Winter NAMM 2019 Roundup: Cort
Cort has obviously been paying very close attention to market and guitar fashion trends and its showing at NAMM featured some very well timed introductions. Unfortunately, it chose to launch more than 30 new models, placing it firmly in the ‘too much!’ territory usually occupied by the likes of Fender and, this year, Martin, so forgive us if we skate over some of the introductions!
Among the newcomers was the KX508MS, the first multi-scale 8-string guitar from Cort, featuring Fishman Fluence pickups delivering ‘the best of both active and passive worlds’. It has a poplar burl top on a swamp ash body and Cort says its extended scale length means that the low end stays tight and punchy.
Also new is the G290FAT, very boutique looking with twin humbuckers controlled by a five way switch offering twin and single coil sounds. If something a bit more old school is called for, Cort offered the G260CS, featuring a nickel-covered humbucker in the bridge position, vintage machine heads and a roasted maple neck. This one also features a Treble Bleed circuit that prevents loss of the treble frequencies at lower volumes.
Along with Martin, Taylor and, no doubt a few others, Cort has picked up on the slope shouldered Dreadnought trend and its version will, no doubt, appeal to those for whom the other two brands are a bit too expensive! This is the Earth 100SS (Slope Shoulder), which boast a 24.75 inch scale length and certainly looks the part, complete with vintage style machine heads.
Cort actually gave pride of place among its acoustic introductions to three additions to its Gold series, the Gold P6, the Gold Mini and the Gold OC6 which all utilise Cort’s ‘Aged to Vintage’ torrefaction process to cure and open the wood. It also launched a new range of bevel-cut models. The new Bevel Cut models are the Grand Auditorium Bevel Cut in either myrtlewood or pau ferro, the Earth Bevel Cut and the Luce Bevel Cut.
Finally, Cort announced seven new basses. Headlining was the GB74Gig, which features J-style single-coil and P-style split-coil pickups. A new addition to the B4 Plus AS line-up is the ‘RM’, featuring an open pore finish body with three colours as well as roasted maple fingerboard. It come sin both four and five string versions.
The Action Series line-up has been expanded with the addition of the Action HH4, providing a two-humbucker configuration with a versatile wiring scheme to offer a variety of sounds as well as an active/passive switching option. The tone control has also been wired to be usable in the passive setting for even more tonal variety. This comes in three-colour options and again, a five string version is available.
Info: www.proel.co.uk
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Source: musicinstrumentnews.co.uk
