Single Coil Pickup Comparison: Music Man Cutlass vs Partscaster+Lollar Pickup

[zimeng44]

Hey guys I recently heard this partscaster from a friend and I think the sound is really nice.

It's a strat type of guitar with Lollar Blonde Pickup.

I'm wondering how I can get a similar sound with my cutlass rs hss. So I did a video stack these guitars up against each other. I recorded the sound with my audio interface directly into the DAW and exported it with a amp plugin (NeuralDSP Cory Wong). Also included the direct sound with no plugin affected in the second half of the video

I like the open top end (high frequency?) of the lollar sound which have an acoustic guitar vibe.

Let me know what you all think

 

[racerx]

I don't know if you can get the same sound straight-up, they sound like differently voiced pickups (the Lollar almost sounds like it is the middle or a tweener position). For the best comparison, I'd make sure you are using the same gauge strings. string composition, and then try to adjust the pickup heights so you get a similar/same input level on both. Failing that, you could always compensate your EQ to approximate that sound if you like (more mids/treble, less bass).

 

[fbecir]

Hello

Personally, I think the Cutlass sounds better. It's more precise. The partscaster is muddier. But of course, it's just my opinion, each his own.
Like RacerX said, with an EQ pedal you should be able to add some Mids to your Cutlass sound and approach the sound of the partscaster.
The Cutlass is very precise, thus easier to work with.

 

[DrKev]

Long post coming…

The Lollars sound very bright to my ears, but I’ll bet you’re using the short low capacitance cable. The Cutlass has a buffer circuit which means that the pickups don’t see the cable capacitance like standard passive wired guitars do. That means the tone is always 100% consistent under all circumstances no matter how long or short your cable. But for it to sound ”right” you have to include a simulated cable capacitance in any buffer circuit. Music Man seems to have chosen (in my opinion) to simulate quite a long, high capacitance cable, like what many top players use on big stages. That makes the Cutlass sound a little warmer than some another guitars using a shorter cable (which we often do at home). Use a 30 ft or 40 ft cable and other guitars will sound closer to the Cutlass.

For a long time, I really liked that. The Cutlass was always rock solid consistent tone and could adjust the brightness of my Silhouette Special compared to my Cutlass with choice of a long or short cable. But after a while I got tired of that, and I also went down a pickup choice rabbit hole with my silhouette special. In the process I decided to get rid of the buffer circuit from the Cutlass. It turns out the Cutlass pick ups are voiced just like early 60s Fender single coils and are really beautiful, in my humble opinion, without the buffer. (Nobody else in the world would notice the difference, just us guitarists).

So, what should you do? There is a method to bypass the buffer and silent circuit in the Cutlass, directly from the circuit board, if you’re comfortable taking the soldering iron to it. It’s easy and reversible. If you are interested send me private message for details. Yes, you would lose the advantage of the silent circuit too, but now your Cutlass will be directly comparable to any other guitar using the same cable.

Or you could order a second pickguard as a purely passive choice and put whatever pickups you like in there.

 

[click track]

I use a Wampler Equator on my board and I am able to get my AL exactly where i want it, so my point is, are you experimenting with any Equalization with your current set up? Both guitars sound great, and very different, and I must say the Cutlass sound more to my liking, just my 2 cents...

 

[GoKart Mozart]

So, what should you do? There is a method to bypass the buffer and silent circuit in the Cutlass, directly from the circuit board, if you’re comfortable taking the soldering iron to it. It’s easy and reversible. If you are interested send me private message for details. Yes, you would lose the advantage of the silent circuit too, but now your Cutlass will be directly comparable to any other guitar using the same cable.

Or you could order a second pickguard as a purely passive choice and put whatever pickups you like in there.

Interesting, Kev. Could you make the buffer/SS switchable via a mini DPDT toggle?

Jacob

 

[beej]

You could.

 

[zimeng44]

Long post coming…

The Lollars sound very bright to my ears, but I’ll bet you’re using the short low capacitance cable. The Cutlass has a buffer circuit which means that the pickups don’t see the cable capacitance like standard passive wired guitars do. That means the tone is always 100% consistent under all circumstances no matter how long or short your cable. But for it to sound ”right” you have to include a simulated cable capacitance in any buffer circuit. Music Man seems to have chosen (in my opinion) to simulate quite a long, high capacitance cable, like what many top players use on big stages. That makes the Cutlass sound a little warmer than some another guitars using a shorter cable (which we often do at home). Use a 30 ft or 40 ft cable and other guitars will sound closer to the Cutlass.

For a long time, I really liked that. The Cutlass was always rock solid consistent tone and could adjust the brightness of my Silhouette Special compared to my Cutlass with choice of a long or short cable. But after a while I got tired of that, and I also went down a pickup choice rabbit hole with my silhouette special. In the process I decided to get rid of the buffer circuit from the Cutlass. It turns out the Cutlass pick ups are voiced just like early 60s Fender single coils and are really beautiful, in my humble opinion, without the buffer. (Nobody else in the world would notice the difference, just us guitarists).

So, what should you do? There is a method to bypass the buffer and silent circuit in the Cutlass, directly from the circuit board, if you’re comfortable taking the soldering iron to it. It’s easy and reversible. If you are interested send me private message for details. Yes, you would lose the advantage of the silent circuit too, but now your Cutlass will be directly comparable to any other guitar using the same cable.

Or you could order a second pickguard as a purely passive choice and put whatever pickups you like in there.

You guessed it totally right!! I was using a 3ft cable for recording. This is exactly the information I needed. Thank you so much!!

 

[DrKev]

You guessed it totally right!! I was using a 3ft cable for recording. This is exactly the information I needed. Thank you so much!!

3ft! That’s kind of a worst case scenario there, comparing a long (simulated) cable run to pretty much the shortest cable useable! I was pretty confident I was right but I didn't know how right!

If you have a specific reason or personal preference for using such a short cable, that’s absolutely fine, but I would point out the pretty much all recorded music in the last 60 years uses a much longer cable. If the sound you’re going for in your head related to those, longer cables are a place to start, and will at least partly solve your problem. Will it be possible, or even preferable, for you to dial-in the tones you want via EQ adjustments rather than such a short cable?

 

[zimeng44]

3ft! That’s kind of a worst case scenario there, comparing a long (simulated) cable run to pretty much the shortest cable useable! I was pretty confident I was right but I didn't know how right!

If you have a specific reason or personal preference for using such a short cable, that’s absolutely fine, but I would point out the pretty much all recorded music in the last 60 years uses a much longer cable. If the sound you’re going for in your head related to those, longer cables are a place to start, and will at least partly solve your problem. Will it be possible, or even preferable, for you to dial-in the tones you want via EQ adjustments rather than such a short cable?

Thank you I had no idea how cable length affects tone. I got the shorter cable mainly because it’s cheaper among other monster branded cables and easier to clean up I will get a new cable. Any recommendations on brands and lengths? My audio interface is right in front me so I don’t really need it too long but for a normal tone I don’t know how long is the minimum.

 

[DrKev]

10ft is a normal minimum. I like Ernie Ball and Planet Waves and Klotz. Ernie Ball cables are higher capacitance, 10ft comes in at 500 pF for EB cables, Planet Waves is closer to 280pF.