Cort Guitars introduces the new Gold-OC8 acoustic-electric, the latest addition to the Gold Series that unites classic stylings with modern amenities. The revamped Gold-OC8 was developed for players who seek a comfortable orchestra model (OM) body with a generous 43 mm (1 11/16-inch) nut width that's ideal for both fingerpicking and chord fretting. With the addition of a Fishman Flex Bend System with built-in tuner, the Gold-OC8 gives players a wide range of sonic control and superb natural tones.
The Gold-OC8 features a classic OM cutaway body (25.3-inch scale), a style that was initially developed in the 1920s and captures the prized pre-war era tone that's highly sought-after in classic acoustic models. This guitar delivers a sound that's larger than its compact size indicates and offers a level of dynamic responsiveness that's reinforced by Cort's hand-scalloped x-bracing. Cort's hallmark Aged to Vintage (ATV) treatment gives this new guitar the tone of a decades-old acoustic. The torrefication process allows the solid Sitka spruce top to cure and open up more over time resulting in a big, open tone that's bright yet natural.
The solid Sitka spruce top on the Gold Series is ideal for virtually any musical genre with a brilliant, clear high-end, warm and rich midrange, and a deep but tight low-end for a beautifully balanced sound. This premium top features superior strength and dense grains along with the flexibility to resonate freely, and is balanced by solid pau ferro back and sides that are tonally similar to Indian rosewood and are stable, abrasion-resistant, and exotic with good impression strength parallel to the grain. Topping it off, a sonically enhanced UV finish allows the wood to "breathe" and vibrate more freely to improve natural acoustic resonance.
Fishman's innovative Flex Blend System offers volume, tone, phase, blend, and tuner functions available from three knobs and the tuner display. Gold-OC8 players can adjust the tone knob to best suit fingerpicking or strumming techniques without feedback issues and other sonic anomalies, all while enjoying the most natural acoustic sounds to the amplifier.
The mahogany neck on the Gold-OC8 is reinforced with walnut inserts that add stability while retaining the natural properties of the wood. Cort adds a DoubleLock neck joint design, a tight-fitting traditional dovetail neck joint reinforced with a bolt, to maximize the transfer of tone and boost resonance. Additionally, an ebony bridge with high-density pins enhances the transfer of string vibrations throughout the soundboard top, body, and neck.
To increase playing comfort, Cort developed comfortable dimensions in neck thickness and ensured consistency by using a state-of-the-art CNC machine to accurately mill each neck. Each neck is carefully finished by skilled craftsmen who dress the 20 frets to make them round, smooth, and ultra-comfortable to touch and play, an extra touch for the slick smoothness of the ebony fingerboard. Finishing aesthetics include deluxe vintage gold tuners, an abalone rosette, and white binding with triple-ply purfling.
The Gold-OC8 comes with a new Cort Deluxe Soft-Side case that combines the best attributes of a hard case with the flexibility of a gig-bag for superb protection.
Players can enjoy the premium tonewoods and sophisticated appointments of the Gold-OC8 acoustic-electric at an affordable MSRP of $1,499.99 and street price of $999.99
Learn more and get a closer look at www.cortguitars.com.
Epiphone’s Joe Bonamassa 1955 Les Paul Standard features the same Copper Iridescent color, a pair of Epiphone P-90 PRO pickups wired to CTS potentiometers and Mallory capacitors, a Custom ’59 Rounded C neck profile, a long neck tenon, and a “Nerdville” graphic hardshell case. This Epiphone 1955 Les Paul Standard is a passionate testament to Bonamassa’s unwavering commitment to the blues and its profound influence on his music.
The Epiphone Joe Bonamassa 1955 Les Paul Standard release is a nod to a pivotal period in the evolution of the Gibson Les Paul, in a finish guaranteed to turn heads. Whether you’re a Joe Bonamassa fan, a Les Paul enthusiast, or a musician seeking an instrument that stands out in both tone and appearance, the Joe Bonamassa 1955 Les Paul Standard is the perfect addition to your collection.
This partnership with Epiphone celebrates the timeless synergy between the brand and Joe’s musical trajectory. Joe’s latest release Live At The Hollywood Bowl immortalizes Joe's first-ever performance at the iconic Hollywood Bowl in August 2023. Accompanied by an impressive ensemble of 40 orchestra members, Bonamassa delivered an unforgettable performance. Live At The Hollywood Bowl With Orchestra showcases Bonamassa’s virtuosic blend of blues and rock, but also elevates fan-favorite tracks with grandiose orchestral arrangements by some of Hollywood's finest – David Campbell, Trevor Rabin, and Jeff Bova. “Very few gigs represent my journey in music more than the Hollywood Bowl. I moved to Los Angeles in 2003 in search of opportunity and cheaper rent than New York City. My first gig at The Mint was attended by 5 of my friends. We have played The Greek Theatre many times since, but the Bowl has always been a dream. The orchestra and the sheer scale of the event and venue are something I will never forget. I am so grateful that we filmed this special event in my life,” reminisces Bonamassa.
For more information, please visit epiphone.com.
Joe Bonamassa Introduces the Epiphone 1955 Les Paul Standard - YouTube
Enjoy the videos and music you love, upload original content, and share it all with friends, family, and the world on YouTube.Epiphone Joe Bonamassa 1955 Les Paul Standard Electric Guitar - Copper Iridescent
But by gosh, if delay—and its sister effect, reverb—haven’t always been perfect for the music I like to write and play. Which brings us to the Fishman EchoBack Mini Delay. The EchoBack, along with the standard delay controls of level, time, and repeats—as well as a tap tempo—has a toggle to alternate between analog, tape, and digital-delay voices.
I hooked up my Washburn Bella Tono Elegante to my Blues Junior to give the EchoBack a test run. We love a medium delay—my usual preference for delay settings is to have both level and repeats at 1 o’clock, and time at 11 o’clock. With the analog voice switched on, I heard some pillowy warmth in the processed signal, as well as a familiar degradation with each repeat—until their wake gave way to a gentle, distant, crinkly ticking. Staying on analog and adjusting delay time down to 8 o’clock and repeats to about 11:30, some cozy slapback enveloped my rendition of Johnny Marr’s part to “Back to the Old House,” conjuring up thoughts of Elvis trapped in a small chamber, but in a good way. It sounded indubitably authentic. The one drawback of analog delay for me, generally, is that its roundness can feel a bit under water at times.
Switching over to tape, that pillowy warmth evaporated, and in its place came a very clear replication of my tone—but with just a bit of the highs shaved off the top. With the settings at the medium-length mode listed above, I could see the empty, glass hall the pedal sent my sound bouncing down. I heard several pronounced pings of repeats before the signal fully faded out. On slapback settings (time at 8 o’clock, repeats at 11:30), rather than Elvis, I heard something more along the lines of a honky-tonk mic in a glass bottle. Still relatively crystalline, which actually was not my favorite. I like a bit more crinkle—so maybe analog is my bag....“That pillowy warmth evaporated, and in its place came a very clear, pristine replication of my tone—but with just a bit of the highs shaved off the top.”
Next up, digital. Here we have the brightest voice, and as expected, the most faithful repeats. They ping just a few times before shifting to a smooth, single undulating wave. When putting its slapback hat on, I found that the effect was a bit less alluring than I’d observed for the analog and tape voices. This is where the digital delay felt a little too sterile, with the cleanly preserved signal feeling a bit unnatural.
All in all, I dig the EchoBack for its replications of analog and tape voices, and ultimately, lean towards tape. While it’s nice having the digital delay there as an option, it feels a bit too clean when meddling with time of any given length. Nonetheless, this is surely a handy stomp for any acoustic player looking to venture into the land of live effects, or for those who are already there.
