Swap
Swap
Music Man Dustin Kensrue Stingray
Music Man Jason Richardson 7-String Cutlass
VS
Playability
68
Sound
74
Build
80
Value
64
Score
74
FIND IT ON:
Musician's Friend logoSweetwater logo
Playability
70
Sound
76
Build
83
Value
61
Score
76
FIND IT ON:
Sweetwater logo
Add more to comparison

Music Man Dustin Kensrue Stingray vs Jason Richardson 7-String Cutlass

Reasons to Get
Music Man Dustin Kensrue Stingray over Jason Richardson 7-String Cutlass

Neck Profile
Dustin Kensrue vs Jason Richardson
Comfortable neck that works for most people
Strings
6 vs 7
Narrower neck and fewer strings to change
Pickups
HS vs HH
High output with bright neck cleans
Nut Width
1.625'' (41.3mm) vs 1.875'' (47.6mm)
Favors small hands, easier bar chords and other shapes
Fretboard Radius
10'' (254mm) vs 15'' (381mm)
More curved fretboard helpful to play chords without muting strings
Value Score
64 vs 61
Better price/quality relationship

Reasons to Get
Music Man Jason Richardson 7-String Cutlass over Dustin Kensrue Stingray

Decorative Top
Buckeye Burl vs None
Finished with beautiful natural wood patterns
Release Year
2020 vs 2019
From a more recent year
Neck Profile
Jason Richardson vs Dustin Kensrue
Thin and flat neck for playing fast
Pickup Mods
Coil Split vs None
Splits humbuckers into single coil pickups
Strings
7 vs 6
Allows you to play lower notes
Pickups
HH vs HS
High output without hum
Number of Frets
24 vs 22
Allows to reach higher notes
Nut Width
1.875'' (47.6mm) vs 1.625'' (41.3mm)
Less likely to mute strings by accident and more space for fingerstyle
Fretboard Radius
15'' (381mm) vs 10'' (254mm)
Flatter fretboard makes it easier to play single notes and bend

Other Key Differences
Music Man Dustin Kensrue Stingray vs Jason Richardson 7-String Cutlass

Neck Pickup
Music Man Custom Single Coil vs Music Man Custom Humbucker
Different Neck Pickup
Body Wood
Okoume vs Alder
Different Body Wood
Neck Wood
Maple vs Figured Maple
Different Neck Wood
Fretboard Wood
Maple vs Ebony
Different Fretboard Wood
Headstock
4-2 vs 5-2
Different Headstock

Shared Features
Music Man Dustin Kensrue Stingray vs Jason Richardson 7-String Cutlass

Bridge Pickup
Music Man Custom Humbucker
Same Bridge Pickup
Nut Material
Compensated
Same Nut Material
Body Type
Solid Body
Feedback free
Switch Positions
3
Same pickups versatility
Volume Knobs
1
Same volume control
Tone Knobs
1
Same tone control
Paint Finish
Poly
Resistant paint that ages well
Bridge
Tremolo
Simple vibratos without too much maintenance
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

  • Locking Tuners
  • High-Quality Nut
  • High-Quality Frets
  • From a High-Quality-Standards Country
  • 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

Music Man Dustin Kensrue Stingray Prices

SET PRICE ALERT

Music Man Jason Richardson 7-String Cutlass Prices

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 Music Man Jason Richardson 7-String Cutlass is probably the better product overall with its final score of 76 compared to the Music Man Dustin Kensrue Stingray's 74 score, although not by a lot.

The Music Man Jason Richardson 7-String Cutlass wins when it comes to sound, playability, build quality. On the other hand, the Music Man Dustin Kensrue Stingray has the upper hand when it comes to value for the money.

If you got small hands, you'll probably feel that the Music Man Dustin Kensrue Stingray is easier to play.

Which One is Better for Beginners?

If you're looking for your first guitar to learn how to play, the Music Man Dustin Kensrue Stingray is the better choice.

The Music Man Dustin Kensrue Stingray meets 6 out of our 8 criteria items for beginner friendliness, while the Music Man Jason Richardson 7-String Cutlass meets only 5. 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 Dustin Kensrue Stingray
  • Comfortable shape
  • Easy-to-use bridge
  • Locking tuners
  • Tall frets
  • Narrow nut
  • Comfortable neck
  • Comfortable fretboard
  • Short scale

New Player Friendliness

Music Man Jason Richardson 7-String Cutlass
  • Comfortable shape
  • Easy-to-use bridge
  • Locking tuners
  • Tall frets
  • Comfortable neck
  • Comfortable fretboard
  • Narrow nut
  • Short scale

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 Dustin Kensrue Stingray Overview

  • From Music Man's 2019 Dustin Kensrue series
  • Dustin Kensrue Signature
  • Made in United States
  • 6 strings
  • 25.5"'' scale
  • 10" Fretboard Radius
  • Okoume body
  • Maple neck
  • Maple fretboard
  • Bridge pickup: Music Man Custom Humbucker (Humbucker/Passive)
  • Neck pickup: Music Man Custom Single Coil (Single Coil/Passive)
  • 1 volume and 1 tone Dome knobs
  • 3-way Switch
  • Music Man Modern Tremolo bridge
  • Dustin Kensrue Bolt-On neck
  • 22 Medium Jumbo Stainless Steel frets
  • Schaller M6-IND locking tuners
  • Compare Specs >

Music Man Jason Richardson 7-String Cutlass Overview

  • From Music Man's 2020 Jason Richardson series
  • Jason Richardson Signature
  • Made in United States
  • 7 strings
  • 25.5"'' scale
  • 15" Fretboard Radius
  • Buckeye Burl top
  • Alder body
  • Figured Roasted Maple neck
  • Ebony fretboard
  • Bridge pickup: Music Man Custom Humbucker (Humbucker/Passive)
  • Neck pickup: Music Man Custom Humbucker (Humbucker/Passive)
  • 1 volume and 1 tone Dome knobs
  • 3-way Switch
  • Custom Music Man floating tremolo bridge
  • Jason Richardson Bolt-On neck
  • 24 Medium Jumbo Stainless Steel frets
  • Schaller M6-IND 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 the Music Man Dustin Kensrue Stingray

Maple wood pattern used for guitar building
Maple
Okoume wood pattern used for guitar building
Okoume

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.

Okoume is an affordable wood and one of the first to replace Mahogany when the prohibitions started. It's generally softer than Mahogany and the tone has warmer lows.

Woods Used in the Music Man Jason Richardson 7-String Cutlass

Figured Maple wood pattern used for guitar building
Figured Maple
Ebony wood pattern used for guitar building
Ebony
Alder wood pattern used for guitar building
Alder

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

Ebony is a high-end wood, so it is not cheap. It's only used for fretboards because it's also very heavy. It does an excellent job as a durable material while looking elegant. Find out more about Ebony.

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.

Winner: Music Man Jason Richardson 7-String Cutlass.

Pickup Configuration

The Music Man Dustin Kensrue Stingray has an HS configuration while the Music Man Jason Richardson 7-String Cutlass has HH pickups.

An HS configuration gives you a bridge pickup with a lot of output for playing distortion parts, but you'll also have the bright sound of a Tele or Strat neck pickup for your clean tones.

On the other hand, Double Humbucker (HH) is the choice for people who want a fuller, more round sound with tons of mids and lows. Humbuckers also get rid of the hum noise that plague single-coil pickups. They can work out for almost any genre going from Djent to even Jazz.

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.

However, the Music Man Dustin Kensrue Stingray has a slight sound quality advantage when taking into account other factors like the type of pickups, magnet, position, etc.

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: Music Man Dustin Kensrue Stingray.

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 Music Man Jason Richardson 7-String Cutlass comes with some kind of pickup modification: Coil Split.

Coil Split lets you disconnect one of the pickup coils. When used with humbuckers, it turns them into single-coil with lower output and cleaner tone.

Music Man Dustin Kensrue Stingray pickups switch and push knobs diagram
Music Man Dustin Kensrue Stingray's switch options
Music Man Jason Richardson 7-String Cutlass pickups switch and push knobs diagram
Music Man Jason Richardson 7-String Cutlass'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 Jason Richardson 7-String Cutlass.

Final Sound Quality Scores

Music Man Dustin Kensrue Stingray
Pickups 90
Sustain 65
Versatility 64
Tuning Stability 75
Sound 74
Music Man Jason Richardson 7-String Cutlass
Pickups 85
Sustain 65
Versatility 79
Tuning Stability 75
Sound 76

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 Dustin Kensrue Stingray compares to the Music Man Jason Richardson 7-String Cutlass.

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.

In this case, both have Compensated nuts. 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.

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.

Both come with a similar bridge: 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.

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

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 Dustin Kensrue Stingray
  • Stainless Steel Frets
  • Locking Tuners
  • Made in United States
  • Compensated Nut
  • Top Brand Pickups
  • Tremolo
  • No Expensive Woods
  • 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
Music Man Jason Richardson 7-String Cutlass
  • Stainless Steel Frets
  • Locking Tuners
  • Made in United States
  • Expensive Wood
  • Compensated Nut
  • Top Brand Pickups
  • Coil Split Pickups
  • Tremolo
  • No Neck-Through Build
  • No Weight Relief
  • No Luminescent Inlay
  • No Compound Radius Fretboard
  • No 21:1 Tuner Ratio
  • No Strap Lock

Final Build Quality Scores

Music Man Dustin Kensrue Stingray
Quality of materials 81
Features 65
Quality Control 95
Build Quality 80
Music Man Jason Richardson 7-String Cutlass
Quality of materials 80
Features 70
Quality Control 100
Build Quality 83

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 Dustin Kensrue Stingray Nut Width
Music Man Dustin Kensrue Stingray Nut Width
Music Man Jason Richardson 7-String Cutlass Nut Width
Music Man Jason Richardson 7-String Cutlass Nut Width

The nut width will affect the separation between strings at the nut. In this comparison, the Music Man Jason Richardson 7-String Cutlass has the wider nut with 47.6mm (1.875'') vs 41.3mm (1.625''). This is a 6.3mm (0.25'') difference

This means that it will be more difficult to do bar chords on the Music Man Jason Richardson 7-String Cutlass, 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 Dustin Kensrue Stingray and Music Man Jason Richardson 7-String Cutlass'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 Dustin Kensrue Stingray Neck Profile
Music Man Dustin Kensrue Stingray's neck profile
Music Man Jason Richardson 7-String Cutlass Neck Profile
Music Man Jason Richardson 7-String Cutlass'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 Dustin Kensrue Stingray 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 Music Man Jason Richardson 7-String Cutlass, 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 Dustin Kensrue Stingray Fingerboard Radius
Music Man Dustin Kensrue Stingray's Fingerboard radius
Music Man Jason Richardson 7-String Cutlass Fingerboard Radius
Music Man Jason Richardson 7-String Cutlass'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 Music Man Dustin Kensrue Stingray's fingerboard radius is smaller, which means it's more curved than the Music Man Jason Richardson 7-String Cutlass'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 Jason Richardson 7-String Cutlass.

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 Music Man Jason Richardson 7-String Cutlass favors large hands more than the Music Man Dustin Kensrue Stingray. But it's still more comfortable for people with small hands, as you can see in the score meter below.

Music Man Dustin Kensrue Stingray:
Big Hands
Small Hands
Music Man Jason Richardson 7-String Cutlass:
Big Hands
Small Hands

Fret Size

Music Man Dustin Kensrue Stingray and Music Man Jason Richardson 7-String Cutlass 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 Dustin Kensrue Stingray
Bending & Vibrato Ease 65
Chord Playability 75
Solo Playability 65
Playability 68
Music Man Jason Richardson 7-String Cutlass
Bending & Vibrato Ease 70
Chord Playability 60
Solo Playability 80
Playability 70

Specs Side-by-Side

Music Man Dustin Kensrue Stingray vs Jason Richardson 7-String Cutlass
General Music Man Dustin Kensrue Stingray Jason Richardson 7-String Cutlass
Brand: Music Man Music Man
Year: 2019 2020
Configuration: HS HH
Strings: 6 7
Made in: United States United States
Series: Dustin Kensrue Jason Richardson
Colors: Yellow, Brown Burst Satin Red, Natural Burst
Left-Handed Version: No No
Body
Type: Solid Body Solid Body
Body Material: Okoume Alder
Bridge: Music Man Modern Tremolo Custom Music Man floating tremolo
Neck
Neck Joint: Bolt-On Bolt-On
Tuners: Schaller M6-IND locking Schaller M6-IND locking
Fretboard: Maple Ebony
Neck Material: Maple Figured Roasted Maple
Decoration: 1/4 Black Dot Inlay Dot Inlay
Scale Size: 25.5" 25.5"
Shape: Dustin Kensrue Jason Richardson
Frets: 22 Medium Jumbo Stainless Steel 24 Medium Jumbo Stainless Steel
Fretboard Radius: 10" 15"
Nut: Compensated Compensated
Nut Width: 41.3mm (1.625'') 47.6mm (1.875'')
Electronics
Bridge Pickup: Music Man Custom Humbucker (Humbucker / Passive) Music Man Custom Humbucker (Humbucker / Passive)
Middle Pickup:
Neck Pickup: Music Man Custom Single Coil (Single Coil / Passive) Music Man Custom Humbucker (Humbucker / Passive)
Switch: 3 Way 3 Way
Knobs: Dome Dome
Pickup Mods: None Coil Split
Volume Controls: 1 1
Tone Controls: 1 1