Show Full Spec Comparison
| Sterling CT50XHSS | Jackson X Series Signature Mark Morton Dominion DX2FM | |
|---|---|---|
| General | ||
| Brand: | Sterling | Jackson |
| Year: | 2023 | 2014 |
| Configuration: | HSS | HH |
| Strings: | 6 | 6 |
| Made in: | Indonesia | China |
| Series: | Cutlass CT50 Plus | Artist Signature |
| Colors: | White, Blue, Grey | Blue |
| Left-Handed Version: | No | No |
| Body | ||
| Type: | Solid Body | Solid Body |
| Body Material: | Poplar | Mahogany |
| Bridge: | Vintage Tremolo | Jackson TOM-Style Adjustable with Anchored Tailpiece |
| Neck | ||
| Neck Joint: | Bolt-On | Neck-Through |
| Tuners: | Locking | Jackson Sealed Die-Cast |
| Fretboard: | Roasted Maple (CGR, CK), Rosewood (AGR) | Laurel |
| Neck Material: | Roasted Maple | Maple |
| Decoration: | White Pearloid Block Inlays | Pearloid Dot |
| Scale Size: | 25.5" | 24.75" |
| Shape: | Music Man Standard | Speed |
| Frets: | 22 Medium Nickel Silver | 22 Medium Jumbo Nickel Silver |
| Fretboard Radius: | 12" | 12" to 16" |
| Nut: | Compensated | Plastic |
| Nut Width: | 42mm (1.654'') | 42.9mm (1.688'') |
| Electronics | ||
| Bridge Pickups: | Humbuckers (Humbucker / Passive) | DiMarzio Mark Morton Signature Dominion (Humbucker / Passive) |
| Middle Pickup: | Single Coil (Single Coil / Passive) | |
| Neck Pickup: | Single Coil (Single Coil / Passive) | DiMarzio Mark Morton Signature Dominion (Humbucker / Passive) |
| Switch: | 5 Way | 3 Way |
| Knobs: | Bell | Dome |
| Pickup Mods: | Boost | None |
| Volume Controls: | 1 | 2 |
| Tone Controls: | 1 | 2 |
| Hardware | ||
| Strap Lock: | No | No |
| Hardware Color: | Black | Black |
Show Diagrams Comparison
Reasons to Get
Sterling CT50XHSS over Jackson X Series Signature Mark Morton Dominion DX2FM
Reasons to Get
Jackson X Series Signature Mark Morton Dominion DX2FM over Sterling CT50XHSS
Other Key Differences
Sterling CT50XHSS vs Jackson X Series Signature Mark Morton Dominion DX2FM
Shared Features
Sterling CT50XHSS vs Jackson X Series Signature Mark Morton Dominion DX2FM
Common Weaknesses
- Weight Relief
- Stays in Tune (Evertune)
- High-Quality Frets
- Luminescent Sidedots
- Strap Lock
- 21:1 Tuner Ratio
- Active/Passive Preamp
Price History Comparison
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.
Hand Size Comfortability
And after taking into account the scale length, nut width, neck profile and fretboard radius, we can conclude that the Jackson X Series Signature Mark Morton Dominion DX2FM favors large hands more than the Sterling CT50XHSS. But it's still more comfortable for people with small hands, as you can see in the score meter below.
Sterling CT50XHSS:
Jackson X Series Signature Mark Morton Dominion DX2FM:
Beginner Friendliness
The Sterling CT50XHSS meets 6 out of our 8 criteria items for beginner friendliness, while the Jackson X Series Signature Mark Morton Dominion DX2FM meets only 4. 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
Sterling CT50XHSS- Comfortable shape
- Easy-to-use bridge
- Locking tuners
- Tall frets
- Narrow nut
- Comfortable neck
- Comfortable fretboard
- Short scale
New Player Friendliness
Jackson X Series Signature Mark Morton Dominion DX2FM- Easy-to-use bridge
- Comfortable fretboard
- Tall frets
- Comfortable neck
- Comfortable shape
- Narrow nut
- Short scale
- Locking tuners
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 Sterling CT50XHSS
Roasted Maple is just maple without a finish. It's technically cheaper than regular maple, but it doesn't have any extra disadvantages because of this. The color is darker, and it's lighter weight and very stable even when there's a lot of humidity.
Poplar is a cheaper and heavier alternative to Alder wood. It terms of tone, it emphasizes the low-end and has cutting mids. It's relatively soft compared to most body woods. Find out more about Poplar.
Woods Used in the Jackson X Series Signature Mark Morton Dominion DX2FM
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.
There are many types of Laurel, but East Indian is the most common for guitar building. Its color can vary from dark to light brown with black lines. Many people find its tonality similar to Rosewood, which favors the warmer frequencies. Find out more about Laurel.
Mahogany is a fairly rare wood nowadays. It's used mostly for bodies due to its relatively lightweight. Gibson popularized it with their Les Paul guitars during their golden years, so this wood has a lot of good reputation behind it. The most expensive type comes from South America and it's still used by Gibson even today. Find out more about Mahogany.
Winner: Jackson X Series Signature Mark Morton Dominion DX2FM.
Pickup Configuration
The Sterling CT50XHSS has an HSS configuration while the Jackson X Series Signature Mark Morton Dominion DX2FM has HH pickups.
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.
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
The Jackson X Series Signature Mark Morton Dominion DX2FM pickups from a more specialized brand than the Sterling CT50XHSS. Its pickups should give you a fuller, richer sound, although it all depends on what type of music you're going to play. We recommend these pickups for Hard Rock and similar genres.
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: Jackson X Series Signature Mark Morton Dominion DX2FM.
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 Sterling CT50XHSS gives you 5 switch options while the Jackson X Series Signature Mark Morton Dominion DX2FM gives you 3. This means that the Sterling CT50XHSS gives you more options to find the right pickup combination for the type of sound you want to achieve
Only the Sterling CT50XHSS 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.
When evaluating versatility, we also take into consideration bridge and neck joint type, number of frets, switch options, amount of pickups and more.
Winner: Sterling CT50XHSS.
Final Sound Quality Scores
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 Sterling CT50XHSS compares to the Jackson X Series Signature Mark Morton Dominion DX2FM.
Country of Origin
The manufacturing country can tell a lot about the build quality of an instrument. The Sterling CT50XHSS is built in Indonesia while the Jackson X Series Signature Mark Morton Dominion DX2FM is made in China.
Indonesia is becoming the most popular country for guitar building because they can make good instruments for a low price. Some people think that they're 'the new China' when it comes to build quality. But the truth is that Indonesian guitars are more consistent, although Chinese quality has improved a lot in the last few years.
China has a bad reputation when it comes to building quality. However, times have changed and now respectable brands use China's cheap labor to build good instruments for a lower price. Don't discount a guitar only because it was built in China, but also expect more quality from countries like Korea.
Winner: Sterling CT50XHSS
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 Sterling CT50XHSS 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 Jackson X Series Signature Mark Morton Dominion DX2FM comes with a Plastic nut. This is a low-quality nut that you might want to consider upgrading soon. Bone and TUSQ nuts are the best for guitars with a fixed or simple tremolo bridge.
Winner: Sterling CT50XHSS.
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.
Unfortunately, none of them come with stainless steel frets.
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 Sterling CT50XHSS'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 Jackson X Series Signature Mark Morton Dominion DX2FM'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 Sterling CT50XHSS 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: Sterling CT50XHSS.
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.
The Sterling CT50XHSS has 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.
On the other hand, the Jackson X Series Signature Mark Morton Dominion DX2FM comes with Neck-Through neck joint. This neck is a lot more resistant and lets builders give the neck joint a more comfortable shape for soloing at the upper frets. The disadvantage is that they're more expensive and that if you damage your neck, you can't simply replace it like with bolt-on necks.
Winner: Jackson X Series Signature Mark Morton Dominion DX2FM.
Here is the list of features that were considered when choosing the winner in the Features subcategory:
Sterling CT50XHSS
- Locking Tuners
- Compensated Nut
- Boost Pickups
- Tremolo
- Cheap Fret Wire (NS)
- Made in Indonesia
- No Expensive Woods
- No Top Brand Pickups
- No Neck-Through Build
- No Weight Relief
- No Luminescent Inlay
- No Compound Radius Fretboard
- No 21:1 Tuner Ratio
- No Strap Lock
Jackson X Series Signature Mark Morton Dominion DX2FM
- Expensive Wood
- Top Brand Pickups
- Neck-Through Build
- Compound Radius Fretboard
- Cheap Fret Wire (NS)
- No Locking Tuners
- Made in China
- No High-Quality Nut
- No Push Knob or Extra Switch Option
- No Weight Relief
- No Luminescent Inlay
- No Tremolo
- No 21:1 Tuner Ratio
- No Strap Lock
Final Build Quality Scores
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
The nut width will affect the separation between strings at the nut. In this comparison, the Jackson X Series Signature Mark Morton Dominion DX2FM has the wider nut with 42.9mm (1.688'') vs 42mm (1.654''). This is a 0.9mm (0.034'') difference
This means that it will be more difficult to do bar chords on the Jackson X Series Signature Mark Morton Dominion DX2FM, especially closer to the nut. However, it's also easier to play without muting strings accidently. This favors people with big hands.
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 Sterling CT50XHSS has the longest scale: 25.5". The Jackson X Series Signature Mark Morton Dominion DX2FM is only 24.75" long. This is a 0.75'' (19.1mm) 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
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 Sterling CT50XHSS 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 Jackson X Series Signature Mark Morton Dominion DX2FM, 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
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 Jackson X Series Signature Mark Morton Dominion DX2FM 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.
Fret Size
The Jackson X Series Signature Mark Morton Dominion DX2FM has Medium Jumbo frets, which should be taller than the Sterling CT50XHSS'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.
