Cordoba C7 Review (Acoustic Nylon String Classical Guitar)

If you’ve been searching for an affordable new classical, you’re probably no stranger to Cordoba.

Maybe you’re a beginner looking for your first guitar, or maybe you’re a more advanced student looking for an upgrade.

Either way, the Cordoba C7 just might be the model for you.

Let’s find out!

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At a Glance…

Cordoba C7 CD Classical Acoustic Nylon String Guitar, Iberia Series

Traditional fan bracing
Rosewood back and sides
Full size

✔️ What we like: Brilliant rich, warm, and well-balanced tone at an unbeatable price-point

❌ What we don’t like: Some of the hardware looks a little bit cheap (we’re nitpicking)

Standout Features

Solid top (choice of spruce or cedar)
Traditional Spanish bracing
Great craftsmanship despite the price point

Our Verdict: Considering this guitar is under $600, I think it’s awesome. It has great playability (similar to the C9 and 10) and a gorgeous, well-rounded tone. It’s not quite as mellow or as smooth as the Cordoba C10 but it definitely put up a good fight. I’d say the C7 is a concert-ready model that would make either a fantastic practice guitar or the perfect first upgrade.

Who is the Cordoba C7 CD Classical Guitar Best Suited To?

We all know I’m a huge fan of Cordoba’s Luthier series and the C7 is one of my favorites. It’s definitely a student guitar, though.

If you’ve been practicing on a cheap first model, then this could be the perfect first upgrade. Equally, I think the C7 is a great budget option for intermediate students.

Having said that, not everyone has around $2000 to spend on a classical guitar (even if you are a pro) and I think the C7 could easily fulfill the needs of even advanced players. It could serve as the perfect practice model for a pro or even a concert companion for a less experienced student! In terms of style, I’d say this model is pretty adaptable as well.

It probably hasn’t quite got the dynamic range for jazz players but it would suit classical, flamenco, or folk students perfectly!

Features & Benefits

Body & Neck

The Cordoba C7 is one of the most affordable models in their Luthier series. It’s not quite as aesthetically striking as the C9 or C10 but it’s still a good-looking guitar. Although its sides are laminate rosewood, they’ve made quite a feature of its top.

You can see the gorgeous tight grain of the wood through its glossy finish and its rosette is pretty unique. You can also choose between spruce or cedar for the top, depending on your preference. When it comes to more affordable guitars, I always recommend choosing cedar, especially if you’re a beginner.

Cedar has a bit more response because its a softer wood and it’s usually better quality (if the options are the same price) because aged spruce is pretty expensive! The C7 has a mahogany neck as well so it’s a very durable model. A+ from me!

Hardware

Cordoba hasn’t changed too much with this model in terms of hardware. The C7 has a bone nut and saddle which I’m very happy about. The lower we get down the price scale, the more likely we are to find a plastic nut and saddle but these parts of a guitar are incredibly important.

The sound vibrations have to travel through the nut and saddle first, before vibrating across the fingerboard and top of the guitar. Bone produces a much warmer, fuller tone and helps to balance out the register. So, as you can imagine, quality hardware is key!

There’s a little guitar science lesson for ya. I will talk about the tuners in the “limitations” section (they’re not that bad but you know what I’m like for nit-picking).

Sound

Okay, here’s the difference between an ebony fretboard (like the one you will find on the Yamaha CG192S) and a rosewood one. I know rosewood puts a lot of people off buying guitars because it’s not thought to be as durable as ebony but I think it has some great tonal qualities.

Rosewood gives your guitar a bit of a warmer, richer tone. If you’re looking for a guitar at this price point ($500-600), a guitar with a rosewood fingerboard might be your best option. I always say it’s better to use good quality rosewood than cheap ebony!

Anyway, the C7 has a beautifully rich lower register moving to a warm but quite sweet higher register. It has great clarity and quite a unique overall sound!

Spec Summary

Body Material: Choice of solid cedar or spruce top, laminate rosewood back and sides
Neck Material: Mahogany
Fingerboard Material: Rosewood
Pickups: None
Bridge: Rosewood, hardtail

Great clarity with a unique overall sound

Limitations

I found it pretty difficult to pick out the C7s limitations. It’s a gorgeous guitar and I’m sure any student would enjoy it. One thing I did pick up on, however, was the tuners. They’re Cordoba’s GK tuning machines and, don’t get me wrong, they’re not the worst tuners out there but they aren’t of great quality.

They’re just a cheaper version of Cordoba’s premium gold-plated tuners and that’s kind of how they look – cheap. Don’t get me wrong, they actually do their job pretty well; that is, hold your strings in tune for hours on end. However, we all know I like things to look expensive even if they aren’t and these guys just look a little cheap.

So, considering my only issue is cheap-looking tuners, I’d say the C7 is a pretty good guitar!

One of the Most Beautiful Classical Guitars Under $600

I know so many of you are going to love the Cordoba C7. It’s so beautifully made and it sounds a hundred times better than most classical guitars under $1000. Whether you’re looking for your very first guitar or a great upgrade, the Cordoba C7 would make a brilliant companion.

Although it’s cheaper than the other guitars in Cordoba’s Luthier series, I think it embodies the same craftsmanship and overall tone as the other guitars.

I’m absolutely in love with the C7 and I hope you’ve found your new classical guitar!

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