Core-OC Blackwood

HUGE FEATURES, TINY PRICE – A VERY SOLID DEAL… GET IT?

There was once a time when an electro-acoustic with solid back and sides for just over $1,000 would seem the stuff of guitar dreams, an ambition never to be spoken out loud. But here we are. Nevertheless, the price range this Chinamade Cort finds itself in is hotly contested with strong showings from a number of key brands, and solid woods don’t guarantee a winning formula for an acoustic. Okay, spoiler ahead: Cort has gone and delivered it here.

Our test model is the closest thing to a wildcard in this new three-model series; all solid blackwood isn’t a tonewood we see a lot of. Cort’s selling it as a best of all-world’s scenario; a combination combining the “rich low-end of mahogany, the brightness of maple and the ideal overtone of rosewood”.

That’s ambitious.

The Open Pore Light Burst Finish is deep in grain on top and rich in flame on the back, giving this guitar a warm, earthy and traditional look for a cutaway.

It’s light too, at four pounds, and the OM size is a good option for smaller players without compromising on dreadnought jack-of-all-trades performance much, as we’ll discover.

When Cort say this guitar is designed with simplicity in mind, we can’t argue, but that doesn’t mean cheap. The OC knows what it’s about and the die-cast black tuner buttons add a touch of premium class. This is not a hi-fi-sounding acoustic guitar; it’s woody, percussive and warm with great sustain. We’d say the looks reflect the tonality here and it makes for an inviting proposition.

Chords have mid muscle and single notes ring with strong projection. We actually end up preferring fingerstyle with our test OC as it offers an added sensitivity and responds really well to touch. Bass isn’t boomy, and we wouldn’t expect it from an OM, but it sits just right with the folky finesse here. Plugged in, we’re pleased with how it translates, too.

There’s plenty of low end presence, and it feels pleasingly warm and full for a piezo when tested through a Laney A1+ and Positive Grid Spark combo. The performance leaves us confident this would be a quality stage guitar, and the comfort of its satin neck will pay dividends.

So it’s another acoustic winner from Cort after last year’s impressive Little CJ. Add in the quality gig bag and we think this is a very... Solid deal.

VERDICT

The performance leaves us confident this would be a quality stage guitar and the comfort of its satin neck will pay dividends over a set.

PROS

The 112-millimetre body depth and Venetian cutaway make this an accessible electro-acoustic for the stage.

CONS

None

CONTACT

Dynamic Music

Ph: (02) 9939 1299

Web: dynamicmusic.com.au