Over the past few months, I've been making a few changes to my lineup of guitars. I parted with a couple 24-fret guitars and went on a quest for a nice short-scale guitar.

I'd been scouring pawn shops, checked out 2-Guitar Centers and our Sam Ash as well. Internet searches on many different short-scale guitars provided many nights of researching so many different brands and what they have to offer. My initial search was for a nice Schecter solo 6 or new Tempest custom. But I eventually ended up with something I'm very happy with.











I found this Cort MGM-1 at GC for $300..

So here's the deal. As I was checking out a boat-load of guitars, their specs, the sounds, and overall looks. I also always grab a strap and check them for balance, comfort, and weight as well.

The first thing that struck me was the obvious quilted maple. It's more of a bright yellow than the pics show. I've never been a huge fan of gold hardware, but it does seem to go well with this guitar. Between the body, inlays, binding, etc.. It was an immediate eye opener in a sea of guitars. I'd expected the price tag to be more than that.

When I picked it up and strapped it on. It's lightweight, fits my body very well, nicely balanced, good quality Korean craftsmanship.

The original pickups were complete crap. It was my first experience with Mighty Mite, and all I can say is, after so many years of running across cheap pickups, these would even be at the bottom of that heap.

As I began swapping pickups, I dropped in some of my absolute favorite passives. I don't know what it is with this guitar, the Agathis, the hardware, whatever.. But everything I put in brightened up and not in a way that favored what I like to hear out of them.. So what I was left with was to drop in some EMG actives from another guitar. If you've ever heard an EMG 85 in the neck, they can be quite boomy. Problem solved both ways. Much to my delight, the EMGs sound very good in this guitar, and I get massive sustain.

I just want to say one more thing about this guitar. I am aware of problems Cort has had over it's workers and their rights for a better workplace. While I don't agree with they way Cort has treated their workers in the past, and hope they change their habits in the future. I'm also a woodworker at heart and by trade. The work they did on this guitar is top notch. I do appreciate the fine craftsmanship the workers put into it, and I will try my best to make some great music with it.

So there you go.. Quest completed. Another great Short-scale guitar to add to my arsenal. Later on, I want to post a good comparison between this Cort MGM along with a Squier Esprit, Schecter Tempest, Gibson LP Studio, and Epiphone Special II (of all things).

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When you say short scale are you referring to 24" of 22.5"? Nice guitar. If I didn't know any better I would have thought the body was mahogany from the looks of it. Looks comfy...

'80s Mighty Mite "Screamers" were very good pickups (passive humbuckers).

I don't know about their current stuff -- they could of course be crappy. But you say you tried some of your favorite passive humbuckers in that Cort and didn't like them, so is it possible the stock pickups would be better in some other guitar?

You know Ted...that guitar was probably built in the same facility and right alongside Schecters, I can only assume build quality;given those close quarters, would be right on par with Schecter. It looks nice from the pics at least, and reminds me of a PRS. Nice score!

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To answer your question tdanb2003, it is a 24-3/4" scale. Although I run across many shorter scale guitars, I specifically look for the way they sit when I put a strap on them and strum an F-chord. That's the first thing I do. Then I check to see how it fits when playing the upper frets on the higher G,B, and E strings for ease of being able to reach them. Simply being a short scale guitar is just part of the whole equation for me. In the pics, I do agree it does look like Mahogany, but up close, you can definitely tell it's not. The Cort website lists it as Agathis as well.

Tim, the quality of the craftsmanship is right up there. However, I would sat that Schecter pays a little more attention to detail in some areas. For instance, the Cort really should have an angled pickup ring in the neck, and the bridge on the Tempest is beefier. Little things, but those little things catch my attention. Does it REALLY matter? Maybe not.. Like I said in the OP, later I plan on doing some pros and cons comparisons between The Schecter, Cort, and Squier, that have turned up some interesting results.




That may turn out to be true.. I'd be very hesitant to try it. The Duncans and Dimarzios did sound brighter and took on different characteristics within the spiked treble and loss of Bass frequencies. But they still sounded clean and clear. Problem is, the way they reacted didn't mesh with my wah favorably, whereas in the previous guitars they were in they sounded great.
The Mighty Mites were harsh and distorted, and to add insult to injury, even had a push/pull split coil in the bridge that was probably the worst sound I'd ever heard come out of a guitar. One thing I do consider when evaluating a guitar company is how well they understand what goes well together between pickups and the guitars they are installed in, and this was a huge miss in my opinion.

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Ah...you've changed your username to one of your song titles...fooled me.

Nice score...

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Being able to play and enjoy music is a gift that's often taken for granted.

Don't leave home without it!

Yea.. At some point I wasn't able to log in as "shredd6" anymore. Still can't. It became unusable on my PC and my phone. So I had to create a new account under a different name. Since a lot of our fans call me Jah Soldier now anyway, it seemed like a pretty easy alternate name to go by.

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Nice looking guitar, it must sound great with the EMG's. Your fans are going to be talking about that guy with the gold guitar.

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'10 American Deluxe HSS Sunset Metallic
'10 JA-90 Thinline Telecaster
'15 Music Man JP-15 Blueberry Burst
'07 Les Paul Standard Faded LCPG #82
'14 Carvin ST300
'12 Carvin CS424S
'66 Guild Starfire IV w/Bigsby
'14 Warmouth Partscaster Daphne Blue

Nice find Shredd.........

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The blues ain't nothin but a good man feelin bad.

She is a beaut, Jah.

I will have to get some time to get used to your new screen name ...

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Deyr fé
Deyja frændr
Deyr sjálfr ið sama
En orðstír
Deyr aldregi
Hveim er sér góðan getr

Yea, I'm kinda used to that too.

Crazy story. When I joined this band, none of my friends could believe it. "Dude are you serious? A Reggae band? Why?" Ever since I joined HaleAmano, only 1 of my old Vegas Hardcore friends has come out to see us. They all thought I was crazy and started calling me a weird guy. Say they don't like Reggae and won't show up to support. It was kinda sad to go through the change. (not saying that's going on here in the forum, just an interesting story)

Most of our fans are Hawaiian, and there aren't a whole lotta shredders there. Reggae, R&B, and Heineken are huge. As a song, Jah Soldier did very well in Hawaii. But nobody really knew it was me who wrote it and sings it. A lot of people here in Vegas didn't know it either until they saw us live. They also didn't know my name at all. Hahaha. So people just started calling me Jah Soldier. Of course, it sounds like "Jah Sojaaaah". At one point one of our band members was able to find me at a venue by listening for that. When I walk by, people just say it. Or rather, sing it like the song.

Took me a while to get used to it myself. But these days, I find it flattering and endearing as well now.

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congrats shred, looks like a good score,hope it sounds as good as it looks

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Common sense and a sense of humor are the same thing, moving at different speeds. A sense of humor is just common sense, dancin'

Thanks dharma47, It really does. In fact, due to the guitar brightening up the EMGs, I'd even go so far as to say, it's the best I've heard my EMG (81-85) sets sound. I've used it for the past couple of practices, and it's very comfortable and sounds better than I expected.

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COOL! glad you're happy with it..always nice when that happens...oh yeah Cort makes some really good Classical guitars too

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Common sense and a sense of humor are the same thing, moving at different speeds. A sense of humor is just common sense, dancin'