Review: Cordoba C10 Classical Guitar
Cordoba ‘Luthier Series’ Line of Guitars
Solid Spruce top
Solid Indian Rosewood back & sides
650 mm scale length
Price range from around $1100 USD (via Amazon 2017)
Video review link (4k quality): https://youtu.be/SlnPJa0m04g
Buy from Amazon.com for the best price (I did): Cordoba C10 Guitar
Canadians go here.
Bradford’s Opinion at a Glance
- Good balance and volume overall in smaller rooms (I tried it in larger room and it wasn’t as good as my $7000 guitar but great for the price).
- Great tone overall, compared to my guitar it has a bit of a plastic sound on occasion but really nothing I would complain much about and good for the price.
- I wish factory guitars made raised fingerboards on all guitars above a thousand bucks but no one is really doing that until a much bigger price jump.
- You can’t compare it to luthier made guitars in the +$6000 range but for the price I’m impressed and would happily recommend it to my students. I’m teaching on it right now and I’m happy to continue doing so.
Cordoba’s Promotional Blurb:
One of the original models in Cordoba’s Luthier series, the Cordoba C10 is built with the choice of a solid Canadian cedar top or solid European spruce top with solid Indian rosewood back and sides. The C10 features a fan bracing pattern, which gives the center of the soundboard more surface area to vibrate and respond to the tension of the strings. A more responsive soundboard makes the guitar louder, and provides better tone. The C10 is the perfect choice for the serious classical guitarist, or for any player looking to upgrade to a concert-level instrument at an affordable price.
Like every guitar in the Luthier series, the C10 is built with Spanish heel construction, where the top of the guitar is attached to the neck, the sides are added next, and the guitar’s body is sealed by the installation of the back. This construction feature allows the entire instrument to vibrate as one unified piece. The C10 has the neck shape and flat fingerboard characteristic of traditional classical guitars, and includes the added benefit of a two-way truss rod built into the neck. Cordoba recently expanded upon the C10, offering two new options that appeal to guitarists from all backgrounds: the C10 Parlor, which has a 7/8 size body shape and 50mm nut width, and the C10 Crossover, which is a full size guitar with a slim neck profile, radiused fingerboard, and 48mm nut width.
Aesthetic touches like the pearloid weave rosette inspired by a 1920’s Domingo Esteso guitar add a touch of vintage elegance to this best-seller. Other premium features include an ebony fingerboard, rosewood bridge, and high gloss finish. The C10 includes Cordoba’s lightweight polyfoam case.
Specs via the Cordoba Website
- Top: Solid European spruce or Canadian cedar
- Back & Sides: Solid Indian rosewood
- Binding/Bridge: Indian rosewood binding/Indian rosewood bridge
- Purfling/Inlay: 6 ply colored wood top purfling, 3 ply maple and ebony back and side purfling
- Rosette: Pearloid “Esteso” weave
- Finish: High Gloss PU
- Neck/Fingerboard: Mahogany neck/Ebony fingerboard/ Traditional (Classical) Style Neck
- Truss Rod: Two-way adjustable, 4mm
- Scale Length: 650mm
- Nut Width: 52mm
- String Spacing at Saddle: 59mm
- Fret Marker Inlays: 5, 7, 9
- Nut/Saddle: Bone
- Number of Frets: 12 to body, 19 total
- Bracing/Build: Spanish heel neck joint, Fan Bracing
- Body Width & Length: 290mm at upper bout, 370mm at lower bout/ 490mm body length
- Overall Length 39″
- Body Depth: 95mm (3.7″) at upper bout, 97mm (3.8″) at lower bout
- Tuning Machines: Cordoba Premium Gold Tuning Machines
My Cordoba Guitar Reviews So Far:
Thank you for the very thorough review, your reviews are very good. Please review a C12 some time. Thanks for all that you do.
My C12 review is here: Cordoba C12 Review
Hi Bradford!
Thank you for all your wonderful resources. I’m a trained classical pianist and just started learning classical guitar about a month ago using your books. I’ve been able to learn so quickly and am almost finished with the Method 2 book.
I recently purchased both Cordoba C10 models, the spruce and the cedar. I particularly love the sound of the cedar but both are beautiful, just somewhat different. I’m still within the return window for the spruce one, and was wondering if you think it’s worth it to have one of each type of wood moving forward? I was able to get a good deal on each one (less than $1000). Thanks!
In general with the Cordobas I recommend the Cedar for students as it might be a bit easier to get a big round sound. That said, the spruce is nice and balanced and will open up a little bit over time. Just keep whichever one you like best!
Yeah Bradford, what are those two pieces that you played? Thanks
First Piece I play is Lagrima by Tarrega: https://wernerguitareditions.com/products/lagrima-tarrega-guitar-pdf-tab
Second Piece I play is Rondeau by Kellner: https://wernerguitareditions.com/products/rondeau-pastorel-passepied-gig-kellner-guitar-pdf
What are the two Classical pieces that are being played in this guitar review of the Cordoba C10?
Is there a lot of difference between the C10 & C 12 please.
Yes, quite a bit actually. The C12 uses lattice bracing and has a raised fingerboard (not much raised but it’s there). The C12 is a significant increase in volume, power, and responsiveness. So if you want to perform and try to keep up with more expensive modern performance instruments you’ll want the c12. However, if you are just practicing at home and enjoying yourself the C10 is nice and will be great too.
Could you give your opinion on the impact to the sound from the Spruce vs. Cedar tops?
Well, in a very very very general sense: The spruce might be a little bit more balanced across the strings and give some more bell-like tones. The cedar seems to be a bit warmer, fuller, darker.
I read where some one said the nut was 2 rather than 2.04.In view of my hand size that might be preferable?Is that correct?
The Cordoba website states: “Nut Width 52mm (2″)”. Not sure what the exact standard is, I thought 52mm was standard but you might want to ask a luthier or do more research.
Thanks for the review Brad. I’ve owned the C10 for about 2 years and am pretty happy with it. I use med tension D’Adderio strings w/ carbon trebles and the guitar seems to like those. I also made a second saddle to raise the action to 4mm bass and 3 mm treble and that seems to help also. Overall I am pretty happy with it and its performance until I can afford a Concert level instrument. How would you compare it to the DeCasia that you reviewed? I found the laminate back to be a deal breaker on that one. Just MHO!
Thanks.
I would say this is more balanced overall. However, the DeCasia had aspects of a high level guitar with more depth sustain. I don’t know which I would choose, maybe the Cordoba for the balance across the strings but I would miss the raised fingerboard and sustain…
I also felt they were too similar to sell one to buy the other. Still saving $ for a nice concert level instrument.
Ya, exactly. I think most people would be completely fine with the C10 and then they can eventually make the jump to a single-luthier-made guitar.