corts are better than squiers.......but when i had gone to buy my backup guitr the shopkeeper said that they had stopped stocking corts because of some complaints they have had in the past........and true enough when i played my friend's cort i found it a very average axe..... i might have a particular bias towards greg bennett's.....but they justify themselves for it.............i think it's better if you go for a Greg bennett Avion Av1.........it is the best beginner guitar in the under 10k budget.............