Cort’s new Artisan C OVMH basses use a trio of mahogany, maple and ovangkol tonewoods

South Korean manufacturer Cort has announced two new basses for its Artisan C range, the five-string C5 Plus OVMH and four-string C4 Plus OVMH.

Both of the models aim to offer features from the premium Artisan A range at a more affordable price. The most notable aspect is the tasteful combination of tone woods, featuring a maple core, mahogany wings and ovangkol top. This is paired with a bolt-on Canadian maple neck and jatoba fretboard.

Ovangkol is often used in guitar builds as a substitute for rosewood and possesses similar tonal characteristics, though as Cort points out in its press release, it tends to be a little less bright. 

The logic here is that partnering it up with a maple center and warmer mahogany wings balances things out and supposedly produces “an ideally balanced tone.”

You may also note the body's rounded, ergonomic shaping, which intends to offer some modern comfort in what is otherwise quite a restrained and refined build.

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In addition to the wood selection, the Plus OVMH’s also feature some very respectable components for the price, including a MetalCraft M bridge (which can be loaded thru the body or top), Bartolini MK-1 pickups and Markbass MB-1 pre-amp.

Expect to find the Artisan C4 Plus OVMH for a street price of $449.99 and the Artisan C5 Plus OVMH for $499.99.