Cort Roselyn Redux Natural Gloss

The Cort Roselyn Redux Natural Gloss acoustic guitar is a distinctive model within Cort's Masterpiece Series, reintroduced due to its prior popularity and featuring refined body characteristics. Drawing inspiration from the Art Nouveau movement of the 19th century, this guitar blends traditional and contemporary design elements and guitar construction methods. Its origins lie in an intricately designed wooden inlay at the instrument's centre, depicting a young woman with a rose, which subsequently lent the guitar its "Roselyn" name. Contributing to the unique aesthetic are several notable features, including an off-set sound hole on the guitar's top and an additional sound port located on the side of the body. A bevel cut on the body arm rest enhances player comfort, while an elegant vine and flower mother-of-pearl inlay extends from the central inlay, adding to the instrument's visual appeal.

The guitar boasts a Master Grade solid European spruce top, a premium tonewood known for its clear and bell-like tonal quality across a wide sonic range. This topwood's transparent sonic character makes it well-suited for both delicate fingerstyle playing and more relaxed strumming techniques. The rich and ethereal overtones produced are a defining characteristic of this highly sought-after wood, making it a significant feature of this model.

The back and sides of the Roselyn Redux are constructed from "AAA" Grade solid Pau Ferro. This tonewood, also known as Morado, Santos Rosewood, or Bolivian Rosewood, shares many desirable qualities with Indian Rosewood. It is recognised for its stability, resistance to abrasion, stiffness, attractive appearance, and good impression strength parallel to the grain. The addition of reddish Padauk wood binding further enhances the instrument's premium style.

A special rosette design is central to the guitar's aesthetic. The "Roselyn" inlay at its core is crafted with meticulous attention to detail. Complementing this are vine and flower inlays that extend into the dark ebony of the fingerboard, giving the guitar an appearance reminiscent of 19th-century artwork.

The OM cutaway body shape offers a compact size, making it comfortable for players with a smaller physique or those prioritising ease of playing. The tonal characteristics of the OM body, with its bright and stronger high-midrange emphasis, are particularly well-suited for fingerpicking techniques, as opposed to strumming which often benefits from more low-end response. The Florentine cutaway incorporated into this model provides unimpeded access to the higher frets on the fingerboard.

An unconventional feature of the Roselyn Redux is its off-set sound hole, which is shaped like a seed and positioned to complement the body's outline, rather than being centrally located. Additionally, a side sound port is included. This second sound hole affects the Helmholtz properties of the guitar's body, contributing to enhanced dynamics and treble response in the acoustic tone. Furthermore, the side sound port allows the player to have improved monitoring of the guitar's natural sound during performances.

For amplified performance, the guitar is equipped with the L.R. Baggs Anthem pickup/preamp system. This system is designed to transmit the pure acoustic vibrations of the instrument to amplifiers and PA systems without introducing unwanted colouration. The system also features minimalist controls that allow for effective management of feedback without compromising the instrument's visual appearance.

The neck of the Roselyn Redux is constructed from five pieces of mahogany and Pau Ferro. This multi-piece construction not only provides increased strength and stability to the neck but also contributes to a strong and focused sound that complements the acoustic resonance of the body.

The fingerboard is made of ebony, a wood highly regarded for its jet-black appearance and smooth playing surface. While various woods are used for fingerboards, ebony is often preferred for its aesthetic and tactile qualities.

The body, fretboard, and frets undergo a hand-rolled edge treatment. This meticulous process rounds and smooths the sharp edges, resulting in an ultra-comfortable feel for the player's hands. This complex and time-consuming technique requires the skill of experienced luthiers.

The slim neck heel design is a practical feature that facilitates easier access to the higher frets on the fingerboard. Its low-profile design minimises obstruction for the player's hand while maintaining a solid connection between the neck and body, ensuring good tonal transfer.

The guitar is fitted with Gotoh 510Z gold tuners, which offer an exceptionally precise 21:1 tuning ratio. These tuners provide a solid and smooth feel during operation. The elegant and streamlined design of the tuner knobs also helps to reduce fatigue during the tuning process, and their quality is immediately apparent when used.

The nut is made from Graph Tech TUSQ, an advanced polymer favoured by many guitar manufacturers and players for its ability to enhance tone and sustain. Formed under high heat and pressure to achieve uniform density, TUSQ is designed to transfer string energy more efficiently, resulting in improved harmonics, volume, and sustain, bringing the guitar to life.