Cordoba’s 20TM-CE tenor ukulele is a versatile instrument that features a built-in pickup for the option of playing with an amp.
Written by Jay Searle / Published January 12, 2024
Last updated: February 23, 2024
The 20TM-CE, one of Cordoba’s flagship semi-acoustic tenor ukuleles, celebrated its 11th birthday this year. It’s among the few instruments that has remained relevant and competitive for over a decade, all thanks to its superb specs and a decently affordable price tag.
In our review we’ll cover its draws, flaws, specs, reasons why it’s so popular, and comparisons with contemporary alternatives.
Cordoba 20TM-CE Tenor Ukulele – REVIEW Summary
A versatile tenor ukulele that is not only functional, but sounds fantastic. The price is a bit higher than entry-level, but the 20TM-CE is highly competitive amongst other similar ukuleles.
Cordoba 20TM-CE Review
Specs
| TYPE: | Tenor |
| CONSTRUCTION: | Solid |
| TOP: | Mahogany |
| BACK & SIDES: | Mahogany |
| NECK: | Mahogany |
| FRETBOARD: | Rosewood |
| SCALE LENGTH: | 17″ |
| ELECTRONICS: | Cordoba UK 200q dual-band active Piezo pickup |
| FRETS: | 18 |
Tonewoods – The 20TM-CE Is A Warm Sounding Ukulele
Mahogany is the uncontested tonewood of choice for all standard-sized ukuleles at lower price points. It’s not just that it’s cheap, but it’s fairly easy to work with, readily available, and makes the naturally warm-sounding ukuleles sound even warmer. This is the case with this Cordoba tenor uke as well, which features a laminated body construction with a solid top.
The top, back, sides, and neck of the 20TM-CE all feature high-quality mahogany. The only part that is made of a different tonewood is the fretboard, which is rosewood.
Overall, Cordoba used the tried & tested recipe and spiced it up with quality craftsmanship (great build quality despite being manufactured in China), laying the groundwork for excellent tone and playability.
Sound – Rich, Warm Mahogany Tones… To Be Expected
The 20TM-CE has a rich and balanced sound thanks to its complementary rosewood and mahogany construction. The solid top produces warm, resonant tones with a good amount of sustain and a prominent mid-range, giving this tenor a fuller sound to what you could expect from smaller bodied ukuleles like concerts and sopranos.
It lacks a little bit of punch volume-wise, but that’s where having an active pickup has its advantages. Simply plug it into an amp if you’re looking to stand out when playing in an ensemble or just practicing in a larger room.
The rosewood fretboard is fairly common among instruments in this price range, but it definitely helps in providing the 20TM-CE with a more robust, discernible sound.
Playability – A Great Uke That Feels Good In The Hands
A decent factory setup, good action height and larger frets are just some of the many reasons why the 20TM-CE tenor ukulele feels amazing to play.
Let’s start with the frets. They’re polished, slightly larger than average, and spaced perfectly for a tenor-sized uke. Beginners shouldn’t have any issues getting accustomed to this setup while acoustic guitar players coming over to the uke world shouldn’t feel considerably different playing this tenor (save for the lack of two strings).
The large C-shaped neck is quite ordinary, but it perfectly complements the larger frets, allowing the player to more flexibly position their fingers when playing.
The weight of the body may put some people off who are used to playing acoustic ukuleles that don’t have all the electronics that are in this one. Once you add in the battery, the uke will feel a bit heavier, but is balanced enough to feel comfortable when playing.
Our only complaint would be with the open-geared tuning pegs on the headstock, which feel a little bit ‘flimsy’. For a uke of this price a nicer set of tuning pegs would have been desirable but I suspect most of that went into the electronics instead.
All things considered though, this ukulele is widely considered among the most beginner-friendly tenors in the contemporary market.
Intonation – The 20TM-CE Is Pretty Well Setup, Straight Out Of The Box
Good, reliable intonation is a prerequisite for a consistent, comfortable playing experience. Fortunately, Cordoba ensured that its 20TM-CE meets that criteria, so you won’t have to deal with flappy strings falling out of tune unless you considerably change the setup on your own accord.
A good setup, adequate scale length, and the complimentary pack of Aquila Nylgut 10U strings all contribute to the stability of the intonation of this tenor ukulele.
Electronics – Quality Electronics From Cordoba Give This Uke A Boost
We mentioned that the Cordoba 20TM-CE is a semi-acoustic tenor ukulele, which means that it’s equipped with an electronic pickup that allows you to plug it into an amp.
The specific pickup in question is Cordoba’s proprietary UK2000q dual-band active Piezo pickup.
It’s a surprisingly good pickup considering the fact that the whole uke doesn’t cost too much. It operates on 9 volts, features a standard response range spanning from 20 Hz to 20 kHz, and rocks simple controls that allow you to adjust its lows and treble by up to 12 decibels (both ways).
Overall – A Versatile, Well-Rounded Tenor Ukulele
Cordoba’s 20TM CE tenor ukulele checks all the boxes of a beautiful, functional, durable, and versatile tenor ukulele. That’s hardly a feat similarly-priced alternatives can boast about, and the reason we believe it deserves a solid 4.5 out of 5 score.
Even though this ukulele sits at the higher margin of the entry-level price point category, it overshadows ukes of the same size and relatively similar price tags by a long stretch.
Cordoba 20TM-CE Tenor Ukulele Alternatives
We know that tastes and preferences are subjective, so we’d like to offer you a few alternative recommendations that might scratch the same itch as the 20TM-CE.
- Cordoba 30T Tenor Ukulele – The fully-acoustic sibling of the 20TM-CE, Cordoba’s 30T Tenor has largely the same features, is made of the same tonewoods, and generally boasts a similar level of performance. It brings a few upgrades to the table, such as the improved TUSQ nut, grover tuners, and a different set of strings, albeit at a steeper price tag.
- Cordoba 15TM Tenor Ukulele – A watered-down alternative to 20TM CE with almost identical specs. The Cordoba 15TM Tenor is considerably cheaper but can’t offer the well-rounded performance of the upgraded model.
- Kala Teak Tri-top Tenor Ukulele – The Kala Teak Tri-top is a cheaper semi-acoustic alternative from a different, albeit well known, ukulele brand. Boasting meranti and nandu tonewoods, a smaller scale length, and MET-A20 electronics, it’s a different beast to the 20TM-CE but has what it takes to compete with Cordoba’s tenor ukes.
- Martin T1K Tenor Ukulele – Martin’s T1k tenor ukulele is a pure-koa uke with premium nickel-plated hardware, a gorgeous satin finish, and a built-to-last hardwood neck. This is easily one of the best tenor ukuleles on the market, but it costs more than twice as much compared to Cordoba’s 20TM CE.
Conclusion
Cordoba has created an amazing instrument through and through, with each of its features setting an example of what other brands should be doing with their tenors. A good tone, intonation, and simple aesthetics are just the tip of the iceberg of what the Cordoba 20TM-CE tenor ukulele has to offer, and we warmly recommend it to any player looking for a high-quality ukulele.
Jay Searle
Website Founder & WriterJay is a self-professed music nerd and ukulele lover. When not working on the website you’ll find him strumming along to his favorite tunes, spending time with his family, or learning to play the piano.
