The Guitar Gallery Forums - The Guitar Legacy of Matsumoku

Q&A, discussion, and information for the labels covered by The Guitar Gallery (Specifically and exclusively guitars made by Matsumoku up to 1987)
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 Post subject: Cortes Solid Body
PostPosted: Thu 07 Jul 2016 05:39 PM 
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Picked up this nice Cortes solid body from a CL sale for $150.00.

It's a very nice guitar, sort of Strat-ish with bolt-on maple neck with maple fretboard. It has a one piece highly grained body stained to look like a multi-piece. I would guess it's ash or maybe maple? And again definitely no seam because you can follow the grain pattern all the way across the back so it's cut out of one really heavy beautiful piece of wood.

No identifying stamps or stickers other than Cortes on the headstock, and Made in Japan on the neck plate. I haven't taken the neck off to see if there are any identifying marking on the neck or neck socket.

It has a 3 way switch with 1 volume and 2 tone pots. It has 2 additional switches, one a coil split and the other I'm not really sure, phase shift maybe?. Interestingly, it has a black bridge and jack. Bridge marked Made In Japan and S.T.C. Full size block and saddles are painted black, possibly brass.

Anyone ever seen this model? I haven't been able to find another searching through google.


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 Post subject: Re: Cortes Solid Body
PostPosted: Thu 07 Jul 2016 05:42 PM 
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Joined: Thu 07 Jul 2016 04:36 PM
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lagator wrote:
Picked up this nice Cortes solid body from a CL sale for $150.00.

It's a very nice guitar, sort of Strat-ish with bolt-on maple neck with maple fretboard. It has a one piece highly grained body stained to look like a multi-piece. I would guess it's ash or maybe maple? And again definitely no seam because you can follow the grain pattern all the way across the back so it's cut out of one really heavy beautiful piece of wood.

No identifying stamps or stickers other than Cortes on the headstock, and Made in Japan on the neck plate. I haven't taken the neck off to see if there are any identifying marking on the neck or neck socket.

It has a 3 way switch with 1 volume and 2 tone pots. It has 2 additional switches, one a coil split and the other I'm not really sure, phase shift maybe?. Interestingly, it has a black bridge and jack. Bridge marked Made In Japan and S.T.C. Full size block and saddles are painted black, possibly brass.

Anyone ever seen this model? I haven't been able to find another searching through google.


Some more pics. Sorry, have never used this file attachment system so trying to figure it out still.


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27473326403_58b578ab9e_c.jpg [ 126.65 KiB | Viewed 1169 times ]
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27473791154_b4c10d207c_c.jpg [ 222.21 KiB | Viewed 1169 times ]
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 Post subject: Re: Cortes Solid Body
PostPosted: Thu 07 Jul 2016 05:47 PM 
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Joined: Wed 05 Jul 2006 03:40 PM
Posts: 2608
Location: Mount Hunter, NSW, Australia.
Looks ok, doesn't it!?!

Has a vaguely Vantage-ish look about it, I feel.... though that body shape is SO reminiscent of Westone Spectrum.....

I think Cortez has come up in here before but I can't find anything right now!!

5 springs?! You don't use the trem arm much, then?! :lol:


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 Post subject: Re: Cortes Solid Body
PostPosted: Thu 07 Jul 2016 06:11 PM 
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Corsair wrote:
Looks ok, doesn't it!?!

Has a vaguely Vantage-ish look about it, I feel.... though that body shape is SO reminiscent of Westone Spectrum.....

I think Cortez has come up in here before but I can't find anything right now!!

5 springs?! You don't use the trem arm much, then?! :lol:

Thanks for the reply. I know, I've never seen 5 springs loaded on a trem before. I don't use it. The springs are really shinny too so must be stainless.

Forgot to mention the blonde bobbin HB's have allen screws for adjustment and sound fantastic. I assume they are MK 45's but will check when I get around to changing the strings.

By the way, would you say the body is Japanese ash most likely?


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 Post subject: Re: Cortes Solid Body
PostPosted: Thu 07 Jul 2016 07:30 PM 
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Location: St. Catharines, Ontario Canada
Heck of a deal there man! A really great build, love the black hardware and ivory pups combo too. Yeah, I would guess Ash body.
I've heard of Cortez as well, but can't remember where. :blush:

Edit: Found it. looks like it's a Cort?
Quote:
Cortez 1969-1988
Japanese guitars distributed in US by Westheimer Musical Industries, Chicago Illinois. [Source: Blue Book of Electric Guitars 9th Ed]

Cort (now) based in North Brook, Illinois, offers guitars made in Korea.

Jack Westheimer set up business connections with Japanese guitar makers in the 1960s to import Japanese made guitars into America. Some of the brands that Jack Westheimer is associated with were Teisco, Cortez, Pearl, Silvertone, Kingston, Cort and many others. In 1973, Jack Westheimer founded the Yoo-Ah company (“you-and-I”) in South Korea with Young H. Park as a business partner. The Yoo-Ah company would eventually be called Cor-Tek which was named after Jack Westheimer's Cortez brand name. Young H. Park eventually acquired the operations of the Cor-Tek company. Cor-Tek manufactures Cort branded guitars as well as engaging in concha OEM manufacturing for numerous brands such as Lotus. [Source: Wikipedia]

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