Developed for players seeking the specific feel and tonal character of a 30-inch scale instrument, the Retro 304 combines traditional material choices with streamlined controls. By focusing on reduced string tension and a deliberate vintage-voiced output, Cort aims to provide a serious tool for both long recording sessions and live performances where ease of playability is paramount.
The Retro 304 is built with a solid alder body, a choice intended to bring warmth and resonance to the instrument’s fundamental character. The body is finished in a high-gloss coating available in two classic color options: Seafoam Green (SFG) and Candy Apple Red (CAR). This construction serves as the foundation for a bass designed to deliver a warm low-end and defined attack, ensuring the instrument holds up across a variety of playing situations.
The bolt-on neck is constructed from hard maple, featuring a comfortable “U” shape and a matte finish for a smooth feel. With a 30-inch (762mm) scale length, the instrument provides less string tension, helping reduce player fatigue during long practices or performances. The rosewood fingerboard has a 9.5-inch radius and houses 20 nickel silver frets, which are selected for their durability and wear resistance. Other neck specifications include a PPS nut with a width of 1 5/8” (41mm) and white dot position inlays.
At the heart of the Retro 304’s electronics is the Cort Voiced Tone VTB-TB pickup. This passive humbucker pickup is specifically voiced to avoid a generic sound, instead offering a deliberate vintage character that emphasizes a defined attack. To keep the player’s focus on performance rather than complex signal management, the control layout is intentionally minimal, featuring a single volume knob and a single tone knob.
Rounding out the specifications is a suite of chrome hardware, including the Cort Retro Bridge, which anchors the instruments sustain while keeping a consistent vintage aesthetic. Keeping with the retro vibe, the bass is equipped with open-gear tuners and features a 2-way adjustable truss rod with a spoke nut for easy maintenance. The Retro 304 comes factory-strung with D’Addario EXL170S strings.
For more information on the Retro 304 and to view more images, please visit www.CortGuitars.com
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Street Price: $649.99 USD
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Short-Scale Bass Guitar Comparison
| Model | Scale Length | Body Wood | Neck / Fingerboard | Pickup Configuration | Controls | Street Price (USD) |
| Ibanez GSRM20 miKro | 28.6″ | Poplar | Maple / Jatoba | Dynamix P/J | Vol, Vol, Tone | $186.99 |
| Squier Sonic Bronco | 30″ | Poplar | Maple / Laurel or Maple | Ceramic Single-Coil | Vol, Tone | $209.99 |
| Jackson JS1X Concert Minion | 28.6″ | Poplar | Maple / Amaranth | Jackson P/J Style | Vol, Vol, Tone | $219.99 |
| Ibanez TMB30 Talman | 30″ | Poplar | Maple / Jatoba | Dynamix P/J | Vol, Vol, Tone | $249.99 |
| Cort Action Junior | 30″ | Poplar / Agathis | Hard Maple / Jatoba | Powersound Soapbar Humbucker | Vol, Tone | $249.99 |
| Gretsch G2220 Junior Jet II | 30.3″ | Basswood | Maple / Walnut | Dual Gretsch Mini Humbuckers | Master Vol, Master Tone, 3-Way Switch | $329.99 |
| Höfner Ignition SE 500/1 Violin Bass | 30″ | Spruce Top / Maple | Maple / Rosewood | Dual Höfner Staple Humbuckers | 2 Vol, 2 On/Off Switches, Rhythm/Solo Switch | $374.99 |
| Epiphone Newport Bass | 30.5″ | Mahogany | Mahogany / Indian Laurel | BassBucker (Neck) / J-Bass Single (Bridge) | Master Vol, Blend, Master Tone | $449.00 |
| Cort GB Short Scale | 30″ | Poplar | Roasted Maple / Roasted Maple | Powersound Humbucker (Markbass MB-1 Preamp) | Vol, 3-Band EQ, 3-Way Pickup Switch | $489.99 |
| Squier Classic Vibe ’60s Mustang Bass | 30″ | Nato | Maple / Indian Laurel | Fender-Designed Alnico Split-Coil | Vol, Tone | $499.99 |
| Danelectro ’59 Short-Scale | 29.75″ | Masonite / Plywood | Maple / Pau Ferro | Dual High-Output Lipstick Single-Coils | Stacked Vol/Tone (x2) | $629.00 |
| Cort Retro 304 | 30″ | Alder | Hard Maple / Rosewood | Cort Voiced Tone VTB-TB Humbucker | Vol, Tone | $649.99 |
| Guild Starfire I Bass (Semi-Hollow) | 30.75″ | Mahogany or Maple | Maple / Indian Laurel | Guild BC-1 BiCoil Humbucker | Master Vol (Push/Pull Vintage Switch), Master Tone | $749.99 |
| Sterling by Music Man Short Scale StingRay | 30″ | Nyatoh | Hard Maple / Rosewood or Maple | Sterling Neodymium Humbucker | Vol (Push/Pull Boost), Rotary 3-Way Switch | $749.99 |
| Fender Player II Mustang PJ Bass | 30″ | Alder | Maple / Maple or Rosewood | Player Series Alnico 5 P/J | Vol, Tone, 3-Way Toggle | $849.99 |
| Nordstrand Acinonyx V2 (“Cat Bass”) | 30.7″ (780mm) | Alder | Maple / Indian Rosewood | 3x Custom Vintage Alnico V Single-Coils | Vol, Tone, 4-Button Push-Button Selector Matrix | $999.00 |
| Gibson SG Standard Bass | 30.5″ | Mahogany | Mahogany / Rosewood | SG Bass Humbucker (Neck) / SG Bass Mini (Bridge) | Vol, Vol, Master Tone | $1,999.00 |
| Ernie Ball Music Man Short Scale StingRay | 30″ | Ash / Select Hardwoods | Roasted Maple / Rosewood or Maple | Music Man Neodymium Humbucker | Vol (Push/Pull Gain Boost), 3-Way Rotary Switch | $2,699.00 |
| Nordstrand Acinonyx V (5-String) | 30.7″ | Soft Maple | Hard Maple / Indian Rosewood | Nordstrand PolyVox 5 Multi-Coil | Vol, Wide-Range Tone | $4,995.00 |
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