Sterling Cutlass CT20 | Assessment

MSRP: (UK) £279 / (US) $199

A mix of classic attract and trendy playability with out breaking the financial institution, the Sterling Cutlass CT20 is designed for versatile gamers. Its snug, contoured physique and three single-coil pickups ship a variety of basic tones, from clean blues to punchy rock, making this mannequin a refined alternative for individuals who respect timeless aesthetics and dependable efficiency. Right here’s Nick Jennison with the total overview.



The Sterling by Music Man CT-20 Cutlass brings collectively skilled design, versatile tones, and distinctive playability—all at a worth that is laborious to consider. Whether or not you are simply beginning out otherwise you’ve been enjoying for years, the CT-20 delivers high quality and efficiency that can impress gamers at any degree.

The CT-20’s smooth, offset physique combines classic attraction with trendy aptitude. Impressed by the enduring Cutlass design, it is light-weight, snug, and effortlessly fashionable in its clear white end. It is the type of guitar that makes you wish to choose it up and play.

The neck, nevertheless, is the place this guitar really shines. Sterling’s laborious maple necks are recognized for his or her clean really feel, and this one is not any exception. The satin end feels luxurious below your fingers, whereas the slim-yet-substantial profile gives consolation and velocity in equal measure. With a maple fretboard, 22 narrow-tall frets, and a 12-inch radius, the neck is as versatile as it’s snug, excellent for all the pieces from large chords to intricate lead runs.

Some of the spectacular features of the CT-20 is its manufacturing unit setup. The motion is low, the fretwork is clear, and the intonation is spot-on—able to play the second you are taking it out of the field. Learners will love how approachable it feels, whereas skilled gamers will respect its consideration to element.

For many who wish to customise their setup, the tool-free double-action truss rod makes changes fast and simple. Whether or not you are coping with seasonal neck shifts or fine-tuning to your preferences, this function ensures the CT-20 stays in prime form.

The CT-20’s versatile pickup configuration—a ceramic humbucker on the bridge and two ceramic single coils within the center and neck—offers it a powerful vary of tones. With a five-way selector change, you’ll be able to go from glowing cleans to roaring distortion with ease.

Clear tones are brilliant and articulate, with positions two and 4 delivering that basic “quack” excellent for funk and pop. The neck pickup is heat and wealthy, preferrred for soulful blues or jazzy leads. On the heavier aspect, the bridge humbucker handles distortion superbly, offering readability and punch even in high-gain settings.

This tonal versatility makes the CT-20 an incredible alternative for gamers who dabble in a number of genres or desire a guitar that may do all of it.

The {hardware} on the CT-20 is nicely thought out. Its pivot fulcrum-style tremolo is flush-mounted, prioritizing tuning stability and clean operation over extra dramatic pull-back tips.

The tremolo arm screws in securely, letting you regulate the stress to your desire. Rhythm gamers may even respect the backstop design, which doubles as a snug palm relaxation for muting and management.

Plug the CT-20 into an amp, and it actually exhibits off. The clear tones sparkle, funk riffs pop, and blues solos sing with heat and depth. For heavier kinds, the bridge humbucker delivers tight, highly effective distortion that cuts via with out dropping readability.

Even with the inventory 9–42 strings, the guitar handles drop D tuning nicely. Gamers who experiment with decrease tunings may wish to change to heavier strings, however the CT-20 holds its personal admirably.

The Sterling by Music Man CT-20 Cutlass is a implausible instance of what is attainable in an reasonably priced guitar. It combines type, playability, and flexibility in a means that feels much more premium than its worth suggests.

Whether or not you are a newbie in search of a primary guitar that conjures up you to maintain enjoying or a seasoned participant trying to find a dependable, all-purpose instrument, the CT-20 suits the invoice.

For extra data, please go to:

sterlingbymusicman.com