Manuel Rodriguez Café Cortado Cw Walnut satin

The Café Cortado Series: The Spirit of Manuel Rodríguez (1905) with a Modern Approach

The Manuel Rodríguez Café Cortado Curly Walnut Cutaway continues the legacy of a historic workshop active since 1905, while embracing a very contemporary direction. It retains the hallmarks of a refined classical guitar (acoustic balance, true Spanish heel, coherent wood choices), but serves a more versatile use: cutaway to explore the upper neck, ergonomic heel for increased comfort, and built-in electronics to transition seamlessly from home to stage without changing instruments.

Within the range, this "Curly Walnut" version stands out with an elegant aesthetic and a sound character designed to remain clear, whether fingerstyle or accompaniment. The result aims for a valuable balance point: a guitar that maintains the touch and sensitivity of a classical while offering the reliability and adjustments expected by musicians who play amplified.

A Classical Guitar for Playing Seated, Standing, and Amplified with Confidence

This guitar is primarily intended for intermediate to advanced guitarists seeking an expressive, comfortable classical guitar capable of keeping up with a true rhythm of rehearsals, lessons, recordings, and concerts. The cutaway and asymmetrical heel provide a tangible advantage whenever your playing moves above the 12th fret, whether for themes, cadences, modern arrangements, or solo repertoire.

In terms of styles, it performs well in contemporary classical, bossa nova, Latin repertoires, acoustic pop, and fingerstyle on nylon strings, where attack definition and dynamic control make all the difference. Plugged in, it becomes a solid partner: you retain the identity of a classical guitar while benefiting from simple tools to adapt your sound to the venue, PA system, or stage monitor.

Sound Signature: Clarity of Spruce, Warmth of Cedar, and Balance of Walnut

The solid spruce top delivers a quick response and excellent clarity: notes "speak" quickly, attacks remain crisp, and arpeggios maintain precise articulation even when playing becomes denser. This choice is particularly appreciated for finger dynamics, where every nuance of the right hand is clearly conveyed, from pianissimo to stronger playing.

The solid cedar center strip complements this clarity with a rounder, more singing sensation in the midrange. It adds presence and a sense of continuity in the note, useful for bringing out a melody above accompaniment or giving body to solo phrases. Overall, it favors an expressive sound with a beautiful palette of colors depending on the attack.

The laminated walnut back and sides prioritize stability and overall balance. Walnut helps maintain a clean and clear spectrum, with sustained bass and defined treble without harshness. Practically, this results in a guitar that is easy to place in a mix and pleasant for both recording and stage, as the projection remains structured.

When amplified, the Solidflex pickup at the bridge aims for responsive capture, with good attack tracking and exploitable dynamics. The ARTEC SQ-3 preamp provides the essentials to shape your sound: volume, 3-band EQ, and Phase Reverse to better control resonances depending on the room, volume, and speaker position. The built-in tuner, which mutes the output signal when active, is a real convenience for clean tuning between songs.

Recommended Compatible Accessories

To fully enjoy the electronics, a good quality 6.35 mm jack cable is recommended. For regular maintenance and to maintain consistent response, a set of nylon strings for classical guitar 4/4 with a 650 mm scale length is suitable, favoring high tension if you seek more sustain, projection, and a firmer attack.

Technical specifications

Type	electro-acoustic classical guitar	Bridge	Indian rosewood
Size	4/4	Nut	vintage bone (off-white and oiled)
Cutaway	cutaway	Saddle / inlay	vintage bone (off-white and oiled), compensated saddle
Top	solid spruce with solid cedar center strip	Machine heads	gold-plated, black shafts and ebony-style buttons
Rosette	MR bass side, laser-cut	Armrest	GEWA
Additional rosette	"Monitor" on the side	Strap	included, black Prestige leather strap with gold GEWA Security Locks
Rosette mosaic	wood	Preamp	ARTEC SQ-3 (Manuel Rodríguez specific), 3-band equalizer
Back and sides	heavily grained laminated walnut	Pickup	Solidflex bridge pickup (flexible + piezo power type)
Body depth	93-98 mm / 3.66-3.86"	Controls	volume, bass (100 Hz), mid (800 Hz), treble (4 kHz)
Bindings	genuine wood body binding, multi-part top purfling, maple purfling on back and sides	Switch	Phase Reverse (anti-feedback)
Joint	true Spanish heel	Tuner	built-in, mutes output signal (operates even without jack inserted)
Neck	mahogany	Note	tuner does not turn off automatically
Fingerboard	rosewood	Finish	eco-friendly water-based varnish, microporous, satin
Frets	24	Strings	Hannabach 815HTC Silver Special, CARBON trebles, high tension, made in Germany
Heel	asymmetrical and ergonomic for easier access to high positions	Weight	approximately 1.85 kg
Scale length	650 mm / 25.6"	Manufacture	Europe
Nut width	52 mm / 2.05"	Case	GEWA PRESTIGE ARCHED, brown, wooden structure, arched lid, antique brass lock