ALVAREZ CC7CE Cadiz Concert Classical Acoustic Electric w/Cutaway & Soundhole Controls (d)

Our journey in developing Cádiz Series took us to Spain’s southernmost province, Andalucía, the home of the Classical guitar. Before embarking on R&D, we wanted to learn more about the history, the music and the construction of these amazing instruments.

We started in the small hilltop town of Vejer de la Frontera, just south of the city of Cádiz where we met, talked and worked with local luthiers and players in the Cádiz area. Over the coming months, we studied four different construction styles and bracing systems and went to work building samples in our factory based on designs and guitars we made in Spain.

The result of our travels and work is something we believe is very special and we’re proud to introduce Cádiz Series.

Cádiz offers responsive and engaging nylon string guitars of a quality and playability players adore. Everything about these guitars is considered and chosen. They are a new shape, different to Classicals we have made in the past—slightly taller, slightly narrower, more elegant. The soundbox is more lightly built; the tops are graduated and each brace is custom cut and sanded with four varying widths in total.

The bracing design gives a nod to that of Jose Ramirez III’s asymmetric architecture in the guitars’ treble bar. This is to stiffen up the treble side of the top which helps create round, bell-like trebles on our first three strings. We keep the bass side of the top light by using slightly thinner braces, giving the player open, clear and strong bass response.

To make the guitars as responsive as we could, we keep them as light in construction as possible while still staying true to traditional design, so in the standard models there are no trussrods. Our necks are three-piece and a solid Ebony center rod gives us the strength and lightness we need. Our Hybrid models do have a trussrod to allow for relief to be adjusted on the radiused fingerboards. Cádiz models are also made with a Spanish heel neck joint.

Ramirez and other great luthiers also influenced us when it came to choosing our scale length. The Cádiz scale length is longer than the standard 650mm (25.6”) you will find on many classical guitars. At 660mm (26”) our scale length raises the tension just a little and helps deliver more energy into the soundbox for us to harness and shape.

Other fine appointments include the use of traditional Cypress wood for our Flamenco model back and sides, which is paired with ebony binding. Our classical models are stunning with dark Walnut back and sides and Acacia binding. We use AA Sitka tops on all Cádiz models. Saddle and nut are real bone, rosettes are wood mosaic and bridges and fingerboards are Pau Ferro. It is fitted with the fantastic LR Baggs StagePro EQ and Element Pickup.

We believe Cádiz will engage every player, from a seasoned professional to players looking for different tones from an engaging nylon string guitar. We hope they will create an intimacy between you and the instrument, and as always we have done all we could to make beautifully designed instruments as affordable as possible.

CC7CE