The Córdoba Esteso is a light weight, small-bodied guitar with a full size scale length, based on the designs from the incomparable Domingo Esteso, one of the most skilled flamenco guitar makers of the 20th century. It is built with either a solid European spruce or solid Canadian cedar top, paired with solid Palo Escrito back and sides. Palo escrito is a variety of rosewood, renowned for its striking figure, loud volume, and light weight.
**This Guitar is a SPECIAL ORDER Model**
Features
- Back & Sides Wood: Solid Palo Escrito
- Case: Cordoba Deluxe Humidified Archtop Wood Case (Torres/Esteso) Included Made in Mexico
- Style: Classical Nylon String
- Top Wood: Solid European Spruce
Master Series
| Body Top | Solid European Spruce |
|---|---|
| Upper Bout Width | 267mm (10 1/2″) |
| Lower Bout Width | 349mm (13 3/4″) |
| Body Depth Upper Bout | 95mm (3 3/4″) |
| Body Depth Lower Bout | 100mm (4″) |
| Body Length | 483mm (19″) |
| Overall Length | 978mm (38 1/2″) |
| Soundhole Diameter | 84mm (3 1/3″) |
| Top Bracing Pattern | 1931 Esteso 5 Fan |
| Back and Sides Wood | Solid Palo Escrito |
| Top Binding | Flamed Maple |
| Rosette | Pearloid Esteso Design |
| Top Purfling Inlay | Maple and Black Rope Pattern |
| Bridge Material | Indian Rosewood |
| Saddle Material | Bone |
| Scale Length | 650mm (25 1/2″) |
| Neck Material | Spanish Cedar |
| Fingerboard Material | Ebony |
| Nut Width | 52mm (2″) |
| Nut Material | Bone |
| Truss Rod | Dual Action |
| Truss Rod Wrench | 4mm Allen Key |
| Neck Thickness 1st Fret | 21.5mm |
| Neck Thickness 9th Fret | 25mm |
| Frets Total | 19 |
| Tuning Machines | Cordoba Master Series Matte Gold with Ivoroid Buttons |
| Neck Shape | C Shape |
| Finish | Gloss Nitrocellulose |
| Color | Natural (NAT) |
| Tap Plate | No |
| Strings | Savarez Cristal Corum High Tension 500CJ |
| Included Case | Cordoba Deluxe Humidified Archtop Wood Case – Torres/Esteso |
Due to ongoing product development efforts, specifications are subject to change without notice.
The Esteso Story
Why Esteso?
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.
Cordoba’s Approach
Córdoba embarked on designing the Córdoba Esteso by examining two authentic 1931 Esteso models from the inside out. With a goal of understanding the essence of this iconic guitar, Córdoba studied wood thickness, bracing designs, material choices, wood grains, and vibration patterns. The combination of Córdoba’s own luthiers’ expert hands, trained eyes, and intuitive ears lead to an examination that was part science and part feel. After listening to and playing these guitars for hours on end, Córdoba fully analyzed the balance, resonance and response of the Esteso to fully inform their own design choices.
Construction
The Córdoba Esteso has a more petite body shape than many full size guitars, measuring 13 ¾” at the lower bout. It has a 650mm scale length, 52mm nut width, and a comfortable classical guitar neck profile. Additional features include a Spanish cedar neck topped with an African ebony fingerboard, flamed maple binding, intricate pearloid rosette, nitrocellulose finish, and Esteso’s 5-fan bracing pattern. Córdoba’s small team of skilled luthiers has added modern refinements such as a truss rod, geared tuning machines and a breathable nitrocellulose finish to make this a guitar for contemporary players. A hardshell humidified archtop case is included.
