Cordoba C9 Parlor

The guitar comes in a Humicase (new range: April 2013), which incorporates humidification and space for a hygrometer. The case is very sturdy and well made, with plush inside to protect the guitar's finish. As there is only one circular humidificator pad above the sound hole, I have purchased a humidipak (Planet Waves) to place it near the neck.

The guitar is an upgrade of the popular Córdoba Dolce, but this time featuring an all solid body, as part of the new Córdoba Luthier series (2013). The specifications are listed in the product description, the more salient are:
630 mm scale length, rather than the 650mm of classical guitars.
50 mm nut width, slightly narrower than the 52mm seen in classical guitars.

It is extremely well made, with a high gloss PU finish, with a slightly 3D effect (difficult to describe). The tuners are easy to turn, and keep the strings in tune really well. The headstock has some work in the wood, which I would classify as half-way between cheaper guitars (no work at all) and really expensive ones (with lots of 'layers' of wood showing). There is no Córdoba logo or letters on it.
The glossy finish covers the whole of the guitar apart from the fretboard and has been thinly and evenly applied.

The rosette has a design taken from the past (Esteso), which is nice, simple and not too intricate. I like it.
The back of the guitar is 'split in two' with a line separating both halves, which looks good too.

If you go searching for pictures of this guitar, on the Córdoba site the guitar looks white brown, whereas in the video it appears red. Well, it's neither. It has a really beautiful, and I mean really beautiful, deep and rich dark brown colour, which with the thin glossy finish seems to be 3D. The best I've seen is the presentation of the guitar made by a Córdoba employee (search youtube for 'Cordoba C9 Dolce Luthier Series Nylon-string Guitars Overview - Sweetwater at Winter NAMM 2013'). That's exactly how the guitar looks like.

Soundwise, the guitar has clear trebles and deep bass. The amount of bass on strings E and A is particularly amazing, especially considering the guitar size, a bit smaller than a classical. The size and shorter scale length combine to make it really a joy to play, with those stretches made easier. The separation between the strings (50mm) for me is ideal. Any less than 48mm is (at least for me) a bit difficult for fingerstyle playing, but 50mm seems to hit the sweet spot.

Strumming chords produces bright and crisp sounds, very rich as every note can be heard (maybe something to do with the string separation, or how the guitar has been made).

All in all, a really good looking guitar, with great sound, playability, and a nice case to be well cared after. Highly recommended.

I ordered this based on web reviews. However, I was disappointed with the fullness of the sound compared to a 4/4 classical I had borrowed. Also, the small scale and 50 mm nut width may suit some people but I found it slightly cramped. Hence I returned the guitar. Don’t get me wrong, this instrument is very well made and looks great. If you want a small scale guitar for comfort and don’t mind a quieter, more intimate sound, then it might be for you.