It all started with a spark of curiosity in a small music shop in Reading, England. The year was 2004, and John Mitchell, then gearing up to record the debut album with the progressive rock band Kino, was wandering through Hickie’s Music Store when something caught his eye: a sleek black Cort G-Series guitar with a mirrored scratch plate.

“It was love at first sight,” John recalls with a grin. “It looked VERY snazzy indeed.”

He bought it on the spot. That very guitar went on to define the sound of Kino’s first record, Picture, and even made its way onto their televised performance on Rockpalast in Cologne. The video is still streaming on YouTube for fans who want to see where it all began.

Since that day, Cort Guitars have been a constant in Mitchell’s life. “I’ve been playing Cort for a VERY long time,” he says proudly. “They make hugely expensive SOUNDING guitars with incredible build quality, which one isn’t afraid to play in a live environment.”

A Philosophy of Practical Perfection

For John, Cort’s appeal goes far beyond aesthetics. As a guitarist, songwriter, and producer known for his work with Arena, Frost*, Kino, and It Bites, he knows exactly what he needs from an instrument: reliability, great tone, and craftsmanship that matches his relentless pace.

“I’ve never been a great advocate of hugely expensive guitars,” he explains. “If a guitar is too expensive, there’s a fear in using it as a workhorse. However, if it’s too cheap, it’s not worth playing due to poor build quality. Cort strikes that perfect balance.”

He points to one of the brand’s most overlooked virtues: consistency. “The finishing is proper straight out of the box. On other guitars at a similar price point, you always find that the frets haven’t been dressed properly or feel sharp. That’s never the case with a Cort. And they never scrimp on pickups. The ones they use are considerably better than most guitars at this level.”

The G300 Glam: A Showstopper in Every Sense

Recently, John has fallen head over heels for two of Cort’s modern classics: the G250 and the G300 Glam. The latter, he says, has been an absolute head-turner.

“It’s INCREDIBLE!!! Just like a supermodel. It’s been turning heads everywhere I go!” he laughs. “When I was on tour in Japan, people came up to me every night asking where they could get one. Then I went across mainland Europe with Arena, and exactly the same thing happened. Aside from being fantastic to play, it’s INCREDIBLY beautiful to look at, like an iceberg in polar waters. I LOVE LOVE LOVE it!”

That balance of beauty and performance perfectly sums up why Mitchell has remained loyal to Cort for over two decades. These guitars, he says, don’t just look good, they work.

Serving the Song

Despite his technical prowess, John’s approach to music is refreshingly selfless. “Always play for the band, the music, and NOT your ego,” he insists. “Serve the song and leave your musical ego at the door. Don’t play a million 32nd notes when the song requires breezy 8th notes. THE SONG IS THE KING!”

That same ethos extends to how he sees his instruments. “A guitar should serve the song,” he says. “It shouldn’t overshadow it. That’s one of the reasons I connect so strongly with Cort’s design philosophy. It’s all about practicality and musicality, not ego or excess.”

John’s musical journey began in the late 1970s when a video of The Police performing “Walking on the Moon” transfixed him. “They seemed so utterly cool and futuristic to my boyhood self,” he recalls. A few years later, seeing Eric Clapton play “Miss You” at the Prince’s Trust Concert in 1986 sealed the deal. “It utterly blew my mind. They call him ‘Slowhand,’ but going on the evidence of that song alone, I beg to differ!”

From there, his influences evolved, from Clannad’s haunting Celtic folk to the electric energy of Iron Maiden and It Bites, the latter of which he’d later join. “It might be hewn into my DNA as I originate from a Celtic background,” he says of his lifelong connection to folk music.

Life Beyond the Stage

When he’s not in the studio or on tour, John can often be found near the water. “I’m quite literally obsessed with water and being on or in it,” he admits. “The amount of songs I’ve written with hidden nautical references can’t be underestimated. It’s the only time I’m ever truly happy.”

Looking Ahead

John’s creative engine shows no signs of slowing down. He’s currently working on a new solo album, the first under his own name, and preparing for a special full-band Christmas show at Camden’s iconic Dingwall’s. “I’ll be playing a cornucopia of music from throughout my back catalog—Frost*, Kino, It Bites, Lonely Robot. If I sang on it, I’m more than likely going to play it!”

Through it all, Cort remains a constant companion. From that first black G-Series to the shimmering G300 Glam, John’s guitars have been right there with him on stage, in the studio, and everywhere in between.

“Cort guitars have been a part of my life for over twenty years,” he says. “They’ve always represented quality, reliability, and inspiration. They’re a musician’s instrument, through and through.”

And just like John Mitchell himself, they continue to serve the song.