With looks to kill – and tuning and intonation that promises to withstand even the most aggressive of play styles – Cort’s new high-end model drags the innovative fret design to a slightly more accessible price point
(Image credit: Cort)
Cort Guitars has tapped into the magic of True Temperament fret design with its latest electric guitar, the KX700 TT.
Having previously featured on Strandberg guitars at the request of Aussie maestro Plini, True Temperament frets work by fine-tuning the intonation of every note without impacting its playability. As a result, you get wavy, Salvador Dali-esque frets that, like a piano, are tuned one note at a time.
Crafted with Swedish stainless steel for rugged resistance to wear and tear, the wonky frets sit atop a five-piece roasted maple and walnut neck. Navigating the fretboard is made easier thanks to Luminlay side dots.
The neck pairs with a sleek and dramatically contoured mahogany body, while an ash top adds some visual appeal and a little more brightness to its full, resonant tone.
As is becoming commonplace on many Cort guitars – like its Sleep-Token-on-a-budget-KX508M – active Fishman Fluence Modern humbuckers deliver a versatile tonal palette thanks to its multi-voiced system. That, says Cort, delivers “delicately crisp cleans to powerfully overdriven sounds.” Additional coil-splitting comes via a toggle switch.
Other choice specs include a Schaller Hannes six-saddle bridge to further assist in the guitar's laser-accurate intonation. Cort-branded locking tuners look to ensure there are no tuning slippages while this thing is shredded into the stratosphere.
(Image credit: Cort)
“Dependability and durability are baked into the design of the KX700 TT,” says Cort. “Built for speed, this guitar both sounds incredible and looks amazing – whether on stage, in the studio, or practicing at home.”
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The Cort KX700 TT features an open-pore satin black finish and costs $2,499.99, making it one of the most expensive Cort guitars on the market. However, it still represents one of the most affordable true temperament guitars around. For context, Strandberg's Boden Futur TT6 Archetype costs $6,250.
Cort's new machine is currently only available as a six-string model, but given the firm’s penchant for extended-range guitars, seven-string and eight-string variants may follow fairly closely behind.
A freelance writer with a penchant for music that gets weird, Phil is a regular contributor to Prog, Guitar World, and Total Guitar magazines and is especially keen on shining a light on unknown artists. Outside of the journalism realm, you can find him writing angular riffs in progressive metal band, Prognosis, in which he slings an 8-string Strandberg Boden Original, churning that low string through a variety of tunings. He's also a published author and is currently penning his debut novel which chucks fantasy, mythology and humanity into a great big melting pot.
