Cordoba "Master Series" Esteso

This Cordoba Master Series Esteso has a Solid European spruce Top, Solid Palo Escrito Back and Sides, Spanish Cedar Neck, Ebony Fretboard, Flamed Maple Binding, Rosewood Bridge, Master Series Tuners, Incl. Case. Unfortunately, I rarely play classical style, so my technique is not at a level this guitar deserves. But every time I have taken it out of it's case I am carried away by the balance, projection and complexity of it's tone which always increases when I play it for even a few days consistently. It should belong to someone who plays it daily.

Domingo Esteso is considered one of the greatest Spanish luthiers of the 20th century, with a career that began in the 1890s, and continued through the 1930s. He is responsible for establishing one of the most famous workshops in Madrid, which was later inherited by his nephews. Esteso’s instruments are characterized by their physical lightness, yet great volume and projection.

For the Master series, Cordoba obtained two 1931 Esteso models in order to study them inside and out, and play them over and over. The mission was to understand the essence of what gives these iconic guitars such an amazing voice and feel, and then recreate an instrument that possesses these characteristics and carries the same magic in its DNA. The process was a combination of science and feel; the wood thicknesses of the top, backs, sides, and braces were measured to the nearest hundredth of a millimeter, bracing patterns traced and mapped, and details of the materials, inlays, wood grains, and vibrations were all carefully analyzed. The guitars were played and listened to for hours to gain an understanding of the balance between the trebles and basses, resonance of the tops, and a sense for the feel and response of each guitar when played in a variety of styles and environments. Cordoba then partnered with Francisco Navarro Garcia, who is building each Esteso model with a small team of only a few builders, using traditional Spanish techniques in an old world-style workshop in Paracho, Mexico.

Top Solid European spruce

Back & Sides Solid Palo Escrito

Binding/Bridge Flamed Maple binding/Rosewood bridge

Purfling/lnlay All wood rope pattern purfling

Rosette 1931 Domingo Esteso rosette

Finish Nitrocellulose

Neck/Fingerboard Spanish Cedar neck/ Ebony fingerboard

Truss Rod Two-Way Adjustable, 4mm

Scale Length 650mm

Nut Width 52mm

Fret Marker Inlays 5,7,9

Nut/Saddle Bone

Number of Frets 19

Bracing/Build 1931 Esteso 5 fan bracing

Body Width & Length 266.7 mm upper bout/ 349.25 mm lower bout/ 482.6 mm body length

Overall Length 977.90 mm (38 1/2") total length

Body Depth 95.25 mm at upper bout/ 98.43 mm at lower bout

Tuning Machines Cordoba Master Series Tuning Machines - Ivoroid