Cort Basses - Where is the line?

J.Nuno · #1 08-28-2011, 09:27 AM

So I've been reading some good things about Cort. People seem to think they build quality basses with a good price/quality ratio. Since one of the local stores always have corts hanging on the wall, I begin to like them more every time I go there.

I believe my first 120€ is holding me back now and I want a good one now. So, since I gave up looking for an SX, now I am thinking of a Cort to be my first real bass.

What I need your help for is to understand the big differences between the different series they have. More precisely, where can I draw the line between their basses that won't add much new to what I could get from my cheapo first bass, and those that are not too expensive for my wallet but could qualify as a good first "real" bass. Lets say...for example....450€ is a bit too much for me.

The Action Series seems the more affordable but is it good enough? The Artisan Series looks like more serious basses and I thought they would be too much expensive but then, for instance, there's the C4H which looks good and is actually cheap. Is it good? What more?

I guess I could ask to try them on the store but I wanted to hear your opinions first, before they think I want to buy the bass...

Just tell me what you think of the brand and some of the models if you had the chance to try them!!
Thanks!

I play more rock, hard rock and blues. I'm a fingerstyle guy but beginning to enjoy slapping.

Also, no Gene Simons for me...

Cheers!

genericusername · #2 08-28-2011, 09:30 AM

IDK about Portugal, but Rondo music will ship an SX P-bass to Ireland for 138 euro.

I'm gonna go to the store that stocks corts and try them out. You should too.

J.Nuno · #3 08-28-2011, 11:09 AM

Last time I contacted Kurt he told me the shippings (plus possible additional taxes) would cost more than the bass itself...

But, about the corts, let me just tell you that my first bass is the only bass I've ever played. Although I know it is good for me to try the basses on the store I really don't have anything in terms of comparison... I've only felt one neck, one set of strings, one set of pups before...

So, I would like to hear not only your opinion about the basses but also some advice about things about them I might not notice because of my inexperience.

Cheers

millahh · #4 08-28-2011, 11:53 AM

I have an Artisan B series (specifically B4FL). It's a solid, good quality bass. I see them frequently called "sleepers", as you'd never expect them to be as nice as they are. I'm not a huge fan of the Bart preamp, but that's a matter of personal taste. Overall, I'd recommend it.

J.Nuno · #5 08-28-2011, 01:29 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by millahh

I have an Artisan B series (specifically B4FL). It's a solid, good quality bass. I see them frequently called "sleepers", as you'd never expect them to be as nice as they are. I'm not a huge fan of the Bart preamp, but that's a matter of personal taste. Overall, I'd recommend it.

Thanks for your opinion

I'll keep waiting for more!

IngerAlb · #6 08-28-2011, 01:56 PM

Cort is building basses for a lot of wellknown brands - that's how they've managed to get such a good price/value ratio. And that's also why they're not promoting their stuff that much and most ppl never heard of them. All this aside...

The Action line is their entry level / beginner one; like Gio for Ibanez. These can sound good after some modding - I've owned an older Cort Action with aftermarket DiMarzio pickups and the tone was decent. However, the building quality was not that great - most hardware parts were cheap and flimsy.

The Artisan line is their bread and butter; I have an Artisan C and the bass itself is well built, but the electronics (specifically the EQ) suck; I'm planning of changing the pickups and the EQ sometimes in the future, but so far I can't seem to find some brand pups that would fit right in without any additional routing.
I'd recommend buying an Artisan B or A - these are something totally different: the B is their version of an Ibby 500 (or 600 for the ash version); the A model rocks! So these would be my pesonal choices.

If you prefer a more traditional look then go for a GB - a lot of folks love 'em - and for a good reason!

If you have the cash, then go for either Artisan A Custom Z or one of their new line, the Arona

As for the rest...I've owned a C5H and after a while the headstock cracked while the bass was kept in a case...maybe it was in isolated incident, who knows...

open.eadg · #7 08-28-2011, 02:14 PM

I don't have experience with the entry level basses, but the internet says the quality of the Action series (pre DLX) is good if you're lucky, and a nightmare if you're not.

My first bass was a Yamaha RBX170, never had any problems with that. After I sold it, bought a used - now discontinued - Cort RB5 (for about 360 EUR). Weird, but I like it's Bart PUs and pre.

I'm thinking to buy an Arona, tried it out a few weeks earlier, that's an awesome bass, too.

PerlNinja · #8 08-28-2011, 02:59 PM

I've owned a Cort Action 4 for the last 3 years or so (it's currently on loan to a friend since I've got another bass to play with for myself); and they're not bad. I got mine locally (Indonesia), for around $120.

Some things you want to do after you buy it:

1) Change the strings. Don't remember what they came with from the factory but it wasn't too hot.
2) Give it a complete setup (e.g. relief adjustment if needed, saddle height, intonation, the works).

Pros:

1) It's cheap
2) It sounds pretty good even though it's cheap

Cons:

1) It's cheap...

2) The tuning mechanisms aren't accurate at all, it's a pain in the ass to tune since you're always either a bit flat or a bit sharp
3) The pickups have a craving for that 60hz hum

But.... Pay about 100 euro for this bass; then spend 100 euro on a good set of pickups, probably another 50 or so for a good set of strings, and however much for 4 tuning mechanisms. And then you're at the point where your Cort Action has more or less evolved into an Artisan, from an equipment point of view.

Just my 2 cents

fingerbun · #9 08-28-2011, 03:49 PM

I own an Artisan B5. I think it is a good mid-level bass.

For a couple of years I had been trying 5-stringers at a price point in music stores so I could buy one to experiment with. The Cort got me to open my wallet.

I liked the look of it. The feel is similar in some ways to older Ibanez basses (I own a 1980's Musician) which is probably why it resonated with me.

Soundwise it is a fairly clean bass, not a lot of colour in the sound. Mine had a weird defect in the pickups that I didn't pick up in the shop, and was elusive to diagnose under warranty, so rather than persist with warranty I replaced the pickups with Seymour Duncans, which slotted straight in, making this my first bass with active pickups as well.

The preamp works, I really just use it to have a second EQ and volume setting (and don't use it all that much) so if others want to say it's an ordinary preamp I am not going to argue. It does everything I want, as a passive player.

It stays in tune, the intonation is good, the neck is reasonably playable. As an instrument it is not in the same league as my big three (Ibanez Musician, Rick 4003, MIA Fender P) but then it didn't cost as much either.

I tend to use it at jazzier gigs where it's clean tone fits. I usually favour the neck pickup...but that's pretty normal for me.

It would be a good tone for slap, but the strings are a bit close together for that imo.

By the time I upgraded the pickups I could have bought a Highway 1 5-string jazz for the same price, or even a MIA jazz second hand, so if I were replacing it that's probably what I would do. But it does the job, and I'd lose more money on the trade than I want to. It does get used regularly and people usually comment favourably on the sound. I don't know if the stock pickups would have been as good as the Duncans without the fault for the fault, but I expect not.

J.Nuno · #10 08-29-2011, 10:18 AM

From what you guys have said so far... I get the idea that Corts might not be that good as I thought...

But is it because you are all (semi)pros and they do not fit you, or could I really get something better for the "same" price, as a beginner?

Ironderby · #11 08-29-2011, 10:46 AM

I had a cort action, it was the worst guitar ever. Cheap and my first bass. It had terrible fret buzz, the strings that came with it were very loose even in standard tuning, the wood almost seemed soft, and you could dent it if you droppped it from about 1ft. Not good for gigs, finally the machine heads were made of plastic, and the gears to wind the strings were fragile. Very Very bad bass, i dont know whether thats all corts or just my model.

PerlNinja · #12 08-29-2011, 11:07 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by J.Nuno

From what you guys have said so far... I get the idea that Corts might not be that good as I thought...

But is it because you are all (semi)pros and they do not fit you, or could I really get something better for the "same" price, as a beginner?

I'm a beginner

I owned it for 3 years and noodled a lot, only got serious about things about 6 months ago. That out of the way...

I've tried the Squiers and other "cheap" basses (Ibanez, etc.) and I keep coming back to the fact that my Cort Action (the cheapest of the Cort line, basically), while not equipped with stellar pickups, is very light, has a very nicely contoured body (almost ergonomic), and a very nice and slim neck. Also, for the price you pay for it, it's a pretty decent bass.

Personally if I had a budget of about $400, I'd still get a Cort Action 4, and have enough left over for a decent practice amp/cab combo, and strings, straps, picks, cleaning stuff, and so on.

Now the real answer to your question: Go to your local music shop. Grab a Cort. Strap it on, see how it feels. Play it a little. Do the same with every other bass in your budget range. Listen to the sound, and see how it feels in your hands.

Then buy the one that makes you go "aw yeah thats it".

Ironderby · #13 08-29-2011, 11:47 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by PerlNinja

I'm a beginner

I owned it for 3 years and noodled a lot, only got serious about things about 6 months ago. That out of the way...

I've tried the Squiers and other "cheap" basses (Ibanez, etc.) and I keep coming back to the fact that my Cort Action (the cheapest of the Cort line, basically), while not equipped with stellar pickups, is very light, has a very nicely contoured body (almost ergonomic), and a very nice and slim neck. Also, for the price you pay for it, it's a pretty decent bass.

Personally if I had a budget of about $400, I'd still get a Cort Action 4, and have enough left over for a decent practice amp/cab combo, and strings, straps, picks, cleaning stuff, and so on.

Now the real answer to your question: Go to your local music shop. Grab a Cort. Strap it on, see how it feels. Play it a little. Do the same with every other bass in your budget range. Listen to the sound, and see how it feels in your hands.

Then buy the one that makes you go "aw yeah thats it".

You can NOT buy a guitar, amp, cab for $400

JACink · #14 08-29-2011, 12:44 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Ironderby

You can NOT buy a guitar, amp, cab for $400

Surely that depends on the guitar, amp, cab?????

Ironderby · #15 08-29-2011, 01:08 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by JACink

Surely that depends on the guitar, amp, cab?????

Yes, but the cheapest new cabinet you can buy on the internet is about £230 (i live in the uk) the cheapest head you can buy is about the same...so your already on £430...even used you'd have a tough time, for a new bass and used cab/head you probably need at least £1000.

Andy_D · #16 08-29-2011, 01:51 PM

I own a Cort B5 that I picked up new on the Bay for around $230 The Bartolini electronics sound really good, the neck is comfortable even if the string spacing is a little close for my taste. The fit and finish is good, and th weight is reasonable. I've tried so hard to like it but it does one annoying thing that none of my other basses do. It makes clicking noises after plucking a string when my finger comes to rest on the next lower string. I can raise the action and it lessens this "feature", or I can try and EQ it out. However I like my action fairly low and sometimes I want a bright sound. If one can get past the annoying clicks this would be an outstanding bass. I would rate it a 7 on a scale of 1 to 10, probably an 8.5 if I could make the clicking noises go away. Maybe I just got a bad one, or that is why they were blowing them out so cheap.

JACink · #17 08-29-2011, 02:02 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Ironderby

Yes, but the cheapest new cabinet you can buy on the internet is about £230 (i live in the uk) the cheapest head you can buy is about the same...so your already on £430...even used you'd have a tough time, for a new bass and used cab/head you probably need at least £1000.

I just picked up a VM fretless (used but only once) for 200€, and I am looking at buying an ashdown combo for slightly more (ok its a combo, but PerlNinja said "for a decent practice amp/cab combo"), you can also pick up a KXB200HR head for 137€ new (Behringer for less), and a GK 115MBE cab for 139€.

I am not recommending any of these, just saying that for a little over 400€ (less than 400 GBP) you can be well on the way, just depends on the way to where!!

Jay2U · #18 08-29-2011, 02:24 PM

Maybe I'm lucky. I own an Ibanez GSR200EX, which is a beginners bass. After having done a complete set up, it plays like a much more expensive instrument. All frets have the same height and the neck is straight. I bypassed the active electronics, which is a matter of taste. That's my bass... However, I tried a lot, and I mean A LOT, of other basses. Everything like Warwick, Fender, Gibson, Sandberg, Rickenbacker, Maruszczyk... and Cort. I wasn´t impressed by the quality of the woodwork.

On the other hand, the controls felt solidly.

J.Nuno · #19 08-29-2011, 02:53 PM

Thanks far all your comments so far! Since all my enthusiasm about the cort disappeared... I'm tempted to go a bit off-topic and ask you if you can recommend something else similar to cort (I mean in terms of price, and my level of playing, but better quality).

NO SX BASSES! I can't get one of those.

Because even though the store has only 6 or 7 basses on the wall I can ask them to get a bass from any brand I guess.

LiamPodmore · #20 08-29-2011, 03:08 PM

Ibanez GSR200. The bass i starter on, and as soon as i get the electronics back up and running (Fault of my own, not with the quality) i will be gigging it again happily. Mine is pretty dinged up, its survived a car accident, a 6ft drop onto motorbike parts and tools, its been thrown around for 4 years, and it still never failed me once. Always really good to play and a good sound.

Liam