CORT CORE-OC SERIES
Solid Opportunity
They may look almost identical, but it’s the body woods that make all the difference for this trio – and they’re outstandingly affordable, too
Words David Mead Photography Neil Godwin
CORT CORE-OC MAHOGANY, CORE-OC SPRUCE & CORE-OC BLACKWOOD £499, £499 & £525
CONTACT 440 Distribution PHONE 01134 433145 WEB www.cortguitars.com
What You Need To Know
1
Does choice of body wood really make that much of a difference?
Yes indeed. As a random example, spruce is known for a bright, powerful response that mellows with age and can take years for it to be at its tonal peak. Cedar, on the other hand, is warm and particularly good for a softer fingerstyle technique right out of the box. The choice is yours.
2 Are these built in Indonesia like Cort’s solid electric range?
No, these guitars are built in Cort’s China-based facility. We’re told this is because the relative humidity at the China workshop is more suitable for building acoustic guitars.
3 What is it about the OM size that makes it so popular?
It’s been around since the 1920s, starting out as the 000 (the OM and 000 share the same body dimensions but their scale lengths are different). The OM is only 104mm (four inches) deep and 381mm (15 inches) wide, and this all adds up to a guitar that sits in the hands comfortably but still has a powerful, full voice.
Ina slight diversion away from our more customary ‘round-up’ review where we take similar models from different manufacturers and compare them, this time we’ve taken a trio from a single maker. Why? Because Cort’s Core-OC range shown here features instruments that are identical in terms of build and only differ in the all-solid timber used for their tops, backs and sides, and so it seems an excellent opportunity to explore the theory that different woods offer a subtle difference in tone.
Cort itself says, “These carefully crafted instruments are all-solid wood and we offer them in three tonewood options to allow you to select the exact sound that you prefer.” Which is kinda what we just said. But the company continues: “The idea behind the Core range is that Cort wanted to make an all-solid electro-cutaway at a price point a beginner could afford, but with no compromises on build quality or specification, that could be used on any stage.” All admirable stuff.