MR500E
Open Pore Natural
A solid spruce top, a cutaway and a working preamp — the jump worth making
Amazon rating
4.1 (8)Price band
$300 - $500
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The short version
The difference between this and an entry-level acoustic is the word solid. The MR500E's spruce top is real wood rather than a laminate, which means it will keep opening up for years as the timber cures, and it responds to dynamics in a way a laminate never does. Around it Cort has built a properly specified dreadnought: a dovetail neck joint rather than a bolt, mahogany back and sides for warmth, an ovangkol fingerboard and bridge, and a Venetian cutaway for upper-fret access. The CE304T preamp gives three-band EQ and a built-in tuner, which is what turns this from a home instrument into something you can plug into a PA.
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
- 8.0
- Tone
- 8.0
- Versatility
- 8.0
- Comfort
- 8.0
- Hardware
- 7.0
- Value
- 9.0
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
| Brand | Cort |
|---|---|
| Model | MR500EOpen Pore Natural |
| Body | |
| Body | Dreadnought with Venetian cutaway |
| Body wood | Mahogany back and sides |
| Top | Solid spruce |
| Neck & fingerboard | |
| Neck joint | Dovetail neck joint |
| Neck wood | Mahogany |
| Neck profile | C shape |
| Scale length | 25.5" (648 mm) |
| Fingerboard | Ovangkol |
| Radius | 15.75" (R400) |
| Frets | 20 |
| Nut | PPS |
| Nut width | 1.6875" (43 mm) |
| Hardware | |
| Bridge | Ovangkol |
| Tuners | Die-cast |
| Electronics | |
| Electronics | Cort CE304T three-band EQ preamp with built-in tuner |
| General | |
| Type | Acoustic-electric guitar |
| Strings | Phosphor bronze |
| Finish | Open Pore Natural |
| Orientation | Right-handed |
21 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
- Solid spruce top that will improve as it ages, unlike laminated rivals
- Dovetail neck joint rather than a bolt-on, which is unusual at this price
- CE304T preamp with three-band EQ and a built-in tuner
- Venetian cutaway gives real upper-fret access
What we do not
- PPS nut and saddle rather than bone
- Back and sides are laminated mahogany, not solid
- Few published owner reviews on this listing so far
Who it is for
Skill level
Styles it suits
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
- Owners praise the solid top and the resulting projection and warmth
- The onboard tuner and EQ are described as practical and easy to use
Frequent complaints
- A small number of owners report needing a setup on arrival
Recognised strengths
- The solid-top construction is consistently seen as the reason to choose it over cheaper models
Recognised weaknesses
- Owner review volume is low, so unit-to-unit consistency is not well established
The verdict
This is the price bracket where acoustics start being worth keeping, and the MR500E is a strong argument for it. The solid top is the whole point, the open-pore finish is thin enough to let the body move, and the preamp and tuner are useful rather than token. The compromises are the PPS nut and saddle, which are the obvious upgrade to bone, and back and sides that are laminated rather than solid. One correction worth knowing: Amazon's listing quotes a 25.3-inch scale, while Cort publishes 25.5 inches. The manufacturer is the one to trust.
Sources
Amazon rating captured 2026-08-26. ASIN B078NF6WD6.
Strings for this guitar
All stringsThe 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.
- 8.2/10
- 8.0/10
Elixir · Strings
NANOWEB Phosphor Bronze Acoustic
The same coated string as the light set, a step easier under the fingers
- 8.0/10
Elixir · Strings
NANOWEB Phosphor Bronze Acoustic
The long-life acoustic string, and still the one to beat on longevity
What else you need
All accessoriesThe 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.
- 7.8/10
Fender · Tuners
FCT-2 Professional Clip-On Tuner
The tuner to buy first, before strings, before a strap, before anything
- 8.2/10
Dunlop · Picks
The Delrin pick that replaced tortoiseshell, in the gauge most people settle on
- 7.4/10
GLEAM · Stands
The accessory that decides whether the guitar gets played at all
- 7.8/10
CAHAYA · Bags and cases
Six pockets, which is five more than most bags and the reason to pick this one
Compared with
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