As seen in Guitar Girl Magazine Issue 10 – Winter 2019 – Acoustic Artists
When Tim Miklaucic founded his guitar company in 1997, his goal was to offer high-quality classical guitars at an affordable price. Over the next twenty years, Córdoba Music Group evolved into a global leader of acoustic innovation.
It began with using a thinner piece of wood for the top to create more resonance. From there, the builders took on a whole new ideology: nylon-string guitars are not JUST for classical players. Córdoba went on to replace the traditionally flat fingerboard with a radius fingerboard, which is a familiar comfort to electric guitarists. They also added a cutaway and electronics, making the instrument more versatile and becoming one of the first nylon-string companies to adopt modern guitar features.
Córdoba’s innovation didn’t stop with their proprietary products; they acquired Guild guitars in 2014 and immediately began looking for ways to improve their design without compromising their legacy brand. They hired world-renowned luthier Ren Ferguson, formerly the Master Luthier of Gibson Acoustics, to breathe new life into Guild. The end result was a lighter and more resonant body.
Today, Córdoba is a one-of-a-kind guitar company that has even attracted the attention of Disney, to design a guitar for their movie Coco. To get a better understanding of what they do, check out these two guitars that launched at NAMM 2019: the Córdoba C5-CET Limited and the Guild F-250ce Deluxe Jumbo.
Córdoba C5-CET Limited
If you are looking for a nylon-string guitar that defies “classical” in almost every sense, then look no further. The Córdoba C5-CET is a wildly different take on a traditional instrument. One of the most obvious differences is the ultra-thin body, which not only makes it more comfortable to play but gives the sound a more balanced midrange. Like many of its siblings, this guitar also has a cutaway and a Fishman piezo pickup. However, what sets this particular model apart is the wood.
While other Córdoba models typically consist of a solid cedar top and mahogany back and sides, the C5-CET Limited has a solid spruce top with spalted maple back and sides. Cedar is known for being a warm sounding wood, so swapping it out for spruce results in a brighter guitar. The spalted maple detailing around the guitar complements the sound and gives it an earthy appearance. The C5-CET is an excellent choice for someone looking to get the most out of a nylon-string guitar.
Price: $449
Guild F-250CE Deluxe Jumbo
Another rebel in the family is the Guild F-250CE Deluxe Jumbo. Despite the large body size, this guitar is deceptively comfortable to hold thanks to its intuitive shape. The soft C-shaped mahogany neck and smooth Pau Ferro fingerboard provide additional comfort when playing. The deep sound hole enhances the bass tones, making it a powerful strumming tool. The wood consists of a solid spruce top and stunning flamed maple back and sides, giving the F-250CE a cutting voice and sustained tone. This guitar is also equipped with a Fishman AP1 with a Sonicore pickup, granting the player superior acoustic tone control. Guitarists seeking full-bodied tone and next-projection are encouraged to test drive the F-250CE Deluxe Jumbo
Price: $599