Cordoba Mini II review -- plays like a uke, sounds like a guitar?

[clear]

So, after much consideration about the ergos of a small guitar/large uke, I got myself a Cordoba Mini II instead of a baritone uke. (Sorry baritone, I'll get you some day; I promise.)

Overall, the build quality is just OK for the price (nothing too good or bad that stands out). The pickup sound is not good compared to my other guitars (I've recorded a sound sample in the video); the acoustic sound is surprisingly good for such a small guitar. The strings on it are hard tension; but, because of the short scale, they feel soft and slinky and very uke-like.

My main concern was the ease of adjusting to it (from uke and guitar). Turns out, adjustment was quick and painless. Playability, it was pretty good right out of the box, I didn't see any particular need for setup before making the review sound samples. Action is 3.5mm on the low-E string and 3mm on the high-E string at the 12th fret.

I thought about buying the non-electronics version ( https://www.forum.ukuleleundergroun...r-and-interested-in-a-cordoba-mini-ii.154147/ ) but I decided that I really want a built-in tuner. If you don't care for the build-in tuner, I'd go for the non-electronics version because the pickup sounds bad.

So, a quick one liner review? Maybe: Plays like a uke; sounds like a guitar.

 

[Pirate Jim]

I have the non-pickup version. Great little instrument, I've tried the all lam mahogany and have the solid spruce top - night and day in terms of difference in sound. I've put normal tension strings on mine and tuned it F# - F#, really sings there for me and I play guitar with capo on 2 fairly often anyway. My mother in law is currently borrowing it as a learner guitar, perfect for that too.

 

[Ziret]

I have the non-pickup version. Great little instrument, I've tried the all lam mahogany and have the solid spruce top - night and day in terms of difference in sound. I've put normal tension strings on mine and tuned it F# - F#, really sings there for me and I play guitar with capo on 2 fairly often anyway. My mother in law is currently borrowing it as a learner guitar, perfect for that too.

Sounds great! You’re right, though, that pickup is awful. I’ve been on the fence about one of these for a couple of years. It’s not the instrument I doubt, it’s whether I’d actually play it.

 

[clear]

It’s not the instrument I doubt, it’s whether I’d actually play it.

I don't really have UAG or GAS these days, but I'm tired of playing my soprano/concert ukuleles in the car so I started to look for something a bit different (like a small guitar or a baritone uke). However, it's surprisingly easy to play and portable that it might work well as travel guitar.

My mother in law is currently borrowing it as a learner guitar, perfect for that too.

It's definitely a good stepping stone to a regular guitar. For one thing, the strings are soft and gentle and the stretches are much smaller. The only drawback is it might promote bad posture because of its small size (just remember to sit straight); otherwise, it is great and cheap (compared to any out-of-box-playable guitar).

 

[clear]

For comparison, here're the 2 songs I played in the review on a Cordoba C9, which is a full-sizes cedar top guitar. (same recording setup as the Mini II).




Later this week, I'll make a recording of a full-sized spruce-top guitar.

 

[DownUpDave]

Congratulations I have been looking at these for a while, I am glad you are happy with yours. I was thinking about the spruce and Padua, non-pick up model. But I have a Cordoba Cadete that is a 3/4 size and really sounds good. I also have a Cordoba C10 spruce and rosewood, similar to your C9 cedar and mahogany.

 

[don_b]

I’m going to get the Mahogany one of these

 

[clear]

I’m going to get the Mahogany one of these

Cool. Come join the delcamp free online classical guitar class
https://forum.ukuleleunderground.com/index.php?threads/free-online-classical-guitar-class.152562/

This guitar fully qualifies for the class. It may not be ideal for playing classical music, but it is totally capable. In fact, the songs I played in the demo are actaully assignments from the online class.

 

[don_b]

It has been some time since I’ve owned a guitar. Do I need to be such a psychopath about humidity with this guy, as I do with for example my Kiwaya KSU1L and every other wood/laminate ukulele I’ve ever heard of? Asking because I will not have a case for a few weeks. It’s summer so the avg humidity in Buffalo is about 68% so now that I type that, I am wondering if I even need to worry at all this summer about my uke. I do not have central air or AC.

 

[clear]

Ah, here's a better (hopefully) Volt

(All recorded on a Logitech c922 webcam; for another thread's possibly interested person.)

 

[clear]

It has been some time since I’ve owned a guitar. Do I need to be such a psychopath about humidity with this guy, as I do with for example my Kiwaya KSU1L and every other wood/laminate ukulele I’ve ever heard of? Asking because I will not have a case for a few weeks. It’s summer so the avg humidity in Buffalo is about 68% so now that I type that, I am wondering if I even need to worry at all this summer about my uke. I do not have central air or AC.

Just like how you take care of uke will be perfectly fine.
After a few months with this Mini II, I still think it's a wonderful little guitar. Thanks to its normal-sized nut, it plays very muich like a regular guitar. I wouldn't mind using it for a guitar class.

 

[don_b]

Just like how you take care of uke will be perfectly fine.
After a few months with this Mini II, I still think it's a wonderful little guitar. Thanks to its normal-sized nut, it plays very muich like a regular guitar. I wouldn't mind using it for a guitar class.

I ended up selling this guitar for a mic to use with my uke, as I didn’t really play it after day 1.

 

[clear]

I thought I'd update this review.

I bought a Cordoba Mini II MH to replace the reviewed guitar (the Cordoba Mini II EB-CE) because I lost that guitar. I found the guitar useful enough as a practice tool so I bought this replacement.

Overall, the Mini II MH (all-laminate) doesn't sound as good as the EB-CE (solid-top) for chords (it's noticeable); but for single string tones, it is just as good. In hindsight, I probably should have put in some time to relearn/refresh the same songs I used in the original review/demo of the EB-CE; but I hate relearning songs that I'll never play... so here we are

After 9 months of owning the Mini II, I'm still happy with it. It's biggest advantages are: (1) it's small enough for me to play inside my car; (2) it's similar enough to a full-size guitar to make practice on it practical; and (3) it's cheap enough that should I lose it, it's no big deal.

 

[don_b]

I ended up selling this guitar for a mic to use with my uke, as I didn’t really play it after day 1.

I still need to buy a mic stand for the mic, and a cable to plug into it. I was borrowing a stand and a cable when I bought the mic. Mic getting as much use as guitar.

 

[clear]

I still need to buy a mic stand for the mic, and a cable to plug into it. I was borrowing a stand and a cable when I bought the mic. Mic getting as much use as guitar.

I really like this mic stand because it's got a compact base:
https://www.musiciansfriend.com/accessories/musicians-gear-die-cast-mic-stand

Takes up less room than the tripod stands and is very stable. They've improved the tube-to-base connection so it's now nearly impossible to snap the tube off the base. The big drawback is that it's super heavy so isn't very portable.

 

[ploverwing]

It's biggest advantages are: (1) it's small enough for me to play inside my car; (2) it's similar enough to a full-size guitar to make practice on it practical; and (3) it's cheap enough that should I lose it, it's no big deal.

That is a pretty good summary. It's more portable than a full sized guitar (obviously) without taking away the similarity of practice from a technique perspective. Mom got the Mini II Padauk (which has a solid spruce top but lam back & sides) and she really likes it for comfort and playability. It doesn't sound as good as her Gurian, but she can easily practice with it and take it around to our music classes, so it's a good one for her. Thanks for your sound sample and review!

 

[baconsalad]

People shouldn't sleep on the original Mini-M either. It's much smaller than Mini-2. Barely bigger than a baritone uke. Maybe I should put together a review. I put lots of airport and hotel hours into mine

 

[ploverwing]

Maybe I should put together a review

Please do! It'd be welcome!

 

[bazmaz]

Have a review coming on Got A Ukulele in a few weeks

 

[Neil_O]

I really like this mic stand because it's got a compact base:
https://www.musiciansfriend.com/accessories/musicians-gear-die-cast-mic-stand

Takes up less room than the tripod stands and is very stable. They've improved the tube-to-base connection so it's now nearly impossible to snap the tube off the base. The big drawback is that it's super heavy so isn't very portable.

I like a gooseneck mic stand that clips onto a desk, as I'll only use it for uke and only at home.