Hello there, back again with another article for you. This time we will be looking at Cort AD880CE acoustic-electric guitar. As I will be repeating the details about how we would test guitars both in terms of the functional and cosmetics aspects in upcoming reviews, I’m not going to tell you how much time and effort would go into instrument testing in this article during my service in MyDukkan.com.
Table of Contents
If you want to know what kind of long-term experience I have been providing here, I highly recommend you to have a look at my solid reasons on “Why Should You Trust My Reviews Article?“. I’m sure you will trust my word and will be convinced that I’m not reviewing these guitars just because I have seen them online!
According to over 13 years of data, Cort AD880CE is the best-seller acoustic guitar with a preamp & tuner on it!
If you want to buy Cort AD880CE model guitars, please click here to search in Reverb.com
I’m not just making up, Cort has been one of the most successful guitar brands in Turkey and everyone knows this.
Most people don’t like the image of the brand as the guitars they make are not always the best in terms of quality. However, when you consider the price you pay and the performance you get, it’s unbeatable! First, please watch the video below in which I am playing the actual guitar! It is right out of the box, without any adjustment except tuning. Thomann's 70th Anniversary Offers
Nylon string Cort AC-10 played by Selçuk Uzunhasanoğlu. Here you will hear the guitar in action, recorded with a Rode VideoMic Stereo Pro.
Cort AD880CE and Cort AC10 Sound Demo
My personal thoughts on this guitar; I think it’s unbeatable for the price!
According to tests applied for dozens of Cort AD880CE sold in more than two years, there were a few problematic ones. And I must say these problems were the least important ones such as trust adjustment out of the box, preamp fails and some buzzing on a single fret or so. Most of the time, you can just go for it without hesitation. Check out the best guitar pickup company, Seymour Duncan here!
I will be giving you more details about Cort AD880CE acoustic guitar. But first, let’s hear the guitar in action (played by Selçuk Uzunhasanoğlu).
Cort AD880CE Review & Sound Demo (no talking)
It’s not really easy to find this guitar online. I have searched for it on my websites but rarely could find them.
The best idea is to search for 2nd hand models at Reverb.com
It comes with a spruce top which has been a very popular top wood for acoustic guitars recently. It has both balance and strength plus produces quite versatile guitar tones that can be used in many genres without hesitation.
As you can see, one of the best tonewoods, mahogany used in the back and sides on this guitar, results in bright and strong and warm midrange tones. This wood is an industry standard for back and sides for decades!
Cort AD88CE also features Tiger design acrylic rosette and purfling. This actually separates this guitar from the very entry-level and provides a unique look.
“What type of factory strings do these come with?” is one of the most asked questions in any discussion about guitars. Cort AD880CE comes with coated D’addario EXP 80/20 bronze light set and is ready to rock out of the box!
As can be seen in the image, the bridge has an exclusive scoop that enhances sustain with an improved string angle from the saddle to the body. This also reduces overall tension thus less finger fatigue and improved playability for acoustic players. Music Plugin Deals at Pluginboutique.com
The guitar comes with a 3-band EQ by Cort model number CE304T. Operating on a 9-Volt battery, this preamp also features a single-digit LED tuner so you will never have to worry about a guitar tuner.
And finally, Cort AD880CE has a unique neck joint called a “Dovetail” joint. This enables all the vibrations and resonance to transfer through the body without degradation in the guitar’s tone.
Cort AD880CE Tech Specs
| Construction | Dovetail Neck Joint |
| Cutaway | Venetian Cutaway |
| Body | Dreadnought Cutaway Body |
| Top | Spruce Top |
| Back & Sides | Mahogany Back & Sides |
| Neck | Mahogany Neck |
| Binding | Ivory Binding w/ Tiger Acryl Purfling |
| Fretboard | Rosewood or Merbau* |
| Frets | 20 Frets |
| Inlay | Dot Inlay |
| Rosette | Multiple Tiger Acryl Rosette |
| Bridge | Rosewood or Merbau |
| Pickups | Ceramic Pickup |
| Electronics | Cort CE304T Preamp |
| Strings | D'addario EXP 80/20 (Now called EXP36) |
| Bracing | Advanced X-Bracing |
It is obviously a big step up from its entry-level sibling, Cort AD810 Acoustic Guitar. If you have a tight budget but definitely want to go for an acoustic-electric guitar with a cutaway, this is one of your best options.
For the price, you can not go wrong and I’m telling you after having tested, played, unboxed and adjusted dozens of Cort AD880CEs in 2 and a half years. Martinic Plugins - Precisely Modeled Vintage Instruments and FX Plugins
By the way, I have recently published the “25 Best Selling Acoustic Guitars For Beginners and Intermediate Players” review which you may find alternative models and brands to Cort AD880CE as well. I highly suggest you check out my review before you decide 🙂
I hope it has been a helpful and honest review for you. If you have any questions, comments or feedback, do not hesitate to contact me. I am willing to help anyone who is about to choose their instrument. Thanks for visiting my blog and I will hopefully see you in the next piece of content here. 🙂
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