The Jazz Guitar Chord Dictionary
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  1. #1

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    Cordoba Stage-7bd5d4ed-66c3-46ca-a707-6842708b3bab-jpeg
    Picked this up at my local Guitar Center this evening: the Cordoba Stage nylon strung solid body guitar. The thing goes for $699 with gig bag but they knocked 10% off as I traded in my MIK Breedlove.

    Nice neck with a 12” radius fingerboard. The top is spruce with a flame maple laminate. The maple body is ported and this has to be the lightest guitar I ever owned.

    The Fishman pickup system has body sensors that can be blended with the under-saddle pickup and the 1-knob EQ scoops the bass and mids. It is easy to dial in some nice tones.

    A lot of guitar for the price.

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  3. #2

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    That is a SERIOUSLY beautiful looking guitar.
    I’ve been itching to get back into bossanova. That might do the trick.
    I am happy for you alder. Very beautiful.
    JD

  4. #3

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    Quote Originally Posted by Max405
    That is a SERIOUSLY beautiful looking guitar.
    I’ve been itching to get back into bossanova. That might do the trick.
    I am happy for you alder. Very beautiful.
    JD
    Welcome back. We’ve been waiting for you!

  5. #4

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    How is the QC on things like fret seating or intonation (as far as that's not being corrected through the electronics)?

  6. #5

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    Wow, that is lovely!

    Obviously it is meant to be plugged in, but how is the acoustic sound for casual noodling around the house?

  7. #6

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    I've been gassing for one of these for a while now. Have you ever tried a Godin ACS? I'm wondering how they compare.

  8. #7

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    Quote Originally Posted by RJVB
    How is the QC on things like fret seating or intonation (as far as that's not being corrected through the electronics)?
    I put QC on par with the current batch of Epiphones. Frets are well seated and do not extend beyond the fretboard. Intonation is very close which, of course, does not always happen on a classical with a non-compensated bridge.
    Quote Originally Posted by Flat
    Wow, that is lovely!

    Obviously it is meant to be plugged in, but how is the acoustic sound for casual noodling around the house?
    Acoustically it is loud enough to practice unplugged in the living room. Fairly well balance tone up and down the fretboard.

    Quote Originally Posted by Woody Sound
    I've been gassing for one of these for a while now. Have you ever tried a Godin ACS? I'm wondering how they compare.
    I played a Godin ACS a couple years ago in the store, but it has been so long I cannot say how they compared beyond the fact the Cordoba costs less than half. The Godin connects to the Roland GR, but I never felt like going with a guitar synth.

    I am curious how Godin reacts to this as well as if Cordoba will offer an upgraded version anytime soon. I would like to see one with an XLR out and ebony fretboard.

  9. #8

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    Quote Originally Posted by Alder Statesman
    I put QC on par with the current batch of Epiphones. Frets are well seated and do not extend beyond the fretboard. Intonation is very close which, of course, does not always happen on a classical with a non-compensated bridge.
    Either you got lucky or these are built in a different factory or they are subject to better QC (which can have been in the shop where you bought it). Mine has a number of frets where I can almost get a nail under, either at the edges or in the middle.
    FWIW, classicals that don't have a compensating bridge are a dying breed; what they don't tend to have is a micro-compensated saddle (i.e. it's just a sliver of some bone-like substance installed at the appropriate average slant w.r.t. the frets).

  10. #9

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    Very nice looking instrument! Cordoba does a good job with their stuff.

  11. #10

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    Quick update. Still enjoying my Cordoba. One issue was if I was reclining on the couch and playing I was getting an odd resonance. No issue if the guitar was reasonably close to be perpendicular to the floor. I suspected a wire was resting against the the top. This proved to be the case; the wire from the PC board to the output jack was just touching the top. Bending the wire solved the problem. Here are some pics:

    Cordoba Stage-3b9f909e-3507-4fb9-80f4-a3d0c0f94412-jpgCordoba Stage-93c677f6-aea9-42fe-9446-28f1fce645e8-jpg

  12. #11

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    I suppose that proves that there is still some acoustic activity going on in that instrument.

    FWIW, I've had similar buzzes in my archtop. The output cable is too long so I had to fish it out and make a loop as above (but using a piece of gaffer tape); it's suspended from the fingerrest brace with a bit of cotton string to keep it from touching the edge of the f-hole and I've had to slip a piece of beerpad under the wires coming off the PU to be certain those don't cause any resonances. (The only place where I'm obstructing free vibration of the top.)
    Idem in my own Cordoba btw. There it was actually the barndoor and the battery-holder springs that resonated with the lower strings; getting rid of the former was a tedious chore.

  13. #12

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    For a “solid body” it is acoustically loud. If my wife is working in the evening on Zoom, I play with headphones. The Cordoba is loud enough to be distraction so I play my Tele.
    Last edited by Alder Statesman; 12-30-2022 at 07:59 PM.

  14. #13

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    Looks like it's chambered? Beautiful guitar. I'd like to try one out--would be a fun addition to the harem.

  15. #14

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    Dang. It is requiring all my willpower to avoid buying this guitar.

    I don’t “need” it. I already have a nylon string A/E, a Alvarez.

    That said, while I do play the Alvarez quite a bit unplugged—typical spruce-top classical style with wide neck, flat radius, cutaway—it’s not something I like to gig with or plug in much. It’s not really a hybrid in any sense of the word.

    This guitar looks very cool. The narrow nut width (the Cordoba is 1 7/8” and the Alvarez is 2 1/16) and radiused fretboard should make it easy to play jazz stuff, and the electronics should be able to produce some very cool sounds (I am trending toward Jim Hallish tone these days).

    If I get it, I will have to sell one of my current 12 or so. I am running out of space in the “music room”…

    Cordoba Stage-77db2cfd-aff7-4ca5-8f93-87ce7afe7010-jpeg

  16. #15

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    I had the chance to play one at Guitar Center. I was very impressed.

    Beautiful guitar in the flesh. Super light—surprisingly light, since it looks more or less like a Les Paul but weighs about as much as a traditional classical.

    I thought the neck would feel narrower than it did. It is rather wide, and the radius is not very dramatic.

    The QC on the one I played was fine. No fret issues. It is surprisingly loud acoustically. I plugged mine into a Fishman amp and with a slight bit of fiddling was able to dial in a great tone. (Contrary to at least one of the reviews online.)

    I was kind of expecting some unusual hybrid Bill Frisell tone, to be honest, and was a little disappointed that it sounded exactly like an amplified classical. Oh well. One can still play with the reverb and chorus to make it sound funny.

    I had them reserve it for me. Planning to trade in my Peerless Sunset for it. The Sunset is a great guitar, but doesn’t get playing time since I have a 135 and 175. I have an Alvarez A/E classical which is fine unamplified, but I never plug it in, and this seems like a better amplified guitar. And more comfortable for just tooling around on the couch.

    When you get in a sort of a rut musically it never hurts to get a new guitar. At least that’s my thought.

  17. #16

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    Quote Originally Posted by Doctor Jeff
    The QC on the one I played was fine. No fret issues. It is surprisingly loud acoustically.
    I wouldn't expect anything other than good QC on a new model (and Cordoba being a US brand -AFAIK- they might have better in-house QC in N-America than here in Europe).

    Anyway, I'd be curious about the actual acoustic loudness; would you be willing to post some dB readings after you get it ("there's an app for that" )

  18. #17

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    Quote Originally Posted by RJVB
    I wouldn't expect anything other than good QC on a new model (and Cordoba being a US brand -AFAIK- they might have better in-house QC in N-America than here in Europe).

    Anyway, I'd be curious about the actual acoustic loudness; would you be willing to post some dB readings after you get it ("there's an app for that" )
    I could try to do that. One of my pet peeves is nylon strings that sound lifeless or muted. The joy of a nylon string is the crisp attack. If it ain't got that, might as well be playing something electric with the tone rolled off.

    It seems *almost* as loud as my Alvarez classical, though I haven't A/B'd them yet. Probably the loudest and lightest thinline guitar I have ever played, surprising since it's chambered not fully hollow.

    Trivia note--the soundhole and the headstock insignia are derived from the Moorish arches found in Cordoba.

  19. #18

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    Classical guitars are about as efficient as they can be in converting string energy to sound, so I'd be highly surprised if a chambered instrument can be "almost as loud" as a classical. But yeah, if you can, please post some numbers!

    If you want to get a truly different sound of your "nylon" strings, try some Aquila Rubino or Sugar trebles! I use the former because they're the ideal compromise between nylon and carbonfluor strings - but I combine them with GHS PB-wound basses.

  20. #19

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    Quote Originally Posted by RJVB
    Classical guitars are about as efficient as they can be in converting string energy to sound, so I'd be highly surprised if a chambered instrument can be "almost as loud" as a classical. But yeah, if you can, please post some numbers!

    If you want to get a truly different sound of your "nylon" strings, try some Aquila Rubino or Sugar trebles! I use the former because they're the ideal compromise between nylon and carbonfluor strings - but I combine them with GHS PB-wound basses.
    Well, maybe I exaggerate, but it was much louder than one would expect. It looks a bit like a chambered Les Paul, so it is surprising how light and relatively loud it is.

    I will look for those strings. A lot of people have recommend polished strings to minimize string noise, which I didn't notice much, but a lot of people online comment on.

  21. #20

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    Maybe the amplification exagerates string noise? If indeed it becomes an issue I can recommend the LaBella Elite 900 bass strings. They look (and feel a bit) like pure brass wire: they round-wounds polished down to half-rounds. But to me the wrap wire on the GHS D and even A strings is fine enough that finger noise is only a problem when I want it to be.

    BTW, that's the GHS 2100W set. I'm not certain if you can get only the basses; they're not expensive and last a *long* time so I just give the trebles to my teacher.

  22. #21

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    Got mine today. Traded in my Peerless Sunset—I felt sad, but not playing it much these days, and it ended up being primarily wall art.

    Beautiful guitar—pictures don’t do it justice. Weighs in at 4 lbs.—exactly the same as my Alvarez standard-size classical.

    I have to do some more measurements, but unplugged seems to be on par with my other acoustic guitars, including the Alvarez and a couple of flattops at about 65 dB. Plugged in of course it has a nice tone without too much excess noise, very little piezo quack. The Fishman Artist is very good at allowing fine tuning of the sound.

    I plan on getting the LaBella polished strings mentioned above to minimize finger sound.

    So far seems like a good purchase. It was *almost* an even trade for the Peerless, so I don’t feel too bad about losing a guitar.

    Cordoba Stage-90e0e82a-c695-4cfd-b29b-8136b8e424e3-jpgCordoba Stage-622b0880-8300-481b-8cfb-8877d7d7e3e6-jpgCordoba Stage-5e830bf6-2f05-430e-b9bb-d6366160b9fe-jpgCordoba Stage-bed5fe59-f59f-400a-816f-3a6d6c0af0e4-jpg

  23. #22

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    Quote Originally Posted by Doctor Jeff
    I have to do some more measurements, but unplugged seems to be on par with my other acoustic guitars, including the Alvarez and a couple of flattops at about 65 dB.
    I'll have to see what that corresponds to exactly, but it isn't exactly loud. My Cordoba Fusion can get just over 90dB, my nylon-string reso a tad more even. That's measured with the DecibelX app on my iPhone sitting on the music stand at the normal stand distance in front of my guitar. If your Alvarez classical is only 65dB too you must be doing something very different than I am!

  24. #23

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    Quote Originally Posted by Doctor Jeff
    Got mine today. Traded in my Peerless Sunset—I felt sad, but not playing it much these days, and it ended up being primarily wall art.

    Beautiful guitar—pictures don’t do it justice. Weighs in at 4 lbs.—exactly the same as my Alvarez standard-size classical.

    I have to do some more measurements, but unplugged seems to be on par with my other acoustic guitars, including the Alvarez and a couple of flattops at about 65 dB. Plugged in of course it has a nice tone without too much excess noise, very little piezo quack. The Fishman Artist is very good at allowing fine tuning of the sound.

    I plan on getting the LaBella polished strings mentioned above to minimize finger sound.

    So far seems like a good purchase. It was *almost* an even trade for the Peerless, so I don’t feel too bad about losing a guitar.
    Congrats on the trade. I hope you enjoy it as much as I am enjoying mine.

    After polishing the frets I just restrung mine with D’Addario Pro Artè EJ-46’s. I prefer harder tension and the new strings added some crispness to the tone. I assume the guitar came with Salvarez normal tension, but I could be wrong.

    So much guitar for the money.

  25. #24

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    Seems to me some guitars sound good just lookin' at 'em! Congrats!

  26. #25

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    Quote Originally Posted by RJVB
    I'll have to see what that corresponds to exactly, but it isn't exactly loud. My Cordoba Fusion can get just over 90dB, my nylon-string reso a tad more even. That's measured with the DecibelX app on my iPhone sitting on the music stand at the normal stand distance in front of my guitar. If your Alvarez classical is only 65dB too you must be doing something very different than I am!
    I am probably not measuring it right. Anyway, now I think it is not too loud, but loud enough for quiet practicing or noodling around. But it really needs to be plugged in.

    I am still exploring mine and finding it a lot of fun playing all kinds of music.

    I don’t feel my chops are up to presenting my own playing, and I don’t have a microphone right now for recording (the iPhone mic sucks for such), but I did order an iRig mic for such, so who knows? In the meantime, here are a couple of reviews by good players detailing the Cordoba Stage.