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Cort CR300
ESP LTD EC-FR Black Metal
VS
Playability
77
Sound
70
Build
52
Value
76
Score
66
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Playability
82
Sound
78
Build
74
Value
78
Score
78
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Cort CR300 vs LTD EC-FR Black Metal

Reasons to Get
Cort CR300 over LTD EC-FR Black Metal

Type of Frets
Medium vs XL Jumbo
You'll feel the fretboard when pressing down the strings
Neck Profile
Vintage vs Thin U
Thick neck that gives you a better grip
Switch Positions
3 vs 0
More tone options
Volume Knobs
2 vs 1
More volume control
Tone Knobs
2 vs 0
More tone control
Pickups
HH vs H
High output without hum
Nut Width
1.625'' (41.3mm) vs 1.654'' (42mm)
Favors small hands, easier bar chords and other shapes
Bridge
Fixed vs Floyd Rose
Good sustain and needs no set-up
Fretboard Radius
12'' (304.8mm) vs 13.78'' (350mm)
More curved fretboard helpful to play chords without muting strings
Pickups Power
Active vs Passive
More output

Reasons to Get
ESP LTD EC-FR Black Metal over Cort CR300

Fret Material
Stainless Steel vs Nickel Silver
Best fret material that will last forever
Release Year
2021 vs 2020
From a more recent year
Frets Height
Taller vs Shorter
Easier to press down strings and bend them
Type of Frets
XL Jumbo vs Medium
You won't feel the fretboard when pressing down the strings
Neck Profile
Thin U vs Vintage
Comfortable neck with more grip
Nut Material
Locking vs Plastic
Best tuning stability for intense tremolo usage
Pickup Mods
Coil Split vs None
Splits humbuckers into single coil pickups
Pickups
H vs HH
Hum-free with more right hand freedom and sustain
Number of Frets
24 vs 22
Allows to reach higher notes
Nut Width
1.654'' (42mm) vs 1.625'' (41.3mm)
Less likely to mute strings by accident and more space for fingerstyle
Luminescent Sidedots
Yes vs None
Assists you when playing in dark environments
Bridge
Floyd Rose vs Fixed
Allows intense vibratos and techniques like Dive Bombs
Fretboard Radius
13.78'' (350mm) vs 12'' (304.8mm)
Flatter fretboard makes it easier to play single notes and bend
Pickups Power
Passive vs Active
Cleaner sound and no battery needed
Value Score
78 vs 76
Better price/quality relationship

Other Key Differences
Cort CR300 vs LTD EC-FR Black Metal

Bridge Pickup
EMG Retro Active Fat 55 vs Seymour Duncan Black Winter
Different Bridge Pickup
Fretboard Wood
Jatoba vs Ebony
Different Fretboard Wood
Nut Material
Plastic vs Locking
Different Nut Material

Shared Features
Cort CR300 vs LTD EC-FR Black Metal

Body Wood
Mahogany
Same Body Wood
Neck Wood
Mahogany
Same Neck Wood
Headstock
3-3
Same Headstock
Strings
6
Same playing style
Body Type
Solid Body
Feedback free
Paint Finish
Poly
Resistant paint that ages well
Scale Length
24.75'' (628.7mm)
Same string tension and fret separation
Neck Joint
Set
Neck is glued to the body

Common Strengths

  • High-Quality Frets
  • Top Pickup Brand
  • Expensive Wood

Common Weaknesses

  • Neck-Through Build
  • Weight Relief
  • Stays in Tune (Evertune)
  • Compound Radius Fretboard
  • From a High-Quality-Standards Country
  • Strap Lock
  • 21:1 Tuner Ratio
  • Active/Passive Preamp

Table of Contents

Price History Comparison

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Which One is Better Overall?

After going through our comparison algorithm, the results show that the ESP LTD EC-FR Black Metal is probably the better product overall with its final score of 78 compared to the Cort CR300's 66 score, which is a significant difference.

The ESP LTD EC-FR Black Metal wins when it comes to sound, playability, build quality, value for the money. This means that it wins over the Cort CR300 in every aspect.

If you got small hands, none of these instruments will make a big difference when it comes to comfortability.

Which One is Better for Beginners?

If you're looking for your first guitar to learn how to play, the Cort CR300 is the better choice.

The Cort CR300 meets 5 out of our 8 criteria items for beginner friendliness, while the ESP LTD EC-FR Black Metal meets only 4. This takes into account the type of frets, scale length, nut width, bridge type, fretboard radius, and neck profile to determine the easiest combination for new players.

New Player Friendliness

Cort CR300
  • Comfortable shape
  • Easy-to-use bridge
  • Tall frets
  • Narrow nut
  • Comfortable neck
  • Comfortable fretboard
  • Short scale
  • Locking tuners

New Player Friendliness

ESP LTD EC-FR Black Metal
  • Comfortable shape
  • Tall frets
  • Narrow nut
  • Comfortable neck
  • Comfortable fretboard
  • Short scale
  • Locking tuners
  • Easy-to-use bridge

Nevertheless, when it comes to choosing an instrument, you should pick the one more compatible with your personal style. Still, below we'll try you to give you our results as objectively as it's possible to help you decide.

Cort CR300 Overview

  • From Cort's 2020 CR series
  • Made in Indonesia
  • 6 strings
  • 24.75"'' scale
  • 12" Fretboard Radius
  • Mahogany body
  • Mahogany neck
  • Jatoba fretboard
  • Bridge pickup: EMG Retro Active Fat 55 (Humbucker/Active)
  • Neck pickup: EMG Retro Active Fat 55 (Humbucker/Active)
  • 2 volume and 2 tone Speed knobs
  • 3-way Switch
  • Tune-O-Matic w/ Stop Tailpiece bridge
  • Vintage Set neck
  • 22 Medium frets
  • Vintage Style tuners
  • Compare Specs >

ESP LTD EC-FR Black Metal Overview

  • From ESP LTD's 2021 Black Metal series
  • Made in Indonesia
  • 6 strings
  • 24.75"'' scale
  • 13.78" Fretboard Radius
  • Mahogany body
  • 3Pc Mahogany neck
  • Macassar Ebony fretboard
  • Bridge pickup: Seymour Duncan Black Winter (Humbucker/Passive)
  • 1 volume and 0 tone Dome knobs
  • Floyd Rose 1000 bridge
  • Thin U Set neck
  • 24 XL Jumbo Stainless Steel frets
  • Grover tuners
  • Weight between 7.15lbs (3.2kgs) and 7.85lbs (3.6kgs)
  • Compare Specs >

Sound Quality Comparison

The wood used in an electric guitar or bass is not as important to determine the final tone. However, some people prefer specific wood types, so we'll take a look at those first. Then, we'll take a look at the electronics to determine the versatility and sound quality of each instrument.

Woods Used in Both

Mahogany wood pattern used for guitar building
Mahogany

Mahogany is a fairly rare wood nowadays. It's used mostly for bodies due to its relatively lightweight. Gibson popularized it with their Les Paul guitars during their golden years, so this wood has a lot of good reputation behind it. The most expensive type comes from South America and it's still used by Gibson even today. Find out more about Mahogany.

Woods Used in the Cort CR300

Jatoba wood pattern used for guitar building
Jatoba

Jatoba is a hard and dense wood that emphasizes the mid-lows, giving a fuller, more round sound than, for example, Mahogany. However, it also has a lot of clarity in the top end. Find out more about Jatoba.

Woods Used in the ESP LTD EC-FR Black Metal

Ebony wood pattern used for guitar building
Ebony

Ebony is a high-end wood, so it is not cheap. It's only used for fretboards because it's also very heavy. It does an excellent job as a durable material while looking elegant. Find out more about Ebony.

Winner: ESP LTD EC-FR Black Metal.

Pickup Configuration

The Cort CR300 has an HH configuration while the ESP LTD EC-FR Black Metal has H pickups.

Double Humbucker (HH) is the choice for people who want a fuller, more round sound with tons of mids and lows. Humbuckers also get rid of the hum noise that plague single-coil pickups. They can work out for almost any genre going from Djent to even Jazz.

On the other hand, A single H pickup gives you the advantage of having a little longer sustain (all other things being equal) because there will be less magnetic fields from other pickups affecting the strings' vibration. However, they also give you the least versatility because you won't have other pickups at different distances from the bridge to create different tones. A single humbucking pickup is used for noiseless high output, which is used mainly for Hard Rock genres.

Pickups Quality

Both come with very good pickups from at least one of the specialized brands in the market. With pickups like these, you probably won't need an upgrade anytime soon.

However, the Cort CR300 has a slight sound quality advantage when taking into account other factors like the type of pickups, magnet, position, etc.

You can purchase similar pickups to the Cort CR300's and use them on any guitar:

We found the same or similar pickups to the ESP LTD EC-FR Black Metal's online:

The Cort CR300's pickups are Active while the ESP LTD EC-FR Black Metal's are Passive.

Passive pickups are what most guitars use. These have a normal output that works well for most genres. However, Active pickups are the preferred choice of heavy metal players because they offer extra output thanks to their 9v battery, which results in a heavier, more distorted sound. Bear in mind that achieving a completely clean tone with them won't be easy. So if you want to also use clean tones, you might want to avoid Active pickups.

Winner: Cort CR300.

Versatility Comparison

Some instruments offer you more ways to explore your creativity than others. Below you'll find how both compare when it comes to versatility.

Switch Options

The Cort CR300 gives you 3 switch options while the ESP LTD EC-FR Black Metal gives you 0. This means that the Cort CR300 gives you more options to find the right pickup combination for the type of sound you want to achieve

Only the ESP LTD EC-FR Black Metal comes with some kind of pickup modification: Coil Split.

Coil Split lets you disconnect one of the pickup coils. When used with humbuckers, it turns them into single-coil with lower output and cleaner tone.

Cort CR300 pickups switch and push knobs diagram
Cort CR300's switch options

The ESP LTD EC-FR Black Metal doesn't come with pickup switching options.

When evaluating versatility, we also take into consideration bridge and neck joint type, number of frets, switch options, amount of pickups and more.

Winner: ESP LTD EC-FR Black Metal.

Final Sound Quality Scores

Cort CR300
Pickups 90
Sustain 75
Versatility 48
Tuning Stability 65
Sound 70
ESP LTD EC-FR Black Metal
Pickups 85
Sustain 80
Versatility 62
Tuning Stability 85
Sound 78

Build Quality Comparison

When it comes to build quality, we like to take into account everything used to build the instrument. This includes materials, hardware and the quality control expected depending on the country where it was built. Let's see how the Cort CR300 compares to the ESP LTD EC-FR Black Metal.

Country of Origin

The manufacturing country can tell a lot about the build quality of an instrument. Both in this comparison where made in Indonesia.

Indonesia is becoming the most popular country for guitar building because they can make good instruments for a low price. Some people think that they're 'the new China' when it comes to build quality. But the truth is that Indonesian guitars are more consistent, although Chinese quality has improved a lot in the last few years.

Winner: Tie

Nut Material

If you want your guitar to stay in tune and sound good, you need a well cut nut. Nut quality can be inconsistent even when comparing two copies of the same model. The best way to make sure you're nut will be well done is by getting a nut made by an expert company like TUSQ or Micarta.

The Cort CR300 has a Plastic nut. This is a low-quality nut that you might want to consider upgrading soon. Bone and TUSQ nuts are the best for guitars with a fixed or simple tremolo bridge.

On the other hand, the ESP LTD EC-FR Black Metal comes with a Locking nut. Instead of a regular nut, this guitar has a locking system that will lock down the strings at the nut, preventing it from getting out of tune. It removes one of the disadvantages of tremolo bridges, tune stability.

Winner: ESP LTD EC-FR Black Metal.

Fret Material

Most fret wire is made of nickel silver. This material eventually wears down after a lot of use and most instruments end up needing a complete fret replacement. However, some expensive models come with stainless steel frets. This is what you should aim for if you can afford it.

In this comparison, the ESP LTD EC-FR Black Metal is the only one that has stainless steel frets. These frets will basically last for the entire life of the guitar. They will never need polishing nor replacement. And not only that, but some people also notice that bending and vibratos are much easier to perform when they upgrade to stainless steel.

Winner: ESP LTD EC-FR Black Metal.

Bridge

The perfect bridge for you will depend on your playstyle because they all have advantages and disadvantages. However, some bridges are more expensive—like Floyd Roses and Evertunes—and thus add more value to a guitar.

The Cort CR300's brige is a Fixed. It's a simple bridge that is very beginner-friendly since it doesn't require any set-up. You can swap strings easily. It might also give more sustain since it doesn't have complex moving parts that make the strings lose vibration. However, it doesn't have the same versatility as a tremolo bridge.

On the other hand, the ESP LTD EC-FR Black Metal's is a Floyd Rose. This is a double-locking bridge system that allows you to perform techniques like dive bombs and pinch harmonics. The locking nut allows your guitar to stay in tune even after the most intense tremolo usage. The disadvantage is that it takes more work to change the strings and set up everything correctly.

Since we need to be objective, the most expensive type of bridge will be the winner of this section. In the end, this doesn't matter if you're not going to use the bridge for its original purpose, so choose the bridge that fits your playing style better.

Winner: ESP LTD EC-FR Black Metal.

Tuners

Both come with regular tuners. The Cort CR300's are Vintage Style while the ESP LTD EC-FR Black Metal's are Grover

Winner: Tie.

Neck Joint

Contrary to popular belief, the difference in sustain and tone that some neck joints give to a guitar is simply unperceivable—if they're all well built. However, some of them do have advantages over the others.

Both have a Set neck joint. This neck is tightly glued to the body. They give you the least versatility because you can't swap them for a neck that fits your hand better if you want to, unlike bolt-on necks. Some people think this gives more resonance and sustain, but there's no real difference if the bolt-on joint is well built.

Winner: Tie.

Here is the list of features that were considered when choosing the winner in the Features subcategory:

Strengths & Weaknesses
Cort CR300
  • Expensive Wood
  • Top Brand Pickups
  • Cheap Fret Wire (NS)
  • No Locking Tuners
  • Made in Indonesia
  • No High-Quality Nut
  • No Neck-Through Build
  • No Push Knob or Extra Switch Option
  • No Weight Relief
  • No Luminescent Inlay
  • No Tremolo
  • No Compound Radius Fretboard
  • No 21:1 Tuner Ratio
  • No Strap Lock
Strengths & Weaknesses
ESP LTD EC-FR Black Metal
  • Stainless Steel Frets
  • Expensive Wood
  • Locking Nut
  • Top Brand Pickups
  • Coil Split Pickups
  • Luminescent Inlay
  • Tremolo
  • Retainer Bar
  • No Locking Tuners
  • Made in Indonesia
  • No Neck-Through Build
  • No Weight Relief
  • No Compound Radius Fretboard
  • No 21:1 Tuner Ratio
  • No Strap Lock

Final Build Quality Scores

Cort CR300
Quality of materials 41
Features 50
Quality Control 65
Build Quality 52
ESP LTD EC-FR Black Metal
Quality of materials 71
Features 75
Quality Control 75
Build Quality 74

Playability Comparison

Let's now compare their playability. Bear in mind that the instrument will feel different depending on your hand size and play style. That's why you should always test before buying. But if you can't or want a second opinion on it, we can still take a look at each of the important measurements of the instrument for you. This way, we can predict how easy a guitar might be to play, or how different it will feel compared to the other.

Remember that, even though the difference might seem small, every inch counts when it comes to feeling of the instrument in your hands. Any variation can completely change how comfortable a guitar feels in your hands.

Nut Width

Cort CR300 Nut Width
Cort CR300 Nut Width
ESP LTD EC-FR Black Metal Nut Width
ESP LTD EC-FR Black Metal Nut Width

The nut width will affect the separation between strings at the nut. In this comparison, the ESP LTD EC-FR Black Metal has the wider nut with 42mm (1.654'') vs 41.3mm (1.625''). This is a 0.7mm (0.029'') difference

This means that it will be more difficult to do bar chords on the ESP LTD EC-FR Black Metal, especially closer to the nut. However, it's also easier to play without muting strings accidently. This favors people with big hands.

Scale Length

Cort CR300 and ESP LTD EC-FR Black Metal's Scale Length
Both have the same scale length

The scale length is one of the things that influences playability the most. This is the distance between the nut and the bridge and will affect everything from low action allowance, difficulty to perform bends, fret separation, and even tone.

In this case, both have a scale length of 24.75".

This is the scale length that Gibson uses for most of its Les Paul guitars. It's a smaller scale than the typical Stratocaster's 25.5''. Short scale lengths like this make it easier to bend the strings, which is pretty important if you have a fixed bridge. They also have a shorter fret separation, which makes it easier to change position fast at the fretboard.

On the other hand, a shorter scale like this one will make fret buzz more likely, which can affect you if you want to use thicker string gauges.

Lastly, remember that you can also affect the tension of the strings by changing your string gauge. You can use a thicker gauge for more tension and a lighter one for less tension.

Neck Profile

Cort CR300 Neck Profile
Cort CR300's neck profile
ESP LTD EC-FR Black Metal Neck Profile
ESP LTD EC-FR Black Metal's neck profile

No single neck shape is better than others. However, most people tend to prefer a thinner necks because it doesn't get in their way when playing fast and most hand sizes can adapt to it pretty well. However, some people still prefer thicker necks for a better grip, especially if they have big hands.

In this case, both have different neck shapes:

The Cort CR300 has a Vintage type of neck. This means that it's thicker than most modern necks, and makes it a better fit for playing chords and slow solos. Some people prefer this type of neck because it gives them a better grip thanks to the extra mass. Still, the vast majority prefer a thinner, faster, and more ''modern'' neck.

The ESP LTD EC-FR Black Metal, on the other hand, has a U neck. This is also referred to as ''baseball neck'' because of its shape. It's usually thick, which is why some people with big hands like it. However, they can also be thin, similar to a C shape, but with more shoulders for a better grip.

Fretboard Radius

Cort CR300 Fingerboard Radius
Cort CR300's Fingerboard radius
ESP LTD EC-FR Black Metal Fingerboard Radius
ESP LTD EC-FR Black Metal's Fingerboard radius

Most guitar fretboards are not flat; they usually have a curve or arc across their width. A curved fretboard will make it easier to perform chords without muting strings, while a flatter one will make it easier to play single notes, which is good for bending and soloing in general. The best fretboards have a compound radius that varies across the fingerboard, but they're not common since they take a lot more work to build.

In this case, the Cort CR300's fingerboard radius is smaller, which means it's more curved than the ESP LTD EC-FR Black Metal's. This extra arc will make playing chords easier in this model. You won't be as likely to mute the strings, especially if you have big hands. However, playing single notes and bending will be easier on the ESP LTD EC-FR Black Metal.

Still, both tend to favor soloing over chords, so if you're looking for a guitar for playing rhythm, you might want something else with a radius closer to a Stratocaster's 9.5''.

Hand Size Comfortability

Everyone has a different hand size, and that's why it's recommended to try a guitar before buying, even if others tell you that it's comfortable to play. However, we can know whether a guitar favors small or large hands just by knowing its exact measurements.

After taking into account the scale length, nut width, neck profile and fretboard radius, we can conclude that both in this comparison favor small hands .

Cort CR300:
Big Hands
Small Hands
ESP LTD EC-FR Black Metal:
Big Hands
Small Hands

Fret Size

Cort CR300 Frets Size
Cort CR300's Frets Size
ESP LTD EC-FR Black Metal Frets Size
ESP LTD EC-FR Black Metal's Frets Size

The ESP LTD EC-FR Black Metal has XL Jumbo frets, which should be taller than the Cort CR300's Medium frets.

Some people prefer taller frets because they result in more sustain since the strings get pressed cleanly without interference from the fretboard. However, if they're too tall—like Jumbo frets—, you might change the pitch of the strings accidentally if you press too hard because you won't be touching the fretboard with your fingers. This is also why some guitarists with a heavy grip prefer smaller frets. They like to feel the fingerboard to avoid pressing down too hard and getting out of pitch.

Final Playability Scores

Cort CR300
Bending & Vibrato Ease 85
Chord Playability 85
Solo Playability 60
Playability 77
ESP LTD EC-FR Black Metal
Bending & Vibrato Ease 90
Chord Playability 75
Solo Playability 80
Playability 82

Specs Side-by-Side

Cort CR300 vs LTD EC-FR Black Metal
General Cort CR300 LTD EC-FR Black Metal
Brand: Cort ESP LTD
Year: 2020 2021
Configuration: HH H
Strings: 6 6
Made in: Indonesia Indonesia
Series: CR Black Metal
Colors: Orange Burst Black
Left-Handed Version: No Yes
Body
Type: Solid Body Solid Body
Body Material: Mahogany Mahogany
Bridge: Tune-O-Matic w/ Stop Tailpiece Floyd Rose 1000
Neck
Neck Joint: Set Set
Tuners: Vintage Style Grover
Fretboard: Jatoba Macassar Ebony
Neck Material: Mahogany 3Pc Mahogany
Decoration: Pearloid Blocks
Scale Size: 24.75" 24.75"
Shape: Vintage Thin U
Frets: 22 Medium Nickel Silver 24 XL Jumbo Stainless Steel
Fretboard Radius: 12" 13.78"
Nut: Plastic Locking
Nut Width: 41.3mm (1.625'') 42mm (1.654'')
Electronics
Bridge Pickup: EMG Retro Active Fat 55 (Humbucker / Active) Seymour Duncan Black Winter (Humbucker / Passive)
Middle Pickup:
Neck Pickup: EMG Retro Active Fat 55 (Humbucker / Active)
Switch: 3 Way 0 Way
Knobs: Speed Dome
Pickup Mods: None Coil Split
Volume Controls: 2 1
Tone Controls: 2 0