Question Cutlass HT Pickup Routing?

[itsjustmike]

Apologies if this has been answered elsewhere. I tried searching and scouring the forums for information, but came up empty.

Can anyone who owns a Cutlass HT SSS confirm how the body is routed beneath the pickguard? Is it true SSS routing like the old Cutlass models, or is it HSS routing? I really dig the Brulee finish with the black hardware, but I'm not much of a bridge single coil person, and would prefer to swap everything out for an HSS setup (without needing to modify the body!).
Thanks!

 

[loocnmad]

My daughter and I each have a Cutlass RS. Hers is a 2018 and I think mine is a 2020. They both came SSS but they’re both routed for HSS. The only difference with the HT’s should be the pickups so I would venture a guess they’re all that way just for efficiency.

A quick email to customer support should get you the definitive answer.

 

[itsjustmike]

My daughter and I each have a Cutlass RS. Hers is a 2018 and I think mine is a 2020. They both came SSS but they’re both routed for HSS. The only difference with the HT’s should be the pickups so I would venture a guess they’re all that way just for efficiency.

A quick email to customer support should get you the definitive answer.

Thanks for the reply. I'm hoping the HT is routed the same as the modern RS (I agree that it probably should be, but wanted to be sure). I had reached out to CS, but never received a response, which is what led me to try the forums. Might just have to bite the bullet and pick one up to see for myself!

 

[loocnmad]

They can take a few days to reply sometimes. I’ve contacted them with a bunch of questions and they always got back to me.

 

[DrKev]

I'm pretty sure they are all routed HSS.

 

[milosjak]

Hehe, just came here to ask the very opposite question and I see this thread. Not to divert the topic, but I'm trying to convert my BFR HSS, blue magic Cutlass to SSS.
However I see on the EB store that SSS pickguard says it won't fit the HSS cutlass? How is that possible? I see no difference between them.

 

[DrKev]

I agree. If all the bodies are routed the same I don't immediately see how a difference can be anything other than the positions of the screws. Personally, I'd be happy to go for it, I can happily plug and redrill a few screw holes.

 

[tbonesullivan]

Hehe, just came here to ask the very opposite question and I see this thread. Not to divert the topic, but I'm trying to convert my BFR HSS, blue magic Cutlass to SSS.
However I see on the EB store that SSS pickguard says it won't fit the HSS cutlass? How is that possible? I see no difference between them.

I would wager they just mean that it won't fit SSH electronics, which is true, as you have the bridge humbucker. This is called "covering your butt", as you would be amazed how uninformed people are, or pretend to be, if they order the wrong thing by accident.

The SSH pickguard description is much more detailed, stating that early Cutlass SSS guitars were not routed for the SSH.

 

[milosjak]

I would wager they just mean that it won't fit SSH electronics, which is true, as you have the bridge humbucker. This is called "covering your butt", as you would be amazed how uninformed people are, or pretend to be, if they order the wrong thing by accident.

The SSH pickguard description is much more detailed, stating that early Cutlass SSS guitars were not routed for the SSH.

Makes sense. I opened the two pickguards side by side in tabs, flipping between them and saw no difference, so I think you're right.
Now just to see if anyone is interested in selling me their HT SSS pickups + the active electronics as I would like to have two fully functional pickguards. The support doesn't seem to be willing to sell me these.

 

[tbonesullivan]

Makes sense. I opened the two pickguards side by side in tabs, flipping between them and soxno difference, so I think you're right.
Now just to see if anyone is interested in selling me their HT SSS pickups + the active electronics as I would like to have two fully functional pickguards. The support doesn't seem to be willing to sell me these.

EBMM has always been like that. They really aren't in the business of selling pickups, they sell entire instruments. If you ever have damaged electronics or other parts, to get a replacement you need to send back your originals to exchange. They might possibly exchange your pickguard for an SSS one, but probably only for the original Cutlass SSS, not the HT, as you don't have a Cutlass HT, you have a Cutlass RS.

 

[milosjak]

EBMM has always been like that. They really aren't in the business of selling pickups, they sell entire instruments. If you ever have damaged electronics or other parts, to get a replacement you need to send back your originals to exchange. They might possibly exchange your pickguard for an SSS one, but probably only for the original Cutlass SSS, not the HT, as you don't have a Cutlass HT, you have a Cutlass RS.

Is it really an RS, if it came from a BFR line, and doesn't actually have a roasted neck? Although I think it did come out after RS was introduced... Jokes aside, I know what you mean.
I'll probably have to just go for passive electronics or install something like the CAL Redeemer to keep the buffering.

 

[tbonesullivan]

Is it really an RS, if it came from a BFR line, and doesn't actually have a roasted neck? Although I think it did come out after RS was introduced... Jokes aside, I know what you mean.
I'll probably have to just go for passive electronics or install something like the CAL Redeemer to keep the buffering.

Well, are you in the USA? You could always see if you could trade with the thread starter.