In this issue we dive fully into Cort guitars with a very particular model: the Pagelli. Cort is an incredibly large company, with an immense production output. Its guitars target everything from budget to mid-range and higher-end. In this case it is rather special, since it is not a really expensive guitar, yet it offers us a great number of features not found in instruments of this type, in this segment. The guitar itself is a signature model, so I think it is very important to point out that the owner of the idea is luthier Pagelli www.pagelli.com, who collaborates with Cort to build his own model.
When I take the guitar out of the case, a series of images comes to mind: it has a certain Les Paul air, with a bit of PRS and, I don’t know why, it reminds me of an Explorer. Set neck, fixed bridge, two humbuckers, push-pull. It all gives me an appealing sense of curiosity, so let’s start describing it.
Woods
An instrument with these characteristics is rather particular in certain respects, because if we hold a really expensive instrument with, so to speak, a certain pedigree, a lot of things are taken for granted, such as the type of construction, tonewoods and so on. But when we have a low-cost instrument, if they suddenly use quality woods, hardware and so on, it catches our eye and enters our consideration.
In this case, since it is a guitar with a Les Paul look, as we said at the start, mahogany is the wood chosen for the body, which is highly consistent with what it represents. This makes the sound begin to suggest something thick, deep and so on, where sustain is the main characteristic over attack.
The other important factor we must keep in mind is the neck; the construction and the components used are vital. In this case, maple was chosen as the wood. The combination selected for this guitar is a perfect one: mahogany for the body and maple for the neck. It should be said, on the other hand, that the neck is built in two pieces: one up to about the fifth fret, and another from there to the end of the headstock.
Finally, we ask ourselves what type of wood is used for the fretboard, since it is also decisive for the guitar’s final sound. Here we find rosewood, and I should clarify that on the model I have in my hands it has a quite attractive color, since it is fairly dark and well oiled, which gives a feeling of higher quality.
Getting a bit ahead into the guitar’s construction itself, the question arises: how is the neck joined to the body? In this case it is a very consistent point, since (to my understanding) the best way to connect this mahogany body with the maple neck is by gluing, allowing a smooth, long (in terms of sustain) transmission of the note, which is produced mainly in the neck and passes into the body.
Hardware
We should now focus on: what kind of hardware have they used? The truth is that in this case it is also rather peculiar, as the selection seems to aim for the choicest elements within the price range this guitar sits in.
So to speak, we must keep in mind that, apart from changes to the shape of the guitar itself, we are dealing with something very similar to a “Les Paul”/PRS. Therefore, we should immediately think of several points, which are: fixed bridge, strings that do not go through the neck, and an angled headstock.
Let’s begin by finding out what type of bridge the guitar has. Here we see a Tune-o-matic style bridge, but in addition we have, so to speak, a Tone Pros bridge, that is, “licensed by.” With a more or less sensible setup, that is, a break angle that is neither too gentle nor too aggressive. Questions come to mind such as: will it break a lot of strings? How will it handle .011 gauge, since it comes with .010? I suspect the answers can be summed up as: “like a Les Paul.”
We will discuss the pickup type and so on later; what I do want to mention here is that they are mounted in Gibson-style cavities and covered with a metal cover (“pickup cover”), in the purest Les Paul Standard/Custom/PRS style.
The pickup selector is exactly like a Les Paul’s, placed in the same spot (upper left), but I think we may run into a minor problem as the gigs go by, nothing serious that couldn’t be fixed by swapping in a higher-quality switch, which costs next to nothing.
With regard to the tuners, this is where we may have a problem or two, since, although they are not bad, they are not on a par with the bridge or any other aspect of the guitar. So swapping the tuners in good time for something better will perhaps give us more tone and eliminate any tuning problems, although I can say that after playing it for a while I didn’t notice any serious tuning problems.
Frets are a fundamental part of many variables: comfort, intonation and so on. In this case we have 22 jumbo frets, quite large, which gives us great comfort and keeps the intonation of fretted notes quite stable. Time and use will tell us about their toughness and durability, but at first glance they give me a feeling of robustness. These frets and the neck construction are possibly one of the keys to its comfort for the left hand.
Finally, let’s focus on the nut itself, which on many occasions is the main culprit behind the headaches caused by tuning problems. Here I believe I can tell that they supply us with a graphite nut, which helps us avoid breaking strings and keep the tuning quite steady, and possibly offsets the tuners.
Electronics
How it is wired and what each of the pots it offers is for is really interesting and is what gives a guitar versatility, or not. In this case we are dealing with a perfect case of an “all-rounder,” because even though it keeps much of the essence of a Gibson-type guitar, the electronics help make it more versatile.
It offers two pots, one to control volume and the other for tone. Both are master controls, meaning we cannot select different volumes or different tones for each pickup, which can be a small problem for those used to independent volumes. But here lies one of the guitar’s secrets: the tone control comes with a push-pull option, so it gives us the possibility of splitting each pickup into single-coil mode. That gives us the following combinations: if the control is pushed in, we have the basic two-pickup options, and if it is pulled, we get the outer coil of each of the humbuckers.
Assembly
We have been looking at how the guitar’s different parts come, but let’s linger a little longer on this section. As we said earlier, the neck is glued to the body, giving notes with less attack but more sustain. The joint between the two parts is very carefully done, which makes access to the highest notes quite easy and comfortable.
The overall construction of the guitar strikes me as quite good, and that makes it seem to be, and indeed be, a quite comfortable guitar. It should also be said that the weight of this piece is not excessive, as is sometimes the case. We are used to this type of instrument making our backs suffer under its full weight and, as the gigs go by, seeming to get heavier and heavier.
One of the points I personally appreciate most is the contouring of the inner part of the body, making the guitar much more ergonomic and an extremely comfortable instrument.
Sound
This is one of the critical points of any instrument and, so to speak, for me the most important, since regardless of the guitar’s looks or even how comfortable or uncomfortable we find it, sound is paramount and, personally, comes above everything else.
In this case I love pointing out how in an instrument with a fairly low price we can find a very decent and useful sound. It is the perfect case for applying the exponential phenomenon that occurs in music: that is, if I have two instruments and one costs twice as much as the other, the sound is not going to be twice as good; it will be somewhat better, but not nearly twice as good. When I play the guitar, I get the feeling of a completely creamy timbre that wraps around you, with more or less defined lows; you feel you can double every note you vibrate, controlling it and placing it where you really want. So to speak, it takes me to sounds more in the vein of John Sykes or Doug Aldrich; of course I want to make it quite clear that these are sounds that remind me of, or “aim to sound like,” those players, and still there is a long way between the sound and the ideal.
Feel
The feel of the guitar is really special in this case, since it has a small neck, not too wide but thick, which lets you be completely comfortable at all times and in every situation.
The body is perfectly designed to be played both standing and sitting, including a contour cut on the back that I personally appreciate, so that the edge of the guitar doesn’t end up digging into me.
As for weight and stability, it is perfectly designed so as not to weigh too much and also not to neck-dive, as we sometimes run into.
Conclusion
I have to say it has pleasantly surprised me. I favor keeping to the standards, and in this case we find a guitar that keeps them and also includes certain improvements I have always had in mind. If we add good sound, a good finish and a more than affordable price, it makes for a highly recommendable instrument.
