Cort GB75 - what's it like?

[lemmywinks]

On the hunt for a budget but good 5 string and this has cropped up locally, the guy is after £250 cash.

Looks smart and I'm pretty impressed with the Cort I have (a C5P) which has a good low B and sounds great in general for the motown, disco and funk which I play so I'd be expecting this to be a better all round bass.

What are the house brand pickups/pre like, how is the B string on these and how do they stack up in general? The choice is between this and a Sire 5 string when they are available.

[Dad3353]

We have one of these, it was our youngest's first bass. At the time (quite a few years ago, now...) it was the least expensive new active fiver I could find. Despite this , it has turned out to be an excellent player (although slightly heavy for my old shoulders; I'm more used to my Verithin..!). The 'stock' p/ups are excellent, the pre-amp does the job well; no complaints whatsoever.
An anecdote..? OK, then. Maceo Parker was billed to play at the local festival in which I was involved (3 Elephants; look it up...). We got a call the day before from their manager, asking if we could provide an active five-string. He explained that the bassist (Rodney 'Skeet' Curtis...) had had his Lakland fail on him in Scandinavia, and had no spare. I offered our humble Cort when they arrived; he strung it up with his own strings and used it for the show. By coincidence, the same configuration (1 x MM, 1 x J p/ups...) as his Lakland. No-one noticed the drop in quality, which only goes to prove that it really is 'all in the fingers'. He was complimentary about the bass, and gracious enough to sign the back afterwards, but that's worn off since. Still, we now know that if it doesn't sound right, it's us, not the bass..!
Brilliant value for money, but ours was less than £250 new; much less.
Hope this helps.

[HowieBass]

A new GB75 is going to set you back about £440 (from a UK dealer) and surprisingly Thomann (generally acknowledged as offering very good deals) want close to £450. If the vendor is local go and have a play!

[lemmywinks]

Thanks guys, I can get a new one for about £390 and one of the Sires for £310 so it's kinda low enough but not amazingly well priced IMO. It didn't sell on eBay last time around (no bids at £280. I think I'll bob round next week and try it out and take my current Cort for comparison.

I was really impressed when I got my C5P, an amazing amount of bass for the money. I think Cort are one of the few makers that can actually do a cheap bass with a good low B.

Edited June 11, 2015 by lemmywinks

[lemmywinks]

Just out of interest there seems to be two different control setups on these - one with 3 pots, a stacked pot and a switch while the other is two pots, a stacked pot and two switches.

What's the difference with these?

[ebenezer]

I am lead to believe cort actually make the lakland skyline basses, they are then shipped
to the us for final set-up...please correct me if I am wrong!

[dincz]

There's a dealer over here (Czech Republic) offering them for the equivalent of 236GBP. Almost worth popping over for a beer.

http://www.music-city.cz/cort-gb75-opn-rosewood-fingerboard-open-pore-natural-32344.html?utm_source=heureka.cz&utm_medium=pricenidexer&utm_campaign=feed

[darkandrew]

I've never had a "Cort" but I have a couple of MIK Fenders that were manufactured by them (the pots even have Cort written on them) and while one is OK the other is absolutely brilliant, punching well above its weight in terms of both sound and playability.

[mcnach]

[quote name='lemmywinks' timestamp='1434010005' post='2795820']
Just out of interest there seems to be two different control setups on these - one with 3 pots, a stacked pot and a switch while the other is two pots, a stacked pot and two switches.

What's the difference with these?
[/quote]

I have the 4 string version. It's a pretty cool bass, and mine is extremely light too which was nice. Very comfortable.
I don't like the electronics much, 'though. The preamp is "meh", and the pickups are perfectly useable but a little "polite", especially the neck pickup. It works but I keep meaning to replace them. I haven't yet because it's not my main player and I have too many distractions and it *does* work as it is... but if I wanted to use it often I'd definitely replace them.

Mine is the version with the stacked pot and two switches... The stacked pot is bass/treble active EQ. The middle one is the balance pot, and the top one is volume. The volume knob can be pulled out and it bypasses the preamp.
The switches... the bottom one selects coils for the MM humbucker: one option is series, I can't recall whether the other two positions are one coil and the other, or one coil and both in parallel...
The second switch I don't remember what it does, it's a 2-position switch... I *think* it's just an on/off, that allows you to boost bass/treble by a predetermined amount, what some call a "slap switch", but I don't remember for sure. Whatever it is mine is always in off position.

[HowieBass]

[quote name='ebenezer' timestamp='1434034784' post='2796158']
I am lead to believe cort actually make the lakland skyline basses, they are then shipped
to the us for final set-up...please correct me if I am wrong!
[/quote]

You're right... Cort also build basses for several other brands (such as Squier and Epiphone).

[lemmywinks]

Thanks again, a bit worrying about the preamp mcnach. The Mighty Mite and stock pre in my current Cort are actually capable of some great sounds so when I go and look I'll take it along for comparison. I like a very clean sound so your idea of too polite might be my ideal tone! Thanks for the views, it's very much appreciated.

I knew that Cort make basses for just about everyone including Lakland, in fact I have an old Hohner made by them. I'm pretty sure everyone owns a Cort bass, they just don't know it!

[lemmywinks]

[quote name='dincz' timestamp='1434043170' post='2796233']
There's a dealer over here (Czech Republic) offering them for the equivalent of 236GBP. Almost worth popping over for a beer.

[url="http://www.music-city.cz/cort-gb75-opn-rosewood-fingerboard-open-pore-natural-32344.html?utm_source=heureka.cz&utm_medium=pricenidexer&utm_campaign=feed"]http://www.music-cit...m_campaign=feed[/url]
[/quote]

Thanks for that link, it's the natural one too which I prefer to the white. I wonder if they ship to the UK....

[dannybuoy]

Considered a Yamaha BB425? They are on sale at the moment: http://www.gak.co.uk/en/yamaha-bb425-standard-bb-vintage-white/48076

[mcnach]

[quote name='lemmywinks' timestamp='1434056845' post='2796404']
Thanks again, a bit worrying about the preamp mcnach. The Mighty Mite and stock pre in my current Cort are actually capable of some great sounds so when I go and look I'll take it along for comparison. I like a very clean sound so your idea of too polite might be my ideal tone! Thanks for the views, it's very much appreciated.
[/quote]


You're right! It's not a BAD sound, at all. But not what *I* would like. Of course, different people like different things, so you might find it pretty good sounding indeed The good news is it's easy to change pickups if not. The bass itself is well made.

The preamp... I felt the bass control added too much "boom" without fattening the sound enough. I guess I'd want more low mids. The treble control I rarely touch on a bass.

It's a great bass... I was just pointing out the things that separated it from perfection

[lemmywinks]

[quote name='dannybuoy' timestamp='1434057936' post='2796416']
Considered a Yamaha BB425? They are on sale at the moment: [url="http://www.gak.co.uk/en/yamaha-bb425-standard-bb-vintage-white/48076"]http://www.gak.co.uk...age-white/48076[/url]
[/quote]


I've never liked the look of those Yamahas, the styling really puts me off tbh even though I know loads of people like them and last time I played one it had a ridged surface to the end of the pickup which was uncomfortable on my thumb. Have no idea if they are stil like that. Also I'm looking at cheaper brands which are known to have good low B strings, the cheaper Yamahas I've tried have been a bit floppy and indistinct which I'm looking to avoid. Haven't tried that model in a 5 though and I've liked the more expensive Yamahas, In fact one of the best basses I've played was a TRB 6er (so it should be for over £2k!).

I think the choice is between a Cort or one of the Sires. The Sires are an unknown quantity but have been reviewed so well across the board

[quote name='mcnach' timestamp='1434059987' post='2796430']
The preamp... I felt the bass control added too much "boom" without fattening the sound enough. I guess I'd want more low mids. The treble control I rarely touch on a bass.
[/quote]

Hmmmm, that sounds like the opposite of what I want! The pre on my existing Cort has a very useful Bass voicing, no idea what frequency it is but it's higher than the bass knob on my LMII (which is 40hz IIRC?) and fattens up the sound without getting boomy which makes dialing in low end really easy. I'm really not a fan of boomy bass eqs on preamps, one of the reasons I sold my last 5 string was because of this.

The one I was looking at is this one:
http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/251989764877?_trksid=p2060353.m1438.l2649&ssPageName=STRK%3AMEBIDX%3AIT

It's the 3 band eq version with what I'm guessing is the slap switch. Maybe it has different electrics and will sound different, who knows! Comes with a case though which I could sell on for around £20 as I only use gigbags.

[mcnach]

[quote name='lemmywinks' timestamp='1434061336' post='2796446']


I've never liked the look of those Yamahas, the styling really puts me off tbh even though I know loads of people like them and last time I played one it had a ridged surface to the end of the pickup which was uncomfortable on my thumb. Have no idea if they are stil like that. Also I'm looking at cheaper brands which are known to have good low B strings, the cheaper Yamahas I've tried have been a bit floppy and indistinct which I'm looking to avoid. Haven't tried that model in a 5 though and I've liked the more expensive Yamahas, In fact one of the best basses I've played was a TRB 6er (so it should be for over £2k!).

I think the choice is between a Cort or one of the Sires. The Sires are an unknown quantity but have been reviewed so well across the board



Hmmmm, that sounds like the opposite of what I want! The pre on my existing Cort has a very useful Bass voicing, no idea what frequency it is but it's higher than the bass knob on my LMII (which is 40hz IIRC?) and fattens up the sound without getting boomy which makes dialing in low end really easy. I'm really not a fan of boomy bass eqs on preamps, one of the reasons I sold my last 5 string was because of this.

The one I was looking at is this one:
[url="http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/251989764877?_trksid=p2060353.m1438.l2649&ssPageName=STRK%3AMEBIDX%3AIT"]http://www.ebay.co.u...K%3AMEBIDX%3AIT[/url]

It's the 3 band eq version with what I'm guessing is the slap switch. Maybe it has different electrics and will sound different, who knows! Comes with a case though which I could sell on for around £20 as I only use gigbags.
[/quote]

That looks like it has different electronics entirely to mine, being a newer model too. The pickups are different too.,, So my concerns about the pickups and electronics may not apply here.
Personally, I'd go for this one over the Sire. Cort generally build good basses. If you don't like it, I don't think it would be too hard for you to sell it on without losing money... and it's a beauty!

[jassbass]

Ive tried one of these and i have a sire v7 5er
I found the cort pretty decent and well made,but the sire is better for sure in my opinion.much better preamp and plays very good

[lemmywinks]

Also just noticed what looks like some off centre pickup routing on the bass, looks like the MM pickup is way off and the G string barely over the poles:

[ebenezer]

bit sloppy!

[Machines]

I'd give one a go, it ticks most of the boxes I'm looking for and that neck looks VERY much like a Lakland 55-xx neck from the back, except it's 34". There's one up at BassDirect 2nd hand for £375.

[lemmywinks]

There's a new one on eBay for £390 posted so the used one at Bass Direct is slightly on the expensive side!

I believe at one point these and the Skyline basses were made alongside each other at the same factory so the resemblance is probably not coincidental.

I'm stil going to check it out at some point, if the MM pickup is as wonky as it looks in the photos it's off the list though.

Edited June 12, 2015 by lemmywinks

[RandomBass]

[quote name='Dad3353' timestamp='1433977979' post='2795703']
We have one of these, it was our youngest's first bass. At the time (quite a few years ago, now...) it was the least expensive new active fiver I could find. Despite this , it has turned out to be an excellent player (although slightly heavy for my old shoulders; I'm more used to my Verithin..!). The 'stock' p/ups are excellent, the pre-amp does the job well; no complaints whatsoever.
An anecdote..? OK, then. Maceo Parker was billed to play at the local festival in which I was involved (3 Elephants; look it up...). We got a call the day before from their manager, asking if we could provide an active five-string. He explained that the bassist (Rodney 'Skeet' Curtis...) had had his Lakland fail on him in Scandinavia, and had no spare. I offered our humble Cort when they arrived; he strung it up with his own strings and used it for the show. By coincidence, the same configuration (1 x MM, 1 x J p/ups...) as his Lakland. No-one noticed the drop in quality, which only goes to prove that it really is 'all in the fingers'. He was complimentary about the bass, and gracious enough to sign the back afterwards, but that's worn off since. Still, we now know that if it doesn't sound right, it's us, not the bass..!
Brilliant value for money, but ours was less than £250 new; much less.
Hope this helps.
[/quote]
What a fabulous anecdote. Love it
Cheers
Geoff

[Dad3353]

[sharedmedia=core:attachments:167485]

[lemmywinks]

Thanks for the mini-review, that was very thorough!

I agree about the build quality and excellent parts Cort use, my C5P feels like a very expensive bass, the neck is solid and it stays in tune better than any bass I've had before (Warwicks, Zoot, Gibson). Not sure if they've goofed the electrics on these though as the Cort I have doesn't need anything replacing IMO, this is why I'm interested in taking the C5P along to compare. I think the slap switch will be a smiley eq preset, my Cort Curbow 5 had one and it was always in the off position, might be an idea to change it to a series/parallel switch for the MM pickup.

The treble thing isn't an issue for me as I can just turn the tweeters down on my cabs and put the VLE to use on my amp (a variable low pass filter), I never have to do this currently though as the high freqs sound very solid and musical with my current rig.

I think I'm leaning towards giving this one a miss tbh, still interested in trying them at some point with a view to buying one (or a GB5 and possibly a Skyline) but the one I have seen looks to have a wonky MM pickup which really puts me off.

[LukeFRC]

The GB74/75 is on paper a great bass - so much so I went to try a few out a few years back...

it was ok.
played well enough in the hands - kinda bland tone, it didn't excite me. I figured by the time you had got decent new pups (Delano Hybrid?!) and preamp in it it wasn't so cheap any more. I would say that was just based on shop try outs.
One bass that did blow me away in a shop, so much so I lost track of time playing it, was the Yamaha 424/5 - I just grabbed something off the wall to try an amp with and that was closest... and utterly amazing.