Brunswick Cortez

[MTPhono]

Just saw a photo on FB of a machine I never gave much thought to. This one is missing the grill and WOW. I don't think I would ever keep the grill on - what a great looking horn!

[VanEpsFan1914]

David (dzavracky) and Martin (Mormon S), our youngest active members, each have Cortezes. David's is running & on display and I don't think Martin has gotten his all the way ready yet as he's been turning piles of scrap-metal into Homes under Glass.

I did get to hear David's, and it's a better sound than a Victor Orthophonic, I'm afraid. Orthophonics are nice but this has a better bass--not tubby but realistic. The midrange and treble are quite pleasant, the tonearm geometry is easy on the records, and they're just well-built machines.

With the grills on--they look like high-end furniture, and with the grills off--then they look like the world's most beautiful PA system. Either way they're pretty great.

[JerryVan]

I love my Cortez! You won't be sorry if you get it. That said, I would never be without my Credenza as well. They each have their own strengths and their own "personalities". If having the grill is important to you, it may be a real challenge to find one however.

[Mormon S]

I have yet to get around to my Cortez, and unfortunately it is still not next on the list. After winter passes my HMV 163 will be refinished, then I will start restoring the cortez which is in pretty sad condition. No Veneer on the top, missing feet, lots of peeling and water damage, the side is split in half, and all 4 springs were broken. Considering all of that, the horn is in fantastic shape. Here it is after cleaning and waxing. Since the motor is broken I have yet to be able to compare it to my 163 (roughly as good or better than a credenza IMO)

Martin

[dzavracky]

I rarely go a day without listening to my cortez. In fact last night I wound mine all the way up and enjoyed 6 records without having to re-wind the machine. It was really lovely. The cortez is an amazing machine. With a loud tone needle and the speaker doors all the way open, you can hear the music from anywhere in my house. But if you don't want it nearly as loud, a soft tone needle is just loud enough to fill up my record room with music. If anyone is considering getting a Cortez... you wont regret it.

With regards to the horn... I actually took the 4 screws that hold the grill cloth in place out and put them in the top of the machine. That way the grill is just sitting in front of the horn, and is really easy to remove so I can admire the horn.


Cheers,

David

[JerryVan]

I have yet to get around to my Cortez,... and all 4 springs were broken.

Martin

Wow. Reminds me of quote by Groucho Marx. "I lost 12 million dollars in the Depression. I would have lost more, but that's all I had."

Breaking all 4 springs at once must have been quite an event!

[FellowCollector]

The Brunswick Cortez is an amazing phonograph and I would not hesitate to purchase this one if it is priced fairly. I like the sound of mine better than either of my Credenzas (2-door walnut and 4-door mahogany) and the motor is just about silent when running. And mine has its original, never rebuilt reproducer. Below is a link to one of several videos of my Cortez that I posted on my YT channel years ago. This one I recorded playing with the lid open because at that time I had very little room in front of the Cortez to step in front of it but it still sounded pretty nice I think.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=svqhU9TEnAs

Doug

[dzavracky]

The Brunswick Cortez is an amazing phonograph and I would not hesitate to purchase this one if it is priced fairly. I like the sound of mine better than either of my Credenzas (2-door walnut and 4-door mahogany) and the motor is just about silent when running. And mine has its original, never rebuilt reproducer. Below is a link to one of several videos of my Cortez that I posted on my YT channel years ago. This one I recorded playing with the lid open because at that time I had very little room in front of the Cortez to step in front of it but it still sounded pretty nice I think.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=svqhU9TEnAs

Doug

I also never touched my reproducer. It sounds simply amazing the way it is.

David

[JerryVan]

The Brunswick Cortez is an amazing phonograph and I would not hesitate to purchase this one if it is priced fairly. I like the sound of mine better than either of my Credenzas (2-door walnut and 4-door mahogany) and the motor is just about silent when running. And mine has its original, never rebuilt reproducer. Below is a link to one of several videos of my Cortez that I posted on my YT channel years ago. This one I recorded playing with the lid open because at that time I had very little room in front of the Cortez to step in front of it but it still sounded pretty nice I think.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=svqhU9TEnAs

Doug

I also never touched my reproducer. It sounds simply amazing the way it is.

David

Neither have I. I have the one that came with Cortez and a "spare". Both are excellent as-is.

However, some are made of pot metal, so beware. I have one that was and needed work. I made a whole new housing for it, then popped the face cover back on and she's good to go. The other thing to watch for on these reproducers, is the connection from the needle arm to the diaphragm. The connection to the diaphragm is a rivet. I've seen a few where corrosion occured between the rivet and the diaphragm, with the result being that the diaphragm corroded away such that the rivet came out.

[bigshot]

Here is a phonograph concert with mine. It gives you a good sense of how it sounds.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cLac8E4YqV4&t=6s