Cordoba Gitano O-5

This is a follow-up to my 6/27/06 review.

You know the basics by now -- solid spruce on rosewood with a cutaway, mahogany neck (rosewood fingerboard, 21 frets, long scale), "ebonized" mustache bridge.

One big distinction to make is that the bridge on mine is NOT GLUED to the top, as the fellow reviewer's from 7/6/06 was.

Since these are not only Cordoba's very first Selmer-style guitars, but their first steel-string guitars, you're probably going to find some variance from guitar to guitar like this.

I'm deducting a point here, because as the 7/6 reviewer noted, the flush bridge does have a peculiar effect on this guitar, although I disagree with them on how big the effect is. Sure, you hear more bass in the original D-hole Maccaferri-designed guitars (partially because of playing right over that huge soundhole). But with the extended scale and small oval holes of the post-Maccaferri Selmers, these are and always have been DESIGNED for barking treble.

(I think the flush bridge on these models have less to do with the highs and more to do with dampening sustain, thus my deduction after playing the instrument for a few months.)

If you listen to old Django records, you don't hear quite as much high end because of the recording technology. But pick up something like John Jorgenson's "Franco-American Swing," which he recorded with new and vintage Selmer-style guitars, and the highs will make you wince at some points.

So yes, the Gitano can definitely sound shrill, but so can original Selmers and pricey repros. And the 0-5 certainly doesn't sound any thinner than certain repros I've played, and if you've listened to gypsy jazz, you already know what you're getting yourself into.

That brings the last point to construction in relation to tone...yes, as the reviewer from 7/6 states, this guitar's bracing is a little different than vintage Selmers, but again, so are MANY other guitars. From Saga's Gitanes to Dell'Arte, most of the repros I've seen ALSO have different bracing -- heavier schemes (because many of those old, lightly-braced Selmers no longer exist). Favino went as far as changing the body shape of his Selmer repros. So Cordoba's quirks are not a new thing in designing these guitars.

Strung with traditional Savarez gypsy strings, the 0-5 sounds authentic. Again, not quite as much sustain, but still very true to the gypsy jazz genre. (Plus you can play with the tone by trying a different middle bridge piece, providing you find a Gitano that doesn't have a glued-on bridge).

With 80/20 bronze, you just don't get that gypsy rasp. The Savarez/Argentine strings are a must if you're looking for Django's mojo. However, 80/20's do provide a tone more reminiscent of a traditional archtop...just with clearer treble. It's interesting to experiment with.

Everything was set-up great on mine and the construction is tight.

However, after a few string changes, I decided to condition my 0-5's fingerboard. I had thought that the darkened fingertips I got immediately after purchasing the guitar (which subsided) were because of a little "ebonizing" to darken the fingerboard, plus my acidic sweat on the silver-plated strings.

Nope.

It was because of a TON of "ebonizing" (re: coloring with a marker on wood). I'm knocking off three points here because the amount of gunk that came out of that wood was ridiculous (and it's still not all out). C'mon Cordoba -- let rosewood be rosewood. I'll take a paler brown shade for my fingerboard instead of a fake, nearly-black hue.

The actual construction of the guitar is great. I haven't had any problems that weren't of my own clumsiness (and it has still held up to that).

Haven't contacted Cordoba.

I'd knock the rating down more for the fingerboard fiasco, but since mine didn't have a glued-on bridge (which will let me play with the instrument's tone more in the future), I'll only take off a point. Still a great value, and an amazing guitar.

Solid spruce top...like the original
Laminated rosewood back and sides...like the original
Very nice gold toned top...original unstained

Argentine Strings...A MUST!! Use the reds

Okay, so it's not a SelMac, but it about $20,000 +-, less expensive. I have a Grand Bouche (D-hole) made by Pierre Anastasio of Paris, which is an excellent gypsy guitar. Using the Anastasio for a basis of comparison, I find that the Cordoba has a more than decent sound. The highs are bright and the low end gets a good sound if you use a HEAVY pick...I use a 3mm. The sound is snappy and alive. I play a lot of gypsy jazz, early swing, blues and jazz. For a guitar that I'm mic-ing on stage, why do I need another $3,000+ guitar? To feed my ego? I think not.

For those who have played nothing but a Telecaster, the neck will feel wide and thick. Actually, it is less thick than the original and the scale length and width is just right. The action was set up well and the fret work perfect. The finish on my guitar is without any obvious flaws. Two things that I will change are the bridge to the original two-feet floating center section and some good copy SelMac tuners. Oh yes, I'll add the ubiquitous felt or leather under the tailpiece.

The guitar is much more sturdy than a real SelMac and should stand up to a lot of hard playing which often the originals didn't. The finish is most likely a UV activated urethane (??), and should hold up well. I would like a thinner finish.

No experience here. I have a Cordoba Flamenco guitar that I've had for 15-years and its just fine.

I'm giving this guitar a 9.5 rating, understanding that this is not a custom made guitar or a SelMac, but for a performer, it's a very decent tool.

Selmer type guitar.
Ok, but if you know a little bit about luthier work, you'll find a bunch of flaws in this instrument.

First, the finish is sloppy. The varnish is uneven, some glue spots here and there. Now if you can have a look at the inside of it, the bracings are completely wrong compared to the original blueprint of Maccaferri (Italian luthier who designed this guitar for Django).

Also, the bridge is a disaster. The bridge is supposed to be floating (not glued!). Also all Maccaferri type guitars have an arched bridge to allow the table to ring. This one is flat! Huge mistake!
So, I had to make two shims to raise it which improved the sound and the volume quite a bit. But beware of the glued bridge!
Tuners are cheap and too light! Replacing them with heavier ones will improve the sustain.
Luckily they come with Argentine strings unlike the Gitanes who have some bronze awful sounding strings on them.

The sound is not even close to a good replica. Too thin. Of course this type of guitar is not supposed to be all boomy like a dreadnought would, but the original Selmer Maccaferri has more low end. This is too thin, sounds like a banjo. But maybe good enough for beginners.

The action was too low causing all strings to buzz. After adding shims to raise the bridge, it improved, but made the action harder to play.
It is still a loud guitar, but far from authentic.

Even though they are made in Spain, they may as well make them in China.
I doubt that this will last very long... it feels cheap in my hands.

I talked to Cordoba about the problems and then couldn't care less...

Good for learning the style. doesn't sound like a Selmer Maccaferi whatsoever. Wouldn't buy another one and would love to do a Pete Townsend to it!

To my knowledge, new for 2006 (probably made in Spain, like most Cordoba guitars).

Selmer-style body with a single cutaway. Solid spruce top (stained to a more golden hue) on laminated rosewood back/sides; gloss finish. Mahogany neck with rosewood fingerboard, 21 frets with long -- over 26" -- scale ("0" fret construction; 1.75" nut width, but it feels like more because the neck is so chubby). Ebony bridge, brass tailpiece (with an actual wood insert, most likely rosewood).

Black binding, with orange striping (flawless). Classical-style tuners.

Put together cleanly. Only flaws are that the top stain is a bit sloppy by the "petite-bouche" soundhole, and there's some gloss finish carelessly splattered on the end of the fingerboard, so I'll deduct a point.

I'm primarily a blues/folk player, but I've gotten more and more into gypsy jazz and Django (of course) the past few years.

If you've played Selmer/Maccaferri-style guitars before, you know you don't play these for the bassy boom of a dreadnought, or even the balanced-across-the-spectrum tone of 000 boxes. These guitars make their living in highs and upper midrange, with snappy lows. And they are about as loud as an acoustic can get.

It takes some getting used to, but this guitar really can sing. You've gotta use a pretty thick pick (at least 1.0 mm) to really open up the dynamic range, though, imo.

Unlike some other gypsy jazz guitars I've played, this one doesn't get too "wonky" sounding. The highs really sing, though (and manage to not be ear-piercing). And it may not be quite as loud as the finest Dell'Arte, but it's louder than my dreads.

It's a tone specialist, but what it does, it does EXTREMELY well.

Set-up with the correct "manouche" strings from Guitar (Abuse) Center, .10 gauge.

Construction is top-rate. Very tight.

I've had this guitar for about 6 months now, and the only damage I've manged to do is give it a slight ding on the fingerboard binding. As with any acoustic, as long as you don't treat it like Pete Townshend, it'll last.

Haven't contacted Cordoba directly.

Fantastic instrument. It sounds like a solid gypsy jazz guitar should. It's a shame there aren't more of these out there...the one I bought is the only one I've ever seen (the clerk at GC said they got one shipment of oval- and D-soundhole gypsy jazz Cordobas, and they sold out in a week...but no more were on order).

I'd definitely buy one of these again. For the money, I don't think you'll find a better guitar of this style. They're priced between the Aria gypsy jazz boxes, and the Gitanes. I think they compare pretty favorably with the Gitanes.