CMC Music | RRP $2995
As is the tried and true trajectory of Music Man’s Sterling by Music Man line of guitars and basses, the Cutlass CT50 Plus seeks to give players more bang for the buck, providing not just a good instrument for new players, but a musical companion that can stay with you every step of the way from the first lesson through to the biggest of stages.
At this point, the Cutlass shape itself likely doesn’t need any introduction, but just in case there is anyone who is unfamiliar, it has been a mainstay in Music Man’s line of guitars for decades. Providing ergonomic playability, unparalleled comfort and professional tone all without batting an eyelash, the Cutlass is somewhat of a standard when it comes to demonstrating the perfect coalescence of vintage aesthetics and modern playability all in a tidy package.
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The Cutlass CT50 Plus serves as an extension of the other Cutlass models featured in the current Sterling by Music Man line. A higher-end offering that offers some premium features that don’t appear on the other models, but still comes in at a price that won’t break the bank.
The Chalk Grey model that I have the privilege of testing looks fantastic, breathing a bit of contemporary flair into a model that finds its roots in the ‘70s isn’t necessarily easy, but I feel that Music Man has managed to achieve this in a manner that is tasteful and in no way overbearing.
The body in this colourway contrasts well against the instrument’s roasted maple neck and fretboard. Pair this with all black hardware, pickups and plastics on this model, and you have what I would consider my favourite colour combo within a line that is universally pleasing aesthetically.
Poplar is the name of the game when it comes to this model’s body wood, and as a tried and true choice for this type of instrument, it projects a clear and punchy acoustic tone. Bright and resonant without sounding thin or ‘plinky’. Some poplar and maple combos can prove to be on the weightier side, but I never felt that the Cutlass Plus felt unwieldy or uncomfortable, even during extended play sessions.
The roasted maple neck adds a premium touch, with a familiar 12″ fretboard radius and 22 medium frets. I found the Cutlass CT50 Plus’ neck to feel substantial in my hand while avoiding the baseball bat trope that can make some neck carvings uncomfortable for extended chording, at least for me personally.
Fretwork on my test model was excellent, with no instances of sharp or uneven frets. I feel that Music Man has been making a concentrated effort on quality control when it comes to their Sterling by Music Man line, and for this, I can only commend them.
Another feature that I quite admire about the Cutlass CT50 Plus is its pearloid block fretboard inlays, somewhat reminiscent of deluxe instruments from the ’60s and ’70s. They serve to add a touch of vintage class to an instrument that boasts an otherwise relatively modern aesthetic.
The hardware package is rounded out with a quality Sterling by Music Man Vintage Tremolo and some non-branded locking tuners. All of which I found to be of suitable quality for an instrument of this price range.
Actually, I’d go as far as saying that I would confidently take the Cutlass CT50 Plus out for a stint on the road with my band without swapping out any of its stock parts. I found both the trem and tuners to perform without any quirks. Even with regular tremolo use, the Cutlass CT50 Plus held solid tuning. During my time with the guitar, I never encountered any string slippage at the tuners or within the stock nut.
The pickup configuration is a classic HSS setup, which will be perfectly applicable for just about any style you could throw at them. While manufacturer documentation doesn’t disclose what magnets are used in these newly developed Modern pickups, I felt they struck a nice in-between balance between the raunchy ker-rang of ceramic magnets and the creamy warmth of more traditional Alnico variants.
The electronics are further aided by a handy Push-Push mid boost circuit incorporated into the volume pot, letting you dial in a nice lead boost at the push of a button. Often, these types of circuits can prove to be somewhat noisy or, at worst, unusable; however, I found the mid boost in the Cutlass CT50 Plus to be very nice indeed. The added benefit of a Push-Push control as opposed to the more traditional Push-Pull means you won’t be slipping off the pot or dropping your pick when it comes time to engage.
Kudos to Music Man for further enhancing a model that has already endured acclaim amongst working guitar players. As a model that has served players worldwide for decades, I feel like the Sterling by Music Man range will only aid in bringing the Cutlass to yet another generation of players, with the Cutlass CT50 Plus serving as the perfect realisation of this contention.
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