Cort Guitars, with a 53-year history of creating instruments known for both value and quality, introduces the Essence Series. This set of acoustic guitars is designed for musicians looking for the features of a classic acoustic guitar with great tone at a modest price point. The Essence Series features two body shapes: The Grand Auditorium and the OC Cutaway.
The Essence-GA-4 is a Grand Auditorium acoustic. Wider than a dreadnought, the Essence-GA-4 features a deep body with a narrower waist and a width of 1 3/4” (45mm) at the nut. The result is a guitar that Cort says is optimized for both picking and strumming. The Essence-OC-4 features a shallower body advertised as creating a closer connection to the player for ease of use on stage. With its one 11/16’th (43mm) nut width, this Orchestra Model has a smaller neck as well, and may be suited for younger players.
Both acoustics are topped with a torrefied solid Sitka Spruce top using Cort’s ATV process. The “Aged to Vintage” technique “ages” young Spruce by a baking procedure to remove moisture. With aged tonewoods being more costly and in shorter supply, torrefied wood has become popular and is regarded as having good tone. The tops bracing is also made of torrefied spruce. The mahogany neck, back, and sides are materials you would expect on a classic steel string guitar, as well as the rosewood fingerboard and bridge. The result is a competent and inspiring guitar. 18:1 Vintage Open Gear Tuners on the headstock offer precise tuning with old school styling. The herringbone rosette inlay and purfling give a look that usually comes on guitars that cost well into four figures. The nut and bridge saddle are “genuine bone,” which used to be a standard feature on premium guitars long ago, but is less common these days.
A Fishman Presys VT EQ System is installed inside the body and offers the simplicity of only Volume and Tone controls. Cort states their installation method versus other systems that cut into the body preserves the guitar’s natural resonance. The Essence Series are strung with Elixir Nanoweb Phosphor Bronze Light .012-.053 Acoustic Strings. While coated strings provide extended tone life, some players will want to restring the guitar with a non-coated string that has less of a dampening effect.
The playability and action on this guitar exceed that of some guitars offered at many times the price. While the price point is entry level to mid-level, this guitar could be used in a professional context. If you are looking for a great quality acoustic guitar that looks and sounds good on a modest budget, Cort Guitars are well worth a serious look. Available in a natural aged semi-gloss Sitka spruce finish or black. $449
