Cort Retro 304: A Fun & Vintage Style Short-Scale Bass!
Cort Retro 304 short-scale bass delivers vintage vibes in Seafoam Green or Candy Apple Red. 30-inch scale, passive humbucker, & simple controls.
Attention bassists! If you’ve been dreaming of a playing experience that's incredibly easy on the hands but heavy on the tone, Cort Guitars has just answered your prayers. Meet the Cort Retro 304, a brand-new short-scale bass packed with serious vintage vibes and unbelievable playability!
This 30-inch beauty is ready to become your new best friend for epic live gigs and endless studio sessions. Here is why the Retro 304 should be the next addition to your guitar rack.
Dressed to Impress: Classic Retro Finishes
First things first—this bass is absolutely stunning! Built with a solid alder body, the Retro 304 delivers a warm, resonant, beautifully defined low end. Cort is offering this high-gloss beauty in two jaw-dropping, nostalgic colors: Seafoam Green (SFG) and vibrant Candy Apple Red (CAR). Whether you are rocking out in a garage or headlining a stage, you’re guaranteed to turn heads!
Smooth, Short-Scale Playability
Let’s talk comfort. The Retro 304 features a rock-solid, bolt-on hard maple neck with a super comfortable "U" shape and a sleek matte finish. But the real star of the show is the sweet 30-inch (762mm) scale length.
By significantly reducing string tension, this short-scale design makes flying around the gorgeous rosewood fingerboard an absolute breeze. Say goodbye to player fatigue and hello to grooving all night long! Top it off with a 9.5-inch radius, 20 durable nickel silver frets, and a 1 5/8” (41mm) PPS nut, and you have a recipe for pure joy.
Vintage Tone, Zero Fuss
Wondering how it sounds? Cort kept it brilliantly simple and massively flavorful. Armed with the passive Cort Voiced Tone VTB-TB humbucker, this bass ditches generic, modern tones for a deliberate, punchy vintage character with a wonderfully defined attack.
To keep you focused on your music rather than complicated signal management, the control layout is wonderfully streamlined. With just a single volume knob and a single tone knob, you can spend less time fiddling with dials and more time finding your groove.
Reliable, Gig-Ready Hardware
Finishing off this retro masterpiece is gleaming chrome hardware, classic open-gear tuners, and the ultra-reliable Cort Retro Bridge to keep your sustain singing. It even features a 2-way adjustable truss rod with a handy spoke nut for incredibly easy setups and maintenance. Right out of the box, you'll be ready to rock with factory-equipped premium D'Addario EXL170S strings.
Our Thoughts
I'm a big fan of short-scale basses, and this new Cort model looks great and sounds great. Priced at $649.99, it is also a bit of a bargain. These could be a lot of fun to play, so well worth checking out, in my opinion.
Ready to bring the groove back? For more information on the brilliant new Retro 304, visit Cort's official website.
- +30-inch short scale dramatically reduces string tension and hand fatigue
- +Stunning vintage finishes in Seafoam Green and Candy Apple Red
- +Simple single-volume/single-tone control layout keeps focus on playing
- +Passive humbucker delivers punchy, defined vintage character
- +Comfortable U-shaped hard maple neck with matte finish
- +Premium D'Addario strings included factory-equipped
- +Chrome hardware and open-gear tuners add classic appeal
- +2-way adjustable truss rod with spoke nut for easy maintenance
What makes the Cort Retro 304 easier to play than a standard bass?
The 30-inch scale length is significantly shorter than standard 34-inch basses, reducing string tension considerably. This makes it much more comfortable for extended playing sessions and reduces hand fatigue, especially for players with smaller hands or those seeking added comfort.
What pickup does the Cort Retro 304 use?
The Retro 304 features a passive Cort Voiced Tone VTB-TB humbucker pickup that delivers punchy vintage character with a defined attack. The control layout is kept intentionally simple with just one volume knob and one tone knob.
When will the Cort Retro 304 be available?
The Cort Retro 304 is slated to hit production in June 2026. It will ship with factory-equipped premium D'Addario EXL170S strings and comes in Seafoam Green and Candy Apple Red finishes.
What are the key specs of the Retro 304's neck and fretboard?
The bass features a bolt-on hard maple neck with a comfortable U-shape and matte finish. The rosewood fingerboard has a 9.5-inch radius, 20 nickel silver frets, and a 1 5/8-inch PPS nut for excellent playability and intonation.
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