Classical Search

[Skip Ellis]

Looking for best classical I can find for around $1000. MUST have ebony fingerboard - anything else is a deal breaker. I'm thinking Cordoba C10 cedar/EI or used Pavan TP-30 (if I can find one - they're scarce!). Anything else out there that might do the trick? Used is OK as it's in nice shape.
NO electronics and cutaway is OK.

[gmr]

I would give consideration to the Alhambra 5p and also the new Córdoba 45CO. I’ve not played the CO but I have played an earlier 45 model and it sounded very good. I would agree with others that the Spanish Cordobas might not be as aesthetically flawless as the Chinese models but tonally, the Spanish models are great and the neck just feels right to me. I have an Esteso and it is exquisite.

[CE Sobel]

Skip,

I sent you a PM!

Cheers,

Chris

[Norman2]

Originally Posted by Skip Ellis

Looking for best classical I can find for around $1000. MUST have ebony fingerboard - anything else is a deal breaker. I'm thinking Cordoba C10 cedar/EI or used Pavan TP-30 (if I can find one - they're scarce!). Anything else out there that might do the trick? Used is OK as it's in nice shape.
NO electronics and cutaway is OK.

Hi, Just one advice for you. Forget about Spanish built guitars in that price range like Pavan, Admira, Aria, Almansa and others. Just get a nice Cordoba
C10 with solid cedar or spruce top and solid indian rosewood sides and back,
exquisite quality and materials and a truly amazing sound projection and sustain.
You will not be sorry. If you try one you will know what I mean. Regards
Norman2
PS: I enjoyed a C10 in cedar for 6 months but gave it to my daughter who is studying classical guitar at Julliards in NY as she needed a good guitar for her advanced classes,
Since am not anywhere near her playing ability, I bought a Cordoba C7 and it serves me perfectly. By the way, The Cordoba C10 does
have an ebony fingerboard

[Cincy2]

+1 on the Cordoba C10. I bought one for my wife to learn with. I was shocked at the tone / dollar ratio. It easily embarrassed many other European guitars I have owned.

Cincy

[TKT]

I'll add a +. I have the C10 parlor, cedar over EIR, love the shorter scale. I still browse classicals on and off, but when I go pick that Cordoba up, I'm always SMH, what am I thinking?

[Rapido Eduwardo]

I bought a Cordoba cedar C-10 this past summer (2017) and never looked back I bought it used (mint) from Reverb.com . Excellent guitar with a very loud strong bass.

[fray]

Thanks for the info, i too am looking for that first classical instrument. Cordoba C10 is on the radar.

[Vyse Hazuky]

I have to say that I'm looking for the same sort of thing (I'd add that I'm preferably looking for spruce over rosewood as its tonewoods).

Being in Europe is an advantage in that I can find most of the brands I want to try easily, even if not all on the same shop (especially because it's still easier to find classical guitars here than steel string guitars). Online, however, it's a bit harder to find information on some of the brands.

Cordoba gets great reviews.. but is it because it's the best $1000 guitar a anyone can buy, or is there a slant because over there you can't easily access spanish-made brands like Esteve, Paco Castillo, Burguet and Alhambra, or even the german-made Hanika, which all have solidwood offerings on this price range?

As Norman2 said, it seems over there you are getting Pavan, Admira, Aria, Almansa, all of which do not have a great following in Europe.

Cordobas on the other hand, while they are distributed over here, their presence isn't as strong.

One way or another they sound like great guitars but in this day and age it's frustrating to me that we can't get easy access to everything at the same time. I'm quite excited about quality China-made instruments as we have seen in steel strings as well (Eastman, Avian, etc) as it's going to be a definite game-changer, possibly more impactful than Japan's guitarmaking revolution in the 70s.