Cordoba Fusion 14: Spruce/Rosewood or Spruce/Maple

[crobs808]

I currently have a Taylor NS54CE, which I bought because I have a NS64CE a long time ago and figured it would not be much different. Boy was I wrong. The NS54CE is not nearly as nice sounding as the 64 (spruce series), it sounds muted. I used to have another classical cedar top guitar but it was not nearly this muted sounding, so I want to go back to spruce tops; however I cannot afford the Taylor NS64 these days, so I found a good alternative I think - The Cordoba 14. It is only $700.

There are two models though - The Cordoba Fusion 14 Spruce/Rosewood and Cordoba Fusion 14 Spruce/Maple. The Spruce/Maple is exactly the same as the 64, in terms of wood choices, and actually more expensive than the Rosewood model.

Which do you think would sound most like the Taylor NS64CE I used to have? Has anyone played these? I cannot find them at a guitar store locally, and no hits on guitarcenter.com's site for these exact models.

Thanks,

[Jaygits]

Hello! I can answer your questions/concerns in detail offline. I wouldn't want to utilize the AGF for sales/promotion purposes. Full disclosure, I work for Cordoba Guitars - I formerly was employed by Taylor Guitars (5 years). Plus I can probably give an answer with so much detail that we may over weight the system and might crash the whole thing? : )

I will say this --- if it's a Cordoba Fusion Guitar, I would suggest a Fusion 12 RS (Spruce/Rosewood) or a Fusion 12 Maple (Spruce/Maple). The 14 fret (clear of the body) does a better job of mimicing a cutaway steel string (aka CE, cutaway electric, or in the UK, electro-acoustic), but we have discovered that the 14 fret neck loses too much tone unplugged due to the required movement of the bridge forward towards the sound hole/peghead. With a 12 fret Fusion, you'll get much better acoustic or unplugged tone. IF the guitar is to be used primarily for live, plugged in (or as they say in the south of the US - plugged up) playing, and if you are of the desire to shred in the upper nether regions of the neck, then stick with the 14's.

There are more 14's out there in the market place right now than 12's, as our dealers have yet to catch on to the changes.

I hope that helps? For more detailed info, private mail at: [email protected]

Thanks!

Jay

[crobs808]

Originally Posted by Jaygits

Hello! I can answer your questions/concerns in detail offline. I wouldn't want to utilize the AGF for sales/promotion purposes. Full disclosure, I work for Cordoba Guitars - I formerly was employed by Taylor Guitars (5 years). Plus I can probably give an answer with so much detail that we may over weight the system and might crash the whole thing? : )

I will say this --- if it's a Cordoba Fusion Guitar, I would suggest a Fusion 12 RS (Spruce/Rosewood) or a Fusion 12 Maple (Spruce/Maple). The 14 fret (clear of the body) does a better job of mimicing a cutaway steel string (aka CE, cutaway electric, or in the UK, electro-acoustic), but we have discovered that the 14 fret neck loses too much tone unplugged due to the required movement of the bridge forward towards the sound hole/peghead. With a 12 fret Fusion, you'll get much better acoustic or unplugged tone. IF the guitar is to be used primarily for live, plugged in (or as they say in the south of the US - plugged up) playing, and if you are of the desire to shred in the upper nether regions of the neck, then stick with the 14's.

There are more 14's out there in the market place right now than 12's, as our dealers have yet to catch on to the changes.

I hope that helps? For more detailed info, private mail at: [email protected]

Thanks!

Jay

I appreciate the comments, but you just suggested both equally...I need to know which one to get. The Maple/Spruce or the Rosewood/Spruce? I do not think you will get in trouble for posting the differences in tone between Rosewood vs. Maple. I have already decided on the 14-fret...just need to know which wood choice now.

More input would be appreciated! Thanks.

[Jaygits]

Hello -- both guitars in question have laminated backs and sides, so the effect on tone is minimal. Most of your tone is coming from the European spruce top ... so the issue of back and side woods is more aesthetic/cosmetic in nature. Laminate is stiff and rigid - it tends to reflect or push out the sound rather than color it. The benefit of laminate wood is durability. It also helps to make the guitar more affordable.

We do offer the Fusion Orchestra Pro which has all solid Indian Rosewood back and sides available with either a solid Cedar or solid Spruce top. On that model, you are missing the cutaway and onboard pickup. It does comes with soundhole mounted electronics. Contact a Cordoba dealer for more info.

Generally speaking, and if you had only one word, the maple is bright and the rosewood is bassy. But again, if we are talking about laminated backs and sides, there's not much difference.

Hope that helps?

Jay

[crobs808]

Originally Posted by Jaygits

Hello -- both guitars in question have laminated backs and sides, so the effect on tone is minimal. Most of your tone is coming from the European spruce top ... so the issue of back and side woods is more aesthetic/cosmetic in nature. Laminate is stiff and rigid - it tends to reflect or push out the sound rather than color it. The benefit of laminate wood is durability. It also helps to make the guitar more affordable.

We do offer the Fusion Orchestra Pro which has all solid Indian Rosewood back and sides available with either a solid Cedar or solid Spruce top. On that model, you are missing the cutaway and onboard pickup. It does comes with soundhole mounted electronics. Contact a Cordoba dealer for more info.

Generally speaking, and if you had only one word, the maple is bright and the rosewood is bassy. But again, if we are talking about laminated backs and sides, there's not much difference.

Hope that helps?

Jay

Yes, that helps me make my decision, but unfortunaly, my decision is that $700+ is to much to pay for a guitar with laminate anything (back, sides or top). $500 is what I expect to pay (at most) for a guitar with laminate back and sides. Above that, it'd better be solid.

If the Cordoba Fusion 14 has laminate, then I guess I'd better keep looking.