The Water Is Wide - a cover by Jeremy Quirk, using a Cordoba Dolce

Terry St. Clair, an iconic Central London Covent Garden musician (busker) is my inspiration for this cover I do. Terry has been playing in London now for over 40 years, mostly in Covent Garden. I saw him in 2002 and then again in 2006. Check out Terry St. Clair videos on UA-cam, also. Hope to see him perform again in London in 2023.
My cover here of this song, an old English folk song, was recorded on Monday, January 23, 2023 using my iPad Pro 2021. Need to get a professional mic, for sure. I’m playing a Cordoba Dolce, a 7/8 classical guitar. I only play folk songs on it, no classical music.
I apologize for mistakes, which I practice just for my listening and viewing audience (all 7 of you).

[@jessicandothings]

This is so lovely

[@joq702]

Thank you kindly. Never know if people like my rendition. I am trying to get better each month with my playing and singing.

[@bethl6918]

Very nice 😊

[@joq702]

Thanks for your kind words.

[@lindamorgan2678]

OK kinda shocked here.. Was searching for a info on a Giannini AWN20 found your comment in a forum or something and you directed to a link on your guitar excellent BTW and now I check your site out and WOW can you sing was not expecting it for some reason.,, Kinda jaw dropping. Very pretty tune and the guitar is beautiful and matches it well. You are like me with guitars, I got rid of my S&P also for the "tinny sound" too bright, but most are too me the trebles are irritating at times. Came across a nice ladder braced Harmony all solid mahogany late 50's 00 size H162 with a big neck and wide fretboard and fell in love with it instantly. So good bye to at least 20 steel string I had picked up. Have you tried the old yamaha dynamics ? they take extra light steel or nylon, they are great also. I understand Suzuki made them for Yamaha when they first came out. I have one of those dynamic style Suzuki's 1964 and I will never sell it either, not for strumming at all they sound horrible but for picking soo sweet. I like the nylon for folk like you do also and hey so does Willy Nelson. Thanks so much for sharing and seriously wonderful job on that lovely song. All the best to you.

[@joq702]

@lindamorgan2678 thanks so much. I will be posting a video on my 1920s/1930s Oahu guitar I restored. It is definitely, to me, my best sounding guitar I have owned. I have not owned a Martin, and we only have a Taylor mini, but my goodness, the Oahu, a 0018 size, parlor, resonates for a long time and projects. Look for it in the next few days.

[@greedypoet]

Nice rendition. I just bought a Cordoba Dolce 7/8 online today. How do you like it?

[@joq702]

It is an excellent guitar for the money for a few reasons. One, the guitar is sized right for smaller adults who want a comfortable classical guitar to play a folk guitar genre of music. The body size and especially the nut width is better suited for my small hands. I had a Giannini which was even better in the width size, 48mm versus 50mm here. Two, the quality of the build is excellent. Love the simplicity yet elegant finish, classy headstock with the preferred three rectangular inlays at the top. I also like the tone. It does take some getting used to and string choice is going to make some difference. I am going to try normal tension my next set. I like the bass end. It is so boomy. The b string on mine tends to be the string that sounds off sometimes and I tune, dial that string in more than the others. A higher or more exacting tuners would be a plus but I cannot see Cordoba changing at this level.
It is really difficult to find a 7/8 body with such nice qualities. If you had considered other brands and models, let me know also.
I bought mine new in 2021 for just over $325 to my door.

[@greedypoet]

Thanks for the detailed info. I’ve had a standard size classical guitar since the early 80s, but it needs a neck reset. I purchased a Yamaha NTX5 a couple months ago to replace it, but I didn’t care for it. The thinner body didn’t produce the classic nylon string sound, and there was some annoying string buzz. After reading a couple reviews on the Cordoba Dolce, I thought I’d give it a try. I can return it if it doesn’t work out, but I certainly like what I hear. I like the idea of the slightly shorter scale and a tad smaller neck, too, since I have smaller hands.

[@joq702]

@@greedypoet How did it suit you? The strings on mine need to be changed and I am always interested in what other people put on this guitar. I do not like the last set which was Savarez as opposed to D’Addario.