TEST: Cort Luce L450C

 While a few years ago it was still a rarity to be able to purchase an acoustic guitar with a pickup, this ratio has been reversed in recent years. Even guitars in the lower price ranges usually offer a simple piezo pickup, which can usually only be adjusted in the basic parameters of volume and treble.

Aware of this, the Korean company Cort is taking the opposite approach with the Cort Luce L450C, foregoing the system mentioned above and using this approach to immediately endear itself to me. With a retail price of under 300 euros, the company has its sights set on young musical talent, or beginners to Western music. In this price segment, in my opinion, it makes no sense at all to squeeze a cheap-sounding pickup system into the instrument under price pressure. Rather, one should try to use the sales price to optimize the acoustic properties, which is what the Cort company is doing here.

Even if the name Cort is not necessarily the first synonym that comes to mind when thinking about the acoustic guitar world, the Asian manufacturing facilities can already look back on a remarkable history of over 50 years and have also manufactured many instruments as commissioned work from renowned manufacturers such as for example G&L, Schecter or Ibanez. But something is different, somehow the guitar is so dark, and it isn't even painted in color...


construction

Ah yes, Cort was probably able to buy the mahogany planks in bulk here. Not only the back and sides were made from tropical wood, the top also appears in a beautifully fine-pored, matt lacquered red-brown, which is considered an exception in acoustic circles. Why actually? Well, softwoods such as the well-known Sitka spruce are often used for the top, because with appropriate bracing the top lacks the necessary stability to counteract the high tension of the strings.

On the other hand, the wood must be soft enough to transfer the string vibration into a ceiling vibration without any loss of damping. Remember, the top of an acoustic guitar works like a speaker. String makes the top vibrate, top makes air vibrate, vibrating air comes out of the sound hole. Here you can prepare yourself for a sound that deviates from the mainstream without me even touching the instrument once. I'm curious.

When it comes to decorations, the instrument is very simple. There are no plastic decorations or even natural bindings to be seen on either the fingerboard or the edges of the top or bottom. Only on the headstock below the company logo and as a rosette around the sound hole can you see some optical decorations made of plastic and abalone, which is made from abalone snails, on the Cort Luce L450C. Since the neck was made from a single piece of mahogany and even the rosewood fingerboard has a comparatively high proportion of red in the coloring, one could confidently call the instrument built in China a redhead.

Although the body size of the instrument is just below a dreadnaught, it is comparatively delicate, which is probably also thanks to the slim neck. The majority of players will quickly become comfortable with a middle ground between D and C profiles, especially since the effort required to play them is fortunately kept within narrow limits. With a scale length of 643 millimeters and 20 vintage frets, the Cort Luce L450C also has the standard dimensions of an acoustic guitar.

I particularly liked the encapsulated Grover mechanics, which were really easy to turn and had a consistent control path. In addition, the wing ends made of black plastic adapt very well to the glued-on bridge, which is also made of black and which fixes the six strings with string clamps made of light-colored plastic. The bridge is length-compensated and has the backwards offset on the high E and B strings that is typical of steel-string acoustic guitars.

Practice

The first time you pick up the instrument is actually very uncomplicated. No excessive bulges that hinder the handling of the guitar, no excessive dimensions that put undue strain on the fretting hand. The look and feel of the guitar is appealing and the dimensions are appropriate. The only thing that gives me a bit of a headache is the unusual placement of the top strap pin. Although the instrument hangs comparatively balanced on the strap, playing in high registers is more or less affected depending on the position of the hand.

If you now replace the factory spin with a lockable variant from Schaller or Loxx, for example, which inevitably involves an extended protrusion of the locking construction, the playability can be seriously affected from around the tenth fret. In my opinion, a placement at the bottom of the base of the neck would have been the better option.

As already mentioned, I was very excited to hear the first note due to the wooden construction. I really wasn't disappointed. The guitar sounds significantly richer in highs and mids than you would expect from a comparable guitar with a spruce top. In particular, the characteristic mahogany midrange is omnipresent in the basic sound. The advantage is a quick response and a high degree of enforceability within a band or an acoustic ensemble.

The disadvantage of this choice of wood is a slight lack of bass parts, which makes the instrument appear somewhat thinner when used solo in direct comparison with similar instruments. This fact should be treated in a neutral way, as every musician has their own definition of their preferred sound, but should be taken into account in their preferred playing style. Visually, however, the Cort Luce L450C leaves nothing to be desired. The fine-pored wood structure of the mahogany tree is presented at different cutting angles across the entire instrument, creating partly standing and partly lying rings.


Conclusion

With the Cort Luce L450C, the Korean manufacturer has a very good entry-level or second guitar in its range for under 300 euros. Without using an inferior pickup, the company concentrates on a visually very attractive and technically easy-to-play guitar made in China, which offers a very high and mid-range sound due to the predominant use of mahogany as the tonewood.

Impeccable workmanship and the use of high-quality tuning mechanisms also ensure a stress-free introduction to playing the western guitar, which is otherwise quite strenuous.

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Additional Informations:


Cort Guitars is a South Korean manufacturer of guitars, basses, and amplifiers. The company was founded in 1973 by Jack Westheimer and Yung H. Park. Cort is one of the largest guitar manufacturers in the world, and its products are sold in over 80 countries.

**The Early Years**

Jack Westheimer was an American businessman who had a passion for guitars. In the 1960s, he began importing guitars from Japan to the United States. In 1973, he partnered with Yung H. Park, a Korean businessman, to found Cort Guitars.

The early years of Cort Guitars were marked by rapid growth. The company quickly established a reputation for producing high-quality guitars at affordable prices. In the 1980s, Cort began to expand its product line to include basses and amplifiers.

**The 1990s and Beyond**

The 1990s were a decade of continued growth for Cort Guitars. The company introduced several new product lines, including the Earth series of acoustic guitars and the Curbow series of electric guitars. Cort also began to produce guitars for other brands, such as Fender, Squier, and Ibanez.

In the 2000s, Cort Guitars continued to expand its global reach. The company opened new factories in Indonesia and China. Cort also began to sponsor major music festivals and events, such as the NAMM Show and the Musikmesse.

Today, Cort Guitars is one of the largest guitar manufacturers in the world. The company's products are sold in over 80 countries. Cort Guitars is known for its high-quality products, affordable prices, and excellent customer service.

**Cort Guitars: A Timeline**

* 1960s: Jack Westheimer begins importing guitars from Japan to the United States.
* 1973: Jack Westheimer and Yung H. Park found Cort Guitars.
* 1980s: Cort expands its product line to include basses and amplifiers.
* 1990s: Cort introduces the Earth series of acoustic guitars and the Curbow series of electric guitars. Cort also begins to produce guitars for other brands.
* 2000s: Cort opens new factories in Indonesia and China. Cort begins to sponsor major music festivals and events.
* 2010s: Cort continues to grow and expand its global reach. The company introduces several new product lines, including the G290FAT and G260FAT electric guitars.
* 2020s: Cort celebrates its 50th anniversary. The company continues to be a leading manufacturer of guitars, basses, and amplifiers.

**Cort Guitars: A Legacy of Innovation**

Cort Guitars has a long history of innovation. The company has been responsible for several groundbreaking developments in the guitar industry, including:

* The introduction of the Earth series of acoustic guitars, which are known for their high quality and affordable prices.
* The introduction of the Curbow series of electric guitars, which are known for their unique design and comfortable playability.
* The development of the CFX pickup system, which is known for its natural sound and wide frequency response.

Cort Guitars is committed to innovation, and the company continues to develop new products and technologies. Cort is a leading manufacturer of guitars, basses, and amplifiers, and the company's products are used by musicians all over the world.

**Cort Guitars: A Global Company**

Cort Guitars is a global company with headquarters in Seoul, South Korea. The company has factories in Indonesia, China, and Vietnam. Cort's products are sold in over 80 countries.

Cort Guitars is committed to providing high-quality products to musicians all over the world. The company has a strong reputation for quality, and its products are backed by a comprehensive warranty.

**Cort Guitars: A Commitment to Quality**

Cort Guitars is committed to quality. The company uses only the finest materials and construction methods in its products. Cort's guitars are inspected and tested at every stage of production to ensure that they meet the company's high standards.

Cort Guitars is also committed to customer service. The company offers a comprehensive warranty on its products, and it has a team of customer service representatives who are available to answer questions and help customers with any problems they may have.

**Cort Guitars: The Future**

Cort Guitars is a leading manufacturer of guitars, basses, and amplifiers. The company is committed to innovation, quality, and customer service. Cort is a global company with a bright future.

**Some of the most popular Cort Guitars models include:**

* Earth70
* Earth100
* AD810E
* SFX-ME
* G