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Music Man Jason Richardson 7-String Cutlass
Music Man Luke 3 HSS
VS
Playability
70
Sound
76
Build
83
Value
61
Score
76
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Playability
70
Sound
78
Build
75
Value
59
Score
74
FIND IT ON:
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Music Man Jason Richardson 7-String Cutlass vs Luke 3 HSS

Reasons to Get
Music Man Jason Richardson 7-String Cutlass over Luke 3 HSS

Decorative Top
Buckeye Burl vs None
Finished with beautiful natural wood patterns
Fret Material
Stainless Steel vs Nickel Silver
Best fret material that will last forever
Release Year
2020 vs 2013
From a more recent year
Frets Height
Taller vs Shorter
Easier to press down strings and bend them
Neck Profile
Jason Richardson vs Steve Lukather
Thin and flat neck for playing fast
Pickup Mods
Coil Split vs Boost
Splits humbuckers into single coil pickups
Strings
7 vs 6
Allows you to play lower notes
Pickups
HH vs HSS
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 12'' (304.8mm)
Flatter fretboard makes it easier to play single notes and bend
Value Score
61 vs 59
Better price/quality relationship

Reasons to Get
Music Man Luke 3 HSS over Jason Richardson 7-String Cutlass

Neck Profile
Steve Lukather vs Jason Richardson
Great if you like to hang your thumb over the fretboard
Pickup Mods
Boost vs Coil Split
Increases the output of the pickup
Strings
6 vs 7
Narrower neck and fewer strings to change
Switch Positions
5 vs 3
More tone options
Pickups
HSS vs HH
High output with beautiful cleans and tone versatility
Nut Width
1.625'' (41.3mm) vs 1.875'' (47.6mm)
Favors small hands, easier bar chords and other shapes
Fretboard Radius
12'' (304.8mm) vs 15'' (381mm)
More curved fretboard helpful to play chords without muting strings

Other Key Differences
Music Man Jason Richardson 7-String Cutlass vs Luke 3 HSS

Neck Pickup
Music Man Custom Humbucker vs Music Man Custom Single Coil
Different Neck Pickup
Fretboard Wood
Ebony vs Rosewood
Different Fretboard Wood
Headstock
5-2 vs 4-2
Different Headstock

Shared Features
Music Man Jason Richardson 7-String Cutlass vs Luke 3 HSS

Bridge Pickup
Music Man Custom Humbucker
Same Bridge Pickup
Body Wood
Alder
Same Body Wood
Neck Wood
Figured Maple
Same Neck Wood
Nut Material
Compensated
Same Nut Material
Body Type
Solid Body
Feedback free
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 vs Medium
You'll feel the fretboard when pressing down the strings

Common Strengths

  • Locking Tuners
  • High-Quality Nut
  • From a High-Quality-Standards Country
  • Top Pickup Brand
  • Expensive Wood

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 Jason Richardson 7-String Cutlass Prices

SET PRICE ALERT

Music Man Luke 3 HSS Prices

SET PRICE ALERT

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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 Luke 3 HSS's 74 score, although not by a lot.

The Music Man Jason Richardson 7-String Cutlass wins when it comes to build quality, value for the money. On the other hand, the Music Man Luke 3 HSS has the upper hand when it comes to sound.

If you got small hands, none of these instruments will make a big difference when it comes to comfortability.

Which One is Better for Beginners?

If you're looking for your first guitar to learn how to play, the Music Man Luke 3 HSS is the better choice.

The Music Man Luke 3 HSS 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 Jason Richardson 7-String Cutlass
  • Comfortable shape
  • Easy-to-use bridge
  • Locking tuners
  • Tall frets
  • Comfortable neck
  • Comfortable fretboard
  • Narrow nut
  • Short scale

New Player Friendliness

Music Man Luke 3 HSS
  • Comfortable shape
  • Easy-to-use bridge
  • Locking tuners
  • Tall frets
  • Narrow nut
  • Comfortable neck
  • Comfortable fretboard
  • 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 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 >

Music Man Luke 3 HSS Overview

  • From Music Man's 2013 Steve Lukather series
  • Steve Lukather Signature
  • Made in United States
  • 6 strings
  • 25.5"'' scale
  • 12" Fretboard Radius
  • Alder body
  • Select figured roasted maple neck neck
  • Rosewood 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 Dome knobs
  • 5-way Switch
  • Music Man floating vintage tremolo bridge
  • Steve Lukather Bolt-On neck
  • 22 Medium 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 Both

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

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

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 Jason Richardson 7-String Cutlass

Ebony wood pattern used for guitar building
Ebony

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.

Woods Used in the Music Man Luke 3 HSS

Rosewood wood pattern used for guitar building
Rosewood

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

The Music Man Jason Richardson 7-String Cutlass has an HH configuration while the Music Man Luke 3 HSS has HSS pickups.

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.

On the other hand, 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.

However, the Music Man Luke 3 HSS 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 Luke 3 HSS.

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 Luke 3 HSS gives you 5 switch options while the Music Man Jason Richardson 7-String Cutlass gives you 3. This means that the Music Man Luke 3 HSS gives you more options to find the right pickup combination for the type of sound you want to achieve

Both give you different pickup mod options.

The Music Man Jason Richardson 7-String Cutlass offers 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.

On the other hand, the Music Man Luke 3 HSS comes with the following: 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 Jason Richardson 7-String Cutlass pickups switch and push knobs diagram
Music Man Jason Richardson 7-String Cutlass's switch options
Music Man Luke 3 HSS pickups switch selector and push knobs diagram
Music Man Luke 3 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: Music Man Luke 3 HSS.

Final Sound Quality Scores

Music Man Jason Richardson 7-String Cutlass
Pickups 85
Sustain 65
Versatility 79
Tuning Stability 75
Sound 76
Music Man Luke 3 HSS
Pickups 90
Sustain 65
Versatility 80
Tuning Stability 75
Sound 78

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 Jason Richardson 7-String Cutlass compares to the Music Man Luke 3 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.

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.

In this comparison, the Music Man Jason Richardson 7-String Cutlass 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 Jason Richardson 7-String Cutlass.

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 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
Strengths & Weaknesses
Music Man Luke 3 HSS
  • Locking Tuners
  • Made in United States
  • Expensive Wood
  • Compensated Nut
  • Top Brand Pickups
  • Boost Pickups
  • Tremolo
  • Cheap Fret Wire (NS)
  • 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 Jason Richardson 7-String Cutlass
Quality of materials 80
Features 70
Quality Control 100
Build Quality 83
Music Man Luke 3 HSS
Quality of materials 56
Features 70
Quality Control 100
Build Quality 75

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 Jason Richardson 7-String Cutlass Nut Width
Music Man Jason Richardson 7-String Cutlass Nut Width
Music Man Luke 3 HSS Nut Width
Music Man Luke 3 HSS 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 Jason Richardson 7-String Cutlass and Music Man Luke 3 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 Jason Richardson 7-String Cutlass Neck Profile
Music Man Jason Richardson 7-String Cutlass's neck profile
Music Man Luke 3 HSS Neck Profile
Music Man Luke 3 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 Jason Richardson 7-String Cutlass has a D type of 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.

The Music Man Luke 3 HSS, on the other hand, has a V neck. This neck shape was more common during Fender's early years. Some people like it because they use their thumb over the edge of the fretboard to press the lower strings. It's rather thicker than most modern necks, so it's not usually used for playing fast solos.

Fretboard Radius

Music Man Jason Richardson 7-String Cutlass Fingerboard Radius
Music Man Jason Richardson 7-String Cutlass's Fingerboard radius
Music Man Luke 3 HSS Fingerboard Radius
Music Man Luke 3 HSS'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 Luke 3 HSS'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.

Still, both tend to favor soloing over chords, so if you're looking for a guitar for playing rhythm, you might want something else with a radius closer to a Stratocaster's 9.5''.

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.

After taking into account the scale length, nut width, neck profile and fretboard radius, we can conclude that both in this comparison favor small hands .

Music Man Jason Richardson 7-String Cutlass:
Big Hands
Small Hands
Music Man Luke 3 HSS:
Big Hands
Small Hands

Fret Size

Music Man Jason Richardson 7-String Cutlass Frets Size
Music Man Jason Richardson 7-String Cutlass's Frets Size
Music Man Luke 3 HSS Frets Size
Music Man Luke 3 HSS's Frets Size

The Music Man Jason Richardson 7-String Cutlass has Medium Jumbo frets, which should be taller than the Music Man Luke 3 HSS's Medium frets.

Some people prefer taller frets because they result in more sustain since the strings get pressed cleanly without interference from the fretboard. However, if they're too tall—like Jumbo frets—, you might change the pitch of the strings accidentally if you press too hard because you won't be touching the fretboard with your fingers. This is also why some guitarists with a heavy grip prefer smaller frets. They like to feel the fingerboard to avoid pressing down too hard and getting out of pitch.

Final Playability Scores

Music Man Jason Richardson 7-String Cutlass
Bending & Vibrato Ease 70
Chord Playability 60
Solo Playability 80
Playability 70
Music Man Luke 3 HSS
Bending & Vibrato Ease 70
Chord Playability 80
Solo Playability 60
Playability 70

Specs Side-by-Side

Music Man Jason Richardson 7-String Cutlass vs Luke 3 HSS
General Music Man Jason Richardson 7-String Cutlass Luke 3 HSS
Brand: Music Man Music Man
Year: 2020 2013
Configuration: HH HSS
Strings: 7 6
Made in: United States United States
Series: Jason Richardson Steve Lukather
Colors: Red, Natural Burst Blue, Green, Pink
Left-Handed Version: No No
Body
Type: Solid Body Solid Body
Body Material: Alder Alder
Bridge: Custom Music Man floating tremolo Music Man floating vintage tremolo
Neck
Neck Joint: Bolt-On Bolt-On
Tuners: Schaller M6-IND locking Schaller M6-IND locking
Fretboard: Ebony Rosewood
Neck Material: Figured Roasted Maple Select figured roasted maple neck
Decoration: Dot Inlay Dot Inlay
Scale Size: 25.5" 25.5"
Shape: Jason Richardson Steve Lukather
Frets: 24 Medium Jumbo Stainless Steel 22 Medium Nickel Silver
Fretboard Radius: 15" 12"
Nut: Compensated Compensated
Nut Width: 47.6mm (1.875'') 41.3mm (1.625'')
Electronics
Bridge Pickup: Music Man Custom Humbucker (Humbucker / Passive) Music Man Custom Humbucker (Humbucker / Passive)
Middle Pickup: Music Man Custom Single Coil (Single Coil / Passive)
Neck Pickup: Music Man Custom Humbucker (Humbucker / Passive) Music Man Custom Single Coil (Single Coil / Passive)
Switch: 3 Way 5 Way
Knobs: Dome Dome
Pickup Mods: Coil Split Boost
Volume Controls: 1 1
Tone Controls: 1 1