Cort yorktown questions

**notlrac** · 10-27-2010, 11:10 PM

Hello again

I just bought a Cort yorktown and i have some questions!

First, does anyone knows what strings has the guitar from the factory? (brandi think dadario, gauge 11 or 12?)
I have olso JB and Jazz seymours duncan pickups it is a good chance to install them on Cort?

Thank you.

**RonD** · 10-27-2010, 11:55 PM

Originally Posted by notlrac

Hello again

I just bought a Cort yorktown and i have some questions!

First, does anyone knows what strings has the guitar from the factory? (brandi think dadario, gauge 11 or 12?)
I have olso JB and Jazz seymours duncan pickups it is a good chance to install them on Cort?

Thank you.

Hi notlrac,
Here's the specs.
Yorktown
The strings are most likely 11's.
As to installing the pickups, there's no reason you can't. The original pickups are Mighty Mite. I've owned a couple of Corts and the first thing I did was change the pickups. Otherwise, they're great guitars.
Cheers, Ron

**notlrac** · 10-28-2010, 10:35 AM

Thank you for the answer.

So, JB and Jazz duncan pickups are better than Corts? (i guess they are)
The link doesnt work :-(

**RonD** · 10-28-2010, 11:25 AM

Well, they are certainly different sounding pickups to the MM. I found the originals very muddy sounding.
As to the Duncans you mentioned, do you already have them?
That combination was very popular in the 80's, great for hard rock/ metal.
The Jazz is somewhat misnamed. Not a traditional jazz sound at all.
Lots of threads here about pickups.

**notlrac** · 10-28-2010, 01:17 PM

Yes i have bought them years ago for my washburn! But i need traditional jazz sound

Ok i will check the other threads. Ty

**notlrac** · 11-01-2010, 05:07 PM

Hello my friends again,

I have some problems with my sound.
My Amp is mesa express 5 25 and my settings are trelbe 1oclock, mids 11-12oclock and bass 10-11 oclock.

I have lowered the neck pickup but i still have very bassie annoying sound.
What is the problem? The strings? the pickups?

If i install jazz and jb by seymour duncan i will solve the problem?(i have allready the set)

**mr. beaumont** · 11-01-2010, 05:25 PM

Start with everything flat and twaek from there. usually it's a slight boost in the mids and small cuts in bass and treble that do it.

I don't think of the SD Jazz as a "jazz" pickup, at all. You'd be much better off with some Gibson PAF's in there.

**notlrac** · 11-01-2010, 06:14 PM

This video was the reason i start thinking it again for the SD.

Iam confused.
Gibson PAF is the model cause i cant find it.

Ty

**Tom Karol** · 11-01-2010, 08:10 PM

The link works for me. Here's what it had for specs:

CONSTRUCTION: Set-in
BODY: Spruce top, maple back & sides
NECK: Maple, "C" Shape
BINDING: Multi-ply
FRETBOARD: Rosewood, 12" Radius(305mm)
FRETS: 20 / Large (2.7mm)
SCALE: 24 3/4" (629mm)
INLAY: Rectangular White Pearl
BRIDGE: Tune-o-matic bridge & harp tailpiece
TUNERS: Die cast
PICKUPS: MMLP(-P) GOLD (H-H)
ELECTRONICS: 2 volume, 2 tone, 3way toggle
STRINGS: D'Addario USA
HARDWARE: Gold

**mr. beaumont** · 11-01-2010, 08:58 PM

Originally Posted by notlrac

This video was the reason i start thinking it again for the SD.

Iam confused.
Gibson PAF is the model cause i cant find it.

Ty

PAF stands for "Patent Applied For"--I'm sorry for being vague--it refers to vintage style Gibson humbuckers.

The '57 classics are a nice modern equivalent.

If you really like this cats tone, I'd send him an email and ask about his amp/recording seup. A lot more than the pickup is contributing to that tone.

**notlrac** · 11-02-2010, 03:23 AM

Ok now i got it! :-) me sorry for the stupid questions

That i want to understand is what is the problem with my sound. I am sure that the guitar is the problem but i will solve it if i change pickups? Other said me that the wood is the problem (!?) is that possible?

(i have allready send him mail)

**backliner** · 11-02-2010, 10:58 AM

Originally Posted by notlrac

Ok now i got it! :-) me sorry for the stupid questions

That i want to understand is what is the problem with my sound. I am sure that the guitar is the problem but i will solve it if i change pickups? Other said me that the wood is the problem (!?) is that possible?

(i have allready send him mail)

I don't see how the wood is the problem.

Archtop hollowbody is the standard jazz guitar and can be tweaked to get sounds ranging from honkin' midrange Charlie Christian type sounds through Kenny Burrell lush fat bluesy to George Benson bright and Hi-Fi, largely with just pickup changes and perhaps changing the bridge.

A Mesa/Boogie amp is a powerful amp designed for making solidbodies romp and stomp. Fortunately the tone controls are usually quite wide range. But they start with a big fat high gain sound, so I'd advise working with the gain (down), volume (up to compensate), and tweak the various EQ knobs until it gets under control. Most Boogies will try to make an archtop want to kill your momma!

Turn down the various EQ levels. The guitar already has what a Boogie tries to give a solidbody.

**notlrac** · 11-02-2010, 04:23 PM

My settings are

Gain: 8-9 o clock
Treble: 12-1 o clock
mids: 11-12 o clock
bass: 10-11 o clock
Master volume: 12 o clock
Contour: 12-1 o clock (when its on)

I still believe that the pickups are the problem and maybe the tones. I will replace the pickups for sure and i will change the strings to roundwound (11-56). What do you think about it? What pickups do you recoment for sound like l5 gibson (i think 57 classic)

Ty

**asedas** · 11-04-2010, 09:58 AM

checki it first on some other amp...

**backliner** · 11-04-2010, 11:19 AM

Originally Posted by notlrac

My settings are

Gain: 8-9 o clock
Treble: 12-1 o clock
mids: 11-12 o clock
bass: 10-11 o clock
Master volume: 12 o clock
Contour: 12-1 o clock (when its on)

I still believe that the pickups are the problem and maybe the tones. I will replace the pickups for sure and i will change the strings to roundwound (11-56). What do you think about it? What pickups do you recoment for sound like l5 gibson (i think 57 classic)

Ty

Max the volume, turn down the gain, trble, midrange , and bass, even more.
'57 classics, or any other PAF style by anybody, will likely benefit some. I'd go 12's or 13's on strings for jazz, also a wood bridge but that's just me.

I'd seriously consider a different amp too.

**notlrac** · 11-05-2010, 04:49 AM

Good morning,

I finally change strings i am very satisfied with the resolt. I put thomastik swing 12s. And change a lit bit the amp settings

Thank you a lot all of you for the help!

**guitar freek** · 05-24-2011, 03:56 PM

Cort yorktown come with D'addario ECG26 flatwounds ie 13-56

**baouftou** · 12-16-2011, 09:09 AM

Hi.
I have a yorktown for quite a while now. I've messed with its bridge by changing it to a rosewood one bought from ebay. This Archtop jazz guitar bridge Rosewood GOLD hardware | eBay

Anyway after having trouble with the intonation and all i found a place for it that qualifies for playing with it but later on i had trouble with the setup of the truss rod etc etc and i totally left the guitar on the corner of the room. Anyway i was hoping i could get some info about yorktown and wooden bridge. There's no topic anywhere. Any suggestions? And tips, and help from some guy who knows about bridges on archtop guitars and especially yorktown?

Thanks!