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Music Man Cutlass HT SSS
Fender Player Mustang 90
VS
Playability
68
Sound
78
Build
82
Value
66
Score
76
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Playability
77
Sound
72
Build
57
Value
74
Score
69
FIND IT ON:
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Music Man Cutlass HT SSS vs Fender Player Mustang 90

Reasons to Get
Music Man Cutlass HT SSS over Fender Player Mustang 90

Country of Manufacturing
United States vs Mexico
Built with higher quality standards
Fret Material
Stainless Steel vs Nickel Silver
Best fret material that will last forever
Release Year
2022 vs 2018
From a more recent year
Pickup Mods
Boost vs None
Increases the output of the pickup
Switch Positions
5 vs 3
More tone options
Pickups
SSS vs P90P90
Beautiful cleans and good tone versatility
Locking Tuners
Yes vs None
Easier to change strings
Nut Width
1.625'' (41.3mm) vs 1.654'' (42mm)
Favors small hands, easier bar chords and other shapes
Bridge
Tremolo vs Fixed
Simple vibratos without too much maintenance
Scale Length
25.5'' (647.7mm) vs 24'' (609.6mm)
Lower action and brighter natural tone
Fretboard Radius
10'' (254mm) vs 9.5'' (241.3mm)
Flatter fretboard makes it easier to play single notes and bend

Reasons to Get
Fender Player Mustang 90 over Music Man Cutlass HT SSS

Pickups
P90P90 vs SSS
Vintage tone with decent versatility
Nut Width
1.654'' (42mm) vs 1.625'' (41.3mm)
Less likely to mute strings by accident and more space for fingerstyle
Bridge
Fixed vs Tremolo
Good sustain and needs no set-up
Scale Length
24'' (609.6mm) vs 25.5'' (647.7mm)
Easier bending, shorter fret separation and warmer natural tone
Fretboard Radius
9.5'' (241.3mm) vs 10'' (254mm)
More curved fretboard helpful to play chords without muting strings
Value Score
74 vs 66
Better price/quality relationship

Other Key Differences
Music Man Cutlass HT SSS vs Fender Player Mustang 90

Bridge Pickup
Music Man Custom Single Coil vs Fender Mustang MP-90
Different Bridge Pickup
Neck Pickup
Music Man Custom Single Coil vs Fender Mustang MP-90
Different Neck Pickup
Neck Wood
Figured Maple vs Maple
Different Neck Wood
Fretboard Wood
Figured Maple vs Maple
Different Fretboard Wood
Headstock
4-2 vs 6
Different Headstock
Nut Material
Compensated vs Synthetic Bone
Different Nut Material

Shared Features
Music Man Cutlass HT SSS vs Fender Player Mustang 90

Body Wood
Alder
Same Body Wood
Strings
6
Same playing style
Body Type
Solid Body
Feedback free
Volume Knobs
1
Same volume control
Tone Knobs
1
Same tone control
Number of Frets
22
Same maximum octave
Paint Finish
Poly
Resistant paint that ages well
Pickups Power
Passive
Cleaner sound and no battery needed
Neck Profile Type
C
Comfortable neck that works for most people
Neck Joint
Bolt-On
Allows you to detach and swap the neck
Type of Frets
Medium Jumbo
You'll feel the fretboard when pressing down the strings

Common Strengths

  • High-Quality Nut
  • Top Pickup Brand

Common Weaknesses

  • Neck-Through Build
  • Weight Relief
  • Stays in Tune (Evertune)
  • Compound Radius Fretboard
  • Luminescent Sidedots
  • Strap Lock
  • 21:1 Tuner Ratio
  • Active/Passive Preamp

Table of Contents

Price History Comparison

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Which One is Better Overall?

After going through our comparison algorithm, the results show that the Music Man Cutlass HT SSS is probably the better product overall with its final score of 76 compared to the Fender Player Mustang 90's 69 score, although not by a lot.

The Music Man Cutlass HT SSS wins when it comes to sound, build quality. On the other hand, the Fender Player Mustang 90 has the upper hand when it comes to playability, value for the money.

If you got small hands, you'll probably feel more comfortable playing the Music Man Cutlass HT SSS.

Which One is Better for Beginners?

If you're looking for your first guitar to learn how to play, the Fender Player Mustang 90 is the better choice.

The Fender Player Mustang 90 meets 7 out of our 8 criteria items for beginner friendliness, while the Music Man Cutlass HT SSS meets only 6. This takes into account the type of frets, scale length, nut width, bridge type, fretboard radius, and neck profile to determine the easiest combination for new players.

New Player Friendliness

Music Man Cutlass HT SSS
  • Comfortable shape
  • Easy-to-use bridge
  • Locking tuners
  • Tall frets
  • Narrow nut
  • Comfortable neck
  • Comfortable fretboard
  • Short scale

New Player Friendliness

Fender Player Mustang 90
  • Comfortable shape
  • Easy-to-use bridge
  • Comfortable fretboard
  • Tall frets
  • Narrow nut
  • Short scale
  • Comfortable neck
  • Locking tuners

Nevertheless, when it comes to choosing an instrument, you should pick the one more compatible with your personal style. Still, below we'll try you to give you our results as objectively as it's possible to help you decide.

Music Man Cutlass HT SSS Overview

  • From Music Man's 2022 HT series
  • Made in United States
  • 6 strings
  • 25.5"'' scale
  • 10" Fretboard Radius
  • Alder body
  • Roasted Figured Maple neck
  • Brulee & Raspberry Burst Figured Roasted Maple fretboard
  • Bridge pickup: Music Man Custom Single Coil (Single Coil/Passive)
  • Middle pickup: Music Man Custom Single Coil (Single Coil/Passive)
  • Neck pickup: Music Man Custom Single Coil (Single Coil/Passive)
  • 1 volume and 1 tone Dome knobs
  • 5-way Switch
  • Music Man Modern Tremolo bridge
  • HT Bolt-On neck
  • 22 Medium Jumbo Stainless Steel frets
  • Schaller M6-IND locking tuners
  • Compare Specs >

Fender Player Mustang 90 Overview

  • From Fender's 2018 Player series
  • Made in Mexico
  • 6 strings
  • 24"'' scale
  • 9.5" Fretboard Radius
  • Alder body
  • Maple neck
  • Maple fretboard
  • Bridge pickup: Fender Mustang MP-90 (Single Coil/Passive)
  • 1 volume and 1 tone Bell knobs
  • 3-way Switch
  • 6-Saddle Strings-Through-Body Strat Hardtail with Bent Steel Saddles bridge
  • Modern C Bolt-On neck
  • 22 Medium Jumbo frets
  • Standard Cast/Sealed tuners
  • Weight between 6.95lbs (3.2kgs) and 7.6lbs (3.4kgs)
  • Compare Specs >

Sound Quality Comparison

The wood used in an electric guitar or bass is not as important to determine the final tone. However, some people prefer specific wood types, so we'll take a look at those first. Then, we'll take a look at the electronics to determine the versatility and sound quality of each instrument.

Woods Used in Both

Alder wood pattern used for guitar building
Alder

Alder is the most popular wood that Fender uses in most of their guitars nowadays. Even though they say it's because of its balanced tone with an emphasis in the upper midrange, it probably is because it isn't too expensive, and it's also pretty lightweight—more than Mahogany. Find out more about Alder.

Woods Used in the Music Man Cutlass HT SSS

Figured Maple wood pattern used for guitar building
Figured Maple

This wood has beautiful patterns only found in specific types of maple.

Woods Used in the Fender Player Mustang 90

Maple wood pattern used for guitar building
Maple

Maple is one of the most popular necks for good reasons. It is a strong wood that is relatively cheap to make and looks beautiful. The highest quality maple is the hardest that comes from North America. Find out more about Maple.

Winner: Music Man Cutlass HT SSS.

Pickup Configuration

The Music Man Cutlass HT SSS has an SSS configuration while the Fender Player Mustang 90 has P90P90 pickups.

SSS is perfect for players who like to play clean. The definition you get between notes and the crispiness is unmatched by most other configurations. You can still use it for distortion, but you won't get the same kind of output and power compared to a humbucker, and the hum they produce also makes them less adequate for high gain.

On the other hand, P90P90 gives you two P90s for a crunchy vintage tone. The tone sits somewhere in the middle between typical single-coils and humbuckers. They also produce less hum than single-coils, but they don't cancel it completely like humbuckers.

Pickups Quality

Both come with some of the top pickups on the market. You can't go wrong with either of them. You'll probably never need a pickup upgrade.

Both use Passive pickups. This is what's used for most music genres. They have a regular output and will serve you for both high-gain and clean tones. The alternative (Active pickups) offer a higher output that is mostly used for heavy music.

Winner: Tie.

Versatility Comparison

Some instruments offer you more ways to explore your creativity than others. Below you'll find how both compare when it comes to versatility.

Switch Options

The Music Man Cutlass HT SSS gives you 5 switch options while the Fender Player Mustang 90 gives you 3. This means that the Music Man Cutlass HT SSS gives you more options to find the right pickup combination for the type of sound you want to achieve

Only the Music Man Cutlass HT SSS comes with some kind of pickup modification: Boost.

A Boost will give your pickups more output, similar to an active pickup. It's great if you like to use a lot of output for heavy genres, but also like to use a cleaner tone often.

Music Man Cutlass HT SSS pickups switch selector and push knobs diagram
Music Man Cutlass HT SSS's switch options
Fender Player Mustang 90 pickups switch and push knobs diagram
Fender Player Mustang 90's switch options

When evaluating versatility, we also take into consideration bridge and neck joint type, number of frets, switch options, amount of pickups and more.

Winner: Music Man Cutlass HT SSS.

Final Sound Quality Scores

Music Man Cutlass HT SSS
Pickups 100
Sustain 55
Versatility 80
Tuning Stability 75
Sound 78
Fender Player Mustang 90
Pickups 100
Sustain 65
Versatility 54
Tuning Stability 70
Sound 72

Build Quality Comparison

When it comes to build quality, we like to take into account everything used to build the instrument. This includes materials, hardware and the quality control expected depending on the country where it was built. Let's see how the Music Man Cutlass HT SSS compares to the Fender Player Mustang 90.

Country of Origin

The manufacturing country can tell a lot about the build quality of an instrument. The Music Man Cutlass HT SSS is built in United States while the Fender Player Mustang 90 is made in Mexico.

The United States is considered one of the best electric guitar manufacturers in the world. A guitar made in this country is supposed to have world-class quality control. Nowadays, guitars made in other countries can beat some of the ones made in the US, but most of the time, this country offers the best you can get. Of course, that comes at a price.

Mexico has been for a long time where Fender has built their semi-premium series. If you don't want to overpay for a wellp-built instrument, a guitar built in this country by a good brand always offers good value for the money.

Winner: Music Man Cutlass HT SSS

Nut Material

If you want your guitar to stay in tune and sound good, you need a well cut nut. Nut quality can be inconsistent even when comparing two copies of the same model. The best way to make sure you're nut will be well done is by getting a nut made by an expert company like TUSQ or Micarta.

The Music Man Cutlass HT SSS has a Compensated nut. Each hole where the string sits at the nut is cut at a different distance from the bridge, which compensates for the different amount of tension that each string is subject to. This fixes most intonation issues across the fretboard, so it gives great tuning stability.

On the other hand, the Fender Player Mustang 90 comes with a Synthetic Bone nut. Bone is the best natural material for guitar nuts. However, its tonal properties can be inconsistent. That's the problem that synthetic bone fixes. This is much better than using a plastic nut because the nut is more slippery—which helps with tuning stability—, and it gives your open strings rich harmonics.

Winner: Tie.

Fret Material

Most fret wire is made of nickel silver. This material eventually wears down after a lot of use and most instruments end up needing a complete fret replacement. However, some expensive models come with stainless steel frets. This is what you should aim for if you can afford it.

In this comparison, the Music Man Cutlass HT SSS is the only one that has stainless steel frets. These frets will basically last for the entire life of the guitar. They will never need polishing nor replacement. And not only that, but some people also notice that bending and vibratos are much easier to perform when they upgrade to stainless steel.

Winner: Music Man Cutlass HT SSS.

Bridge

The perfect bridge for you will depend on your playstyle because they all have advantages and disadvantages. However, some bridges are more expensive—like Floyd Roses and Evertunes—and thus add more value to a guitar.

The Music Man Cutlass HT SSS's brige is a Tremolo. Tremolo bridges give you more versatility than fixed bridges. They let you perform the intense vibrato effects that would be impossible with a fixed bridge. However, since the bridge floats and there's less contact with the body, the strings lose sustain slightly faster. They can also be a bit harder to restring and set up correctly than fixed bridges.

On the other hand, the Fender Player Mustang 90's is a Fixed. It's a simple bridge that is very beginner-friendly since it doesn't require any set-up. You can swap strings easily. It might also give more sustain since it doesn't have complex moving parts that make the strings lose vibration. However, it doesn't have the same versatility as a tremolo bridge.

Since we need to be objective, the most expensive type of bridge will be the winner of this section. In the end, this doesn't matter if you're not going to use the bridge for its original purpose, so choose the bridge that fits your playing style better.

Winner: Tie.

Tuners

The Music Man Cutlass HT SSS has the best tuners of the two because they are locking tuners. They'll help to keep your guitar in tune because they allow you to tune it without wrapping the strings around the posts. This avoids variations in the tuning due to the strings changing position at the post after a bend. They come at the disadvantage of being slightly heavier than regular tuners. Also, it makes it a lot easier to restring.

Winner: Music Man Cutlass HT SSS.

Neck Joint

Contrary to popular belief, the difference in sustain and tone that some neck joints give to a guitar is simply unperceivable—if they're all well built. However, some of them do have advantages over the others.

Both have a Bolt-On neck joint. This neck is joined to the body by 4 bolts that you can simply unscrew. This allows you to replace the neck or take it off for travel. It's the most common and cheapest way to build a guitar.

Winner: Tie.

Here is the list of features that were considered when choosing the winner in the Features subcategory:

Strengths & Weaknesses
Music Man Cutlass HT SSS
  • Stainless Steel Frets
  • Locking Tuners
  • Made in United States
  • Expensive Wood
  • Compensated Nut
  • Top Brand Pickups
  • Boost Pickups
  • Tremolo
  • No Neck-Through Build
  • No Weight Relief
  • No Luminescent Inlay
  • No Compound Radius Fretboard
  • No 21:1 Tuner Ratio
  • No Strap Lock
Strengths & Weaknesses
Fender Player Mustang 90
  • Synthetic Bone Nut
  • Top Brand Pickups
  • Cheap Fret Wire (NS)
  • No Locking Tuners
  • Made in Mexico
  • No Expensive Woods
  • No Neck-Through Build
  • No Push Knob or Extra Switch Option
  • No Weight Relief
  • No Luminescent Inlay
  • No Tremolo
  • No Compound Radius Fretboard
  • No 21:1 Tuner Ratio
  • No Strap Lock

Final Build Quality Scores

Music Man Cutlass HT SSS
Quality of materials 81
Features 70
Quality Control 95
Build Quality 82
Fender Player Mustang 90
Quality of materials 51
Features 50
Quality Control 70
Build Quality 57

Playability Comparison

Let's now compare their playability. Bear in mind that the instrument will feel different depending on your hand size and play style. That's why you should always test before buying. But if you can't or want a second opinion on it, we can still take a look at each of the important measurements of the instrument for you. This way, we can predict how easy a guitar might be to play, or how different it will feel compared to the other.

Remember that, even though the difference might seem small, every inch counts when it comes to feeling of the instrument in your hands. Any variation can completely change how comfortable a guitar feels in your hands.

Nut Width

Music Man Cutlass HT SSS Nut Width
Music Man Cutlass HT SSS Nut Width
Fender Player Mustang 90 Nut Width
Fender Player Mustang 90 Nut Width

The nut width will affect the separation between strings at the nut. In this comparison, the Fender Player Mustang 90 has the wider nut with 42mm (1.654'') vs 41.3mm (1.625''). This is a 0.7mm (0.029'') difference

This means that it will be more difficult to do bar chords on the Fender Player Mustang 90, especially closer to the nut. However, it's also easier to play without muting strings accidently. This favors people with big hands.

Scale Length

Music Man Cutlass HT SSS's Scale Length
Music Man Cutlass HT SSS's Scale Length
Fender Player Mustang 90's Scale Length
Fender Player Mustang 90's Scale Length

The scale length is one of the things that influences playability the most. This is the distance between the nut and the bridge and will affect everything from low action allowance, difficulty to perform bends, fret separation, and even tone.

The Music Man Cutlass HT SSS has the longest scale: 25.5". The Fender Player Mustang 90 is only 24" long. This is a 1.5'' (38.1mm) scale length difference.

This longer scale means that the strings need more tension to get in tune. This is good if you want to avoid fret buzz, which can happen when the strings are too loose and touch the frets while vibrating. This is especially important when playing in lower tunings. This will also let you reduce the gap between fretboard and strings (low action) to make them easier to press down. However, this higher tension will also make it harder to perform bends and vibratos as the strings will feel stiffer.

This also means that the frets have a longer separation between each other, so this will make it harder for people with smaller hands when playing some chord positions.

Another characteristic of a longer scale is that it makes the guitar sound 'snappier' or brighter. This is due to the extra separation between harmonics and overtones produced by the tension. This influences tone more than any other factor (except the pickups).

Lastly, remember that you can also affect the tension of the strings by changing your string gauge. You can use a thicker gauge for more tension and a lighter one for less tension.

Neck Profile

Music Man Cutlass HT SSS Neck Profile
Music Man Cutlass HT SSS's neck profile
Fender Player Mustang 90 Neck Profile
Fender Player Mustang 90's neck profile

No single neck shape is better than others. However, most people tend to prefer a thinner necks because it doesn't get in their way when playing fast and most hand sizes can adapt to it pretty well. However, some people still prefer thicker necks for a better grip, especially if they have big hands.

Both the Music Man Cutlass HT SSS and the Fender Player Mustang 90 have a C-shaped neck. This is what you'll find in most modern guitars. Most people feel like the thickness of a C neck is simply the less intrusive one for playing fast, while at the same time allowing you to grab the neck easily for resting if you want to.

Fretboard Radius

Music Man Cutlass HT SSS Fingerboard Radius
Music Man Cutlass HT SSS's Fingerboard radius
Fender Player Mustang 90 Fingerboard Radius
Fender Player Mustang 90's Fingerboard radius

Most guitar fretboards are not flat; they usually have a curve or arc across their width. A curved fretboard will make it easier to perform chords without muting strings, while a flatter one will make it easier to play single notes, which is good for bending and soloing in general. The best fretboards have a compound radius that varies across the fingerboard, but they're not common since they take a lot more work to build.

In this case, the Fender Player Mustang 90's fingerboard radius is smaller, which means it's more curved than the Music Man Cutlass HT SSS's. This extra arc will make playing chords easier in this model. You won't be as likely to mute the strings, especially if you have big hands. However, playing single notes and bending will be easier on the Music Man Cutlass HT SSS.

Still, both are closer to a Stratocaster radius than a Les Paul, so both of them will favor chord playing rather than soloing.

Hand Size Comfortability

Everyone has a different hand size, and that's why it's recommended to try a guitar before buying, even if others tell you that it's comfortable to play. However, we can know whether a guitar favors small or large hands just by knowing its exact measurements.

And after taking into account the scale length, nut width, neck profile and fretboard radius, we can conclude that the Fender Player Mustang 90 favors large hands more than the Music Man Cutlass HT SSS. But it's still more comfortable for people with small hands, as you can see in the score meter below.

Music Man Cutlass HT SSS:
Big Hands
Small Hands
Fender Player Mustang 90:
Big Hands
Small Hands

Fret Size

Music Man Cutlass HT SSS and Fender Player Mustang 90 Frets Size
Both have a similar Medium Jumbo fret size

Both have a Medium Jumbo fret size. These are slightly shorter than full Jumbo frets, so you'll still feel the fretboard when pressing down the strings. However, they interfere less with your fretting hand than medium-size frets. This is a good size if you like easy-to-press frets, but would still like to feel a bit of the fretboard when playing.

Final Playability Scores

Music Man Cutlass HT SSS
Bending & Vibrato Ease 65
Chord Playability 75
Solo Playability 65
Playability 68
Fender Player Mustang 90
Bending & Vibrato Ease 80
Chord Playability 90
Solo Playability 60
Playability 77

Specs Side-by-Side

Music Man Cutlass HT SSS vs Fender Player Mustang 90
General Music Man Cutlass HT SSS Fender Player Mustang 90
Brand: Music Man Fender
Year: 2022 2018
Configuration: SSS P90P90
Strings: 6 6
Made in: United States Mexico
Series: HT Player
Colors: White, Sunburst, Black, Red Burst Green, Pink, Natural
Left-Handed Version: No No
Body
Type: Solid Body Solid Body
Body Material: Alder Alder
Bridge: Music Man Modern Tremolo 6-Saddle Strings-Through-Body Strat Hardtail with Bent Steel Saddles
Neck
Neck Joint: Bolt-On Bolt-On
Tuners: Schaller M6-IND locking Standard Cast/Sealed
Fretboard: Brulee & Raspberry Burst Figured Roasted Maple Maple
Neck Material: Roasted Figured Maple Maple
Decoration: Dot Black Dot
Scale Size: 25.5" 24"
Shape: HT Modern C
Frets: 22 Medium Jumbo Stainless Steel 22 Medium Jumbo Nickel Silver
Fretboard Radius: 10" 9.5"
Nut: Compensated Synthetic Bone
Nut Width: 41.3mm (1.625'') 42mm (1.654'')
Electronics
Bridge Pickup: Music Man Custom Single Coil (Single Coil / Passive) Fender Mustang MP-90 (Single Coil / Passive)
Middle Pickup: Music Man Custom Single Coil (Single Coil / Passive)
Neck Pickup: Music Man Custom Single Coil (Single Coil / Passive) Fender Mustang MP-90 (Single Coil / Passive)
Switch: 5 Way 3 Way
Knobs: Dome Bell
Pickup Mods: Boost None
Volume Controls: 1 1
Tone Controls: 1 1