Cortez

Cortez was one of Jack Westheimer’s important Japanese import brands, beginning with Martin-style acoustics and later expanding into electric copies and other instruments. The name also matters historically because Westheimer said the shorter “Cort” name grew from Cortez. Cortez itself, however, belongs to the Japanese-import story; it should not be treated as simply an early Korean Cort guitar.

MODEL SEARCH

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OVERVIEW

What to know quickly

WESTHEIMER The Cortez name was used by importer Jack Westheimer; U.S. trademark records list first use in commerce in 1967.

JAPAN Westheimer told Vintage Guitar that Cortez guitars were made in Japan, not Korea.

CORT CONNECTION Westheimer described “Cort” as an abbreviation derived from Cortez as his Korean manufacturing story developed.

Cortez and Cort are related historically, not interchangeable for identification. A Japanese Cortez should be evaluated as the guitar it is—not automatically described as a Korean Cort.

IDENTIFY YOUR GUITAR

Which Cortez do you have?

Cortez documentation is incomplete, so physical evidence matters. Early acoustics, later electric copies and hollow-body models may come from different Japanese factories and periods.

Find the model number. J-series acoustics, W-series and electric model numbers are the best starting point.
Record the country label. Made in Japan is a central part of the documented Cortez guitar story.
Identify the neck joint. Bolt-on and set-neck Les Paul-style examples can occupy different quality tiers.
Inspect the acoustic label. Early dreadnought labels and construction may help separate the first Westheimer-era acoustic lines.
Use factory claims carefully. Vintage Guitar documents Hiyashi for early acoustics and Matsumoku for many electrics, but not every Cortez is proven to one factory.

SERIES & MARKET GUIDE

Cortez moved from acoustics into the full copy-era catalog

Early dreadnought acoustics Martin-inspired Japanese acoustics Often $250–$600 used Condition and neck angle dominate

J-series / upgraded acoustics J-6000, J-6500 and related models Often $300–$700+ used Exact construction matters

Electric copies Strat-, Les Paul- and hollow-body styles Often $250–$700 used Bolt-on versus set-neck matters

Higher-spec / rare electrics Set-neck, unusual or premium examples Often $500–$900+ used Scarcer; model-specific

Cortez guitar production is discontinued. Surviving documentation is incomplete, so ranges should be treated as orientation rather than model-by-model appraisals.

USED VALUE GUIDE

The Westheimer connection is history—not a price multiplier by itself

Cortez is interesting because it sits near the beginning of Jack Westheimer’s long import story, but value still comes from the specific guitar: model, construction, factory evidence, originality and playability.

COMMON ACOUSTIC Often roughly $250–$500.

COMMON ELECTRIC COPY Often roughly $250–$600.

BETTER SET-NECK / RARE MODEL Often roughly $500–$900+ depending on model and condition.

Check acoustic neck angle. A neck reset can exceed the market value of an ordinary example.
Separate bolt-on and set-neck electrics. They should not share one generic Les Paul-copy range.
Preserve labels and stamps. Cortez documentation is sparse enough that original markings carry extra research value.
Do not convert Cort prices directly. The later Cort brand has a different production and market history.
Verify unusual factory claims. Use construction and period sources before assigning a maker.

CURRENT USED MARKET

See what the market is doing now

Search the complete model code plus Cortez. Because the brand name also appears in unrelated contexts, exact guitar model numbers dramatically improve the results.

Search Cortez on Reverb Current used examples and asking prices ↗ eBay · Sold Cortez Completed-market comparison starting point ↗

COMPARE

What else lives in this neighborhood?

The closest comparison depends on era, construction and factory—not simply the body outline.

COMPARE WITH Cort · historically related name, later Korean manufacturing story

COMPARE WITH Cortley · another Westheimer-supplied / related import label with overlapping models

COMPARE WITH Ventura / Aria · Japanese import comparisons for acoustics and Matsumoku-era electrics

WHAT TO WATCH FOR

Before you buy—or price—one

Cort / Cortez conflation. Related history does not make the guitars the same product line.
Sparse catalogs. Absence of online documentation is not proof that a model is rare.
Factory overstatement. Some models have strong attribution; others do not.
Acoustic structural issues. Bridge lift, neck angle and top distortion can dominate value.
Copy-era hype. A familiar Gibson or Fender shape does not automatically create collector premium.

HISTORY & COMMENTARY

One of the names that leads directly into the Cort story

Jack Westheimer was an early and influential importer of Japanese guitars into the United States. In his account to Vintage Guitar, Cortez began as a line of good-quality Japanese dreadnought acoustics, with the Hiyashi factory named as an early source. The line later expanded into familiar electric copies, many associated with Matsumoku.

When Westheimer moved deeper into Korean manufacturing, the shortened Cort name became part of the next chapter. That makes Cortez historically important, but the cleanest identification rule is still simple: document the specific Japanese Cortez first, then use the broader Westheimer story as context.

WHAT PLAYERS LIKE

Why a Cortez can be worth picking up

Import-history significance. Cortez sits close to the roots of the later Cort name.
Good acoustic finds. Some early Japanese dreadnoughts are well-built player guitars.
Electric variety. Copies and hollow bodies give the brand more range than many remember.
Estate-sale relevance. The name can look obscure enough to be overlooked.
Research value. Labels and model numbers can add useful evidence to a lightly documented brand.

CURRENT RETAIL & REFERENCE

Vintage Guitar · Jack Westheimer Primary historical account of Cortez and Cort ↗ Guitar-List · Cortez Brand and model-context summary ↗ Reverb · Cortez Guitar Market Current used examples ↗

Cortez reference material is limited. The page follows Westheimer’s published recollections where available and keeps unverified factory claims bounded.