Cort KX508MS II Marina Blue Burst

This is my first 8 string multiscale. Until now I've always played a standard 6 string but this time I figured maybe try something new.

Pros: Pickups are great sounding in all voices, really crisp tone. I'm not sure how long the battery lasts, but hopefully it will stay for a while.
Fretboard is quick, kind of like an Ibanez, but has a contour on the neck for which follows your the actual movement of your hands which is great.
The tuners are very stable even at really low tuning.
Very light guitar for an extended scale.

Cons: The surface of the body has very small imperfections, but nothing that worrisome. But I still like a full clean, clear coated smooth body.
Output jack gets really sticky sometimes and I have a hard time getting the cable out, but otherwise the wiring feels stable even while playing heavy.

Overall a good guitar for the price, especially with the electronics it offers.

My first 8-string, my first multiscale, my first active pickups, and a lot of "my first" other things.
Transition from 6 string to this was actually pretty easy, and I really appreciate the new compositional possibilities that come with this extended range.
Finish is a lot darker and less saturated than the pictures they give, which I really like. But that's all subjective. Here are some slightly more objective points:
Hardware is on point:
- Locking tuners do their job well
- Pickups are fantastic. Incredibly versatile
- Neutral fret is at a great position, unlike the ridiculous Ibanez 12th fret
- Spoke wheel is SO convenient. Life changing.
- Overall relatively light for an 8 string.
Cons:
- Pretty severe neck dive, but may be a common problem among 8 strings. And that's a sacrifice for the lighter body,
- Plastic nut and nickel frets... though you can't expect much else at this price point.
- Frets are a bit small (medium jumbo), but that could be a pro if you're into it.
- No Luminlay. But again, the price.
- Finish flaws seem to be a common problem. Consider that if it REALLY matters to you - but they're barely noticeable.
- It's a bit hard to change strings since the saddles are angled from the actual string holes. You have to bend it after poking it through with some small apparatus.

Ultimately if you factor in the price you really can't complain about much. Incredible guitar for its price.

I decided to wait a bit before writing a review because I expected some drawbacks over time, but this guitar plays strong after more than a year.

Pros:

- pickups, sound, hardware, locking tuners, looks better than in photos

Cons:

- slight fret sprouting over time
- a bit neck heavy (I guess that's common for 8 strings with a headstock)
- my model has a problem with 11th fret as the notes played there lack sustain (12th fret probably too high)

The biggest con is tuning peg for 8th string as the hole is not wide enough for thicker gauges. This means you need to be careful when buying new strings. Most thick strings are tapered at the end, so it's not a big deal. For example, Earnie Ball skinny top heavy bottom 9-80 fit perfectly, but some other brands might be problematic. I'll probably just use a metal drill to widen it a bit so I can fit .74 and .80.

I focused mainly on the negative side in this review, but that's just because I think it's important to know these things. It doesn't mean you shouldn't buy it. I'm actually very happy with this guitar, I use it as my main instrument, and all these drawbacks are easily fixed. The sound and tuning stability you get for the money is unbeatable. I considered buying another, high end guitar, but then I saw it had the same electronics and no locking tuners, so I gave up. Why would I pay a double price for the same or even lesser specs?