Cort G Series Restoration

While I'm watching paint dry on the scratch build I've found myself at a bit of a loose end. I've been thinking about picking up some cheapy gumtree/facebook disasters and cleaning them up to sell on and today the perfect candidate came up.

This is what I scored for $50.

It's a 2005 Cort 'G' series. I think its a G200 and looks like it was a pretty decent entry level guitar when it was new. Somebody has had a good go at it since then and it's pretty horrible to play. The finish has been wrecked. you can just see where the Cort decal used to be, I'll make up a replacement, no point faking it.

Specs (afaik)

It's a 22 fret maple neck with offset dots. 25.5 Scale length. Graphite nut

It's either an Agithis or Basswood body - it's pretty light and soft so probably basswood, they swapped that year.

Full Action II Vintage tremolo - 2 post like on my JM build.

Cort 'PowerSound Pickups'

The amp is just a littel SX practice jobby. It has a cash converters sticker on the back for $79 so I'm already ahead (lol)


Plans are to do a light bluish/grey metallic finish with satin neck and give it a really good clean up/setup.

The fret wear is pretty full on and the neck was very bowed. It had 13's or something on it. I've done a quick adjustment and it looks better, truss rod seems fine.

Any, will keep me busy for a bit. I think there is nice guitar in here somewhere.

Some pics:

https://i.imgur.com/qY3qpDP.jpg

https://i.imgur.com/JjGjEj4.jpg

https://i.imgur.com/LsAsE6X.jpg

https://i.imgur.com/3uo2neu.jpg

https://i.imgur.com/Vs3cXce.jpg

https://i.imgur.com/GMbkEy7.jpg

https://i.imgur.com/MS7lpV5.jpg

https://i.imgur.com/Jc3Lzlx.jpg

https://i.imgur.com/g0S6vIn.jpg

https://i.imgur.com/cHtaplA.jpg

https://i.imgur.com/xL4Ju68.jpg

Looks like an excellent project sonic.
Getting a subliminal message 'Life's pretty straight without Twisties'

cheers, Mark.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by king casey

Looks like an excellent project sonic.
Getting a subliminal message 'Life's pretty straight without Twisties'

cheers, Mark.

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Lol. I don't want to reveal my power level, but those are snacks for D&D tonight :rolleyes:

Looks like fun, might have to keep my eyes out for some Gumtree specials for the kids to play around with

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Hardcoretroubadour

Looks like fun, might have to keep my eyes out for some Gumtree specials for the kids to play around with

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My partner got me a no-named strat copy from the local fete for $50.
After it bit of setting up and a re-string, it is quite a decent player.
Thinking about putting a 'Trem-King' in it ...about 4 times what the guitar is worth.

cheers, Mark.

Good score. Absolute bargain for $50.

Well yesterday I stripped it back. What a mess. There was a lot of damage to the curves and bevels. Looks like they used a scraper or something, then sealed it with what smelt like fibreglass resin. No pics of the process unfortunately as I was too busy cursing who ever attempted the last refinish. Anyway, got it back and did a fair bit of reshaping, its definitely basswood so at least its easy to work with.

First quick coat of primer/surfacer. As usual has highlighted a few dodgey areas,but that's fine cause it was the end of the can and pretty splattery. Fine for a guide coat.

https://i.imgur.com/ovDq1Yy.jpg

Things are moving very slowly in Sonic Mountain land due to life getting in the way. Have done a little more on this, at least its getting plenty of drying time. Managed to give the frets going over today. The wear was pretty bad so a lot of material needed to come off. I'm reasonably happy, but might give it a bit of a tidy up again after finishing.

This is after putting some posca across the frets and doing a very light level. You can clearly see the divots, it got a decent playing in it's heyday.

https://i.imgur.com/MQ9Pb8C.jpg

I thought this pic was better than it is.. anyway after using the radius block to get them level I go back over with the file until to two edges of the flat bit I've create just meet

https://i.imgur.com/F560ozt.jpg

https://i.imgur.com/0cZANhf.jpg

Then back over with steel wool and polish using the dremel

Then a really good steam clean to get rid of all the finger gunk

https://i.imgur.com/sXcuAO5.jpg

Then some oil

https://i.imgur.com/Awtq9xM.jpg

https://i.imgur.com/nUwsdjD.jpg

Looking really good, can't wait to see the body...

It's actually a really nice grain under there isn't it?

Yes it cleaned up pretty well. There is a fair bit of wear on the finger board itself as well, but I think it will be OK. Should be a nice looking (and playing) guitar once I'm done.

Body hasn't changed much since the last pics, just a bit tidier, but still in primer.

Well, been a slow couple of months here. Between general life and work, inlaws visiting, terrible weather and the collapse of one of my bigger freelance clients, guitar work has been somewhat back-burnered. Today I managed to finally get a bit of colour on the body for this one.

To be honest I'm not sure about it. It's a ford colour called crystal mint, I thought it might go nicely with the slightly yellowed pick guard and black pickups/knobs. It might still, but I'm reserving judgement until I can mock it up.

I also managed to get one of the crappiest cans of Duplicolor I've encountered in a while. It was very splattery and I suspect it's quite old stock. As a result the spray job isn't amazing. I will see if it settles down, but there are a couple of yucky bits. After it drys I'll decide if I want to switch the colour scheme. I think it might need a slight respray anyway... but we'll see. Open to alternative suggestions colour wise......

Some pics.

https://i.imgur.com/xf0RzQY.jpg

https://i.imgur.com/KdfqCao.jpg

https://i.imgur.com/5O7o9SQ.jpg

Could be a good primer or undercoat?

What was it on? Google reckons 1985 which suggests possibly XF if it was on a Falcon.

I think its been used at various times. I've seen something very close on EA/EB falcons and also on the BA.

I think I might keep going, it looks nice against the pick guard. Once its cleared it should looks pretty shmick. I will do a little touch up as there are some areas I'm not happy with that have bits of darker pigment splattered on them. Hard ot see in the pics. Also looks silver under the shed fluros, but much more green outside.

https://i.imgur.com/HhxlOsR.jpg

https://i.imgur.com/SIN5gIa.jpg

Sneak peak of about the millionth cut back on the Deluxester. I am in the process of re-thinking that whole build at the moment.

That’s coming along really well, I like the colour actually. I’d stick with it and see what it turns out like in the end.


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Yeah, I've decided its going to look OK. Picked up another can today, but the weathers turned crappy for spraying so I'll wait for the next warm day. Lets the first coat really go off.

Polished the pick guard and pickup covers this arvo, need a little more work, but much nicer.

https://i.imgur.com/Fej1v9O.jpg

and got new headstock decals on

https://i.imgur.com/p539Dw6.jpg

https://i.imgur.com/sPE5Hh0.jpg

I like the subtle addition to headstock logo.

That's coming along very nicely. :)

Thanks guys. Another attempt at spray today with an equally dodgy can. Mostly OK, but there are a couple of blobs that flew out. I'm hoping I can carefully knock the top off them and they'll blend in ok. I have a little bit of colour left so I can potentially do a small patch and blend if needed

Pain in the bum. Sorry for the soft focus.. didn't realise how smudgy the lens was.

https://i.imgur.com/CYjNTb0.jpg

https://i.imgur.com/AcL07fn.jpg

https://i.imgur.com/RYaNalV.jpg

That’s looking good, love the colour. I had those splodgies as well. Drives ya nuts.


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Love these kinds of projects, and am always amazed what a difference a bit of fretboard love makes. The last one I picked up from the tip played great once it had a fret level and polish, and now it's off living it's best life with a friend lol

Also, that colour looks ace

Cheers John. Yeah I'm hoping to do a few of these it's good practice.

First clear is on.

https://i.imgur.com/Pf32jON.jpg

https://i.imgur.com/HGd2uwZ.jpg

Small progress, bit of clear on the neck. The SMG decal keeps falling off... must be a sign. I'll put one of my vinyls on it instead when it's done. Stripped all the screws and coated with flat black rustoleum (should be perfect for that job.)

https://i.imgur.com/LHSX4D2.jpg

Ok back to this one after a bit of a break. Final coat of clear on the neck. Did manage to stuff up the 'g' series decal :/... oh well! I jsut want this one out of here now.

Cut and polish of the body, came up nicely. Pick guard re-assembled and bridge posts in. Hoping I'll be able to finish it off this weekend and chuck it up for sale.

Pics....


Cut back with 2000, didn't go overboard. Working on a few commercial guitars over the last couple of weeks has made me realise I'm way to pedantic with my finishing.

https://i.imgur.com/LQu8Ac5.jpg

Cloudy weather making it hard to show off the shine, but this is more like what the colour looks like in person.

https://i.imgur.com/s2pyswH.jpg

https://i.imgur.com/jRWISvg.jpg

https://i.imgur.com/oC33Tg6.jpg

Looking nice and tidy

https://i.imgur.com/b7GO7bV.jpg

https://i.imgur.com/as8WJis.jpg

Some more progress and a moment that resulted in loud bad words.

All re-wired and buttoned up.

https://i.imgur.com/Df57KNM.jpg

https://i.imgur.com/tfQgUkZ.jpg

and an amateur error with the solder.

https://i.imgur.com/CqQMlwU.jpg

https://i.imgur.com/LNiIALF.jpg

It's not too bad, I think I'll just be able to patch the clear and cut and buff it flat. Just means more waiting for paint to dry.

So annoying.

20 mins of elbow grease and cutting compound and its barely noticeable. That'll do.....

The Body and scratch plate really go well.


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All together and making noise. Setup is in the ball park but will take a bit more time. I've put '9s on it so I had to take a spring off the bridge to get it to sit level just off the body. Its a very light guitar and first impressions are positive.

What do people think is a fair price to ask for something like this? They weren't very expensive guitars when they were new, but on the other hand, its had a lot of work done on the neck etc to make sure that it will be nice to play once setup is finished.

I'm thinking around $200 - does that seem fair?

https://i.imgur.com/Z4exRqu.jpg

https://i.imgur.com/UmXdZqg.jpg

https://i.imgur.com/K8MHtwS.jpg

https://i.imgur.com/xeALO5J.jpg

https://i.imgur.com/okSiDf6.jpg

https://i.imgur.com/8xzXrnB.jpg

What an awesome machine! you're not going to keep it?
New, they go for a little bit more than 200, yet then again, this one is practically new...

I ended up getting $170 for it. So after paint etc and purchase price I probably made about $70 on it, which in no way covers the time in labour, but is better than a poke in the eye.

You've done a lovely job there, Sonic.