All user reviews for the Cort NTL20

I bought it at Music go round. Paid 280.

The neck feels like my Ovation Balladeer. The jumbo body gives great bass without booming sound. And the solid top with mahogany back and sides make for a nice clean acoustic tone.

It's a bit heavy.

The guitar seems to be a quality built instrument. From Korea, it has a sound when played like the Taylor 310. I played the Taylor just the week before, and wanted it but didn't have 1000. So, when I spied the Cort, I sat down and was more than satisfied.

I'd recomment this guitar. I own an Ovation Balladeer, a Seagull 12 string and this Cort. I have owned a sigma and a 1954 Gretsch archtop. For the money, I'd buy it again in another lifetime.

This review was originally published on http://www.musicgearreview.com

Cort is a known Korean brand, and this is a very pretty little jumbo acoustic. It has fingerboard and bridge in rosewood and superb head adorned with the brand name and an attractive pearly fleurs de lys pattern. The top is solid spruce, the back is solid mahogany, the sides are mahogany, the neck is one piece mahogany. Importantly, the machineheads are the superb Grover, having the old very efficient oil baths.

UTILIZATION

The neck is a C form, comfortable although not the frets, they seem to catch a little on the fingers. The action is pretty well addressed and the manufacturer has taken care to provide a key for adjustment which is very much appreciated (the house of Cort are serious). It is not easy to access the high frets because there is no cutaway, it is a guitar for picking, or rather rhythm although it sings very well solo. Its jumbo shape does not impede playing position which is easy, it fits under my arm without worries and weight is quite reasonable.

SOUNDS

This Cort NTL20 is sufficiently multi purpose in sound with a presence of bass (I plan on aging the wood to give me a little more, and also a more rounded sound), the mids are slightly muted and trebles are very nice and cut through. It is a guitar that shines well with a fairly good overall balance, and what projection! It is naturally aimed towards folk / country, even acoustic rock: it has a nice tone, very nice, and rather neutral allowing it to address a little of everything. Personally I prefer picking and rhythm and it does very nicely in these areas. What I like least as it must be said (but that they are my tastes) is the color of the bass that is a bit how to say "pearly" for my taste (of course I have a Martin 000 16 for beautiful velvety bass and a Martin D15 for super powerful bass!).

OVERALL OPINION

I have had it for a week, I took it as a third guitar and I am frankly very happy (and I'm demanding!). It's a very beautiful instrument to look at. I believe that its major asset is the quality / price ratio considering it is almost an all solid wood guitar that sounds good, I bought it for just over 350 euro. For me it is nearer the 450/500 euro in view of sound and build quality (no joke!). I chose it carefully and I did not make a mistake. Would I logically make the same choice again? yeah.