Cort basses: Action, Artisan, B5 – what’s the difference?
I don’t know about you, but in my perception, the phrase Cort bass guitar has undergone a series of metamorphosis. About 15 years ago, I squeaked and perceived the Cort as something Chinese for those who are too lazy to look into eBay and order bass from Japan. Now, I take Cort as an example for many people.
But indeed, thanks to technological advances, mass production is no longer disposable. The consumer culture itself has changed, aspiring musicians no longer want nameless misfits and aren’t willing to suffer at the start. Therefore, many manufacturers are still finding a balance between price and quality, creating entry-level but decent quality bass guitars. Also check Sire Marcus Milles basses.
Where are Cort bass guitars made?
Cort bass and electric guitars are made in Indonesia, while acoustic instruments are mostly made in China. The company is headquartered in South Korea.
In general, the history of the Cort brand began in the 1960s, so the company has accumulated vast experience in manufacturing. Cort makes over a million guitars and basses a year. That’s a huge number, and I think only Yamaha makes more.
And what you probably didnot know is that in addition to their own brand, Cort also made instruments for Ibanez, Squire by Fender, Schecter.
Indonesian production is the most modern, which allows the company to cooperate with such famous brands. Also, each instrument undergoes quality control at least 10 times at various stages of production, which is not very common for inexpensive instruments. They are usually checked only at the final stage.
Cort bass guitar lineup
Cort really does have several lines, and this is not just for beauty’s sake. Cort bass guitars really differ in their functionality. And by the way, by price, too. At the moment of writing this article, Cort GB64JJ starts from 402€, while the top models of Cort Rithimic are already priced around 880€.
I will try to consider the main series of Cort bass guitars.
Cort Action
These are some of the most budget Cort bass guitars. Entry -level instruments, but quite normal quality. There are variants marked HH – they have two humbuckers on board. Pay attention to the bass guitars marked Junior – these instruments with a shortened bore! The reviews of these instruments are quite positive, but in my opinion, the most delicious Cort instruments start with a little more expensive models.
Cort themselves describe this series of bass guitars as a classic in a modern interpretation. A pretty traditional look a la Fender combines with a wide variety of pickup circuits and types. There are many variations you can put on sometimes, see the diagram. Also, some models already come with top-end stakes from the manufacturer Hipshot.
Cort B4 and B5 Plus bass guitars
Very interesting bass guitar. Both visually and in terms of stuffing. It is with this series and more expensive, that Cort begins putting the yummiest stuff on their bass guitars.
- The body is bog ash with a finish that doesn’t cover the pores of the wood.
- The fingerboard liner is stained maple. The bass looks both modern and vintage at the same time. Plus, the stain gives the wood more density and therefore more resonance.
- Bartolini MK-1 pickups. The famous Italian electronics manufacturer.
- The active electronics are Markbass. A very versatile preamp that makes the bass guitar even more versatile.
- Hipshot Ultralite tuners. The tuners provide a very solid build, but at the same time they have a low weight. This makes the bass guitar more balanced, and the headstock is not overbalanced.
Not bad, huh? And it all starts on Thomann at 444 euros at the time of writing. That’s not a penny anymore, but still a pretty reasonable figure for a new bass guitar.
Cort Artisan
The Artisan series can logically include the B4 and B5 models described above, as well as the Cort bass guitars labeled C4 and C5.
The Artisan series bass guitars are designed for serious bassists who want both sound, playability, equipment, and even premium looks. These instruments are crafted with the highest quality materials and top-of-the-line components such as Bartolini pickups and Hipshot fittings.
Prices for guitars in this series already range from 629 to 1091, depending on the wood, the number of strings (there is a multiscale version available as well), the configuration of transducers, etc. All Cort Artisan bass guitars are unambiguously equipped with the Bartolini+Markbass+Hipshot bunch.
By the way, you can listen to it on the channel of funny guy Davie504, who played Cort Artisan basses for a long time. I have also often see this bass from Mohini Dey.
Let me know in the comments all your thoughts about Cort basses overall. Thanks, and keep rockin’!
Hey, fellow bassists and musicians overall!
I’m nothing more than just bass player and enthusiastic blogger. Feel free to ask any questions in the comments.
Huge thanks for all crazy people who supports this resource. Keep groovin’!
