Head to head
Cort MR500E vs Yamaha FG800J
The short answer is that they sit in different price brackets ($300 - $500 against Under $300), and the scale lengths are not the same (25.5" against 25"). Below, every specification we hold for both instruments is lined up, with the 20 rows that actually differ marked out.
MR500E
Open Pore Natural
A solid spruce top, a cutaway and a working preamp — the jump worth making
FG800J
Natural
The safest recommendation in budget acoustics, and it has been for years
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Score profile
Six editorial axes, overlaid. Where one shape sits outside the other, that is where the instrument gains ground.
- Cort MR500E8.0
- Yamaha FG800J7.8
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 | FG800J | |
|---|---|---|
| Brand | Cort | Yamaha |
| Model | MR500E | FG800J |
| Finish | Open Pore Natural | Natural |
| Instrument | Acoustic guitar | Acoustic guitar |
| Fretline score | 8.0 / 10 | 7.8 / 10 |
| Value for money | 9 / 10 | 10 / 10 |
| Amazon rating | 4.1 / 5 (8) | 4.6 / 5 (368) |
| Price | $300 - $500 | Under $300 |
| Type | Acoustic-electric guitar | Acoustic guitar |
| Body | Dreadnought with Venetian cutaway | Dreadnought (Yamaha Traditional Western) |
| Body wood | Mahogany back and sides | Solid spruce top with nato/mahogany back and sides |
| Top | Solid spruce | Solid spruce |
| Back & sides | — | Nato / mahogany |
| Bracing | — | Scalloped bracing |
| Neck joint | Dovetail neck joint | Set neck |
| Neck wood | Mahogany | Locally sourced tonewood (nato) |
| Neck profile | C shape | — |
| Scale length | 25.5" (648 mm) | 25" (634 mm) |
| Fingerboard | Ovangkol | Rosewood |
| Radius | 15.75" (R400) | 15 3/4" (400 mm) |
| Frets | 20 | — |
| Nut | PPS | — |
| Nut width | 1.6875" (43 mm) | 1 11/16" (43 mm) |
| Bridge | Ovangkol | Rosewood |
| Tuners | Die-cast | — |
| Electronics | Cort CE304T three-band EQ preamp with built-in tuner | None |
| Orientation | Right-handed | Right-handed |
| Skill level | Beginner, Intermediate, Advanced | Beginner, Intermediate |
| Styles | Folk, Country, Blues, Pop, Rock, Indie | Folk, Country, Pop, Rock, Blues, Worship |
| In the box | — | — |
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
Cort MR500EHighest 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.