Cort Earth 900

Just a re-check on previously posted review.

The nut is larger than 1 3/4 - it is 1 13/16.

They previously advertised as 1 3/4 nut, now (2007 ) listed as 47 mm, which is larger.

SOunds better 1 1/2 years later

STill fit as a fiddle. Tuner slots are a bit narrow, so string change is a little touchy.

One of the best small investments I've made. I love this guitar.

My 900 has all the features previously discussed plus has a tortoise shell pickguard that was added by a previous owner.

Not a whole lot of bass but amplifies nicely and finger picking is what this guitar is all about. I play it a lot because it is so a very comfortable size for hanging with on the couch.

This is a very well made, classy parlor that looks great!

I wouldn't hesitate to gig with this anywhere. Very solid.

I have lots of guitars and play this one the most because of it's size and sound. I have it out in my living room on a stand and it is the one I grab whenever I sit on the couch and noodle around. You really can't buy a better parlor at any price (in my opinion) unless you are able to score an early 20th century brazilian. You can't lose on this one.

I'll not repeat the specs. Lets just say that it's a very attractive 00 12 fret sized cedar/mahogany guitar with solid top and back. It has a very classic look in an old timey kind of way.

The thing was constrained until I took tools in hand and scalloped all the braces on the soundboard to let this baby breathe. The top bracing was incredibly high from the factory; it looks like someone had glued yardstick wood instead of braces. But after scalloping the guitar, it opened up nicely and has a very loud, airy, and balanced tone. It compares favorably to many boutique parlour guitars in overall volume and quality of tone. After looking at the overall quality of the guitar, I knew it should sound great and the factory bracing was the culprit. I would rate the sound quality before the operation as a 5, and 9 or 10 afterwards.

Overall quality was great except for the top braces.

I see no reason why this things won't last a long time. The overall quality is there.

As a buyer of a used guitar and a luthier who has modified this guitar, I don't think I'll need any.

I have a long abiding interest in 12 fret 00 models and when this very pristine model presented itself, I snapped it up. Its great for fingerstyle and old timey music; just what the medicine show doctor ordered.

The 10/31/2005 review by Chris is excellent and gives all the specs. Mine was built in 2003, I believe. The guitar always gets nice comments when I get it out because the inlays, finish, and wood selection give it a striking appearance. The cedar top has a tight grain, and the clear pickguard helps to show it off. Its prior owner had had a Baggs Dual piezo/acoustic pickup installed on it. I bought it from an eBay auction and it came with a corduroy soft gigbag as well.

This is a quiet, almost weak guitar compared to my Seagull S-6, and has very little bass. It came with an after-market Baggs Dual pickup system already installed by its prior owner, but I haven't really used that with it yet; mostly it's for playing on the couch because doing so with a dreadnaught tires my right arm out after a while. We have in our home a Seagull Grand (parlor guitar) as well, and, frankly I like the sound of the Seagull much better because I think it's deeper and more balanced tonally. But my 15 year old daughter had sort of appropriated that instrument and since she plays better (this is really humiliating) I just drifted on to something else, and this Cort was it. An out-of-place comment here: while slotted peg heads look very classy, the standard steel-string tuning pegs are much easier to use. I'm not an accomplished player by any means and mostly I play along with others for singing, fiddling, banjo pickers, etc. I use my S-6 for those times, mostly, and the Cort for relaxing, for which it is excellent, especially if the children are in bed and I need to be quiet. The action is easy and I particularly like practicing scales and melody lines with it.

I think the prior owner was a much better and more serious player than I will ever be, and so he/she probably had the guitar set up by a good technician. The action is set up extremely well and the guitar is easy to play. Playing too loudly earns me a good rattle in the low E and A strings, but certainly not with normal strumming and playing. All the woodwork and hardware were fine. The installed pickup buzzes some, but I haven't worked very hard yet at finding the offending wire and gluing some foam on bit. The buzz occurs between F and B on the treble staff and can be annoying, but again, I think it's the pickup, not the guitar itself.

It holds its tuning well, strap buttons (one of which is a 1/4 inch jack) are solidly installed, and the hardware appears substantial enough. The finish has not given me any trouble and the pickguard is well-placed for my playing. I'm not a perfomer so I can't speak to the rest of these questions.

I've had no need to contact the company.

I've had this one for nearly a year now. I like it fine, but if it were lost to me I'd go back to a Seagull Grand or the equivalent Simon and Patrick parlor guitar. I would have bought one of the latter but the only ones I found here had on-board electronics and I wasn't into that. I get a sort of listener's fatigue from playing this one much because it's muddier-sounding than the other guitars in the house, and I feel I am working harder to get the low end to come out. The instrument looks great and feels good to hold and play, and I hope my 13 year-old fiddling daughter takes a hankering to it and expresses an interest in branching out musically because I'd push this one off on her in a heartbeat and start hunting down that S&P parlor with no pickup.

Been on the prowl for a small guitar...I ran across info a while back on a "parlor" from Cort (Korea). a 12 fretter in about a 00 size, but since the pictures showed a lot of inlay, I was afraid the real guitar underneath the glitter might not be worthwhile. But, I found I was wrong. Recently saw one locally and played it - just HAD to get it.

Solid cedar top, solid mahogany back.
(Sides are laminated mahog - "so what?", says I )
Rosewood fretboard, bridge, peghead overlay, all with a lot of abalone (kind of the trophy/flower pot shaped look mistakenly called vine or tree of life)

Some of the good stuff:
dovetail neck joint
true 12 fretter bridge placement (center of lower bout)
slot tuners
very nice spruce bracing
THIN semi-gloss finish
ivaroid body, neck, and head binding
nice pattern of purfling around top and on center of back
bone nut: 1 3/4
Upper bout: 9 7/8
lower bout: 14
body length: 19
depth: 3 1/4 to 3 7/8
overall length: 38
scale: 25.5 (too bad not short scale!)

(I wish more reviews had this info)

This is day one, so I won't comment on sound much.
Very warm and [i]even[/i] tone, intonation as good as my ears can discern. Volume and bass are good, probably a combination of cedar warmth, centered bridge placement, long scale length, and a good bracing scheme.

The build is very clean, typical of current better Korean stuff. I am very impressed by the restraint they use in the finish on these - nice and thin, but very well done. Frets are nicely done.


Plays very nice and is comfortable. Action just the way I like it, low and easy but enough height to handle heavier playing

Seems solid yet lightweight. Tuners seem to be solid enough. The guitar has a secure feel. All I can say is it feels right.

N/A

Blah blah blah. I was surprised how nice it is. Shorter scale would have been nice. Here's my most valuable comment: I like it.

Spanish stile parlor guitar.

Very 'beginning of last centry' - where the guitar as we 'know' it - was born.

Small bodyed - but long scaled !

Focused, right out of the box, lauth and clear. Midranged and ballanced.

The best you can get from a guitar - of that kind.

Haven't seen anything better!

Very handy and 'close to body'.

I just bought it two weeks ago.

No problems to mention - yet.

Think it gone a be 'The beginning of a beatyfull freindship'.

Very Vel. - A small problem with the nut, was fixed without problems.

Of course - this littel guitar is the best guitar I have ever been playing on - othervise I would not have bought it !!

Have ( and had ) other guitars, but -

Can't think of a guitar better than this.

'A love that vil last .. '

For now - I will rate it on top!

korean made parlor size (000) tight grain cedar top..scalloped bracing..The neck seemed a little narrow @ nut..but i'm getting used to it. I made a bone Nut and saddle for mine..improved the sound a lot :) Seems to stay in tune very nicely

I play a lot of folk/blues fingerpickin style..It resonates nicely..A Little tinny sounding when i first got it..but seems to be getting better. It's a keeper..

Needed a little set-up..But plays perfect now. Harmonics are right on the money.

Seems to be well constructed with quality tonewoods..I like it!

Don't know? I got mine on Ebay..has a 3" crack on the back but was nicely repaired. $165 vs $600..I can live with the crack

I searched for a long time for a quality OOO-size for my style of playing and price range. I'm Amazed @ the workamnship put into this instrument...(had 2 other cort guitars...they were excellant)

right, i'm gonna write a review for this guitar. but it's giong to be entirely subjective...
the guitar is good. nut to body 12 frets, abalone inlays, and they DON'T look asian, like stated in an earlier review. the inlays look sort of old european.
the guitar came with 2 bridges, one to high, and one just perfect. also included was a hex key, but that's standard.
this instrument is made from real wood, not compounds, and it has the exact same dimensions as a classical guitar, exept the fretboard is narrower and arched (as on all good steel-string'uns).
the sound of this guitar is old school. it's not a jumbo (or dreadnought), so there's not too much bass, or treble for that matter. the sound is particularly strong in the middle area.

this guitar gives me that old scool 'casual' (light buzzy) sound i like!!!

This beatiful parlorguitar was made -99, in Korea. It is Cort's "top of the line"-guitar in the earth serie, as far as I know. This model features a solid close grain soild cedar top, thin finish, mahogany back and sides, mahogany neck with a select rosewood fretboard, Hand inlayed abalone inlay, abalone appointments. 12 frets. Grover tuners, good quality. The inlays on the neck should've been more countrystyle, my opinion...

I play mostly blues, Lightnin' Hopkins style, and some country on this guitar. It is perfect for that kind of music! Lot's of mid-range, not much bass. Listen to Lucinda Williams "Can't Let Go", to hear how it sounds... Almost a copy of this guitar, or vice versa. A guitar-tech adjusted the guitar for me when I bought it. Now I have the strings very close to the neck, the d-string is a little buzzy, but that's really nothing. For my style this is perfect.

I didn't like it when I first played it. It had been in stock for a year or so, so it feeled a little "stiff". But after the guitartech adjusted it, it was great. Very easy-played, especially when finger-pickin'.

Well, when it comes to liveplaying I wouldn't use it without some kind of amplifying. I have a Dean Markley-pickup, but the soundhole is way to small for it...
I think this guitar will make it for many years. The materials used seems to be of good quality. Very priceworthy!

Haven't dealt with Cort.

I have been playing the guitar for about 13 years now. I also have an old Washburn D-10, a Seagull S6 (one of the first, with Schallertuners, great!), a Prudenzio Saez nylon and a hot rodded Fender Stratocaster. Since I bought this fine guitar, half a year ago, I haven't been playin' on the other to much...
I really love the sound and playability, it's so easyplayed! It suits my oldfashioned bluesstyle.
It's nice with inlays alright, but they are a little to much Korean-style to me.
For me, this guitar was a very good buy! I bought it in Sweden where it usually costs about 600 dollars!!! The dealer had been trying to sell it for a year or two, but couldn't, so I got it really cheap from him! It seems like people here want big dreadnouhgts, and you can buy those for a recent sum of money in Sweden. But the sound is often very boring in the bigger and not to expensive dreadnoughts...
Since I bouhgt this guitar, I have been playin' a whole lot more than before and it's funnier to play. It's different, and I like that!

Korean made, parlour guitar. 12 fret neck, ornate inlay on neck and headstock, abalone around soundhole. Mahogany body and neck, cedar top with matte finish. Gold tuners w/slotted head,pearl buttons.

Due to the small body, sound is somewhat on the thin side. Almost no bass. Has a lot of volume for a small guitar. Has a curious resonance from the 5th string, 2nd fret to the fourth string, 1st fret. This makes these particular notes louder and almost buzzy. Good for finger style playing. The sound takes a little getting used to if you are used to dreadnoughts, but is pleasant enough. Folk strings might be a good thing on this.

Fit and finish is very good for this price range. Action was a little high, but very playable. The inlay on the neck had something covering part of it making it look dark. One fret needed a touch up on the top edge. Over all, I was very impressed for the price.

Don't know yet. seems well put together. Has a lifetime warranty.

Have had no dealings with Cort.

I haven't had it long, but the more I play it, the more I like it. It is pretty, just the thing to have around the parlour to play on. If you haven't tried one of these, you should. If you are a professional, or even very serious about guitars, then buy a similar model from a more prestigious brand. Am seriously considering getting rid of everything else, I own quite a few guitars.