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Sterling Cutlass Short Scale
Schecter Jack Fowler Traditional
VS
Playability
82
Sound
66
Build
57
Value
78
Score
68
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Playability
73
Sound
80
Build
67
Value
73
Score
73
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Sterling Cutlass Short Scale vs Schecter Jack Fowler Traditional

Reasons to Get
Sterling Cutlass Short Scale over Schecter Jack Fowler Traditional

Pickups
HS vs HH
High output with bright neck cleans
Neck Thickness at 1st Fret
0.827'' (21mm) vs 0.79'' (20.1mm)
More comfortable open chords for big hands
Neck Thickness at 12th Fret
0.965'' (24.5mm) vs 0.87'' (22.1mm)
More comfortable at higher frets for big hands
Nut Width
1.65'' (41.9mm) vs 1.654'' (42mm)
Favors small hands, easier bar chords and other shapes
Scale Length
24'' (609.6mm) vs 25.5'' (647.7mm)
Easier bending, shorter fret separation and warmer natural tone
Fretboard Radius
12'' (304.8mm) vs 14'' (355.6mm)
More curved fretboard helpful to play chords without muting strings
Value Score
78 vs 73
Better price/quality relationship

Reasons to Get
Schecter Jack Fowler Traditional over Sterling Cutlass Short Scale

Release Year
2021 vs 2020
From a more recent year
Frets Height
Taller vs Shorter
Easier to press down strings and bend them
Pickups Brand
Schecter USA vs None
Pickups from a renown brand
Pickup Mods
Coil Split vs None
Splits humbuckers into single coil pickups
Pickups
HH vs HS
High output without hum
Locking Tuners
Yes vs None
Easier to change strings
Neck Thickness at 1st Fret
0.79'' (20.1mm) vs 0.827'' (21mm)
More comfortable open chords for small hands
Neck Thickness at 12th Fret
0.87'' (22.1mm) vs 0.965'' (24.5mm)
More comfortable at higher frets for small hands
Nut Width
1.654'' (42mm) vs 1.65'' (41.9mm)
Less likely to mute strings by accident and more space for fingerstyle
Scale Length
25.5'' (647.7mm) vs 24'' (609.6mm)
Lower action and brighter natural tone
Fretboard Radius
14'' (355.6mm) vs 12'' (304.8mm)
Flatter fretboard makes it easier to play single notes and bend

Other Key Differences
Sterling Cutlass Short Scale vs Schecter Jack Fowler Traditional

Bridge Pickup
Sterling Humbucker vs Schecter USA Pasadena Plus
Different Bridge Pickup
Neck Pickup
Sterling Single Coil vs Schecter USA Pasadena
Different Neck Pickup
Body Wood
Poplar vs Alder
Different Body Wood
Neck Wood
Maple vs Roasted Maple
Different Neck Wood
Fretboard Wood
Maple vs Ebony
Different Fretboard Wood
Headstock
4-2 vs 6
Different Headstock
Nut Material
Compensated vs Ivory Tusq
Different Nut Material

Shared Features
Sterling Cutlass Short Scale vs Schecter Jack Fowler Traditional

Strings
6
Same playing style
Body Type
Solid Body
Feedback free
Switch Positions
3
Same pickups versatility
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
Bridge
Tremolo
Simple vibratos without too much maintenance
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
Narrow Tall vs XL Jumbo
You won't feel the fretboard when pressing down the strings

Common Strengths

  • High-Quality Nut

Common Weaknesses

  • Neck-Through Build
  • Weight Relief
  • Stays in Tune (Evertune)
  • High-Quality Frets
  • Compound Radius Fretboard
  • From a High-Quality-Standards Country
  • 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 Schecter Jack Fowler Traditional is probably the better product overall with its final score of 73 compared to the Sterling Cutlass Short Scale's 68 score, although not by a lot.

The Schecter Jack Fowler Traditional wins when it comes to sound, build quality. On the other hand, the Sterling Cutlass Short Scale 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 Schecter Jack Fowler Traditional.

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

Sterling Cutlass Short Scale
  • Comfortable shape
  • Easy-to-use bridge
  • Tall frets
  • Narrow nut
  • Short scale
  • Comfortable neck
  • Comfortable fretboard
  • Locking tuners

New Player Friendliness

Schecter Jack Fowler Traditional
  • 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.

Sterling Cutlass Short Scale Overview

  • From Sterling's 2020 Cutlass series
  • Made in Indonesia
  • 6 strings
  • 24"'' scale
  • 12" Fretboard Radius
  • Poplar body
  • Hard Maple neck
  • Maple fretboard
  • Bridge pickup: Sterling Humbucker (Humbucker/Passive)
  • Neck pickup: Sterling Single Coil (Single Coil/Passive)
  • 1 volume and 1 tone Bell knobs
  • 3-way Switch
  • Fulcrum Tremolo bridge
  • Cutlass Bolt-On neck
  • 22 Narrow Tall frets
  • Diecast tuners
  • Compare Specs >

Schecter Jack Fowler Traditional Overview

  • From Schecter's 2021 Artist series
  • Jack Fowler Signature
  • Made in Indonesia
  • 6 strings
  • 25.5"'' scale
  • 14" Fretboard Radius
  • Alder body
  • Roasted Maple neck
  • Ebony fretboard
  • Bridge pickup: Schecter USA Pasadena Plus (Humbucker/Passive)
  • Neck pickup: Schecter USA Pasadena (Humbucker/Passive)
  • 1 volume and 1 tone Bell knobs
  • 3-way Switch
  • Diamond Vintage Tremolo bridge
  • Thin C Bolt-On neck
  • 22 XL Jumbo frets
  • Schecter Locking tuners
  • Weight between 7.85lbs (3.6kgs) and 7.95lbs (3.6kgs)
  • 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 Sterling Cutlass Short Scale

Maple wood pattern used for guitar building
Maple
Poplar wood pattern used for guitar building
Poplar

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.

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 Schecter Jack Fowler Traditional

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

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.

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: Schecter Jack Fowler Traditional.

Pickup Configuration

The Sterling Cutlass Short Scale has an HS configuration while the Schecter Jack Fowler Traditional 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

The Schecter Jack Fowler Traditional pickups from a more specialized brand than the Sterling Cutlass Short Scale. 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: Schecter Jack Fowler Traditional.

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 Schecter Jack Fowler Traditional 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.

Sterling Cutlass Short Scale pickups switch and push knobs diagram
Sterling Cutlass Short Scale's switch options
Schecter Jack Fowler Traditional pickups switch and push knobs diagram
Schecter Jack Fowler Traditional'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: Schecter Jack Fowler Traditional.

Final Sound Quality Scores

Sterling Cutlass Short Scale
Pickups 60
Sustain 75
Versatility 64
Tuning Stability 65
Sound 66
Schecter Jack Fowler Traditional
Pickups 90
Sustain 80
Versatility 74
Tuning Stability 75
Sound 80

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 Cutlass Short Scale compares to the Schecter Jack Fowler Traditional.

Country of Origin

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

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.

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 Sterling Cutlass Short Scale 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 Schecter Jack Fowler Traditional comes with a Ivory Tusq nut. Ivory used to be considered the best material for guitar nuts due to its beauty, durability, and the rich harmonics and sustain you could get from a guitar with it. However, the way to obtain it is simply unethical. Enter TUSQ ivory nuts, which are made synthetically to imitate ivory. Technically, it's better than ivory because it is consistent piece-to-piece, while natural materials can vary a lot, even if they're made from the same.

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.

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.

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

The Schecter Jack Fowler Traditional 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: Schecter Jack Fowler Traditional.

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
Sterling Cutlass Short Scale
  • Compensated Nut
  • Tremolo
  • Cheap Fret Wire (NS)
  • No Locking Tuners
  • Made in Indonesia
  • No Expensive Woods
  • No Top Brand Pickups
  • 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
Schecter Jack Fowler Traditional
  • Locking Tuners
  • Expensive Wood
  • Ivory Tusq Nut
  • Top Brand Pickups
  • Coil Split Pickups
  • Tremolo
  • Cheap Fret Wire (NS)
  • Made in Indonesia
  • 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

Sterling Cutlass Short Scale
Quality of materials 51
Features 55
Quality Control 65
Build Quality 57
Schecter Jack Fowler Traditional
Quality of materials 56
Features 70
Quality Control 75
Build Quality 67

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

Sterling Cutlass Short Scale Nut Width
Sterling Cutlass Short Scale Nut Width
Schecter Jack Fowler Traditional Nut Width
Schecter Jack Fowler Traditional Nut Width

The nut width will affect the separation between strings at the nut. In this comparison, the Schecter Jack Fowler Traditional has the wider nut with 42mm (1.654'') vs 41.9mm (1.65''). This is a 0.1mm (0.004'') difference

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

Scale Length

Sterling Cutlass Short Scale's Scale Length
Sterling Cutlass Short Scale's Scale Length
Schecter Jack Fowler Traditional's Scale Length
Schecter Jack Fowler Traditional'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 Schecter Jack Fowler Traditional has the longest scale: 25.5". The Sterling Cutlass Short Scale 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

Sterling Cutlass Short Scale Neck Profile
Sterling Cutlass Short Scale's neck profile
Schecter Jack Fowler Traditional Neck Profile
Schecter Jack Fowler Traditional'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 Sterling Cutlass Short Scale and the Schecter Jack Fowler Traditional 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

Sterling Cutlass Short Scale Fingerboard Radius
Sterling Cutlass Short Scale's Fingerboard radius
Schecter Jack Fowler Traditional Fingerboard Radius
Schecter Jack Fowler Traditional'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 Sterling Cutlass Short Scale's fingerboard radius is smaller, which means it's more curved than the Schecter Jack Fowler Traditional'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 Schecter Jack Fowler Traditional.

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.

And after taking into account the scale length, nut width, neck profile and fretboard radius, we can conclude that the Sterling Cutlass Short Scale favors large hands more than the Schecter Jack Fowler Traditional. But it's still more comfortable for people with small hands, as you can see in the score meter below.

Sterling Cutlass Short Scale:
Big Hands
Small Hands
Schecter Jack Fowler Traditional:
Big Hands
Small Hands

Fret Size

Sterling Cutlass Short Scale Frets Size
Sterling Cutlass Short Scale's Frets Size
Schecter Jack Fowler Traditional Frets Size
Schecter Jack Fowler Traditional's Frets Size

The Schecter Jack Fowler Traditional has XL Jumbo frets, which should be taller than the Sterling Cutlass Short Scale's Narrow Tall 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

Sterling Cutlass Short Scale
Bending & Vibrato Ease 95
Chord Playability 70
Solo Playability 80
Playability 82
Schecter Jack Fowler Traditional
Bending & Vibrato Ease 80
Chord Playability 60
Solo Playability 80
Playability 73

Specs Side-by-Side

Sterling Cutlass Short Scale vs Schecter Jack Fowler Traditional
General Sterling Cutlass Short Scale Schecter Jack Fowler Traditional
Brand: Sterling Schecter
Year: 2020 2021
Configuration: HS HH
Strings: 6 6
Made in: Indonesia Indonesia
Series: Cutlass Artist
Colors: Green, Pink White
Left-Handed Version: No No
Body
Type: Solid Body Solid Body
Body Material: Poplar Alder
Bridge: Fulcrum Tremolo Diamond Vintage Tremolo
Neck
Neck Joint: Bolt-On Bolt-On
Tuners: Diecast Schecter Locking
Fretboard: Maple Ebony
Neck Material: Hard Maple Roasted Maple
Decoration: Dot Markers White Pearloid Dots
Scale Size: 24" 25.5"
Shape: Cutlass Thin C
Thickness: 1st Fret: 0.827'' (21mm) - 12th Fret: 0.965'' (24.5mm) 1st Fret: 0.79'' (20.1mm) - 12th Fret: 0.87'' (22.1mm)
Frets: 22 Narrow Tall Nickel Silver 22 XL Jumbo Nickel Silver
Fretboard Radius: 12" 14"
Nut: Compensated Ivory Tusq
Nut Width: 41.9mm (1.65'') 42mm (1.654'')
Electronics
Bridge Pickup: Sterling Humbucker (Humbucker / Passive) Schecter USA Pasadena Plus (Humbucker / Passive)
Middle Pickup:
Neck Pickup: Sterling Single Coil (Single Coil / Passive) Schecter USA Pasadena (Humbucker / Passive)
Switch: 3 Way 3 Way
Knobs: Bell Bell
Pickup Mods: None Coil Split
Volume Controls: 1 1
Tone Controls: 1 1