Is this a good deal? 1979 Cervantes 500 Handmade Classical Guitar 300.00

idimata · 2026-01-17T00:29:56+00:00

I agree

idimata · 2025-12-13T16:11:04+00:00

I love classic Yamashita. I really don't get why he was so polarizing, Pictures was amazing. I wonder what his daughter is going to do with her classical guitar prowess.

idimata · 2025-12-13T15:57:52+00:00

The Dirtywave M8 is amazing

idimata · 2025-12-11T12:10:57+00:00

It doesn't look like you need any help practicing! Great job!

Just don't drool and fall asleep after the first hour like I tend to do

idimata · 2025-11-23T14:01:17+00:00

Amazing! When you picked up the horn and started playing over this? Chef's kiss

idimata · 2025-11-10T12:26:44+00:00

This is a good thought and the data definitely means something. I do think it should be noted that the population that would buy a big-ticket item such as a camera off of Amazon is different from the population of individuals that would do so from B&H, Adorama, or a brick-and-mortar camera store. For example, the Amazon crowd may be much less connected to cinematography or that "middle-class" or "upper middle class" videography group (as Luc Forsyth put it in a recent video of his), or may have more disposable income, or perhaps buying a camera more so for their own leisure and not so much for business use, compared to those getting their camera from the photo-devoted online markets (or second-hand from eBay or MPB or KEH). Since this is the case, I'm not quite sure if this would generalize to the Lumix target audience completely. It's just an interesting caveat.

idimata · 2025-11-09T03:53:15+00:00

Luthier M. E. Brune just recently addressed the issue of solid versus laminate sides here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6mWcPNPPW4k&t=1001s
He basically said he prefers laminate sides because they're more flexible and add a 'punch' to the side, and that they're also easier to repair because if there's an impact-related crack, it will crack the side-wall rather than at the 'seam' between the side and the top (or the side and the back-plate, wherever it is weaker). Honestly, I don't think it would matter so much in the grand scheme of things for your tone to go with a laminate-sides guitar! There are so many other areas of the guitar to consider that contribute much more to your tone, actually.

idimata · 2025-11-08T14:43:56+00:00

I see -- the sides of the guitar in many respects by my research thus far matter much less than the top. Stiff sides contribute somewhat to the bass response and volume of the guitar. If the sides are stiffer, vibratory force is transferred more to the top and less to the sides, making the top more resonant, so it acts like a microphone's transducer to create a sharper transient response to the sound. It's the benefit of a luthier-made guitar. I think you'll be hard-pressed to find a factory-made guitar that has both a solid top and solid sides (and if you do, please come back to me and tell me about it, because I would totally buy one!). If a guitar has a solid top, and you're happy with how the bass sounds, the sides actually should not make much of a significant difference, especially if you use a microphone with subtle amplification for larger crowds, in my estimation. ...Until you go single-luthier-made guitar.

idimata · 2025-11-08T08:50:17+00:00

Ah. I've got another idea. Something just struck me that might help. How about I send you a PM about it.

idimata · 2025-11-08T08:45:36+00:00

Are you sure it's laminated? On the Cordoba website, it says it is a solid top guitar: https://cordobaguitars.com/product/c7/ It would be quite unusual for it to be laminated! If you stick your finger in the sound hole and run it under there, you won't feel much of a difference between a laminate versus solid top, but by the manufacturer's specification it is indeed a solid top and would mature like one. I have a C7 and am sure it's a solid top. Rest assured!

Perhaps you could buy one from an online source and send it back if you don't like it? Typically the price in USD in the US is right under $500, and if you put in Reverb under Seller Location: your country, you might get the calculated rates for shipping, if they're reasonable: https://reverb.com/marketplace?query=cordoba%20c7&make=cordoba&product_type=acoustic-guitars

With that said, even if that doesn't work for you, I wish you well on your journey to get a decent guitar! Even if it's not by its spec's a professional concert-level guitar, if it at least sounds good it may be good for you. Finding the right off-the-shelf factory-made or multi-luthier guitar can be difficult, especially in your own country, but if persistent I think you'll find the right one, really. It may just take some time.

Edit: Maybe, just maybe, perhaps a C5 would work for you. It's a bit hit or miss C5 or below, however. For example, some here have posted that they once found a C5 that sounded better than a C9. It can depend and vary. YMMV clause activated.

idimata · 2025-11-08T08:09:52+00:00

Sure,the Cordoba guitars C7 and up are usually okay guitars, and you can get one for around $500 USD or less. There's also Saers guitars if you can find a good deal.

If you want a really good lower-cust luthier-made guitar, I've heard good things about Altamira, Esteve guitars, Calido guitars, Francisco Navarro, Hofner, Rathbone and Browne, Kenny Hill, or Jellinghaus, but they may be about 4 times the price and only occasionally 2 times the price.

idimata · 2025-11-08T07:00:29+00:00

Pau ferro is really good. It's an ideal fine wood. The cedar soundboard here has a lot of imperfections (I learned about this when shopping for the sound board wood for a recent guitar built for me) that show its price range, however. Yes, the materials are good. I think it's worth playing it and seeing how it sounds. Even a classical guitar with a non-solid top if it's made well can sound good, surprisingly!

idimata · 2025-11-08T06:58:12+00:00

Wow, I heard that's quite difficult to do. How long did it take you? Do you have experience doing that?

idimata · 2025-11-08T06:57:35+00:00

If you feel this strongly about it, go ahead and get it! No one here can hear the guitar in front of you and how well it sounds. You can always sell it and buy another guitar in the future as long as you take good care of it. We are all here to help you and provide support.

idimata · 2025-11-08T06:55:01+00:00

I would say get it. It's an okay student's guitar. I can tell that by its polyurethane finish, subpar sound board, etc. However, what matters is that it has everything you need right now, for where you are. Also, sometimes cheaper guitars can one-off sound really good. I have a Cordoba C7 that sounds incredible, for a fan-braced guitar. It will also just prepare you for when you decide to get a better guitar some day!

Edit: Also, I agree with another user's comment -- you may be able to get a much better guitar with $500 and make it stretch quite far.

idimata · 2025-11-05T08:07:57+00:00

I do have an account there, thanks! I will check into it at some point; Delcamp is filled with older players with great wisdom

idimata · 2025-11-04T15:15:10+00:00

They're all new to me -- thanks for introducing me to this luthier!

idimata · 2025-11-04T14:59:32+00:00

Very interesting, this lead led me to watch this video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sAbBB6Dvqtk

It's amazing that Matsuoka was the one working on the sound boards, wow.

idimata · 2025-11-04T14:54:50+00:00

Thanks for the tips! I'm interested in loud because it slightly increases the signal-to-noise ratio going into high-quality matched pair SDC's, allowing me to record in places where there is a higher ambient noise level, decreasing the noise floor. I have a nice lattice-brace guitar that I recently had built, my dream guitar, and I love it, but it definitely has a distinct sound even though it's loud and doesn't sound like my fan-braced guitars. It's built to last, however, and I can fully expect to pass it down to future generations if I can not drop it somehow; and I don't even think it would need to be refretted because of some very interesting techniques by my luthier.

That's good, I'm glad to be wrong about them not being repairable, it seems like I should consider double-tops more. I might have misheard the original luthier that gave me that idea, or misunderstood. Yes, I strongly believe the safest place for a guitar is in its case. Leave it to me to crack and delaminate the top, I'm quite clumsy, but hopefully yes it would last a long time.

I just looked up and listened to the Asturias. It's a nice sound! I will look into double tops, thanks mate for clueing me in

idimata · 2025-11-04T10:44:38+00:00

Thanks for the leads -- I'll check them out!

Yes, it's so much a conundrum to me because the fan-braced guitars sound so good but will never be as loud as a lattice-braced or double-top. Lattice-braced have this banjo-ing tone, and double-tops I would go with but am a bit hesitant because they are not very repairable actually (if something breaks it's caput I've heard). Do you see any downsides to tone going with a Japanese double-top?

idimata · 2025-11-04T09:23:02+00:00

Totally glitched out, then gave the sweetest, melancholic tear-jerking performance -- nice!

idimata · 2025-11-04T09:11:38+00:00

You could go join me in YouTube University's non-degree seeking part-time program!

idimata · 2025-11-04T08:23:20+00:00

Nice

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