Electric guitarSuperstrat Metal

KX100

Name: Cort KX100 — Iron Oxide
Brand: Cort
SKU: B017O6TW38
Rating: 4.7 (3 reviews)

Iron Oxide

The cheapest sensible route into a 24-fret, flat-radius metal guitar

7.2

Fretline score

Amazon rating

4.7 (3)

Price band

$300 - $500

See it on Amazon

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The short version

The KX100 is the entry point of the same series that ends in the EverTune models, and it keeps the two specifications that actually matter for heavy playing: 24 frets and a very flat 15.75-inch fingerboard radius. That radius is the detail worth understanding — a flatter board lets the action come down further before notes choke on bends, which is why shred and metal guitars use it and why vintage-radius guitars fight you above the twelfth fret. A hardtail bridge rather than a tremolo keeps tuning stable and makes string changes trivial, and the nyatoh body is a mahogany-like wood that gives a warm, mid-focused base for two high-output humbuckers.

Score profile

Six axes, scored 1-10. These are editorial judgements about what this instrument delivers for the money — not measurements, and not anyone else’s ratings.

Build: 7.0
Tone: 7.0
Versatility: 6.0
Comfort: 8.0
Hardware: 7.0
Value: 8.0

7.2overall / 10

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.

Full specifications

Full specifications for the Cort KX100
Body
Brand	Cort
Model	KX100Iron Oxide
Body	KX double-cutaway
Body wood	Nyatoh
Neck & fingerboard
Neck joint	Bolt-on
Neck wood	Hard maple
Scale length	25.5" (648 mm)
Fingerboard	Jatoba
Radius	15.75" (R400)
Frets	24
Hardware
Bridge	Hardtail
Tuners	Die-cast
Hardware finish	Black
Electronics
Neck pickup	Cort Powersound humbucker
Bridge pickup	Cort Powersound humbucker
Configuration	HH
Electronics	Passive
Controls	Volume, tone
Switching	Three-way switch
General
Type	Solidbody electric guitar
Finish	Iron Oxide
Orientation	Right-handed

22 verified fields. Specifications come from the manufacturer first, then the Amazon listing, then authorised dealers — sources are listed at the foot of this page. Fields the manufacturer does not publish are omitted rather than estimated.

The good and the bad

What we like

24 frets and a flat 15.75-inch radius, which is the geometry heavy playing actually wants
Hardtail bridge keeps tuning stable and simplifies string changes
Nyatoh body gives a warm, mid-focused foundation under high-gain tones
Comfortable upper-fret access for the price

What we do not

House-brand Powersound pickups lose tightness under high gain
Basic die-cast tuners rather than locking
Two humbuckers and a three-way switch make for a narrow tonal range

Who it is for

Skill level

BeginnerIntermediateAdvancedProfessional

Styles it suits

MetalRockPunk

What owners and reviewers report

Patterns we found across published reviews and owner feedback. These are summaries of recurring themes — we do not reproduce or invent individual testimonials.

What comes up most

Too few published owner reviews on this listing to establish a reliable pattern

Frequent complaints

Too few published owner reviews on this listing to establish a reliable pattern

Recognised strengths

The core geometry — 24 frets, flat radius, hardtail — is well suited to the music it targets

Recognised weaknesses

Owner feedback volume is currently too low to judge unit-to-unit consistency

The verdict

This is a well-judged first metal guitar rather than a bargain version of a serious one. The flat radius, 24 frets and hardtail bridge are the right choices, and at this price the absence of a cheap wobbly tremolo is a feature, not a saving. The limits are what you would expect: Powersound is Cort's own budget pickup line and lacks the tightness of a Seymour Duncan or EMG when the gain goes up, the die-cast tuners are basic, and with two humbuckers and a three-way switch the tonal range is narrow. Very few published owner reviews mean the consensus is thin, so judge it on specification rather than on crowd opinion.

See it on Amazon Compare with another instrument

Sources

Amazon rating captured 2026-08-26. ASIN B017O6TW38.

Strings for this guitar

All strings

The manufacturer does not publish the gauge this instrument ships with, so these are ordered by our editorial score rather than by fit. Measure the set on the guitar before changing to something noticeably lighter or heavier.

Elixir · Strings
NANOWEB Nickel Plated Steel Electric
Standard .010s that survive a summer of gigs instead of a fortnight
8.3/10
D'Addario · Strings
NYXL1046 Nickel Wound Electric
The same gauge as an EXL110, with the tuning problem actually solved
7.8/10
D'Addario · Strings
EXL110 XL Nickel Wound Electric
The electric string most guitars leave the factory wearing
7.7/10

What else you need

All accessories

The highest-scoring option in each category that suits this instrument. If you have never owned a guitar before, the starter guide explains what each of these is for and what you can safely skip.

New Bee · Cables
Instrument Cable
The cable an electric guitar needs on day one, at the price of a coffee
6.6/10
Fender · Tuners
FCT-2 Professional Clip-On Tuner
The tuner to buy first, before strings, before a strap, before anything
7.8/10
Dunlop · Picks
Tortex Standard
The Delrin pick that replaced tortoiseshell, in the gauge most people settle on
8.2/10
GLEAM · Stands
Adjustable Guitar Stand
The accessory that decides whether the guitar gets played at all
7.4/10