Cort MBC-1 Matthew Bellamy Signature
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 Matt Black guitar with real Bellamy's signature | |
| Manufacturer | Cort Guitars |
| Period | 2015-present |
| Construction | |
| Body type | Solid |
| Neck joint | Bolt-on |
| Scale | 25.5 in (648 mm) |
| Woods | |
| Body | Basswood |
| Neck | Maple |
| Fretboard | Rosewood |
| Hardware | |
| Bridge | Tune-O-Matic with stopbar |
| Pickup(s) | 1 Single-coil Manson at the neck and 1 Humbucker Manson at the bridge |
| Colors available | |
| Matt Black Red Sparkle Matt White Show | |
Cort MBC-1 is the signature guitar of Matthew Bellamy, lead singer and guitarist of the English rock band Muse, launched in 2015 in Indonesia. It was designed by Bellamy and Hugh Manson in collaboration with Cort Guitars, and based on Manson MB Series.
Bellamy was actively involved in the creation of the guitar, testing each prototype and giving instructions on what needed to be changed. What took the most time was creating the truss rod, neck, and pickups, which were difficult to recreate in the factory.[1]
The release of this guitar was announced in early December 2014 and premiered at the NAMM exhibition in January 2015 with a price of £500.[2]
Premier Guitar magazine reviewed the model in 2015 and awarded it the Premier Gear designation,[3] noting a 5 out of 5 score for playability, a 4.5 score for tone and value, and a 4 out of 5 score for build/design.
Design and varieties
Headstock in front with signature
Headstock from behind with serial number
Killswitch and single coil
Body from behind
Guitar has solid Telecaster-form body made from tilia, maple neck and rosewood fingerboard with compound radius.[4]
Modifications of Cort MBC-1:
- MBC-1 MBLK — Matt Black colour.
- MBC-1 RS — Red Sparkle colour.
- MBC-1 LH — Matt black version for left-handed people.
- MBC-1 Matt White Show Special Stormtrooper Edition.
Manson Guitar Works are proposing modernization of guitar[5]
- upgrade with Sustaiac Pro sustainer;
- installing Z.Vex Fuzz Factory;
- replacement of hardware;
- replacement of machineheads and control knobs.
Awards and nominations
This guitar was nominated on Music and Sound Awards and MIA Awards, as «Best electric guitar» and «Electric guitar of the year», and won the last one. Besides, it was marked as "Premier Gear" by Premier Guitar, magazine Total Guitar called it «Best buy» (5/5).[6][7]
| Year | Nominated work | Category | Award | Result | Notes | Ref. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2015 | Cort MBC-1 | Best Electric Guitar | Music and Sound Awards | Nominated | [8] | |
| 2015 | Cort MBC-1 | Electric Guitar of the Year | Music Industries Association Award | Won | [9] |
