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MGR/Richard Turner « Cort Artisan A4 »
Published on 10/30/04 at 15:00I 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
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