Swap
Swap
Music Man Cutlass RS HSS
Fender American Ultra Luxe Stratocaster Floyd Rose HSS
VS
Playability
68
Sound
75
Build
80
Value
64
Score
74
FIND IT ON:
Musician's Friend logoSweetwater logo
Playability
70
Sound
84
Build
82
Value
69
Score
79
FIND IT ON:
Amazon logoSweetwater logoMusician's Friend logoFender logo
Add more to comparison

Music Man Cutlass RS HSS vs Fender American Ultra Luxe Stratocaster Floyd Rose HSS

Reasons to Get
Music Man Cutlass RS HSS over Fender American Ultra Luxe Stratocaster Floyd Rose HSS

Neck Profile
Cutlass RS vs Augmented “D”
Comfortable neck that works for most people
Nut Width
1.625'' (41.3mm) vs 1.685'' (42.8mm)
Favors small hands, easier bar chords and other shapes
Bridge
Tremolo vs Floyd Rose
Simple vibratos without too much maintenance

Reasons to Get
Fender American Ultra Luxe Stratocaster Floyd Rose HSS over Music Man Cutlass RS HSS

Release Year
2021 vs 2017
From a more recent year
Compound Radius
10" to 14" vs 10"
Balanced playability for chords and single-notes
Neck Profile
Augmented “D” vs Cutlass RS
Thin and flat neck for playing fast
Pickup Mods
S-1 Switch vs None
Modifies the pickups
Tone Knobs
2 vs 1
More tone control
Nut Width
1.685'' (42.8mm) vs 1.625'' (41.3mm)
Less likely to mute strings by accident and more space for fingerstyle
Bridge
Floyd Rose vs Tremolo
Allows intense vibratos and techniques like Dive Bombs
Value Score
69 vs 64
Better price/quality relationship

Other Key Differences
Music Man Cutlass RS HSS vs Fender American Ultra Luxe Stratocaster Floyd Rose HSS

Bridge Pickup
Music Man Custom Humbucker vs Fender Ultra Double Tap Humbucking
Different Bridge Pickup
Middle Pickup
Music Man Custom Single Coil vs Fender Ultra Noiseless™ Hot Strat
Different Middle Pickup
Neck Pickup
Music Man Custom Single Coil vs Fender Ultra Noiseless™ Hot Strat
Different Neck Pickup
Neck Wood
Figured Maple vs Maple
Different Neck Wood
Fretboard Wood
Figured Maple vs Rosewood
Different Fretboard Wood
Headstock
4-2 vs 6
Different Headstock
Nut Material
Compensated vs Locking
Different Nut Material

Shared Features
Music Man Cutlass RS HSS vs Fender American Ultra Luxe Stratocaster Floyd Rose HSS

Body Wood
Alder
Same Body Wood
Strings
6
Same playing style
Body Type
Solid Body
Feedback free
Switch Positions
5
Same pickups versatility
Volume Knobs
1
Same volume control
Pickups
HSS
High output with beautiful cleans and tone versatility
Number of Frets
22
Same maximum octave
Paint Finish
Poly
Resistant paint that ages well
Scale Length
25.5'' (647.7mm)
Same string tension and fret separation
Pickups Power
Passive
Cleaner sound and no battery needed
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
  • High-Quality Frets
  • From a High-Quality-Standards Country
  • Top Pickup Brand
  • Expensive Wood

Common Weaknesses

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

Table of Contents

Price History Comparison

SET PRICE ALERT
SET PRICE ALERT

These are affiliate links. We may earn a fee if you purchase after clicking. These prices are prone to error. Make sure you're buying the right product after clicking on a link from our site. We are not liable if you buy the wrong product after following these links. As an Amazon Associate site we earn from qualifying purchases.

Which One is Better Overall?

After going through our comparison algorithm, the results show that the Fender American Ultra Luxe Stratocaster Floyd Rose HSS is probably the better product overall with its final score of 79 compared to the Music Man Cutlass RS HSS's 74 score, although not by a lot.

The Fender American Ultra Luxe Stratocaster Floyd Rose HSS wins when it comes to sound, playability, build quality, value for the money. This means that it wins over the Music Man Cutlass RS HSS in every aspect.

However, there's still a reason to choose the Music Man Cutlass RS HSS instead. If you got small hands, you'll probably feel that the Music Man Cutlass RS HSS is easier to play.

Which One is Better for Beginners?

Both meet 6 out of our 8 criteria items for beginner friendliness. 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. If you're looking for your first guitar to learn how to play, you can't go wrong with either of them.

New Player Friendliness

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

New Player Friendliness

Fender American Ultra Luxe Stratocaster Floyd Rose HSS
  • Comfortable shape
  • Locking tuners
  • Comfortable fretboard
  • Tall frets
  • Narrow nut
  • Comfortable neck
  • Short scale
  • Easy-to-use bridge

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 RS HSS Overview

  • From Music Man's 2017 Cutlass RS series
  • Made in United States
  • 6 strings
  • 25.5"'' scale
  • 10" Fretboard Radius
  • Alder body
  • Roasted Figured Maple neck
  • Roasted Figured Maple fretboard
  • Bridge pickup: Music Man Custom Humbucker (Humbucker/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 Bell knobs
  • 5-way Switch
  • Music Man Modern Tremolo bridge
  • Cutlass RS Bolt-On neck
  • 22 Medium Jumbo Stainless Steel frets
  • Schaller M6-IND locking tuners
  • Compare Specs >

Fender American Ultra Luxe Stratocaster Floyd Rose HSS Overview

  • From Fender's 2021 American Ultra series
  • Made in United States
  • 6 strings
  • 25.5"'' scale
  • 10" to 14" Fretboard Radius
  • Alder body
  • Maple neck
  • Rosewood fretboard
  • Bridge pickup: Fender Ultra Double Tap Humbucking (Humbucker/Passive)
  • Middle pickup: Fender Ultra Noiseless™ Hot Strat (Single Coil/Passive)
  • Neck pickup: Fender Ultra Noiseless™ Hot Strat (Single Coil/Passive)
  • 1 volume and 2 tone Bell knobs
  • 5-way Switch
  • Floyd Rose Original Double-Locking 2-Point Tremolo bridge
  • Augmented “D” Bolt-On neck
  • 22 Medium Jumbo Stainless Steel frets
  • Deluxe Staggered Cast/Sealed Locking tuners
  • 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 RS HSS

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 American Ultra Luxe Stratocaster Floyd Rose HSS

Maple wood pattern used for guitar building
Maple
Rosewood wood pattern used for guitar building
Rosewood

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.

Rosewood is an almost purple-looking wood that is used mainly for fretboards since it's heavy, rare, and expensive. It's sometimes used on acoustic guitar bodies to create stronger warm tones. Find out more about Rosewood.

Winner: Tie.

Pickup Configuration

Both pickup configurations are HSS. HSS provides a great balance if you like to play with a lot of distortion, but also love to use clean tones. You'll get a lot of output at the bridge position, but you'll be able to play bright clean tones at the other positions.

Pickups Quality

Both come with very good pickups from at least one of the specialized brands in the market. With pickups like these, you probably won't need an upgrade anytime soon.

We found the same or similar pickups to the Fender American Ultra Luxe Stratocaster Floyd Rose HSS's online:

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

Both are equal when it comes to the pickup switching option.

Only the Fender American Ultra Luxe Stratocaster Floyd Rose HSS comes with some kind of pickup modification: S-1 Switch.

An S-1 switch can do a lot of different pickup combinations. It can split them, connect them in series, parallel, add more pickups to each position, and more. Check out the diagram to know how it affects this model.

Music Man Cutlass RS HSS pickups switch selector and push knobs diagram
Music Man Cutlass RS HSS's switch options
Fender American Ultra Luxe Stratocaster Floyd Rose HSS pickups switch selector and push knobs diagram
Fender American Ultra Luxe Stratocaster Floyd Rose HSS'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: Fender American Ultra Luxe Stratocaster Floyd Rose HSS.

Final Sound Quality Scores

Music Man Cutlass RS HSS
Pickups 90
Sustain 65
Versatility 70
Tuning Stability 75
Sound 75
Fender American Ultra Luxe Stratocaster Floyd Rose HSS
Pickups 90
Sustain 70
Versatility 82
Tuning Stability 95
Sound 84

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 RS HSS compares to the Fender American Ultra Luxe Stratocaster Floyd Rose HSS.

Country of Origin

The manufacturing country can tell a lot about the build quality of an instrument. Both in this comparison where made in United States.

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.

Winner: Tie

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 RS HSS 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 American Ultra Luxe Stratocaster Floyd Rose HSS comes with a Locking nut. Instead of a regular nut, this guitar has a locking system that will lock down the strings at the nut, preventing it from getting out of tune. It removes one of the disadvantages of tremolo bridges, tune stability.

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.

Both in this comparison come with 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: Tie.

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 RS HSS'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 American Ultra Luxe Stratocaster Floyd Rose HSS's is a Floyd Rose. This is a double-locking bridge system that allows you to perform techniques like dive bombs and pinch harmonics. The locking nut allows your guitar to stay in tune even after the most intense tremolo usage. The disadvantage is that it takes more work to change the strings and set up everything correctly.

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: Fender American Ultra Luxe Stratocaster Floyd Rose HSS.

Tuners

They both have 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: Tie.

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 RS HSS
  • Stainless Steel Frets
  • Locking Tuners
  • Made in United States
  • Expensive Wood
  • Compensated Nut
  • Top Brand Pickups
  • Tremolo
  • No Neck-Through Build
  • No Push Knob or Extra Switch Option
  • No Weight Relief
  • No Luminescent Inlay
  • No Compound Radius Fretboard
  • No 21:1 Tuner Ratio
  • No Strap Lock
Strengths & Weaknesses
Fender American Ultra Luxe Stratocaster Floyd Rose HSS
  • Stainless Steel Frets
  • Locking Tuners
  • Made in United States
  • Expensive Wood
  • Locking Nut
  • Top Brand Pickups
  • S-1 Switch Pickups
  • Tremolo
  • Compound Radius Fretboard
  • Retainer Bar
  • No Neck-Through Build
  • No Weight Relief
  • No Luminescent Inlay
  • No 21:1 Tuner Ratio
  • No Strap Lock

Final Build Quality Scores

Music Man Cutlass RS HSS
Quality of materials 81
Features 65
Quality Control 95
Build Quality 80
Fender American Ultra Luxe Stratocaster Floyd Rose HSS
Quality of materials 61
Features 90
Quality Control 95
Build Quality 82

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 RS HSS Nut Width
Music Man Cutlass RS HSS Nut Width
Fender American Ultra Luxe Stratocaster Floyd Rose HSS Nut Width
Fender American Ultra Luxe Stratocaster Floyd Rose HSS Nut Width

The nut width will affect the separation between strings at the nut. In this comparison, the Fender American Ultra Luxe Stratocaster Floyd Rose HSS has the wider nut with 42.8mm (1.685'') vs 41.3mm (1.625''). This is a 1.5mm (0.06'') difference

This means that it will be more difficult to do bar chords on the Fender American Ultra Luxe Stratocaster Floyd Rose HSS, 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 RS HSS and Fender American Ultra Luxe Stratocaster Floyd Rose HSS's Scale Length
Both have the same 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.

In this case, both have a scale length of 25.5".

This is the scale used in most Stratocasters. It's slightly longer than the typical 24.75'' size found in Les Pauls, and it's one of the main reasons why Stratocasters have such a bright sound in general. A longer scale also means that the strings will have higher tension. This will help you get lower action without suffering fret buzz, which will also be helpful when playing in lower tunings without having to increase your string gauge.

However, this also means that there will be more separation between frets, which can make it more difficult to play. Also, bending the strings will require more strengths due to the increased tension, but remember that a tremolo guitar will offset this difficulty.

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 RS HSS Neck Profile
Music Man Cutlass RS HSS's neck profile
Fender American Ultra Luxe Stratocaster Floyd Rose HSS Neck Profile
Fender American Ultra Luxe Stratocaster Floyd Rose HSS'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.

In this case, both have different neck shapes:

The Music Man Cutlass RS HSS has a C type of 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.

The Fender American Ultra Luxe Stratocaster Floyd Rose HSS, on the other hand, has a D neck. This is a thin and flat neck that is made for playing fast. If you prefer a neck that doesn't get in your way when soloing, this is the shape you should use. Guitarists that prefer to have a bit more grip won't like this type of neck.

Fretboard Radius

Music Man Cutlass RS HSS Fingerboard Radius
Music Man Cutlass RS HSS's Fingerboard radius
Fender American Ultra Luxe Stratocaster Floyd Rose HSS Fretboard Compound Radius
Fender American Ultra Luxe Stratocaster Floyd Rose HSS's Compound Fretboard 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 American Ultra Luxe Stratocaster Floyd Rose HSS is the only one with a compound radius. This is a huge win because it will give you the best of both worlds: a more curved radius in the first few frets for chords, and flatter as you come closer to the body for 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 American Ultra Luxe Stratocaster Floyd Rose HSS favors large hands more than the Music Man Cutlass RS HSS. But it's still more comfortable for people with small hands, as you can see in the score meter below.

Music Man Cutlass RS HSS:
Big Hands
Small Hands
Fender American Ultra Luxe Stratocaster Floyd Rose HSS:
Big Hands
Small Hands

Fret Size

Music Man Cutlass RS HSS and Fender American Ultra Luxe Stratocaster Floyd Rose HSS 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 RS HSS
Bending & Vibrato Ease 65
Chord Playability 75
Solo Playability 65
Playability 68
Fender American Ultra Luxe Stratocaster Floyd Rose HSS
Bending & Vibrato Ease 60
Chord Playability 80
Solo Playability 70
Playability 70

Specs Side-by-Side

Music Man Cutlass RS HSS vs Fender American Ultra Luxe Stratocaster Floyd Rose HSS
General Music Man Cutlass RS HSS Fender American Ultra Luxe Stratocaster Floyd Rose HSS
Brand: Music Man Fender
Year: 2017 2021
Configuration: HSS HSS
Strings: 6 6
Made in: United States United States
Series: Cutlass RS American Ultra
Colors: Blue, Brown Black, Gray Burst
Left-Handed Version: No No
Body
Type: Solid Body Solid Body
Body Material: Alder Alder
Bridge: Music Man Modern Tremolo Floyd Rose Original Double-Locking 2-Point Tremolo
Neck
Neck Joint: Bolt-On Bolt-On
Tuners: Schaller M6-IND locking Deluxe Staggered Cast/Sealed Locking
Fretboard: Roasted Figured Maple Rosewood
Neck Material: Roasted Figured Maple Maple
Decoration: 1/4 Black Or White Face Dots White Pearloid Dot
Scale Size: 25.5" 25.5"
Shape: Cutlass RS Augmented “D”
Frets: 22 Medium Jumbo Stainless Steel 22 Medium Jumbo Stainless Steel
Fretboard Radius: 10" 10" to 14"
Nut: Compensated Locking
Nut Width: 41.3mm (1.625'') 42.8mm (1.685'')
Electronics
Bridge Pickup: Music Man Custom Humbucker (Humbucker / Passive) Fender Ultra Double Tap Humbucking (Humbucker / Passive)
Middle Pickup: Music Man Custom Single Coil (Single Coil / Passive) Fender Ultra Noiseless™ Hot Strat (Single Coil / Passive)
Neck Pickup: Music Man Custom Single Coil (Single Coil / Passive) Fender Ultra Noiseless™ Hot Strat (Single Coil / Passive)
Switch: 5 Way 5 Way
Knobs: Bell Bell
Pickup Mods: None S-1 Switch
Volume Controls: 1 1
Tone Controls: 1 2