Cordoba C10 Review - Advanced Study Classical Guitar Review

As a Demanding Player Ready for Something Special, Which Classical Guitar Gives You the Versatility, Power & Performance You Want (with a $2000 - $4000 budget)

 
 

The Cordoba C10 is a nicely finished guitar with good balance and tone, with aesthetic touches like the pearloid weave rosette to add a touch of vintage aesthetics. With premium features including an ebony fingerboard, rosewood bridge, and high gloss finish, the guitar has an elegant look for the price.

In this Cordoba C10 article, we will look at and review the Cordoba C10 classical guitar and the GuitarsOnline range of advanced-study classical guitars, discuss and compare them, to see which is the better option for the more advanced player looking for versatility, power & performance from their next guitar.

Quick Overview

Cordoba C10 - Factory Made Classical Guitar for Beginners

Price: $2699 (RRP) - on sale $2199
Resale/Second-hand Price: approx price $1300
Country of Manufacture: China
Tonewoods: Solid Cedar top, Solid Rosewood back and sides

Summary - What do GuitarsOnline Say:

The Cordoba C10 is a nicely finished guitar with good balance and tone and its vintage touches, make it look like a much more expensive guitar.

It offers the choice of spruce or cedar top, with Indian rosewood back and sides, mahogany neck and ebony fingerboard and is constructed with Spanish heel neck joint and fan bracing.

The challenge with the Cordoba C10, is that as an “outsourcing factory” made “Spanish-copy” guitar, as an intermediate level guitar - it faces intense competition from a large number of Spanish made, luthier crafted guitars.

The difference between the Cordoba C10 and the GuitarsOnline range of advanced study guitars, can be summarised as the difference between Spanish made, luthier crafted guitars and factory made guitars.


Choosing between a luthier-crafted and a factory-made classical guitar boils down to priorities in craftsmanship, sound quality, customization, and investment value.

Luthier-crafted guitars excel with their hand-selected materials, personalized construction, and rich, unique sound, offering a tailored playing experience and sustaining higher resale values.

They embody artistry, allowing for extensive customization and forming a personal connection between the maker and the musician, alongside promoting sustainable practices.

Conversely, factory-made guitars focus on cost-efficiency and standardization, which may compromise on the individual character and long-term value.

While they provide consistency and accessibility, they lack the bespoke craftsmanship and intimate craftsmanship narrative of luthier-made instruments.

In essence, luthier-crafted guitars are not just musical tools but heirlooms that enrich the musical journey with their distinctive qualities and stories.

Quick Overview - GuitarsOnline Range of Advanced-Study Guitars

Alhambra 7C $2190
Powerful and detailed sound, easy to play neck, enhanced internal bracing.
Country of Manufacture: Spain
Tonewoods: Top - Solid Cedar | Back & Sides - Solid Mahogany | Neck - Mahogany | Fingerboard - Indian Rosewood | Machine Heads - Gold Plated

Prudencio Saez 3-M $2490
A step up in quality and performance over the PS 2M with rich sound, very detailed and nuanced delivery
Country of Manufacture: Spain
Tonewoods: Top - Superior Canadian Cedar | Back & Sides - Superior Indian Rosewood | Neck - Cedar | Fingerboard - Ebony with fibre reinforcement

Raimundo Tatyana Ryzkova Signature $2500
Signature model - It is clear, deep and well balanced for the demanding guitarist at a reasonable price.
Country of Manufacture: Spain
Tonewoods: Top - Solid high-grade Cedar | Back & Sides - Solid black limba | Neck - Cedar | Fingerboard - Ebony

Raimundo Thu Le Signature $2500
Signature model - a collaboration delivering traditional and powerful acoustics, high treble levels, deep and warm basses with rich harmonics.
Country of Manufacture: Spain
Tonewoods: Top - Solid Cedar or Solid spruce | Back & Sides - Solid Mongoy | Neck - Cedar | Fingerboard - Ebony

Alhambra 7P $2590
Solid quality Cedar top, superb Indian Rosewood back and sides, 7 fan bracing deliver deep resonant bases, crisp tone and projection
Country of Manufacture: Spain
Tonewoods: Top - Solid Cedar | Back & Sides - Solid Indian Rosewood | Neck - Mahogany | Fingerboard - Ebony | Machine Heads - Gold Plated

Prudencio Saez 1 Lattice $2790
Built with lattice bracing for power and performance while retaining all the colour and flavour of the best Spanish guitar.
Country of Manufacture: Spain
Tonewoods: Top - Solid Cedar Lattice | Back & Sides - Solid Indian Rosewood | Neck - Solid Cedar

Alhambra 7PA $2990
Entirely handcrafted, very responsive, the sound is rich. Clear and extremely versatile.
Country of Manufacture: Spain
Tonewoods: Top - Solid German Spruce | Back & Sides - Solid Indian Rosewood | Neck - Mahogany Reinforced with Ebony | Fingerboard - Ebony | Machine Heads - Gold Plated

Prudencio Saez 2-PS Lattice all solid Mex Granadillo  $3099
The Granadillo give it a very special sound with great power and projection.
Country of Manufacture: Spain
Tonewoods: Top - Solid Cedar Lattice | Back & Sides - Solid Indian Rosewood | Neck - Solid Cedar

Prudencio Saez 3-PS Lattice all solid Spanish Walnut $3099
The select solid cedar top with lattice bracing system enhances the professional sound of this guitar.
Country of Manufacture: Spain
Tonewoods: Top - Solid Spruce or solid cedar, lattice system | Back & Sides - Solid Walnut | Neck - Cedar with carbon fibre reinforcement

Vicente Carrillo Estudio $3600
These are top-of-the-line student/entry-level concert instruments in every way. Sounds great and plays easily.
Country of Manufacture: Spain
Tonewoods: Top - Solid Cedar/Spruce | Back & Sides - Solid Indian Rosewood

Alhambra 8P $3700
Entirely handcrafted, superb tone woods, painstaking lacquering give this guitar a warm, loud and refined sounds
Country of Manufacture: Spain
Tonewoods: Top - Solid Red Cedar | Back & Sides - Solid Indian Rosewood | Neck - Spanish Cedar Reinforced with Ebony | Machine Heads - Luxury Gold Plated

Camps M-16-C $3800
The Camps M16 is an advanced study guitar with stunning aesthetics. The tonal colour palette is huge on this guitar and the dynamic range second to none, perfectly balanced with excellent sustain.
Country of Manufacture: Spain
Tonewoods: Top - Solid Cedar | Back & Sides - Solid Indian Rosewood | Neck - Cedar | Fingerboard - Ebony

Luthier-Crafted vs. Factory-Made Classical Guitars: An In-depth Comparison

When it comes to choosing a classical guitar, one of the fundamental decisions is between an instrument crafted by a luthier or a (often lower priced) factory-made guitar.

This choice impacts not just the immediate playing experience but also long-term satisfaction and investment value. In this article, I explore the nuanced differences between these two worlds of guitar craftsmanship.

Quality of Material and Construction Techniques

Luthier-Crafted Guitars are synonymous with the meticulous selection of high-quality, often rare woods, with attention to their acoustic properties.

The construction is a labor of love, with each guitar receiving individual attention, allowing for custom adjustments and the infusion of unique attributes.

Traditional techniques, such as the Spanish heel, highlight the artisanal approach, enhancing stability and sound transmission.

Factory-Made Guitars, on the other hand, prioritize materials for cost-effectiveness and suitability for mass production.

Though quality can vary, the focus tends to be on appearance over acoustic superiority.

Automated processes dominate, streamlining construction but often sacrificing the custom touches that give each luthier-crafted guitar its soul.

Quality of Sound and Playability

The sound quality of luthier-crafted guitars typically surpasses that of factory-made instruments, offering depth, warmth, and a unique tonal character that reflects the materials and craftsmanship involved.

In terms of playability, luthier guitars are tailored to the player, ensuring comfort, ease of handling, and a perfect setup out of the box.

Factory-made guitars, while capable of producing quality sound, tend to lack the richness and individuality of their handcrafted counterparts.

Playability varies, with some models offering good performance, though often lacking the custom-fit feel, or resonance of a luthier-crafted instrument.

Resale Value

Luthier-crafted guitars usually retain higher resale value, appreciated not only for their craftsmanship and materials but also for the unique characteristics of each instrument.

Factory-made guitars, by contrast, tend to depreciate faster, with exceptions existing among high-end models.

Beyond the Basics

Customization and Personalization: Luthier guitars offer extensive options for customization, making each instrument a reflection of the player's needs and personality. Factory guitars provide fewer options, focusing on standard models.

Attention to Detail: The handcrafted nature of luthier guitars ensures unparalleled attention to detail, from seamless joints to exquisite decorative work. Factory guitars, despite high-quality examples, inherently lack this level of individual care.

Durability and Longevity: High-quality materials and craftsmanship mean luthier guitars often improve with age and last through generations. Factory guitars may not age as gracefully or may require more maintenance over time.

Environmental and Ethical Considerations: Many luthiers prioritize sustainable and ethical practices, reflecting a commitment to craftsmanship that respects the earth. While some manufacturers share these values, the scale of factory production can sometimes lead to larger environmental impacts.

Relationship with the Maker: At GuitarsOnline, I only every buy a guitar after I personally evaluate, test and also establish a personal relationship with the luthier. This is not just an email or a phone call, it is a face-to-face relationship, typically established over a period of months or years, which always adds a personal dimension to the instrument.

This connection is almost non-existent with factory-made guitars. Where the focus is on the product and price, rather than the guitar crafting process, and purchasing is made from a catalogue and not after meeting with the luthier in their workshop.

In Closing …

Choosing between a luthier-crafted and a factory-made classical guitar involves considering not just the immediate aspects of sound and playability but also long-term factors such as customization, attention to detail, durability, ethical considerations, and the personal connection to the instrument.

Luthier-crafted guitars offer a unique combination of artistic craftsmanship, personalized experience, and enduring value, making them not just musical instruments but also works of art and lasting heirlooms.

How do Cordoba Manufacture Their Cordoba C10 Guitars?

Cordoba is a US company that named the company after a famous Spanish city “Cordoba” that was famous for concert guitar building, however their guitars are made in China to reduce manufacturing costs and are sold in the US and Australia under the Spanish name.

The goal of the lower priced guitar makers, is to have their guitars manufactured as inexpensively as possible.

Cordoba, like Katoh, achieve this by focusing on the branding and the marketing and outsourcing the manufacture of their guitars to an independent factory in China. The same independent factory that makes the Katoh guitars.

The advantage of outsourcing the manufacturing to a factory in China, is that you can have the guitars made very cheaply, but there is also a significant downside. With the variability of tonewoods and skill level, because building classical guitars is an artisan craft, when you adopt a high-volume production line approach to a craftsman built instrument , you can quickly have problems with product and musical quality.

Cordoba has recently been acquired by the Yamaha Guitar Group, so their outsourced/contract manufacturing strategy may change.

Our Recommended GuitarsOnline Alternative

At this advanced-study level, players are spoiled for choice.

The Cordoba C10 is a nice, well made and beautiful expensive looking guitar - but at this level, you don’t just want a “nice” pleasant sounding factory made guitar, when you can have your choice of incredible Spanish made, luther crafted guitars - each offering the versatility, power & performance that you demand.

So, rather than trying to recommend only a few guitars, I would recommend that you consider all the range here:

Quick Overview - GuitarsOnline Range of Advanced Study Guitars

and if you need further guidance, please contact me and we can talk about the best guitar for you:

For more information or if you have any questions, or if you would like to arrange an appointment to test-drive our range of guitars, please contact:
Pierre  Herrero
m: 0410 708 338
pierre@guitarsonline.com.au

Luthiers for GuitarsOnline Range of Advanced-Study Classical Guitars

The Luthier - Alhambra
Since 1965, Alhambra Guitars bring the everlasting allure of Spain's heritage to the fingertips of guitar players, unlocking an endless wellspring of inspiration. Over 55 years Alhambra Guitars has been dedicated to perfecting the art of guitar construction. 

Our family of 110 skilled workers, each with a deep-rooted passion for crafting stringed instruments, forms the heart and soul of our company. With generations of expertise passed down through the tradition and knowledge of refined guitar building, we take immense pride in preserving our heritage while embracing innovation.

The foundation of our exceptional instruments lies in the selection of the finest raw materials. We meticulously source fine woods like cedar, spruce, rosewood, ebony, and cypress from their places of origin, ensuring the highest quality for our guitars. Once at our factory, the wood undergoes a natural drying process, expertly stabilized through cutting-edge technology, to guarantee optimal performance.

Our process involves the careful creation and assembly of each guitar piece, followed by precise varnishing and polishing. We believe that every instrument is unique, deserving individual attention, tuning, and sound control to achieve its full potential.

The quality and reliability of our musical instruments are paramount to us. Alhambra Guitars implements a comprehensive production process control system, starting with the selection of the best raw materials. This unwavering commitment to quality extends to our customers through a three-year guarantee and meticulous after-sales service.

Our guitars are widely recognized and celebrated for their exceptional quality, design, and sonority. The superb sound we achieve is a result of the professionalism of our artisans, their meticulous working methods, and the careful selection of woods, particularly the use of solid cedar and spruce tops.

The Luthier - Prudencio Saez

Prudencio Saez has been making Spanish guitars in the purest artisan style since 1963.

Their 3rd generation family business has been moving forward, crafting guitars to suit the market – from entry level guitars, through to concert models – including mid-range and amplified cutaways.

In line with traditional fabrication methods, all our products are carefully handmade and crafted. 

The perfect balance of quality and price. Their Prudencio Saez name is known internationally, as is their reputation for beautiful, artisan quality guitars.

Prudencio Saez Guitars at GuitarsOnline

At GuitarsOnline we have known Prudencio Saez for many years.

Prudencio Saez guitars are rich in tone and lively with a velvety tonal signature. As makers with their family name at stake they care about each guitar.

They are small enough to do everything in the old artisanal way but large enough to field strong contenders across both the classical and flamenco world.

After many years of watching and testing the evolution of this maker GuitarsOnline have decided to commit to the range and import both their fan braced flamenco and classical models as well as their new Lattice models. 

They are simply irresistible value and deliver great tone and projection

Over the years I have sold many fine examples from most Australian Lattice makers including Smallman Lattices, John Price, Kim Lissarrague, Graham Caldersmith etc and I am still often asked for Lattice braced guitars since they are so popular here in Australia due to the power and projection they deliver in concert or exams.

However, good lattice guitars often start at $7,500 to $28,000. While cheaper lattice copies can be disappointing often lacking tone and colour and timbre.

The reality today is that players no longer want to trade off tone and colour for power and projection.

So I also have a whole new range of reasonably priced Prudencio Saez Spanish Lattice options delivering both the power of Australian lattice and the colour and tone of the Spanish tradition.

Only Prudencio Saez could have fused both so beautifully.

Come and play, and see for yourself! 

Also, for further details on our other Luthiers, please click here:

Vincente Carillo

Camps Guitars

Raimundo Guitars

The GuitarsOnline “Best of Breed” Strategy for Selecting Our Range of Advanced-Study Classical Guitars

I grew up in Spain around guitars and have been travelling and buying guitars and importing into Australia for over 20 years.

Finding good entry level, value for money mid-range guitars, with beautiful tone and great playability is the hardest thing to do.

The reasons for this are that the major costs in guitar building are the increasingly costs of quality tone woods, the time consuming process of guitar building and the cost of really good guitar makers as opposed to wood-workers.

Any shortcuts taken in material, hours and quality building can then be heard in every note for years to come and will make the guitar hard to play. And let’s face it as a beginner you need all the help you can get!

To overcome these barriers while implementing strict quality control is essential.

In my 20+ years of classical guitar evaluating, testing and buying experience, I’ve found the most successful strategy for selecting our guitar range, is what I call our “best-of-breed” strategy.

This strategy involves visiting every luthier in their workshop and evaluating and testing and then selecting the “best of breed” guitars for our range, that fit into the budget of the average student level guitarist.  

How Our “Best-of-Breed” Range Selection Strategy Works

The biggest challenge with identifying and selecting guitars for our range, especially at the student/entry level, is that classical guitars are a “artisanal product”.

The variability of materials, tonewoods and manufacturing standards, means that you can’t approach guitar production with the same standardised product manufacturing process as you do with say electronics, technology or even furniture.

This creates a huge challenge for music stores, who purchase and import their guitars “unseen” and untested”

Given this variability it always struck me as odd that none of the other importers play classical or flamenco guitar, or travel and test their guitars before selling them here.

They just import ‘XYZ brand’ from a catalogue and treat it as a product like a paperclip! 

Our “best of breed strategy” means more work for me, but it has been proven year-on-year, to be the most effective way to source high-quality, easy to play classical guitars at cost-effective prices.

By travelling to Spain to visit with the makers, inspect their guitars and then place orders. I’m able to identify the standout “best of breed” guitars at all different price points and construction methods - and then put them into player’s hands.

For more information or if you have any questions, or if you would like to arrange an appointment to test-drive our range of guitars, please contact:
Pierre  Herrero
m: 0410 708 338
pierre@guitarsonline.com.au