I really want to try guitar. Should I get a "guitarlele" or a parlor guitar or something comparable? Nothing exotic please!

How do you like that model. I have been eyeballing it for a while now. I like the longer scale of the Mini II, it would be much better suited to E - E tuning then the regular mini which is 20".
We like it quite a lot. I'm coming from a tenor ukulele as my largest, Mom is coming from a full sized Gurian acoustic. We both really enjoy playing it. I mean, it is what it is: an inexpensive instrument. But it's enjoyable. If you need a higher quality sound, this is not for you.
 
My Cordoba Mini had EADGBE standard. The store also had sets of ADGCEA.

Regular classical guitar strings in hard or extra hard (to compensate for the short 20-23” scale) work well, and offer more choices. Classical strings are more durable if, like me, you find the stock strings to be fragile.

Cheers
 
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I ordered the padauk one from sweetwater. Sweetwater doesn't offer a gig bag or anything else, just the guitar. I believe it's tuned E-E with hard tension strings. I did try to find a mini M but everywhere I looked said "not available". Going to be interesting at the very least!

Congrats on the Mini II. It's a very easy-playing instrument, and it sounds pretty good too. Sweetwater does sell gig bags for them; I bought one (actually I bought 2, but the second wasn't Cordoba). Look for Cordoba 3/4 or 1/2 gig bag; then in the description, there'll be a "Mini II" fit message.
 
I was just about to put in some practice time on my classical guitar; but, thanks to this thread, I decided to practice on the Mini II instead.



A bit rough (my music, not the Mini II) overall as I'm still learning this piece; hopefully, by month's end it'll sound better.

For folks who are doing self-teaching in classical guitar, check out https://www.classicalguitardelcamp.com/ It's entirely free (including the lesson materials and the end-of-year exams). You play monthly assignments (usually around 3 pieces) and get feedback.
 
I actually just received the cordoba mini ii! I l unboxed it, let it rest and come to room temperature from chilly outside and just tuned it E-E. Strings EAD are wound, rest are nylon. Thinking I should change the strings- can I do all nylon? What do you guys recommend? It's a bit buzzy; I'm hoping that's because my finger placement isn't proper. Flat fretboard; fret ends quite sharp; meh materials but construction seems pretty good (thanks @Baz for teaching us what to look for!).
Tried a couple chords via youtube; funny I couldn't figure out where to put my fingers to try a bit of simple fingerstyle! Managed to get a "ppmipp" pattern! My brain is going to hurt for a while trying to learn all the new and extra sounds...
I'm gonna go snuggle with my little Ohana soprano...."there's no place like home...there's no place like home...(ukulele that is).
 
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No I don't think it can run unwound strings. If buzzing is a problem then loosen truss rod to increase neck relief. IIRC it's an 4mm Allen key. Maybe 3mm
 
My Cordoba Mini had EADGBE standard. The store also had sets of ADGCEA.

Regular classical guitar strings in hard or extra hard (to compensate for the short 20-23” scale) work well, and offer more choices. Classical strings are more durable if, like me, you find the stock strings to be fragile.

Chee

No I don't think it can run unwound strings. If buzzing is a problem then loosen truss rod to increase neck relief. IIRC it's an 4mm Allen key. Maybe 3mm
Ah thanks, I figured that would be the case since it shipped half-n-half. How do I know what to look or hear for loosening the truss rod? I don't have any sort of measuring device for something like that. Where do I measure that 3mm at the nut? 12th fret?
 
If you want to try a guitar maybe check out your local public library. Many libraries nowadays also have guitars, ukuleles, and other instruments that one can sign out. Also, I don't think that a guilele will give you the experience you are looking for as the size of the guitar is one of its features.
 
Ah thanks, I figured that would be the case since it shipped half-n-half. How do I know what to look or hear for loosening the truss rod? I don't have any sort of measuring device for something like that. Where do I measure that 3mm at the nut? 12th fret?
I believe the 3mm referred to an estimate of the size of the Allen Key. Cordoba usually provides one with your Mini II.
Before you go tweaking on your truss rod, give it a few days to get used to your house. After that, there are videos on YouTube about adjusting an acoustic guitar.

Because the neck is wider than an ukulele neck, some chords will require a greater stretching of your fingers--and it's easy to touch (deaden) a string you don't want to touch. Be cautious that this is not what is happening before you look to the instrument.

I'm sorry to read that you found the materials to be "meh". That padauk and turquoise sounded pretty nice in the description.
 
You're maybe not interested in classical guitar at all, but I've been using the first 6 studies of Sor's Opus 60 to learn to play a little. I like Bradford Werner's approach, and I think I downloaded the first six in notation & tab for free somewhere. The reason I started with these is because the Graded Repertoire for Classical Ukulele Grade 1 has the first three studies transposed for uke, so I was curious to try them the way they were intended to be played (although, lol, I don't play them the way they're intended to be played, I'm nowhere near competent enough yet).

I mean, there's a ton of stuff on the interwebs, you do you, I'm just sharing what I started with on the Mini II :)
 
I believe the 3mm referred to an estimate of the size of the Allen Key. Cordoba usually provides one with your Mini II.
Before you go tweaking on your truss rod, give it a few days to get used to your house. After that, there are videos on YouTube about adjusting an acoustic guitar.

Because the neck is wider than an ukulele neck, some chords will require a greater stretching of your fingers--and it's easy to touch (deaden) a string you don't want to touch. Be cautious that this is not what is happening before you look to the instrument.

I'm sorry to read that you found the materials to be "meh". That padauk and turquoise sounded pretty nice in the description.
Ah yes the allen wrench is 3mm...my mistake, thanks for pointing that out. The "meh" materials compared to my solid wood Millar concert and aNuenue amm3 so maybe I'm being a bit harsh; it's a nice little budget guitar...
 
You're maybe not interested in classical guitar at all, but I've been using the first 6 studies of Sor's Opus 60 to learn to play a little. I like Bradford Werner's approach, and I think I downloaded the first six in notation & tab for free somewhere. The reason I started with these is because the Graded Repertoire for Classical Ukulele Grade 1 has the first three studies transposed for uke, so I was curious to try them the way they were intended to be played (although, lol, I don't play them the way they're intended to be played, I'm nowhere near competent enough yet).

I mean, there's a ton of stuff on the interwebs, you do you, I'm just sharing what I started with on the Mini II :)
Actually that's right up my street, both uke and guitar wise.
 
It's a bit buzzy; I'm hoping that's because my finger placement isn't proper.

A few things to check to see if the buzzing is because it needs adjustment or is a defect:

1. Check for square and even fretboard:
  • A spiral twist or kink would be an unacceptable defect
  • Look down the fretboard from the nut end to check that it is square and even from side to side and end to end
  • Check that the fretboard is not humped or dipped along its length (a very slight gentle curve is normal to accommodate string vibration, and is adjusted via truss rod)

2a. Locate any buzzes by ear:
  • Play each note on every string to find any buzzes
  • Overpluck a wee bit to see if the string slaps onto a particular fret
  • Buzz at zero fret (the nut) means the contact edge of the nut slot is too low. Confirm if the buzz stops by ‘raising’ the slot by inserting snippets of string material under that string and plucking
  • Buzz at any fret means string contact with a fret further up that string. Watch and listen to see if the contact point is apparent
  • Keep going up that string to see if the buzz is consistent or stops further up the string
  • Check if the buzz is caused by a high fret by rocking a short straight edge across three frets at a time. Rocking indicates a high fret. A fresh credit card edge ought to work (a guitar tech would use a small metal tool available in the parts and repair section of the music store).

2b. Adjustments:
  • Buzz at the nut indicates that the slot needs to be filled and recut. (the bone nut on one of my guitars shrank over a couple years and needed work)
  • Buzzing without rocking indicates the fretboard needs more curvature to allow string vibration. Curvature is adjusted using the truss rod key (note: some necks will change curvature between humid weather and low humidity winter heating season)
  • Buzz and rocking at a specific fret indicates that a high fret needs filing and dressing.
  • A music store ‘setup’ is the procedure to find and fix these issues. Also to adjust the overall string height to suit player preferences. And find/fix intonation going up the fretboard.

3. Fret hand:
  • If no fretboard issues are found it’s likely fretting technique
  • Improve technique bit by bit.
  • Don’t get frazzled trying to fix everything all at once. Over a week or so your ear will coach your fingers on what sounds best
  • More strings and a wide fretboard means that the fret hand needs to reach around more to keep fingertips vertical. A coaching session with a classical guitar player or teacher might be helpful.
  • Place fingers as close to the frets as practical and comfortable
  • Instead of over squeezing, tug a bit with fingertips towards your chest.

fret ends quite sharp;


Cheers
 
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meh materials but construction seems pretty good (thanks @Baz for teaching us what to look for!).

Yup. My Cordoba Mini gave me my money’s worth for a few months when learning to play strumming weekly with ukulele groups. Got a better quality baritone to play with ukulele groups, and better guitars for sessions with big dawgs. Poor thing gets no play time and will be gifted to a ukulele buddy interested in exploring six string world.


Tried a couple chords via youtube; funny I couldn't figure out where to put my fingers to try a bit of simple fingerstyle!

Search the internet for a chart of guitar chords that have numbers to show which fret finger goes where.

It’s useful to have a printed and laminated version to bring in the guitar case for quick reference

My favourite available at music stores is from Skeptical Guitarist. The front page is organized by chord families and the other pages have the usual alphabetic jumble of common and fancier chord shapes.


Managed to get a "ppmipp" pattern!

I suggest that guitars sound best played like a guitars. Choose the styles you like:

Basic accompaniment:

Counter melodies and triad solos:



- Revisit basic strumming patterns to take advantage of the extra strings allowing distinct bass lines and treble strums:

Overview:

Step by step video series:



- Revisit finger style patterns or flat picking patterns


- Revisit Travis picking which is a popular foundation technique
https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=PEUemUTEYV8



- Explore classical guitar pieces
 
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Oh amazing thank you! Surprisingly today I was gifted one of my father's old acoustics he kept in the kitchen to play in the evening. It's an old NorMa parlor guitar, model #FG39. It has steel strings and I just tuned it E-E. I'm going to give it a good cleaning with some new strings. The neck is surprisingly narrow at the nut; looking forward to further exploring guitar.
 
Excellent news. I’m very fond of nicely aged 1960s guitars. Am smitten by a basic Harmony that a ukulele buddy asked to be restrung and adjusted. She won’t sell it to me because of sentimental value.

The Norma brand guitars were made in the same factory as some better known mass market brands such as Stella, Harmony, Kay, Silvertone, etc.

My opinion is that Norma parlour guitar is a lot closer to our expectations of “guitar sound” compared to the Cordoba Mini II. And perhaps a bit like your comment about the difference between the aNueNue and the Aklot. YMMV.





A few videos of Norma parlour guitars:


Mass market guitars and Americana music:


Chris Hadfield astronaut and Larrivee parlour guitar:



Optional refurbishment trivia:




 
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