Cordoba 6 C5-CE CD Withouth Gig Bag Acoustic-Electric Guitar: Full Review

The Cordoba Iberia C5-CE is an acoustic-electric classical guitar that offers players high-quality sound and easy playability at an affordable price point. Designed and crafted in Spain, the C5-CE combines traditional nylon-string construction with modern electronics, making it a versatile instrument suitable for both practice, recording, and live performance.

With its solid Canadian cedar top and mahogany back and sides, the C5-CE produces a balanced tone that is clear, warm, and resonant. The Fishman Presys Blend pickup system accurately captures the nuances of the guitar's natural acoustic voice. The C5-CE gives players robust volume without feedback, allowing them to be heard whether playing solo or with an ensemble.

The C5-CE's comfortable neck profile and narrower nut width make it an accessible choice for newer players transitioning from steel-strings. More advanced guitarists will appreciate the responsive playability and impressive tonal range of this acoustic-electric. Overall, the Cordoba Iberia C5-CE packs impressive quality and features into an affordable nylon-string package.

Appearance

The Cordoba Iberia C5-CE acoustic-electric classical guitar has an understated yet elegant aesthetic that reflects its handcrafted build quality. This nylon-string guitar features a traditional classical guitar body shape with a solid Canadian cedar top. The back and sides are made from mahogany, giving the C5-CE a balanced and well-rounded tone.

The C5-CE sports a satin finish that allows the wood grain to show through beautifully. Touches like the inlaid wooden rosette around the soundhole and pearl accents on the headstock give this guitar a refined look. However, the C5-CE still maintains a minimalist design ethos overall. This makes it an excellent choice for players looking for a high-quality yet modest classical guitar suitable for practice, performance, and recording.

While the Cordoba C5-CE has an elegant and traditional design, some players may prefer a more modern or eye-catching aesthetic. The Ibanez GRX70QATBB is an acoustic-electric guitar with a bold and contemporary look. It features a cutaway body shape, striking quilt maple top, and sharp Florentine cutaway for easy upper fret access. The chrome die-cast tuners and white binding add to the modern vibe.

The Ibanez GRX70QATBB is available in three vibrant finish options - Transparent Blue Burst, Transparent Red Burst, and Transparent Black. These transparent finishes allow the quilted maple top to stand out. Overall, the Ibanez has a sleeker and more rock-inspired look compared to the traditional styling of the Cordoba C5-CE. This makes it a great choice for players who want an acoustic-electric guitar with plenty of visual flair.

While the aesthetics of a guitar are subjective, they can play a role in inspiring and motivating players. Those drawn to classical guitar may appreciate the refined traditional look of the Cordoba C5-CE. But players wanting an acoustic-electric guitar with a bold, eye-catching design will love the Ibanez GRX70QATBB. Ultimately, choosing a guitar with an appearance that resonates is an important consideration alongside factors like sound, playability and price.

Body

The Cordoba Iberia 6 C5-CE CD acoustic-electric guitar has a traditional Spanish flamenco style body made of mahogany with a solid Canadian cedar top. The body is slightly smaller and more comfortably contoured than a classical guitar, measuring about 21.5 inches lower bout and 19 inches upper bout. However, it still has the deep body and balanced curves of a flamenco guitar rather than a narrower concert style.

The all-solid wood construction with mahogany back and sides gives the C5-CE CD a rich, warm, balanced tone while the cedar top provides articulation, dynamics and volume. The matte finish allows the natural resonance of the tonewoods to shine through. Overall the body size, shape and materials deliver the traditional deep and percussive voice expected from an authentic flamenco guitar.

The Cordoba Iberia C5-CE CD is an affordable flamenco guitar with a solid top and authentic construction. It produces a rich, balanced acoustic tone with the volume and projection needed for flamenco music. The cutaway provides easy upper fret access while the onboard Fishman Presys preamp and pickup system allows you to amplify your sound in live settings or recordings. With an authentic flamenco design and high quality materials, the C5-CE CD delivers an impressive value for aspiring flamenco guitarists.

If you're looking for a nylon-string acoustic-electric guitar with a slimmer neck profile and lighter weight, check out the Yamaha CGS102A. This concert-style model has a spruce top with meranti back and sides. The nato neck has a comfortable, easy-playing feel thanks to its narrower nut width and reduced neck depth compared to many classical guitars. The piezo pickup and System66 preamp provide quality amplified tone.

While the Yamaha CGS102A doesn't have the traditional flamenco construction of the Cordoba, its lightweight build and comfortable neck could suit guitarists looking for an accessible nylon-string acoustic-electric. It produces balanced tone across the frequency spectrum and comes at a very affordable price point, making it a great choice for beginners or traveling musicians. The slimmer neck profile reduces hand fatigue during long practice or gigging sessions. So if you want an easy playing nylon-string acoustic-electric, check out the Yamaha CGS102A.

The Cordoba Iberia 6 C5-CE CD features a Canadian cedar top and mahogany back and sides for a rich, warm, balanced tone. The slightly smaller, contoured body provides comfort while retaining the deep curves of a traditional flamenco guitar. The all-solid wood construction allows the tonewoods to resonate freely. The cedar top provides articulation and dynamics while the mahogany contributes to a full, percussive voice.

This acoustic-electric flamenco guitar is equipped with an LR Baggs Element Active VTC pickup system. The undersaddle piezo pickup and volume/tone controls are discreetly mounted inside the soundhole for a clean look. The preamp provides a rich, dynamic plugged-in tone with plenty of volume for performing. The guitar also comes equipped with Savarez Cristal Corum 500CJ high tension strings for the bright, percussive sound expected from a flamenco guitar.

Players looking for a high quality, traditional sounding flamenco guitar at an accessible price will appreciate the Cordoba Iberia C5-CE CD. While not as ornate as some professional level flamenco guitars, it provides the comfortable, contoured body, solid wood construction and authentic materials needed to produce the genre's percussive sound and playing technique. The hybrid acoustic-electric design also makes this an ideal guitar for flamenco players who want to plug in on occasion without compromising the guitar's inherent acoustic qualities.

For guitarists interested in a nylon-string acoustic-electric model with a slightly smaller, more comfortable body size, the Yamaha CGS102A is worth considering. Although not specifically built for flamenco, this guitar has a solid Engelmann spruce top and rosewood back and sides. The compact concert body style measures about 19.5 inches lower bout and 16 inches upper bout. It also features a built-in SRT Powered Pickup System designed to faithfully amplify the guitar's natural acoustic tone. The CGS102A provides an affordable option for players who want stage-ready acoustic-electric performance from a compact nylon-string guitar.

Neck

The Cordoba 6 C5-CE offers a solid mahogany neck with a comfortable C profile, designed for easy playability and access to higher frets. The 25.3" scale length is standard for nylon string guitars in this range, allowing ample room between frets while retaining comfortable string tension. Combined with the 3.1" nut width and 1.9" string spacing at the bridge, this makes the neck accessible and easy to navigate for both smaller and larger hands. The satin finish allows smooth, fast movements up and down the neck. Overall, the neck design promotes versatility, allowing easy transitions between rhythmic strumming and melodic lead playing. The solid mahogany neck also produces a balanced tone, with articulate mids and lows and enough brightness for projection and clarity. This makes the 6 C5-CE a great choice for various playing styles from delicate fingerstyle to aggressive rhythms and leads.

Fingerboard

The Cordoba Iberia C5-CE features a rosewood fingerboard with pearl rosette inlay. The fingerboard itself is made from quality rosewood which provides a smooth playing feel. It measures 25.6 inches in length which gives ample room for chord shapes and soloing.

The fingerboard contains 19 frets in total. The frets are made of nickel silver which offers great durability over repeated playing. The frets feel comfortable underhand and allow for both easy chord changes and quick soloing riffs up and down the neck.

The pearl rosette inlay provides a classy decorative touch along the length of the fingerboard. This gives the guitar a more elegant aesthetic. However, the inlay is subtle enough that it does not detract from playability in any way.

Hardware

The Cordoba Iberia C5-CE features quality hardware to provide stable tuning and ample resonance.

Tuning Machines

The guitar has sealed die-cast tuning machines with pearl buttons. These are high-quality tuning pegs that keep the strings in tune well and allow for smooth and accurate tuning adjustments. The pearl buttons give them an elegant look.

Bridge and Saddle

It has a rosewood bridge and bone saddle. The rosewood bridge transfers vibrations efficiently from the strings to the top. The bone saddle offers a bright, transparent tone as well as good sustain. The bone material brings out the treble tones while the rosewood body and mahogany neck offer good bass and mid-range resonance.

Electronics

The Cordoba C5-CE combines traditional nylon string construction with modern electronics, giving players plugged-in amplification when needed. It features a built-in active preamp and pickup system designed by Fishman, a respected brand in acoustic amplification.

The pickup itself is a Flex Blend undersaddle piezo, which captures the vibration and resonance of the strings through the saddle. This results in a balanced and natural amplified tone, without requiring any external microphone setups.

The preamp, controlled through easy-to-use rotary knobs on the guitar's side, allows adjusting volume and tone to suit any amplification need. There is a 3-band EQ with boost/cut controls for bass, middle and treble frequencies. A phase switch helps reduce potential feedback issues.

The onboard tuner makes for quick and convenient tuning adjustments on stage or in the studio. Two low-profile EQ controls are also positioned discretely on the side for blending between the raw undersaddle piezo sound and your amplified tone. Overall the electronics offer stage-ready plugged-in tones, while retaining the traditional nylon string sound when unplugged.

Sound

The Cordoba Iberia C5-CE's solid European spruce top and Indian rosewood back and sides produce a warm, rich, and resonant sound. The all-solid wood construction allows the guitar to sing with excellent projection and volume that fills a room.

The spruce top offers crisp treble tones with complex overtones. It has an articulate and responsive attack, while the rosewood back and sides provide a deep bass response. The pairing of spruce and rosewood creates a nicely balanced tone.

The C5-CE's smaller body size helps emphasize the midrange frequencies. It has a focused and intimate voice that is still capable of producing a wide dynamic range. The notes decay smoothly with a pleasant sustain.

This acoustic-electric classical guitar has impressive acoustic resonance unplugged. The built-in piezo pickup and preamp allow you to amplify the instrument's natural tone when performing live. TheEQ controls on the preamp give you further tone shaping ability.

Overall the Cordoba Iberia C5-CE projects beautifully, has excellent tonal clarity, and offers a nuanced and expressive voice perfect for various music genres. The all-solid woods provide rich organic tones from a responsive and comfortable nylon string guitar.

Playability

The Cordoba C5-CE CD has excellent playability right out of the box. The wider classical-style neck feels very comfortable and natural to both strum and fingerpick on. The action is set medium-low, which is ideal for a nylon-string acoustic guitar. The strings are easy to press down without buzzing but still have enough height for dynamic playing styles.

The intonation is spot-on up and down the neck. Chords played in the first position and higher up the fretboard are perfectly in tune. The slots at the nut are cut just right so each string length is properly calibrated. This precision intonation allows for chordal playing across multiple positions without going out of tune.

Overall the Cordoba C5-CE CD has superb playability with comfortable ergonomics, ideal factory setup, and precise intonation. This makes it a joy to play right out of the box, whether strumming rhythmically or playing complex fingerstyle passages. The smooth neck and dialed-in action and intonation facilitate versatility across various playing techniques.

Pros and Cons

The Cordoba C5-CE is an affordable nylon-string guitar that offers solid craftsmanship and balanced tone. Here's a look at some of the pros and cons:

Pros

• Well-constructed with quality materials like solid Canadian cedar top and Indian rosewood back and sides. Guitar is lightweight yet sturdy.

• Clear and bright yet warm tone from the cedar top. Nylon strings provide a mellow, rounded sound.

• Smooth satin neck finish for comfortable playability up and down the neck. Wide neck profile accommodates fingerstyle playing.

• Built-in pickup and preamp system allows for amplified performances. Tone from electronics is balanced and feedback-resistant.

• Attractive look with mother-of-pearl rosette and matte finish. Headstock matches body shape for a cohesive look.

Cons

• Electronics and preamp are decent quality but not as robust as higher-end guitars. The pickup may have some background noise.

• Being a laminate back and sides, tone resonance is good but not as complex as solid wood models. Lacks some bass response.

• The nut width is narrower than typical classical guitars. Fingerstyle players may want more spread between strings.

• No included gig bag or case, so must purchase separately for protection during transport and storage.

Overall, the Cordoba C5-CE strikes a great balance between quality materials, construction, electronics, and price point. An excellent entry-level option for amplified nylon-string playing.