Ortega Guitars RCE131SN Classical Guitar: Full Review

The Ortega RCE131SN is a full-sized classical guitar made by Ortega Guitars, a respected brand known for making high-quality and affordable classical and acoustic guitars. This model features a traditional fan-braced spruce top and mahogany back and sides, a combination prized for its balanced tone.

With its nylon strings and wider neck, the RCE131SN is designed specifically for playing classical and flamenco guitar styles. Its traditional construction makes it a good choice for beginners and intermediate players looking for an accessible classical guitar option. While it may lack some projection compared to premium classical guitars, the RCE131SN offers impressive value given its price point.

Overall, the RCE131SN is a competitively priced option that will allow players to explore the nuances of classical guitar, though more advanced players may want to consider upgrading. This review will take a closer look at the guitar's construction, sound, playability and hardware to help you determine if it’s the right classical guitar for your needs.

Construction

The Ortega RCE131SN classical guitar features a traditional fan-braced spruce top and mahogany back and sides construction.

The spruce top is known for its clear, projecting tone that allows the nuances of the player's technique to shine through. Spruce is a popular choice amongst classical guitarists for its responsive and balanced sound.

The mahogany back and sides offer a warm, rounded tone that complements the crispness of the spruce top. Mahogany is a tonewood that excels at emphasizing the midrange frequencies. This further enhances the nylon strings' natural warmth and sweetness.

The combination of spruce and mahogany creates an instrument with excellent resonance, sustain, and balanced tone across the frequency spectrum. This versatile woods pairing allows the RCE131SN to handle various styles of music with ease.

The fan-bracing pattern inside the guitar top provides strength and stability while allowing the spruce to vibrate freely. This results in excellent volume, sensitivity, and dynamic range.

Overall, the all-solid wood construction of spruce and mahogany makes the RCE131SN an ideal choice for the advancing classical guitarist looking for a responsive and musical instrument.

The traditional woods and bracing of the RCE131SN provide a solid foundation for the classical guitar sound. However, some players may desire even more projection and volume. For these needs, the Takamine GC5-NAT classical guitar offers an alternative construction and design.

Like the RCE131SN, the GC5-NAT utilizes a solid spruce top paired with rosewood back and sides. The spruce provides clarity and responsiveness, while the rosewood offers rich, complex overtones.

Where the GC5-NAT diverges is in its non-traditional honeycomb bracing pattern. Honeycomb bracing is positioned in a hexagonal shape under the guitar top. This allows a thinner and more uniform brace design compared to traditional fan bracing.

The result is increased top vibration and freedom of movement. This enhances projection, volume, and dynamics. The honeycomb bracing takes advantage of the spruce's natural resonance for exceptional power and sustain.

The GC5-NAT's combination of spruce and rosewood joined by honeycomb bracing creates a robust and vibrant classical guitar. The rosewood contributes strong and colorful tones to complement the spruce's clarity.

Overall, the GC5-NAT is an excellent option for classical guitarists who want the traditional tonewood pairing of spruce and rosewood but with modern bracing for improved projection. This makes the GC5-NAT a great choice for performing classical guitarists who need to be heard over other musicians or fill larger venues with sound.

While the RCE131SN and GC5-NAT are both well-constructed classical guitars, their different bracing and tonewoods give them unique sonic profiles. The traditionally braced RCE131SN highlights balanced tone and sweetness. The GC5-NAT with its honeycomb bracing emphasizes power and projection. Classical guitarists should consider their own needs for volume and dynamics when deciding between these two quality instruments.

Playability

The RCE131SN features a classic nylon string neck that is easy and comfortable to play. The neck has a standard width and a slightly radiused fingerboard that allows for smooth note transitions across the strings.

The neck is made from mahogany which provides stability and minimizes warping. The fingerboard is rosewood which gives a smooth feel across the frets while providing durability. Many guitarists appreciate a rosewood fingerboard for the warm, rounded tone it produces.

The neck attaches to the body at the 12th fret, giving this guitar a comfortable balance between spacing and reach. The frets are finished nicely and don't have any sharp edges that can irritate fingers during longer practice sessions.

Overall the neck and fingerboard allow for versatile playing styles from classical repertoire to fingerstyle arrangements. The construction gives a familiar, reliable feel that most nylon string players will appreciate. The playability and comfort of the RCE131SN make it a great choice for beginners looking for an affordable nylon string guitar to learn on as well as more advanced players looking for a reliable secondary classical guitar. With its traditional design and quality components, this model competes well with other entry-level classical guitars in this price range such as the Pyle PEGKT781BK. This Pyle model is another budget-friendly option worth considering, though the RCE131SN may have a slight edge when it comes to overall playability and comfort.

Sound

The RCE131SN produces a warm, balanced tone thanks to its combination of mahogany back and sides with a cedar top. The all-mahogany neck also contributes to a rounded, melodic sound.

The cedar top provides crisp highs and articulate bass notes. Cedar is a common choice for classical guitars as it offers an open, resonant tone. Mahogany backs and sides add depth and complexity to the sound. Mahogany has a balanced tonal response, emphasizing the midrange. Together, these tonewoods create a versatile classical guitar well-suited to both ensemble playing and solo practice.

The mahogany neck further enhances sustain and resonance. Its snug dovetail neck joint allows efficient energy transfer between neck and body. Overall, the RCE131SN delivers a balanced, nuanced classical guitar voice.

Hardware

The Ortega RCE131SN features quality hardware that enhances its playability. The guitar has open geared tuning machines with butterbean knobs. These allow for smooth and accurate tuning adjustments.

The nut and saddle are both made of synthetic bone. The nut is cut precisely for correct string height and spacing. This promotes proper intonation up the neck. The saddle transfers vibrations efficiently from the strings to the bridge and body. Its compensated design helps improve the guitar's overall intonation.

The hardware components on the RCE131SN are thoughtfully designed and well-crafted. Tuning stability and intonation are optimized for an acoustic guitar in this price range. The hardware works smoothly and doesn't detract from the instrument's sound or playability.

Electronics

The Ortega RCE131SN classical guitar comes equipped with Fishman Presys electronics featuring an under-saddle piezo pickup and preamp system. This allows the guitar to be plugged into an amplifier or PA system for live performance use.

The onboard preamp is located inside the guitar, providing EQ controls for volume, bass, midrange, and treble right from the guitar. There is also a built-in tuner and phase switch to help optimize the amplified tone and reduce feedback. The preamp runs on a 9V battery.

The under-saddle piezo pickup captures a balanced and natural acoustic tone from the guitar when plugged in. Piezo pickups tend to sound more acoustic-like compared to magnetic pickups, making them well-suited for classical guitars used in both amplified and unamplified contexts.

The guitar comes equipped with a 1/4" output jack on the side bout, allowing for easy plug-and-play connectivity to amplifiers, mixers, or recording interfaces. The preamp and pickup system allows the RCE131SN to be stage-ready for live performances where amplification is needed.

Comfort

The Ortega RCE131SN nylon string guitar features a traditional classical guitar body shape that sits comfortably against the player's body when seated. Despite its full-size build, the guitar feels lightweight at just under 3 pounds. This makes it easy to hold in playing position without arm or shoulder fatigue.

The width of the neck is 1.96 inches at the nut, which is a comfortable size for most hands. It tapers slightly as it extends up the fretboard. The smooth satin finish on the back of the neck allows for fast, fluid hand movement up and down the frets.

Overall, the well-balanced body and ergonomic neck design allow for extended playing sessions without discomfort. The Ortega RCE131SN offers a high level of playing comfort for novice to intermediate level players.

Quality

The Ortega RCE131SN classical guitar demonstrates excellent quality and craftsmanship, indicative of Ortega's decades of experience as a classical guitar manufacturer.

The workmanship and attention to detail on this model are superb. The guitar body is made from solid mahogany wood that has been expertly cut, assembled, and finished. The design and contours of the body, neck, and headstock have a precision and symmetry that reflects skilled luthiers and quality control.

The fretwork on the rosewood fingerboard is immaculate and smoothly finished. The frets themselves are nicely crowned and beveled for comfort. The nut and saddle are cut from bone, a preferred material known for resonance and tonal transfer.

All hardware components like the tuning machines, bridge, and strings showcase a high standard of quality. Parts fit together seamlessly and function as intended. The gloss finish has an even, polished look. Overall, the Ortega RCE131SN oozes quality in its materials, construction, and aesthetics. For an affordable classical model, it punches far above its weight in workmanship and attention to detail.

Pros

This Ortega classical guitar offers a lot of great features for the price point:

• The solid mahogany top produces a warm, rich sound with good projection and dynamics. The mahogany gives the guitar a balanced tone across the frequency range.

• The Canadian cedar neck provides stability and enhances the resonance and sustain.

• The slim neck profile makes it very comfortable and playable, even for smaller hands. The action is set low and smooth right out of the box.

• It stays in tune well thanks to the compensated saddle and quality machine heads. Intonation is accurate up the neck.

• The satin finish gives the guitar an attractive, natural look and feel. It lets the wood resonate freely.

• Lightweight construction at just over 3 lbs makes this classical guitar comfortable for long practice sessions and playing gigs.

• Comes with a padded gig bag, so you can safely transport it.

• Overall amazing quality and playability for a sub-$200 classical guitar. Great value for money.

Cons

The Ortega RCE131SN classical guitar has a few drawbacks to consider:

• The fret ends can be a bit sharp and may require some filing down for comfort, especially for beginners with sensitive hands. This is common on lower-priced classical guitars.

• The onboard electronics and equalizer are fairly basic and may not satisfy guitarists looking for more robust tone shaping capabilities. The overall amplified sound quality is just average.

• The mahogany construction, while decent, produces a plainer sound than spruce or cedar topped guitars in this price range. It lacks some richness, complexity, and resonance.

• The machine heads can sometimes feel a little loose or stiff out of the box. Some tuning stability issues may need to be addressed with a professional setup.

• There is no cutaway for easy upper fret access. Reaching notes high up the neck requires stretching and shifting hand position.

• The included gig bag provides minimal protection, so an upgraded hard case is recommended for travel or storage.

• While playable, the factory setup may not be perfect and could benefit from a professional adjustment and new strings.