The Ugly Truth behind Cort/Cor-tek Guitars

[ohsojayadeva]

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9LpB1E4EE7k[/youtube]

This video is a much watch for anyone interested in buying Cort or Cort-built guitars.

[DarkAxel]

the sad thing is how many well known companies have their guitars built by Cort

[ohsojayadeva]

I have to admit, I haven't put a lot of thought into this subject previously, but I will going forward.

[Nychthemeron]

I've never known of Cort until now. Needless to say, this is extremely disheartening.

[SPACERITUAL]

This video is a much watch for anyone interested in buying Cort or Cort-built guitars.

LOL WHO THE FUCK IS INTERESTED IN THAT

[ohsojayadeva]

LOL WHO THE FUCK IS INTERESTED IN THAT

[Toonster]

LOL WHO THE FUCK IS INTERESTED IN THAT

Fixed

[hclapp219]

This is so sad... Does anyone know what brands Cort manufactures for?

LOL WHO THE FUCK IS INTERESTED IN THAT

Lol +1. But now he might throw a temper tantrum.

[ohsojayadeva]

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cort_Guita ... production

Ibanez, Parkwood, ESP, Schecter, G&L Tribute series line of guitars are among the most well-known brands that Cort produces.

Obviously this is a subject which should be of great interest to many.

[hclapp219]

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cort_Guitars#Contract_production

Ibanez, Parkwood, ESP, Schecter, G&L Tribute series line of guitars are among the most well-known brands that Cort produces.

Obviously this is a subject which should be of great interest to many.

[rfurtkamp]

Watched the thing, one-sided, largely context-less complaints about a labor dispute with better working conditions/pay/etc than anything coming out of China or India or Indonesia etc.

So they have some unhappy present/former workers involved in a labor dispute.

Very low on the care meter.

[Toonster]

The tears in the wood give it the mojo.. But well, what else can you expect from such cheap guitars, for the businesses to make a profit they have to behave like slave drivers, paying very little money, but hey, that's happening everywhere in China and we are buying almost everything out of China, day in day out..

[McSpunckle]

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cort_Guitars#Contract_production

Ibanez, Parkwood, ESP, Schecter, G&L Tribute series line of guitars are among the most well-known brands that Cort produces.

Obviously this is a subject which should be of great interest to many.

I'd like to know who of the smaller companies are using Cort as well.

I don't have a ton of faith that the other manufacturers are much better, though. It seems like people are shocked when something like this comes out about a cheap manufacturer, but they don't bother to care about the other ones that could be doing the same thing, and you just don't know.

It is a problem, though. The best solution is probably to go to the companies using Cort and get THEM to care. A similar thing happened with Apple a while back.

[tashiattack]

It's called the capitalist globalization and neo-liberalism. Sucks, but its structural inequality and violence that allows us in the West to be able to live in a consumer-lifestyle. I think guitar equipment are one group of products where we can try escape it, given the boutique industry. At least prices are still somewhat affordable within smaller boutique builders, and most are often driven by passion rather than profit, whereas if you're looking for clothing or electronics without slave-labour, its far more difficult to find and or/very expensive.

Watched the thing, one-sided, largely context-less complaints about a labor dispute with better working conditions/pay/etc than anything coming out of China or India or Indonesia etc.

So they have some unhappy present/former workers involved in a labor dispute.

Very low on the care meter.

There is far more to the story than this video, including more reasons as to why Cort is shitty. Often times though, these corporations escapee responsibilities because they hire third-party factory owners who do all the dirty work. So if a dispute arises, or its found that working conditions are horrific, its either rationalized because "at least they have a job" (aka: exploitation is okay) or "we didn't know and its not our responsibilities. Thats the factory owners job."

[rfurtkamp]

There is far more to the story than this video, including more reasons as to why Cort is shitty. Often times though, these corporations escapee responsibilities because they hire third-party factory owners who do all the dirty work. So if a dispute arises, or its found that working conditions are horrific, its either rationalized because "at least they have a job" (aka: exploitation is okay) or "we didn't know and its not our responsibilities. Thats the factory owners job."

I don't expect each country to adhere to some sort of mythical perfect standard that we have devised here or in academia. "Horrific" standards vary substantially from one country to the next; I am not enough of a bastard imperialist pig to determine what standards a people are required to work under. Too much "white man's burden", 21rst century style for me, thanks.

They can quit their jobs, they can protest, they can make these videos, they have options and recourse to the law in South Korea. I'm sure it's not perfect (or necessarily even all accurate, given that you could put together the same sort of one-sided video with employee complaints anywhere in the world for that matter with enough effort and time), but the chance for freedom and self-determination is a double-edged sword that's worth it. I could just compare SK to North Korea and most of the complaints that the video mentions seem sort of insignificant to be honest.

If you want stuff crafted to 'living wage' standards etc. hire somebody to build one under your own direct observation to ensure no exploitation and pay the premium for it.

Truth is most people don't care that much, nor should they.