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Quick Hit: Cort G290 FAT Review

Quick Hit: Cort G290 FAT Review

A reasonably priced mix of timeless features and modern appointments.


Recorded using the Cort going into a Jackson Broken Arrow and a Line 6 HX Effects, and then a Fender Hot Rod Deluxe IV miked with a Royer R-121 feeding an Apogee Duet going into GarageBand with no EQ-ing, compression, or effects.
Clip 1 – Jackson Arrow on “Marshall” setting with a simple delay from the HX Effects.
Clip 2 – All delay and reverb is coming from the HX Effects.
 

Ratings

Pros:
Great balanced feel.

Cons:
Pickups are a bit uneven with a rather shrill high end.

Street:
$849

Cort G290 FAT
cortguitars.com


Tones:


Playability:


Build/Design:


Value:
 

Finding the perfect “super strat” can seem like an eternal quest. It’s not that dissimilar to the hunt for a “transparent” overdrive, but I digress. Cort’s G290 FAT is a beautifully designed double-cutaway model that takes inspiration from not only the ’80s, but more modern examples of hot-rodded, humbucker-loaded rock machines. At $849, it’s natural not to expect some of the high-end features you might find on a Suhr or Ibanez, but I hand it to Cort for not totally skimping on what makes a workhorse guitar, you know, work.

The neck is smooth and fast and looks great thanks to the roasted maple treatment that’s usually found on guitars that are twice this price. I tested the G290 with a few different dirt pedals going into a Fender Hot Rod Deluxe IV. The VTH-77 pickups had plenty of output but needed some extra EQ treatment to deal with some unpleasant high-end frequencies. However, the lows and mids were clear and punchy without getting woofy. Although the G290 is wrapped up in modern features, the bones of a timeless design are there and definitely worth a look.

Test gear: Fender Hot Rod Deluxe IV, Jackson Broken Arrow, Electro-Harmonix Soul Food