Who Knows About Cortez Guitars

Robert Leaman · Post by **Robert Leaman** » 16 Apr 2008 5:31 pm

A friend brought a Cortez guitar to show me. The guitar is in excellent condition with only two very small blemishes. The top is spruce, side and back are maple. It plays true to the 14th fret and has easy action. The neck is glued in with a truss rod. It was bought in San Diego, CA in 1970. The guitar shows "Made In Japan", Model J-6500, and S/N 70363. The case was replaced about one year ago and is good condition. Tell me about it and what it might be worth.

The blemish on the back is a reflection from a digital camera flash.

Glenn Suchan · Post by **Glenn Suchan** » 16 Apr 2008 7:03 pm

Robert, in a nutshell, Cortez guitars were made in Japan and exported by a company started by a man named Jack Westheimer. Mr. Westheimer is credited with being one of the first people involved with global guitar manufacturing/importing. Along with Cortez, his name is associated with Kingston, Teisco (later known as Teisco Del Rey), Silvertone, and Emperador brand guitars. Incidentally, the Everly Brothers thought highly of, and played Emperador guitars before the J-200 and Everly "signature" Gibson guitars. Cortez guitars later became Cort guitars. Cort guitars are manufactured in South Korea and Indonesia. In recent years Cort guitars are credited with making economy priced guitars for many big name companies such as Fender and Gibson and turn out an estimated 1,000,000 guitars annually. Because of this volume of production, Cort can manufacture high quality guitars under it's own name, for a fraction of the cost of the more sought after brands. Cort also manufactures it's own line of "signature" electric guitars such as the "Hiram Bullock", the "Neil Zaza", and the "Pagelli". At one time, they manufactured a great signature jazz guitar, the 7-string "Joe Beck" model. This guitar can be heard on the Jimmy Bruno-Joe Beck album "Polarity".

Robert, if Cortez guitars are anything like Cort, they're probably well made and under priced. I currently own a used, Cort MR710F which I bought for $150. It listed for about $450 new and is comparable in construction and sound, to guitars costing 3 or 4 times as much. Like your Cortez, it has flamed-maple sides and back, maple neck and a solid spruce top. Here's a link to the Cort MR710F:
http://www.cort.co.kr/english/products/ ... uct_id=188

For the whole story regarding Cortez, Cort, and Jack Westheimer follow this link:
http://wiki.answers.com/Q/What_is_a_Cortez_guitar

Keep on pickin'!
Glenn

Bill Hatcher · Post by **Bill Hatcher** » 17 Apr 2008 6:05 am

Look at the edge of the sound hole. If you see the top is laminated spruce then the guitar really does not have much value. Same with the back. You can look at the grain patterns on the back and then look at that area inside the back and see if they match.

There were zillions of these laminated guitars imported from Japan back in the late 60s and 70s. I will say that these tend to be of much better quality and materials than the current Pacific rim built acoustics. Some even sound very nice.

Glenn Suchan · Post by **Glenn Suchan** » 17 Apr 2008 6:31 am

Bill, I can't speak for the Cortez guitar Robert's friend has, but my Cort definately has a solid spruce top. I'm not sure if it's engleman or sitka spruce. If the sides and back are laminated, they'd have to laminated on both sides of each piece, because the inside of the guitar is flamed maple, too. Also, all the trusses are scalloped (something which is more common on expensively made guitars). When I bought the Cort, I was looking for a cheap guitar to use for my own enjoyment. The body and neck materials on the Cort MF710F FM reminded me of a 1964, Gibson J-200 I owned, years ago.

Low and behold, when I received the guitar the tone was similar to the J-200. Much better than most people would expect from a moderately priced guitar. Honestly, this Cort is slightly less resonant in the lower frequencies. Which is probably due to the fact that the body is a dreadnaught style with a venetian cut-away, as opposed to the jumbo, concert-sized body of the J-200. Other than that, playability and tone are very close to the 1964 J-200, I owned. The early Yamaha guitars (with the red label in the sound hole) are amazing and highly sought after guitars, too. And once again, these were inexpensive, when new.

BTW: I string-up the Cort with Jagwire strings

Keep on pickin'!
Glenn

Glenn Suchan · Post by **Glenn Suchan** » 17 Apr 2008 2:03 pm

I just found this. It's a YouTube of an individual playing a Cort "Joe Beck" alto 6-stringer (only Joe Beck's prototype was a 7-stringer).

Check the tone of the guitar. Really pretty good for a "cheapo" Korean jazz axe.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gIw7zcuWgPg

And Beck playin' his 7-string prototype

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Drj-CXfhIQk

Keep on pickin'!
Glenn

Kent Thompson · Post by **Kent Thompson** » 17 Apr 2008 2:30 pm

My uncle had a Cortez guitar. I loved to play it. Had such a rich tone and fretted easily.

Robert Leaman · Post by **Robert Leaman** » 17 Apr 2008 5:10 pm

Thanks everyone for information and help. The guitar is for sale and, understandably, he wants to know what may be a fair price. He has some medical obligations for his wife who has cancer and anything can help.

Glenn Suchan · Post by **Glenn Suchan** » 18 Apr 2008 7:05 am

You're welcome Robert.

If your friend's Cortez is anything like my Cort, with regard to tone and construction, someone will be buying a very nice instrument. And a beautiful one, too, judging on the photos.

Best wishes to your friend for a successful sale, and a prayer for his wife for a complete recovery from her illness.

Keep on pickin'!
Glenn