Cort GA-MEDX M OP — Grand-Auditorium Mahogany Cutaway Electro-Acoustic

The GA-MEDX M OP (Grand-Auditorium • Mahogany • Open-Pore) extends Cort’s MEDX workhorse family with a solid mahogany soundboard that trades spruce shimmer for syrupy mid-focus and quick attack. Laminated mahogany rims add road-proof strength, an open-pore natural finish keeps weight low, and the Cort CE304T preamp guarantees “plug-in-and-play” consistency from bedroom demo to café open-mic. A padded Cort gig-bag ships in the carton — just add a DI cable and you’re commuting to rehearsal. What follows is a deep examination of build science, tone-wood chemistry, bracing maths, ergonomic nuance, amplification logic, environmental practice and lifetime care, followed by a concise white-gray specification table.

1 | Design Mandate — Warmth, Workability, Wallet Sense

The original spruce-topped GA-MEDX proved that a solid top, serviceable electronics and a gig-bag could co-exist under a student budget. Player feedback soon asked: “Can we have the same package, but with the woody warmth of an all-mahogany voice?” The GA-MEDX M OP is Cort’s “yes” — every penny routed to resonance and reliability, none detoured to pearl rosettes or thick gloss.

2 | Body Geometry — GA Balance with Cutaway Freedom

A 16″ lower bout pumps more air than an OM, yet the 11½″ waist tucks under the arm, sparing the right shoulder on three-set nights. A 3″-radius Venetian cutaway clears fret-17 triads and modal runs. The 4⅝″ tail-block depth yields dreadnought-adjacent headroom while preserving mid clarity thanks to mahogany’s natural low-mid trim.

3 | Tone-Wood Matrix — Solid Mahogany Top × Mahogany Body

Top. AA Khaya mahogany billets, 2.9 mm centre / 2.6 mm edge, kiln-stabilised to 8 % MC. Mahogany’s higher damping shortens bloom, ideal for recording doubles that must leave frequency room for vocals.
Back & Sides. Laminated mahogany resists climate shock without sacrificing the woody fundamental that fingerstyle players crave.
Neck. Single-piece mahogany, dual-action rod, slim-C carve and satin feel.
Fingerboard & Bridge. Ovangkol (current batch) with an oil-only finish so pores stay breathable.

4 | Bracing — Lightened X for Darker Tonewoods

Mahogany tops don’t need the stiffness of Sitka, so Cort scallops spruce braces to 2.5 mm height and feathers tips to 1.8 mm. The X junction shifts 4 mm toward the sound-hole, loosening the lower-bout diaphragm and restoring headroom lost to mahogany’s damping. Result: bass fundamentals robust enough for solo strum, yet decay fast enough to layer under piano.

5 | Open-Pore Finish — Why Leave Pores Open?

Two coats — a water-borne pore sealer and an 80 µm matte poly top-coat — weigh half of entry-level gloss. Less mass means quicker transient response, louder “air” perception and minimal stage glare. Players also love the “played-in” neck texture from day one.

Specifications