Build Quality: | |
Hardware: | |
Sound: | |
Value: | |
Average: |
Pros:
- Very easy to carry around
- Decent sound
- Comfortable fingerboard
Cons:
- The gig bag is a bit small for the guitar
- You’ll need to set it up when you first get it
A couple of days ago, my friend and I were talking about the moments that can turn your life upside down and change the path that you’re on completely. When he asked me what has had the greatest impact on me, I wasn’t sure what to answer. A lot of different situations sprung to my head and I got confused. And though I couldn’t answer in the moment, I started thinking about that question a lot. Finally, I remembered the exact moment in my life when I started seeing everything in different colors. I always loved playing guitar and it was my escape from all the struggles I was going through.
One day, after a stressful couple of years, I gathered up all my savings, bought the ticket in one direction, packed all the essentials, grabbed my guitar and started traveling. I was really messed up, because my career seemed to go nowhere. I felt tired of the life I was living, and before that spontaneous urge would leave me, I took a step. That was the moment that showed me what mattered for me the most and since then I take that same step every time I don’t know what’s next. The only handicap I had back then was that I didn’t own a travel guitar, all I had was my dreadnought. And even though I enjoyed that journey a lot, I remember having a backache every day from carrying the heavy guitar around. To spare you from the same headache, today I’ll introduce Cordoba Mini M. Let’s get down to business and see what we have here!
Build
I can’t even articulate how much difference the build quality makes in terms of travel guitars. On one hand, you require a durable, rugged piece, on the other, you don’t want to make an investment, because you’ll ruin that instrument eventually (due to the exposure to the environmental factors and overall abuse). It can be hard to strike a balance between those two, but Cordoba managed to do that by providing us with their Mini M. This particular model is quite impressive in terms of construction: it has a solid spruce top with fan bracing and mahogany back and sides. But it still maintains an affordable price tag. The scale length is 20 1/8 inches, which means it’s really small compared to a full-size guitar. The design has nothing to write home about, so I won’t waste your time with that.
Moving on to the rest, we have a C-shape mahogany neck with a rosewood fingerboard. Just by looking at the guitar, you’ll understand that it’s quite thick. Cordoba wanted to maintain the playability of full-size guitars, that is why they decided to go for a wider neck. The fretboard has traditional pearloid dot inlays that can be used for some guidance. These two are easy to play, as you won’t have to get used to anything new. If you’ve played a traditional guitar, then neck and fretboard won’t cause any problems for you. We can all see that Mini M really excels in terms of construction.
Hardware
Now it’s time to stop worrying about bigger features and focus our attention on the details. You see, it’s easy for the brands to neglect the quality of the hardware and save some money that way. Unless you’re meticulous or experienced, the chances are you won’t pay attention to those. But I always want you to keep hardware in mind and that’s why we always discuss that feature. Cordoba included hardware, that’s way better than I, personally, expected. Let’s see what we’re dealing with here!
The parts that surprised me the most are the nut and saddle. Both of them are made from bone, and that’s not something we typically see at this price range. Instead of going for plastic, the brand went for a material that is way more durable and reliable. The nut width is 1 7/8 inches, which, once again, indicates that the string spacing is similar to that of full-size guitars. Mini M has nickel tuning machines with black knobs – they work quite well if you ask me.
The truss rod has a single action, which means you’ll be a bit limited in terms of neck adjustment. One last thing you should keep in mind is that this fella comes with the gig bag. The downside here is that it’s too small for the guitar and you might have a hard time shoving it in there. It won’t protect the guitar as expected, but you can make it work if you don’t have anything else on hand.
Cordoba Mini M Sound
One of the most important parts of a guitar is a setup. The majority of guitars out there need some adjustments when they arrive to your doorstep. It’s really rare to find a model that will have everything in place out of the box. Cordoba Mini M also belongs to that category. You might need to take it to the luthier before you start playing, or if you know guitars well, you can make all the adjustments yourself. Once you set it up, it sounds really nice. Even though it’s small, it doesn’t get muddied. It packs quite a punch in terms of volume and definition. Highs, lows and midrange are well-pronounced, which means this guitar can create a balanced tone. The fact that it has a wider neck means that you can dial in even the most complicated chords easily. If you want to understand what I mean, you should listen to the demos or try the guitar out yourself!
Conclusion
All in all, Cordoba Mini M is a wonderful option for anyone who is always on the road. It’s so compact that you won’t even notice you’re carrying it around. The sound won’t leave you unsatisfied – you’ll be able to get great performance out of it. One last piece of advice from me: sometimes listening to your heart isn’t enough. You might need to dive into your subconscious, and that’s where travel comes into play. Grab your travel guitar and let that journey change your life. Good luck!
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GOOD REVIEW! I love my Mini M and have two of them – a nylon-string guitar with a 14 fret neck! WOW! I have too many guitars but I often find myself reaching for the Cordoba. This model should never have been discontinued. About the strings. Do you know of any replacement strings other than the Aquila high A sets? I know there’s a lot of discussion about this and hope that there’s a reasonable solution. THANKS!