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  #1  
Old 08-26-2020, 05:52 PM
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Default Flamenco choice

I'm thinking of getting a moderately priced Flamenco guitar. I've been looking at the Cordoba F7 and Yamaha CG172SF. Any advice regarding these or others in the same price range?
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  #2  
Old 08-27-2020, 10:35 AM
Bax Burgess Bax Burgess is offline
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Here's my string experience with the Cordoba F7, on which I use a corian saddle to express a less resonant sound than bone, micarta, or tusq.

Savarez Cristal Corum 500cj High (bright and full, slight smoke to #3, defined up the fingerboard)
Hannabach Super Carbon Goldin Trebles 725 MHT Treble Set w/ Aquila Perla normal basses (balanced, percussive, ringing, sparkly brightness, defined up the fingerboard, #3 slightly smoky and strains at the last two frets, incredible)
Aquila Perla Normal 37C (percussive dryness, flamenco vibe, but without snap to it)
Aquila Alabastro Normal (balanced, sonorous, dry, airy, good volume/definition, bell-like percussiveness when played hard, defined up the fingerboard, but begin to strain over body)
La Bella 2001 Hard (reverberating, #3 throaty, noticeable step from #3 to #4, #1 and #2 snappish/smoky fretters)
Galli Titanio Genius GR45 Normal (lively/clear/snappish, bass overly rich, #3 a tad nasally, #1 and #2 clear/tight up the fingerboard, #3 smoky/strong along the fingerboard, trebles progressively sharp/dry over body)
DÂ’Addario Pro Arte Dynacore EJ45TT Normal (good volume, slappish/ringing, light/eager basses, #3 slightly smoky, noticeable step from #3 to #2, #1 and #2 bright/crisp, defined up the fingerboard, #3 slightly nasally and goes dry after 16th fret)
Luthier Set 40 Concert Gold Med/Hard (clear/sonorous/rounded all six strings, volume that jumps out, balanced, juicy basses, defined up the fingerboard, tighten to a fine/dry point by the rosette)
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Old 08-27-2020, 12:31 PM
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Bax;

Wow! Thank you for the string options. Do you suppose their qualities would be the same on the Yamaha? From you've written, the Addario and Luthier strings sound about right for my interest. Although, as everyone says, individual taste tends to color our hearing.

I appreciate the time you've taken to address my question.
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Old 08-27-2020, 02:24 PM
Bax Burgess Bax Burgess is offline
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Thanks. As for the Yamaha, the strings would be a roll of the dice as to how they would react.
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Old 08-27-2020, 02:55 PM
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Bax;

Sorry to bother you, but I should have asked you earlier: Before you purchased your Cordoba did you check out other similar priced flamenco guitars or did it just come your way?
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Old 08-27-2020, 04:14 PM
Bax Burgess Bax Burgess is offline
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It was my first Flamenco purchase, a brand that I was already familiar with, a shot in the dark, just to try a Flamenco. If the definition of a Flamenco is a quick attack, loud, percussive, dry, then the F7 falls a bit short - spacious, and the basses are too juicy. But if the definition is a guitar that crosses the divide between a Classical and a Flamenco, rich when played moderately, sizzling when leaned into, then the F7 does pretty well. I've played a dry Flamenco, and I'm incapable of the aggressiveness necessary to drive such a guitar.
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Old 08-27-2020, 05:36 PM
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Bax; Nice stuff, you've given me a lot to think about.
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Old 08-27-2020, 06:13 PM
ceciltguitar ceciltguitar is offline
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Evan, you might like the Córdoba GK guitars, and you can probably pick up a second hand Córdoba GK Pro for around $1000 - $1300, or it’s little sib, the GK Studio for $400 - $700 on either eBay or Reverb.
They are good quality for the price, and they have several features that will appeal to you, such as thin body, light weight nut width of 50 mm (vs 52 on most classical guitars)

I became enamored with the GK Pro a few years ago, and much to my surprise, my wife loved the GK Pro so much that she stopped playing her beloved Taylor steel string. So I “had“ to buy a second GK Pro in order to have one to play myself.
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Old 08-28-2020, 09:04 AM
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Cecil;

Thank you for weighing in, I appreciate the experience and advice.
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Old 08-28-2020, 11:48 AM
MCDEMO1 MCDEMO1 is offline
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I have only played and owned the Cordoba GK Studio, which I selected from three that were on display at a local GC. Went searching for a flamenco style guitar after watching a Duck Baker video in which he played various styles of music on one and sounded terrific doing so. Not sure if the GK series qualifies as true flamenco guitars, but they do have the flat fingerboard and thinner body.

The GK is a well made guitar and the padded bag it comes with is also very nice. I consider it a great playing and sounding guitar for the price, although I have no experience to compare it to a more expensive flamenco. The poly finish on my particular example is not too thick, the neck straight, and the fretwork good. There was a considerable tonal difference among the three examples I selected from. Two were very good, one blah. From the two best I chose the one with the best top and setup.

There are posts about people having problems with the bridge letting go, but mine is on there tight and shows no signs of lifting after at least five years of ownership using high tension strings.

It is different enough in tone and feel to my Cervantes Crossover IR and GV Rubio classical to deserve a place in the collection.

I was considering a Cordoba GK Pro Negra at the time I came across the used Cervantes, which I had been searching for. I would still like to try the all solid wood GK Pro at some point.

Good luck in your quest.
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Last edited by MCDEMO1; 08-28-2020 at 11:56 AM.
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Old 08-28-2020, 12:06 PM
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Mark;

I've been looking at the guitars you mention. There are a lot of options and I appreciate the various experienced voices. Thank you.
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Old 08-28-2020, 02:52 PM
jhh112 jhh112 is offline
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Default Smoky 3rd string?

What does "smoky" mean when applied to a guitar string? Wine tasting vocabulary?
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Old 08-28-2020, 04:39 PM
Bax Burgess Bax Burgess is offline
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Similar. 'Smoky' to me has more life to it than if I used the word 'dull' or 'lifeless'. As if it were a seasoning, an added flavor; not enough to undermine/alter the balance of the strings.
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Old 08-29-2020, 05:36 PM
Red_Label Red_Label is offline
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Having owned many Cordobas, I can tell you that most are excellent instruments. I think that for flamenco, the GK Pro series is their flagship (if cutaway and electronics are important). They are hard to beat in ANY brand that's below the $4K range in my opinion. I've played handbuilt, single luthier flamencos that I didn't like as much as the four GK Pros that I've owned. I was actually wanting a single luthier instrument when I went looking, but the ones that I played (that didn't cost $5-10K+) just didn't measure up for my tastes. That's likely because Cordoba builds and braces their instruments very lightly, which makes for an explosive, lively tone and playability. You can really feel it vibrating in your hands and against your body. I am a Cordoba fan boy, and it's well known and documented here in this forum. But that's for a reason, and "prestige" or sponsorship (I'm not), or no other reason has anything to do with it, other than I really love their instruments.

Regarding other Cordoba full-sized instruments that I've owned (I've also owned two Minis and two Mini IIs, but we're not discussing those here)... the C12 SP/IN that I had was amazing, but that's a classical. The F10 that I had was also amazing, but there's no cutaway. I installed a set of K&K Pure Classic pickups in that guitar and they worked well (I sold it to a member here because I wasn't playing much flamenco-inspired music at the time). My first Cordoba was a GK Studio, and it was excellent enough that I sold my Breedlove Masterclass Bossa Nova and bought my first Cordoba GK Pro (a blanca). No, the GK Studio did not have the fit and finish of the Breedlove, but it had a snappier, more lively tone, more suitable for flamenco (no surprise there). I've also owned three of the Espana (made in Spain) Cordoba series guitars: the FCWE Reissue, a 55FCE maple, and a 55FCE ziricote. All were excellent instruments, but frankly I preferred the Luthier series flamencos (GK Pro, F10, etc) to the Espanas. Quite ironic that I would prefer Chinese made FLAMENCO guitars over the three that I had that were made in Spain. LOL! I even told this to Tim (the CEO of Cordoba) when I met him at a clinic. Btw... he brought Ben Woods to that clinic, who played an excellent show on this GK Pro.

Right now, I have one of my beloved GK Pro negras in the studio/man cave, and the last Cordoba that I bought last fall... it's a C5-CET, and it's awesome. Does it compare to the GK Pro? Maybe not quite, but it's very close. I have to say that I think I prefer the C5 to those three Espanas that I was talking about above... a fact that's relevant because those guitars and the C5 are all thin bodied cutaway electrics. The fact that I regularly play and fully appreciate the C5 should tell you that I think highly of it. But being a thin body, it shines while being plugged-in of course. All of the Cordoba thin bodies sound great unplugged, but they don't have that low end that I thick body has. But when I play live (which is always plugged-in), I have chosen the C5 over the GK Pro ever since I've had both. I usually get around to playing both at gigs, but I always reach for the C5 first.

P.S. I was visiting Music Villa in Bozeman, Montana yesterday (which is a 140 miles away from me, but I always stop in there when I'm in Bozeman), and I played an F7 for the first time. I was impressed. It was very lively and played well. I wouldn't hesitate to buy one of those if I was looking for another full-bodied flamenco. Though I'd probably try to rustle up another used F10 first.
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Old 08-29-2020, 06:07 PM
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Red;

My brother-in-lay just gave me the Yamaha CG172SF, so that well be my start. I could not find a Cordoba F7 in town and when I went on line to look for the Cordoba and the Yamaha they were all backordered with no sure delivery date.

I've played a number Cordoba classical guitars and have liked them a lot. I'm starting with the Yamaha, but a Cordoba might well be in my future. Thank you for review.
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