However I was wondering about this particular guitar. I'm getting ready to order a Cordoba C9 and unfortunately, I don't have the option to try both variants

I was wondering if any of you folks would choose cedar or spruce for this guitar. Thanks!

DejaEntendu · #2 02-25-2013, 03:05 AM

It's solid mahogany back and sides if that helps. Does cedar or spruce sound better with mahogany b/s?

fitness1 · #3 02-25-2013, 03:17 AM

I think at this price point I'd go with cedar just because the likelihood of having nice fat trebles is probably higher. The spruce will likely yield a brighter overall tone with maybe just a little more "thinness" in the upper register.

Very happy with my Cedar C9, and I'm normally a spruce top guy.

DejaEntendu · #4 02-25-2013, 03:19 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by fitness1

I think at this price point I'd go with cedar just because the likelihood of having nice fat trebles is probably higher. The spruce will likely yield a brighter overall tone with maybe just a little more "thinness" in the upper register.

Very happy with my Cedar C9, and I'm normally a spruce top guy.

Perfect! So you own this guitar

Thanks for your input.
As a side note, was your guitar set up well out of the box?

fitness1 · #5 02-25-2013, 03:40 AM

I'm a bit of a perfectionist with setups, so no, it was not set up to my liking. I've rarely received a guitar that was though

I've been doing my own work for a long time now, and found with almost all classicals the action will be high for me, and the intonation almost always need adjustment. I use a needle file and carefully intonate each string like this....

Uploaded with ImageShack.us

DejaEntendu · #6 02-25-2013, 02:08 PM

Oh boy I'd have no idea how to do that

the.ronin · #7 02-25-2013, 07:49 PM

I would recommend cedar. Traditionally, classicals are made with cedar tops as they have a warmer sound than spruce.

With that said, I opted for spruce for my second classical. My thinking at the time was that all my acoustic steel strings are spruce and I want the same brightness for a nylon counterpart. I love it and still do love it.

But if I want to play classical music, I go to a different classical which has a cedar top. Because it is warmer, it has more sustain allowing me to let notes ring for as long as I need them to. However, if I want to play flamenco, I go to the spruce top with its faster attack. Less sustain but I don't need that with the percussive nature of flamenco. Actually, I prefer it.

So end of the day, I would go with cedar for a classical and save the spruce top nylon guitar for a flamenco.

As far as setup out of the box, not sure if the C9 is Iberia (read: entry level) line but the C5 I used to own had much lower action than what is typical of classical. I played quite a few C5s and they all had the same, low action. Note that this isn't always good as higher action allows more volume and variation before you start buzzing. And given how soft nylon is, you get used to the higher action, fast.

dwalton · #8 02-25-2013, 07:50 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by fitness1

I'm a bit of a perfectionist with setups, so no, it was not set up to my liking. I've rarely received a guitar that was though

I've been doing my own work for a long time now, and found with almost all classicals the action will be high for me, and the intonation almost always need adjustment. I use a needle file and carefully intonate each string like this....

Uploaded with ImageShack.us

I can personally attest to the quality and effectiveness of this approach.

DejaEntendu · #9 02-26-2013, 03:20 AM

How would a 1998 Ramirez R1 compare to a Cordoba C9?

DejaEntendu · #10 03-01-2013, 01:56 AM

UPDATE:

I just received my Cordoba C9 in the mail. Seriously, this thing sounds AMAZING right out of the box. It sounds better than classical guitars I was playing in the 1500$+ price. I STRONGLY recommend it!

P.S. It has a Cedar top.

fitness1 · #11 03-01-2013, 06:12 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by DejaEntendu

UPDATE:

I just received my Cordoba C9 in the mail. Seriously, this thing sounds AMAZING right out of the box. It sounds better than classical guitars I was playing in the 1500$+ price. I STRONGLY recommend it!

P.S. It has a Cedar top.

is there an echo in here

neastguy · #12 03-02-2013, 05:48 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by DejaEntendu

UPDATE:

I just received my Cordoba C9 in the mail. Seriously, this thing sounds AMAZING right out of the box. It sounds better than classical guitars I was playing in the 1500$+ price. I STRONGLY recommend it!

P.S. It has a Cedar top.

wish I could try one in person... need to sell my yammy 230i first though..

Vognell · #13 04-09-2013, 06:57 AM

The C9 spruce wouldn't have been a bad choice either. The trebles aren't oppressively bright, and the rich bass is usually the first thing people notice about mine.

If you catch the trebles more with the "round" part of the nail than with the flat, the high end is actually quite smooth.

Either way, enjoy your C9 Cedar! I'm hoping to get one myself to complement my C9 spruce (one day).

toomanyknots · #14 04-09-2013, 07:12 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by DejaEntendu

UPDATE:

I just received my Cordoba C9 in the mail. Seriously, this thing sounds AMAZING right out of the box. It sounds better than classical guitars I was playing in the 1500$+ price. I STRONGLY recommend it!

P.S. It has a Cedar top.

I think you made a very good choice, tone wood wise. I have played a couple c9s and c10s. I think their cedars tend to be better than their spruces for some reason, at least the ones I have played. I have no bias really anymore either, I like cedar and spruce both, just for different reasons, different pieces, different colorings of sound and the amount of separation between notes, etc. I like both. But their cedar models seem to be better guitars overall to me. I own a spruce top c9 and regret not picking up a c9 or c10 in cedar instead.