The Chetboard

Good afternoon, all...
It's just a matter of time before I buy my first nylon-string acoustic-electric guitar. I was looking on-line at the Cordoba Fusion line and was wondering if any of you out there own one or have played one. Opinions, anyone? Thanks, Tom W.

I have one of there low end Flamenco models.Great guitar.
It was $400.00 with the case.
I'm kinda interested in that model too Tom.
From all I've heard, a really nice guitar.
THX,
Mark

I'm pretty sure there is a 50.00 mail in rebate on most Cordoba guitars for a few weeks. Over and above your "best deal". I have played different versions of the "GK" which I think stands for Gypsy Kings. Pickup and mic combo as I remember. Really nice guitars to my way of thinking. Very light in weight, and touch. thanks Chuck (Cincinnati)- (I haven't posted in a while but have been lurking/circling)

My very good friend, who is a tech, works at a used gear music store and they carry the low end cordoba nylon string guitars. He absolutely hates them. Honestly, he has a whole pile of them in his basement that he needs to fix because the bridges just pop off on them. I can't remember what models they were but they were very small guitars - almost parlor sized. I remember them only being about $100, but still, if it were me, I would watch out for the new cordobas.
Alex

I have to say the best classical nylons for your money is the La Patrie. They have a nice neck, low bottom sound, loud, and most that I've played have a nice low action which is hard to find on a classical.
I've played a couple of Cordobas and didn't like them....the actions were too high.

I have an Alvarez AC60SC that I bought used and I like a lot. It is a cutaway and has the best electronics that Alvarez puts in their guitars. I don't think they make that exact model any longer, but they make something about the same with a different model number. If I had not come across the Alvarez I would have probably bought a LaPatrie. At the time I was looking at LaPatrie I don't think they made one with a pickup and I would have had to have added a pickup. The Alvarez when new might have been a little more expensive than the LaPatrie, but getting it used the price was right and it already had a pickup that sounded great. You might want to check out Alvarez too.

O.K., guys... thanks for your input. -Tom W.

PhilHunt wrote:I have to say the best classical nylons for your money is the La Patrie. They have a nice neck, low bottom sound, loud, and most that I've played have a nice low action which is hard to find on a classical.
I've played a couple of Cordobas and didn't like them....the actions were too high.

I agree, La Patrie's are GREAT guitars for the money. I had a La Patrie Etude for a quite a while that was an amazing guitar considering i got it used for $200 with a really nice hardshell case. I'd give anything if i still had it now

I've owned a Cordoba back around 2002 or so. It was a nice-sounding flamenco model. I had to return it after a month or so because the woods triggered my allergies big time. The "regular" Cordobas are much too boomy-sounding for my taste. I've recently played some newer Cordobas, and I'm still not fond of the sound. Several months ago I bought a La Patrie Concert model which is OK, even though the volume of the bass is a little weak, the over-all sound is OK for the price range. It doesn't come close to my Francisco Navarro Garcia Concert model, but the La Patrie cost only one-fifth as much as the Garcia.

So I'd recommend the a Patrie acoustic-electric. I might mention that the La Patrie has a slight radius to the fretboard, which makes it easier to play (to me) than many of the other spanish guitars in its price range, which have flat fingerboards.

Mike

I have the Fusion model that I traded for with a large Takamine steel string. The Fusion was about $700 plus or minus change. I loved this guitar the minute I pulled it of the wall and began playing it. It is light and compact so I can sit in my lazy boy and play it. The neck size is 1 7/8 at the nut which is great for fingerpicking, even classical, which for me was always a bit large and way too fat. It's really easy on the fingers, especially the right hand, which on the steel string Takamine was beginning to hurt at my fingertips. I also like the fact that it is relatively inexpensive so I don't worry about theft or damage so much. Plugged into a tiny battery powered Roland cube amp, I get plenty of sound for my 5 membered vocal choir. I noticed that Edgar Cruz uses Cordoba guitars. My friend Tom recently purchased one with a slightly larger neck and it sounds as great or greater than mine. They come with a really nice gig bag as well. My fingerpicking friend Ken has a larger Taylor nylon string guitar which has a slightly greater sound than my Fusion, but he spent a few thousand for it. With an amp it's hard, at least for me, to tell much difference. Unplugged, the Taylor wins.

George