Review: Cordoba Stage vs. YAMAHA SLG200N

If you are:

● Looking for an easy-to-play classical guitar
● Not a fan of the hard sound commonly found in piezo pickups of acoustic-electric guitars priced under $1,000
● Wanting a guitar that produces a louder sound than an electric guitar but quieter than an acoustic guitar

Then this article is for you. Yosh, an ex-musical instrument store clerk (@Yosh_Guitar), reviews the innovative electric gut guitar, Cordoba Stage Guitar, which seems to be a unique offering in the market. The guitar is also compared with Yamaha’s Silent Guitar SLG200N, which has some overlapping use cases.

Pros of Cordoba Stage Guitar

Excellent Craftsmanship Makes Easy to Play

Designed in California, USA, and handcrafted in China. The nut, especially, is finely crafted. A slight adjustment of less than 1mm in the nut can significantly change the ease of pressing the strings. This guitar doesn’t make you feel any stress even when pressing the first fret, which is usually influenced by the nut. It also adopts a slightly slim fusion neck with a nut width of 48mm (typical classical guitars have 52mm) and a fingerboard radius of 16”. This, combined with a single cutaway and neck heel shape, allows for easy playing even in positions above the 12th fret.

Slim Body & Contoured Design for Comfort

The 38mm thick body is designed ergonomically. Not just the neck, but the body is also designed to be friendly to electric guitarists. The back of the body has a contour that fits the player’s body. It’s comfortable to hold whether you’re sitting or standing on stage. It also comes with strap pins installed.

Quiet Acoustic Sound for Home and Stage Playing

Despite its name “Stage Guitar”, it’s ideal for home playing. The body is made of chambered mahogany. The top has a small sound hole with the Cordoba logo. Due to the thin body, the acoustic volume feels less than half of a full-sized classical guitar. It’s recommended for any guitarist to casually play in the living room. It’s also suitable for those living in apartments or other shared spaces where noise can be a concern. That also means it is less likely to cause feedback, which of course makes it ideal for performance on stage.

Dual Pickup for Superior Sound

It uses the “Fishman Stage Pickup System” developed in collaboration with Fishman. In addition to the typical under-saddle piezo pickup, it also has a body sensor that captures the body’s vibration. Blending these two pickups produces a clear yet warm natural classical guitar sound. Even compared to typical classical guitars with only a piezo pickup, the Stage Guitar, with its slim body, produces a more pleasant sound with depth.

The controls consist of three elements: Master Volume, EQ, and Blend. The EQ, when fully dialed down, produces a flat sound. As you turn it up, it suppresses the mid-range while emphasizing the low and high frequencies, resulting in a sound that has a pronounced bass and treble emphasis. This allows for easy tonal adjustments in ensembles, such as slightly suppressing the mid-range to avoid interfering with vocals. The Blend knob, when turned fully counter-clockwise, produces a crisp sound solely from the piezo pickup. Turning it clockwise introduces a dynamic and rich warm tone from the body sensor pickup. Given its slim body, the guitar is naturally resistant to feedback. However, if feedback occurs, it can be mitigated by dialing down the Blend knob.

Rather than a traditional classical guitar tone, it offers a sound that’s reminiscent of the percussive character found in Bossa Nova and Flamenco. It’s a tone that might appeal to jazz players, as well as next-generation players like those in Polyphia.

Durable and Eco-friendly Gig Bag

Cordoba has been committed to environmental conservation since 2020. Their new gig bag design is made from durable recycled nylon. This nylon fabric is blended from collected waste, such as microplastics and discarded fishing nets.

Furthermore, the quality is exceptional. Equipped with a padded handle and strap, it’s convenient for carrying, whether you prefer to sling it over your shoulder or holding it by hand. On the front of the case, there’s a large pocket suitable for storing sheet music or cables, in addition to smaller pockets handy for items like tuners and picks. The interior cushioning is also on the thicker side, helping to protect the guitar from impacts.

Cons of Cordoba Stage Guitar

Body Hit Sound is Less Noticeable Except Near the Bridge

The transducer pickup, which outputs rich bass, is mounted near the bridge. When you tap the top plate, it picks up the sound well near the bridge but not much towards the neck side. This might make it less suitable for flamenco guitarists.

Some Finish Inconsistencies

There are some inconsistencies in the paint job. The body top’s flame maple grain, gold x black parts, and glossy finish give it a luxurious look. However, if you run your hand over it or examine it closely under light, you may be able to notice some unevenness in the paint job. This is acceptable for a guitar in this price range. It is a degree of difficulty to capture in a photograph, and not all products are like that.

There were reviews from overseas mentioning that the frets lacked proper polishing. However, it seems that a bit of polishing can make it look pristine. The one I tried out didn’t have such issues, so it might be due to individual differences, or perhaps the Japanese distributor (Kikutani Music) conducts thorough quality checks. In any case, these are not issues that would cause significant concern.

Comparison with YAMAHA Silent Guitar

Specification	Cordoba Stage	YAMAHA SLG200N
Market Price	$749	$749.99
Top	Solid Spruce + Flame Maple Veneer	None
Body	Chambered Mahogany	Frame
Neck	Mahogany	Mahogany
Neck Finish	Gloss Finish	Satin Finish (No Gloss)
Fretboard	Pau Ferro	Rosewood
Scale	650mm (25.6″)	650mm (25.6″)
Nut Width	48mm (1 7/8″)	50mm (1 31/32”)
Total Length	997mm (39 1/4″)	970mm (38 3/16″)
Body Thickness	38mm (1 1/2″)	87mm (3 7/16″)
Body Width	352mm (13 7/8″)	356mm (14”)
Frets	22	19
Pickup	Fishman Stage Pickup System	YAMAHA SRT Powered Pickup System
Controls	Master Volume, EQ, Blend	Volume Control, AUX Control, Bass Control, Treble Control, Effects (REVERB1/REVERB2/CHORUS), Chromatic Tuner, Blend Control
Power Source	9V Battery	AA Battery or Power Adapter
Weight	Around 2.3kg	Around 2.1kg

The Cordoba Stage Guitar and YAMAHA SLG200N have similar concepts and price points. Both have:

• Quiet acoustic sound
• Slim body thickness
• Resistance to feedback on stage
• Superior line sound
• Truss rod for neck adjustment

However, each has its unique features.

Advantages of YAMAHA SLG200N:

• Even quieter acoustic sound
• Direct headphone connection
• Compact for transport when disassembled
• Built-in effects and tuner
• SRT-powered pickup system for a refined sound

The YAMAHA SLG200N is even quieter than the Cordoba Stage Guitar, and the fact that headphones can be plugged directly into the guitar body makes it appealing if your main goal is to play quietly by yourself. On the flip side, the sound is so quiet that you might not feel motivated to play unless it’s connected to headphones or an amp.

The body frame can be detached on one side, making it quite compact for transport in its dedicated case. In addition to the piezo, there’s the “SRT Powered Pickup System” that mixes in sound recorded with a microphone in a studio. This system also overcomes the weaknesses of the piezo, adding resonance and a sense of airiness. The sound doesn’t have that “line-out” feel, but it’s more of a refined sound rather than a natural one.

One concern is the slightly thick neck shape and the slightly high string action due to its price. Especially for electric guitarists, it might feel a bit hard to play.

YAMAHA SLG200N is recommended for:

• Those who want to practice the guitar without disturbing neighbors or family members in shared living spaces.
• Those who want to use a line recording of a classical guitar sound that sounds like it was recorded with a microphone.
• Those who have trouble with feedback when using an acoustic-electric guitar in a band setting.

YAMAHA SLG200 Silent Guitar Review: How to Choose & FAQ

Advantages of Cordoba Stage Guitar:

• Lower string action for easier fretting
• Neutral neck shape
• Narrower nut width suitable for electric and acoustic guitarists
• Genuine mic sound

Compared to YAMAHA’s Silent Guitar, the area where it overwhelmingly excels is its “playability.” Due to the high precision of the nut saddle resulting in low string action and a neutral neck shape, many people will likely find the Cordoba Stage Guitar easier to play.

With a pickup system that combines a body sensor, it brilliantly overcomes the weaknesses of the piezo pickup, achieving a natural sound reminiscent of an acoustic guitar. While the controls are minimal, they hit the right spots, producing an easy-to-handle nylon string sound. In this video, you can hear the sound of just the piezo, the transducer mix, and the EQ control.

While you can’t directly connect headphones to the guitar body like the YAMAHA SLG200N, the natural sound is at a moderate volume, so it’s probably unnecessary. Of course, if you connect it to an amplifier, you can play with a richer sound. While it’s not uncommon for electro-acoustic guitars with preamps to have built-in tuners, it’s unfortunate that the Stage Guitar doesn’t have one.

The Cordoba Stage Guitar is recommended for those who usually play electric or acoustic guitars and want to add the sound of nylon strings. It offers comfort in terms of string action, holding, and sound creation. It’s an unparalleled electric gut guitar for under $1,000. Its volume and playability make it ideal for casual strumming in the living room or bedroom.

The Cordoba Stage Guitar is recommended for:

• Those who want to use a natural classical guitar sound in bands or line recordings
• Those who want a guitar that can be easily switched from electric or acoustic guitars
• Those who want a sub-guitar that can be picked up and played casually without being too loud