SeriesCort Artisan

I bought this bass from Regent Guitars, a UK online music retailer. I was looking to buy a Warwick bass but the manager at Regent suggested I try a Cort A4 locally before deciding, which I did. I paid £599 approx $1000 for it The bass plays incredibly well. The build quality is excellent apart from some electronics problems. It has a wide range of active useable sounds, in sharp contrast to many active basses which have only one good sound. It is suitable for all styles of bass playing, including slapping. The on/off push/pull active to passive swithching is incorporated in the volume control. This has failed twice within one year and is about to fail again. However, the new Corts being sold now have a separate switch for the active on/off switch, so don't be put off by this comment. I don't like how fiddly the bridge (a Fortress unit) is for setting intonation, but again a different bridge (EB12) is being used now.The new model is easily identifiable by having the switch, old stock just has 5 knobs. Scale 34" Thru-neck made of 5 piece African wenge/maple Body is Figured maple Nut is Brass now, but mine appears to be some kind of alloy Fretboard is Rosewood Pickup are 2 Bartolini MK-1's Machine heads are now Hipshot Lic., mine are Schallers Bridge is now an EB12(4), mine is a Fortress Frets are large (2.7mm x 1.1mm. 24 frets with Abalone dot position inlays Electronics 1vol,1pickup blend,3to(treble/middle/bass) EQ on-off switch (N.B.new models) Preamp is Bartolini MK1 EQ Construction is perfect, low action, no fret buzz, superb finish. I love this Bass! I've been playing for 40 years now, and i've had all the famouis makes, Fender P and J basses, Rickenbacker, Jaydee, Gretch, Music Man, but this is superb. To give you an idea I have my Music Man on the rack as my back up bas now. I haven't played it at a gig since I got the Cort.The problems I outlined look as thought they've been addressed on the new model, so go buy one! This review was originally published on http://www.musicgearreview.com

This is my first bass but ive played an extansive range of other basses. I bought this bass for $900 australian dollars in 2002, from custom music albury. I didnt no anything about basses when i bought it, but it turns out that this bass is a little to good for a beginner. I love my cort C4. I played a warwick thumb thru-neck 4 string at the bass centre in melbourne and i hated it. i thought my C4 was better. I love the feel of the bass and my colour is a wood walnut finish. The bass has 2 active mightymite soap-bar pickups on an active pre-amp. The bridge is a fortress bridge which is ment to increase sustain and create more of an acoustic vibe. I dont like the bridge because it has some fuzzyness about it. I dont enjoy playing the D string on the bridge pickup because it is very tence and is hard to make a good sound. Other than that, its a great bass. The bass was made in korea, and the contruction is outstanding. The fretboard is very usable and fast to play. Ive had it for 2 yrs and its holding up beautifully. 24 frets, rosewood fretboard, active electronics what more could you want? I love this bass. I think its beta than the warwick thumbs. I feel more at home on my bass. For $900 aussie dollars this is sexy, punchy bass. This review was originally published on http://www.musicgearreview.com

I've had a fretless A4 bass for a few years and have always enjoyed it so when I thought it was time to get back into playing guitar I did think of the A6. Seeing one in a sale at £559 I picked it up and it felt and sounded great. So out came the plastic and I haven't regretted it for a moment. It's very versatile, can sound like an acoustic but it also plays and can sound like an electric with a clear sweet tone. You can make it very jazzy if you want. With an efects pedal or two you can sound as dirty as you like. It's light and easy to play. It looks great. I just love the absence of visible pick-ups and the finish is wonderful. I also like the fact that you can practice without an amp and sound good but without waking up the whole building. I haven't found anything negative to say at all. First rate construction and quality. A great guitar with an amazing versatility. This review was originally published on http://www.musicgearreview.com

My "learner" bass (unknown name - dodgy quality) was stolen and precipitated the purchase af a new guitar. I had been thinking about replacing it and this gave me the ideal(!) oppertunity. I am still a learner on the bass but I have been playing instruments of one sort or another for about 25 years so I had a good idea in my head as to what sound I wanted. I paid AU$1,300 (which is about US$650) from JR Musicin Adelaide which is a brilliant price. I had two requiments - a smooth clear low end and a sharp high attack high end for good slap and more driving sound. I thought it was a pipe dream - not so. I played this unit in the shop and was blown away at its clarity and varied range of sounds. The controls include volume, pickup balance, bass, mid and trebel tone controls. Because it is an active equaliser thge controls not only alter the level but the timbre as well. Tugether with the pickup balance it can turn this guitar from a smooth jazz instrument into a funky slap bass. The low end is exceptionally clear - none of that cloudiness that is common in many basses. I have a home made quad box with very high quality drivers and so I know that the speaker is capable of excellent clarity at the low end - and this is the first bass that has produced this clarity. The look. Just tkae a look at the pictures at the Cort site and tell me that you would not be proud to hang this around your neck. Mine is the light woodgrain and looks fantastic. My son has designes on it. He plays lead and I think that this may convert him into a bass player. He was playing it last noght at his band practice. The weight. It is heavy - even for a bass. But I suppost that that is the sacrifice for such a resonant instrument. The US site says that htis is an active/passive unit - however there is no swithc on the Australian model. Not sure why but that is realy no big deal. First class. Good mounting hardware. All recesses are well shielded and earthed so that there is little to no hum. Some of the guitars I looked at hummed straight up - not his one though. However - Under the cover the wiring is a mess. No neatly tied and run wiring and some wires twisted with a slip cover. I was surprised when I removed the cover the reveal a rats nest. Also the battery is secured with a screw on cover. For a few extra dollars they could have providid a well constructed clip. And not the dodgy plastic things you see on even the most expensive acoustics. Screws have a tendency to strip. The through neck looks good and enhances the resonant quality of the body. The laminated neck also adds to the ridgidity of the consrtuction. Like so many guitars the overall consrtuction is excellent but falls down in the electronic construction. Value for money - excelent. Construction - Excelent - with a few misgivings. Sound - brilliant. If you are looking to upgrade from your first insrtument and you want a clear sounding bass then you could do a lot worse (believe me a LOT worse) than buy this guitar. This review was originally published on http://www.musicgearreview.com

(Originally written by motteherbeuse/translated from Audiofanzine FR) Bass guitar made in Korea with two great-sounding Bartolini pickups and five knobs. UTILIZATION Truss rod-less neck (needless)!! Until now I've never had to adjust the truss rod of an instrument (I don't use them as golf clubs). Great upper frets access and 2-octave neck. Weight and playability are very subjective things depending on the bassist. Given that I'm small, I carry the bass quite high with a short and very wide strap to avoid any backbone problems. That way I can easily carry the bass for three or four hours straight without getting tired (I haven't tried to play longer). Very good sound in active operation. At first you'll start turning the knobs around and you'll notice that you get the best sound when all knobs are turned all the way. With a good-sounding amp (i have a 35-watt Hartke) you get a very satisfying sound. SOUNDS It's perfect for me, I play Breton folk music. It allows me to play a lot of glissandi like with a double bass. I also use it as my second bass to play country music with another band with whom I usually play my US Jazz Bass. The NB4FL is a good instrument on its own right and it doesn't need any effect pedals for the music styles I play. The only pedal I own is a Boss TU2 tuner I always take with me, especially when I tune my instrument in double flat (DGDG) to play country music, which would require a 5-string bass. And it sounds good: I get a deep, round and clear sound. For large stages I use an Ampeg B50 connected to the main mixer. I like very deep and round sounds, and this bass provides me that sound (however the Jazz Bass is much better)!! OVERALL OPINION I've been using it a lot for six months and I didn't try out other fretless basses, I only read several forums. I don't regret my purchase because the value for money is very good! And it looks very nice. There have been times at the end of live gigs when people come to me and ask about my bass, even people who are not musicians.