I bought this guitar after trying it out in a studio in the back of a music store, I then tried another one in a busy store. Both times I was impressed with the tone and playablilty. While the fret edges are a slight problem, they don't detract from the fact that this is a great guitar to play. Cosmetically, the guitar is gorgeous, but not overly adorned. I wanted the electronics so I could record myself without having to mic the setup. The electronics are superb and I used only the onboard EQ to get just what I wanted. The strings that came with it were a surprise.I thought I would change to pro-artes immediately, but I am going to leave the Saverez strings on for awhile. I have been playing for two years and wanted to have that beautiful understated tone you get with nylon. I thought this would be a starter guitar, but I don't see myself changing it. I am absolutely satisfied with it, and the gig bag is a nice touch, well-padded and snug.

first of all, i am a novice classical guitar player. i've only had steel string acoustics--martin d16, epiphone ef-500rav, and seagull s6. i bought this wanting a a willie nelson a/e sound but not expecting a great sound for the price. i have trouble with the flat fingerboard but what really bothers me is the strings breaking once a week or once a month. i have since learned that this is a common problem with nylon strings of all price ranges. this can be a fun guitar to play when the strings don't break but you have to tune it every time you pick it up. the quality is nowhere near a yamaha cosmetically. i understand these guitars are made in portugal. maybe that is like a fender made in mexico--i don't know. there were a couple of finishing flaws on the cedar top that look sloppy. anyway, i can see this as a real good beginner guitar for someone who is in to "classical" sound. however, the guitar does look good and plugged in has a good sound though weak in the bass. guess i'm not cut out for classical--like that loud martin john prine sound.

I've been through two C5-CE's. I bought one in '04. It had the older B-Band pickup with no tuner. One problem I had is that the bridge mysteriously popped off (detached itsself from the soundboard). As it was brand new, they promptly replaced it with a newer '05 model. Apparently, manufacturing had solved the bridge problem by reinforcing it with steel pop rivets. Strong and effect, but lent a peculiar buzzing sound we noticed in the studio. I was surprised to see metal against wood on a classical guitar and fairly disappointed at such a cheap remedy. I then proceeded to make some modifications of my own, which of course voided the warranty, yet ended up to be the right thing for my guitar. I drilled out the pop rivets which quickly enabled the bridge to detach like its predecessor. However, the bridge was also kept in place by two small brads, acting as guides, leaving my bridge placement and intonation unchanged. Using the holes from the rivets, I re-attached the bridge using wood dowels and Gorilla Glue which ended up an a stellar bond to the solid cedar top, resulting in even better tone & sustain than came from the factory. The B-Band pickup does produce the richest natural tone I've heard from any electrified nylon guitar. It also has a wonderfully warm bass response that always impresses even the pickiest tone freaks, whenever I bring it out. My only grip about the B-Band is a characteristic hiss at higher volumes. Something to consider when playing live or in louder band settings. The intonation and richness of tone, thanks to the woods and construction, make this guitar worth so much more than its pricetag. A more seasoned guitarist buddy of mine bought the Gypsy Kings model thin body flamenco cutaway w/ Fishman blender pickup and ended up using my C5-CE every time we'd hit the studio. I also bought an Aria classical with Fishman electronics because it gets a stronger signal through the endpin, but my Cordoba w/ the B-Band still sounds better, it's just not capable of getting as much volume as the Fishman. I found that if I run my B-Band into a Fishman preamp, many of the bugaboo's vanish. My Aria is a nice guitar too but you can tell the difference in a Spanish made Cordoba right away. Most of the C5-CE's are made in Portugal and still sound better than Japanese or Chinese made classicals. This guitar might not be as hot as some of the high end classicals & flamenco models out there. But for the money you save, I'm sure you'll be just as happy, whether you're a beginner or a pro.

Playability and tone are simply marvelous. Neck is nice and slim, yet appropriately wide. Body finish is light and does not detract from the great woody tone of the solid cedar top. NEGATIVES ... 1) Even with close attention to humidity and using a good humidifer, sharp fret edges appear far too quickly. 2) Pickup tends to produce higher output level in the middle ('d' and 'g' strings) than on the ends 'e' strings. Tried a display model at a local store and it had the same issue. 3) Would not recommend this guitar for a beginner. It feels 'thin' and 'fragile.' 4) Not the highest degree of attention to detail in finish and polish. OVERALL a very nice playing and sounding instrument for cross-over guitarists. Not recommended for young beginners or devoted classical musicians.

What a terrific guitar. The finish was flawless, and the tuning machines are very attractive gold with pearl-like knobs. The built-in pick-up sounds very good through a PA systems and it's great to have an alternative to using a mic for live performances. The built-in tuner works pretty well, and you do not need to have a cable plugged in to use it. (Another review wrote that a cable was required to use the tuner. Perhaps that was an older model, because that is not the case with mine.) The sound is not as rich as the highest end classical guitars but it is quite good, and the guitar has plenty of natural volume. Considering the features and the price, I think this guitar is an excellent value. I am very happy with it.