Head to head
Cort MR500E vs Enya NOVA GO SP1
The short answer is that the scale lengths are not the same (25.5" against 23.125"). Below, every specification we hold for both instruments is lined up, with the 19 rows that actually differ marked out.
MR500E
Open Pore Natural
A solid spruce top, a cutaway and a working preamp — the jump worth making
NOVA GO SP1
Black
A guitar you can leave in a car boot, with reverb built into the body
As an Amazon Associate we may earn a commission from qualifying purchases made through our links, at no additional cost to you. We do not publish prices, because Amazon prices change constantly and a stale figure helps nobody. Follow the link for the current price and availability.
Score profile
Six editorial axes, overlaid. Where one shape sits outside the other, that is where the instrument gains ground.
- Cort MR500E8.0
- Enya NOVA GO SP17.8
Scores are Fretline editorial ratings on a 1-10 scale. They are our own assessment and are not supplied or endorsed by Amazon or by any manufacturer.
Specification by specification
| MR500E | NOVA GO SP1 | |
|---|---|---|
| Brand | Cort | Enya |
| Model | MR500E | NOVA GO SP1 |
| Finish | Open Pore Natural | Black |
| Instrument | Acoustic guitar | Acoustic guitar |
| Fretline score | 8.0 / 10 | 7.8 / 10 |
| Value for money | 9 / 10 | 8 / 10 |
| Amazon rating | 4.1 / 5 (8) | 4.5 / 5 (185) |
| Price | $300 - $500 | $300 - $500 |
| Type | Acoustic-electric guitar | Carbon-fibre acoustic-electric travel guitar |
| Body | Dreadnought with Venetian cutaway | Half-size travel body, 35" total length, one-piece moulded |
| Body wood | Mahogany back and sides | Carbon fibre and polycarbonate composite |
| Top | Solid spruce | — |
| Neck joint | Dovetail neck joint | — |
| Neck wood | Mahogany | Carbon fibre and polycarbonate composite, moulded with the body |
| Neck profile | C shape | — |
| Scale length | 25.5" (648 mm) | 23.125" (approx. 602 mm) |
| Fingerboard | Ovangkol | Carbon fibre and polycarbonate |
| Radius | 15.75" (R400) | R380 |
| Frets | 20 | 20 |
| Nut | PPS | Carbon fibre and polycarbonate with zero fret |
| Nut width | 1.6875" (43 mm) | 1.625" (approx. 42 mm) |
| Bridge | Ovangkol | — |
| Tuners | Die-cast | Black die-cast |
| Electronics | Cort CE304T three-band EQ preamp with built-in tuner | Enya SP1 AcousticPlus 2.0 with reverb, delay and auto-wah through an internal speaker, Bluetooth 5.1 playback and USB recording |
| Weight | — | 4 lb (approx. 1.8 kg) |
| Orientation | Right-handed | Right-handed |
| Skill level | Beginner, Intermediate, Advanced | Beginner, Intermediate |
| Styles | Folk, Country, Blues, Pop, Rock, Indie | Folk, Pop, Indie, Blues |
| In the box | — | Gig bag, Strap, Spare strings, Charging cable, Instrument cable, Polish cloth, Truss rod wrench |
A marked row is one where the two differ. A highlighted cell is the stronger figure where one can be judged objectively. Empty cells are specifications the manufacturer does not publish — never estimates.
Which one should you buy?
Computed from the specifications and our editorial scores for these two instruments only. It is not a general ranking.
Most versatile
Cort MR500EHighest editorial versatility score, backed by pickup layout and switching.
Most comfortable
Enya NOVA GO SP1Highest editorial comfort score: neck profile, radius and body ergonomics.
Best for beginners
Cort MR500EStrongest overall score among the instruments we rate as beginner-friendly.
Best for the studio
Cort MR500EBuild and tone scores combined, with credit for tuning-stability hardware that matters when tracking.
Scores are Fretline editorial ratings on a 1-10 scale. They are our own assessment and are not supplied or endorsed by Amazon or by any manufacturer.
Want a third opinion?
The comparator takes as many instruments as you like, not just two, and recomputes the whole table and every conclusion as you add them.