Cort CORT KX500 Baritone Black Burst

The KX series in a resolutely modern baritone version

The KX series is aimed at guitarists looking for a contemporary design without abandoning the proven solutions of the electric guitar. The Cort KX500 baritone embraces this philosophy with a double-cutaway body, a bolt-on neck and two humbuckers. Its identity is built around the combination of accessible ergonomics, tonewood construction using several species and equipment suited to the demands of modern playing.

This 6-string version opens up a different territory from that of a standard electric guitar, while retaining familiar reference points for both the picking and fretting hands. The okoumé body features an English walnut top, while the Black hardware underlines its understated aesthetic. The choice of materials and components gives this model a distinctive personality within the KX family.

For low riffs, modern metal and alternative textures

The KX500 baritone is particularly well suited to intermediate and advanced guitarists who want to develop their playing in the lower register. Its baritone format and heavy-gauge strings meet the demands of powerful riffs, muted rhythms and arrangements in which the guitar needs to occupy a lower range. Modern metal, alternative rock and progressive music are natural settings in which to explore its possibilities.

It is not limited to saturated sounds, however. Low arpeggios, spacious chords and atmospheres enhanced with reverb or delay offer other musical avenues. The double cutaway makes it easier to reach the upper part of the neck, and the 24 frets allow you to develop lead parts without remaining confined to the lower positions. A guitarist discovering the baritone format will simply need to adapt their touch to the string tension and the chosen register.

Sentient and Nazgul: definition in the low end through to saturated attack

The Seymour Duncan humbucker pairing is at the heart of this guitar's sonic personality. The Nazgul, at the bridge, prioritizes incisive attack and precise reproduction of riffs under heavy saturation. Its character suits tight rhythm parts in which every note needs to remain clearly identifiable. The Sentient, in the neck position, provides a rounder, more articulate response that is well suited to melodic lines, chords and clean passages.

The 3-way selector allows you to choose either pickup or both together. A volume and tone control then provide direct adjustment of the output level and brightness. This layout remains easy to use: you can move from an aggressive rhythm sound to a softer part without having to make multiple adjustments. The complementary nature of the two pickups therefore provides useful versatility beyond the metal genre alone.

The okoumé body and English walnut top contribute to the instrument's mechanical response, along with the neck and Macassar ebony key. On this electric guitar, the amplified result also depends heavily on the pickups, amplifier settings and effects chain. To preserve the clarity of the low notes, a measured amount of gain and bass will often be more effective than pushing the saturation to its maximum.

The five-piece neck combines roasted maple and walnut, while the stainless steel frets provide valuable resistance to wear. The locking tuners make string changes easier by limiting the number of windings around the posts. The Black TUSQ nut completes the package; tuning stability and note consistency will also depend on an adjustment suited to the chosen string gauge and tuning.

Recommended compatible accessories

To replace the strings while retaining the gauge specified for this model, the D'Addario EXL157 set, ranging from 0.014 to 0.068 inches, is the most straightforward choice. If you are considering a significant change in tuning or string gauge, have the neck adjustment and intonation checked to maintain comfortable, accurate playability.

Technical specifications

Electronics: microphone configuration	HH	Nbrs of frets	24
Category	ST	Body	Okoume
Format	Baritone	Bridge / tailpiece	Fixed
Left handed	No	Electronics	Passive
Strings	Steel	Color	Gradient
Nbr of strings	6	Finishing	Matt
Fingerboard	Ebony	Hardware	Black

Body material	okoumé	Neck pickup	Seymour Duncan Sentient
Top	English walnut	Bridge pickup	Seymour Duncan Nazgul
Body cutaway	double cutaway	Volume control	1 potentiometer
Construction	bolt-on neck	Tone control	1 potentiometer
Neck composition	5-piece roasted maple and walnut	Pickup selector	3-way
Fingerboard material	Macassar ebony	Brand	Cort
Number of frets	24	Model	KX500
Fret material	stainless steel	Series	KX
Nut	Black TUSQ	Instrument type	baritone electric guitar
Tuning machines	Cort locking	Number of strings	6
Hardware color	Black	String gauge, outer strings	0.014 to 0.068 inch / 0.356 to 1.727 mm
Pickup configuration	2 humbuckers