Cort L150-OC NAT — Luce Series Cutaway Electro-Acoustic Guitar

The L150-OC NAT captures Cort’s vintage-inspired Luce spirit in an all-solid orchestra-concert chassis dressed in an ultra-thin natural open-pore finish. A solid Sitka spruce soundboard, solid African mahogany body and short 24.75″ scale deliver quick, woody warmth; a graceful Venetian cutaway and Fishman Presys II preamp ensure modern performance on any stage. What follows is a long-form exploration—design genealogy, tone-wood chemistry, bracing physics, ergonomic subtleties, amplification science, eco stewardship and lifelong care—followed by a white/gray specification table for at-a-glance reference.

1 | Luce Philosophy—Vintage DNA, Present-Day Practicality

Cort’s Luce line pays homage to Depression-era small bodies whose intimacy and mid-range focus helped birth folk, blues and early country. Where pre-war guitars lacked neck stability, adjustable truss rods and stage electronics, Luce models add dual-action rods, rolled-edge fingerboards and Fishman preamps while keeping trim minimal and finishes breathable. The model code breaks down as follows:

• L150 — second-tier Luce platform (all-solid tone-woods, no pick-guard, understated rosette)
• OC — Orchestra-Concert silhouette with Venetian cutaway
• NAT — Natural open-pore finish

The target player: singer-songwriters and fingerstylists who value woody nuance, compact ergonomics and reliable plug-in tone more than ornamental flash.

2 | Body Geometry—OC Balance, Cutaway Freedom

At 15 ⅛″ across the lower bout, 11″ at the waist and 4 ⅛″ tail depth, the OC shape treads between parlor immediacy and dreadnought headroom. The 3″-radius Venetian cutaway removes the 14th-fret wall, enabling melodic runs and chord-melody voicings past fret 17. A subtly scooped upper bout keeps the right-shoulder relaxed, making three-set nights feel like single-set rehearsals.

3 | Tone-Wood Matrix—Solid Sitka Spruce × Solid Mahogany

Top. AAA Sitka spruce billets are air-seasoned to 10 % moisture, then kiln-tempered for uniform density. Sitka’s 9:1 stiffness-to-mass ratio provides dynamic ceiling and sparkling overtone bloom.
Back & Sides. Quartersawn Khaya mahogany supplies woody mids, tight bass bloom and a subtle natural compressor that flatters vocal accompaniment.
Neck. One-piece mahogany hosts a dual-action rod; vintage volute deleted for smooth feel at first position slides.
Fingerboard & Bridge. Indian rosewood, 7–9 grain lines/cm, oiled not lacquered for organic contact.

4 | Bracing Science—Scalloped X Tuned for Short Scale

The L150’s 24.75″ scale reduces string tension roughly 10 % versus 25.5″ standards. Cort therefore lightens the main X: spruce brace heights drop to 2.4 mm and wing tips feather to 1.7 mm. The X intersection sits 4 mm toward the sound-hole, enlarging the lower bout’s active area. Tap-tone analysis shows a fundamental of G with even harmonic spacing—ideal for double-tracking without phase smear.

5 | Finish—Natural Open-Pore Breathability

Two coats—a water-borne sealer and matte polyurethane clear—total ≈ 70 µm. Compared with 180 µm gloss polyester this removes ~110 g of deadweight and lets the plates move freely. Benefits: faster attack, 3–4 dB perceived loudness gain at identical pick force, zero mirror glare under LED rigs and a “broken-in” neck feel on day one.

Specifications