Jason Richardson Cutlass 6 push-push wiring mod, and a more general question

[Dave Merrill]

PART 1

I'm interested in the Jason Richardson Cutlass 6, looks great, but there's one thing about the wiring that I'd like to change, wondering if it's possible with the switch that's used.

What I'd like is for the middle position of the pickup selector to be both pickups in full humbucking mode, like most 2-humbucker guitars, then with the push-push switch pushed, just the 2 inside coils, like the JR has full time.

Anyone know if the push-push switch would support that. Is it DPDT? Something else?


PART 2

Looks like the JR is really high output, meant for metal shredders.
Anyone use one for more mid-gain/EOB stuff?

 

[unix-guy]

From what I've seen/read, most (if not all) EBMM guitars are all circuit board based in the control cavity and are not really easily changeable.

I might be wrong, though...

 

[Dave Merrill]

From what I've seen/read, most (if not all) EBMM guitars are all circuit board based in the control cavity and are not really easily changeable.

I might be wrong, though...

Mmm, that would be a drag for us mad modifiers. Maybe not a hard no though.

How about PART 2? Anybody play one of these at lower to mid gain?

 

[Fro68]

Yank out the circuit board and wire it as you want it.

 

[TSJMajesty]

The JR Cutlass and a Majesty are actually very similar-sounding, (and not surprising, since Jason used to play one and JP is probably his biggest influence), and I keep getting surprised at all the tones its capable of, especially because of the Axe III. I recently messed around with the single coil split (it's a bit different on the Cutlass, i.e., outer vs. inner coils) and got the sweetest cleans & eob using the Mr. Floyd preset as a starting point. So even with those variables, I'd say yes. Maybe just call EBMM...?
That's as close as I can come to helping, but wanted to give you my thoughts anyway, since the JR is not all that common, it may be a long shot finding someone here who has one.

 

[Andy Eagle]

PART 1

I'm interested in the Jason Richardson Cutlass 6, looks great, but there's one thing about the wiring that I'd like to change, wondering if it's possible with the switch that's used.

What I'd like is for the middle position of the pickup selector to be both pickups in full humbucking mode, like most 2-humbucker guitars, then with the push-push switch pushed, just the 2 inside coils, like the JR has full time.

Anyone know if the push-push switch would support that. Is it DPDT? Something else?


PART 2

Looks like the JR is really high output, meant for metal shredders.
Anyone use one for more mid-gain/EOB stuff?

If you have a regular two HB guitar and both pickups are 4 conductor and they are wired to a three way switch ( regardless of vol~tone pot config ) then a DPDT switch (or push pull ) will work to tap the coil of both pickups. As to what is in there now I'm not sure. They do most things on PCB with shitty alpha pots these days.

 

[Dave Merrill]

If you have a regular two HB guitar and both pickups are 4 conductor and they are wired to a three way switch ( regardless of vol~tone pot config ) then a DPDT switch (or push pull ) will work to tap the coil of both pickups. As to what is in there now I'm not sure. They do most things on PCB with shitty alpha pots these days.

I'm more interested in the wiring I suggested than a separate switch (or push pull, which I flat out won't use).

 

[Andy Eagle]

I'm more interested in the wiring I suggested than a separate switch (or push pull, which I flat out won't use).

I must be missing something here because that's just stock three way two HB wiring with a coil tap that activates both PUs coil split.
Nothing wrong with the quality of the CTS DPDT push pull that you can get now.
Here is a diagram that uses two push pulls (one for each pu) but you could easily just connect the taps to both side of one DPDT and have the work together .2H_3B_1VppSPLn_1TppSPLb.jpg

 

[Andy Eagle]

CTS push pull, these are excellent, cts-push-pull-pots-dpdt

 

[Dave Merrill]

I just hate the ergonomics of push-pull switches, super awkward with a pick in your hand.

I'll need to think about the switching possibilities.

 

[Andy Eagle]

There's only mini toggle and push button other than push pull pots . Tyler and Suhr do a nice job of a push button and the Dave Gilmour sub mounted mini toggles options are worth a look. It's not easy to get decent mini switches though and the mod is not easily reversed if you don't like it.

 

[TSJMajesty]

I just hate the ergonomics of push-pull switches, super awkward with a pick in your hand.

I'll need to think about the switching possibilities.

I can't think of a situation in which I'd need to split coils during a song.
But the push/push function of the volume knob on the JR Cutlass (and on the Majesty) comes in real handy. You can just smack it (with a pick in your hand), get the gain boost, for say some quick harmonics like in Panama or Rest in Peace (Extreme), smack it again and go back to playing with the gain boost off. I'd imagine you could use this type of knob/switch for other wiring combinations also.

 

[jin1995x]

You can just smack it (with a pick in your hand), get the gain boost, for say some quick harmonics like in Panama or Rest in Peace (Extreme), smack it again and go back to playing with the gain boost off

my guitar in my display has a preamp boostswitch 16db when flipped, however after axe fx i have never really touched it. A switch is much faster and easier for the kinds of things you mentioned but. i guess you can adjust the gain boost on jr sig from the front too right?

 

[jin1995x]

Looks like the JR is really high output, meant for metal shredders.
Anyone use one for more mid-gain/EOB stuff?

its mid output at best from whatever i have seen about it. High gain output in my opinion is something like a dimarzio d'activator .

His pickups are pretty mid gain and more focused on cleans(with all the real splits) and shreddy mid gain stuff, rather than high gain chuggy stuff .

 

[Dave Merrill]

The used one I saw is gone, makes the whole project significantly more money. Oh well, snooze and lose. Didn't exactly snooze, but didn't exactly go try it and buy it either.

 

[jin1995x]

The used one I saw is gone, makes the whole project significantly more money. Oh well, snooze and lose. Didn't exactly snooze, but didn't exactly go try it and buy it either.

atleast you contemplated it, for a left hander like me, everything is nno go. There is no temptation, because most things are just not available left handed. lmao

 

[TSJMajesty]

my guitar in my display has a preamp boostswitch 16db when flipped, however after axe fx i have never really touched it. A switch is much faster and easier for the kinds of things you mentioned but. i guess you can adjust the gain boost on jr sig from the front too right?

It's a 20dB gain boost, but doesn't appear to be adjustable. So if you wanted adjust-ability, then yeah, a floor switch for the Axe Fx/FM3/9 would be the way to go. I like the convenience of it being on the guitar however, because since I'm not in a band atm, I never set up my switcher when playing.
Either way, I definitely like push/push knob/switches much more than push/pull.
@Cooper Carter as usual does a fantastic review of the JR Cutlass. And imo, hangs right there with Jason, but his songs are more, um, what's the word..., easier to listen to...? (Not that anybody asked ) And in his video, you can really hear how versatile a guitar it is.

 

[jin1995x]

It's a 20dB gain boost, but doesn't appear to be adjustable. So if you wanted adjust-ability, then yeah, a floor switch for the Axe Fx/FM3/9 would be the way to go. I like the convenience of it being on the guitar however, because since I'm not in a band atm, I never set up my switcher when playing.
Either way, I definitely like push/push knob/switches much more than push/pull.
@Cooper Carter as usual does a fantastic review of the JR Cutlass. And imo, hangs right there with Jason, but his songs are more, um, what's the word..., easier to listen to...? (Not that anybody asked ) And in his video, you can really hear how versatile a guitar it is.

I mean my guitar has a preamp switch on it for 16 db boost instead of push pull and it’s convenient.

I would like to try push pull someday.

Jason is my favourite guitarist though, really writes lovely technical stuff even if that's not something i currently enjoy the most to play.

Part of the reason i got an axe fx 3 is jason as well, apart from all the bands using the 2 back in the day.

 

[TSJMajesty]

I mean my guitar has a preamp switch on it for 16 db boost instead of push pull and it’s convenient.

I thought you may have meant a floor switch, but I wasn't sure. No worries.

I would like to try push pull someday.

You mean push/push?

Jason is my favourite guitarist though, really writes lovely technical stuff even if that's not something i currently enjoy the most to play.

Enjoy? Ha. I don't even attempt his stuff! Petrucci is more than enough for me. I finally got the intro riff to Never Enough up to speed!

Part of the reason i got an axe fx 3 is jason as well...

I looked at the pros using the III, and once I learned that JP had replaced his rack units with just the Axe, that, along with many other things I heard about, did it for me. I bought it mainly to use as a multi-effects unit with the Tri Axis & 2:90, but since the amp modeling was such a welcome surprise, especially after Cygnus came along, I hardly use the Mesa gear. (I wonder how many new people read these threads and wonder, "What's this 'Cygnus' thing I keep seeing all about?" )

This thread had me looking about around to learn more about the JR Cutlass. I already knew about the guitar, but now I really want to try one! It seems every single top is unique; Very cool. Kinda surprised at the number of them on Reverb right now, that seem to be in near-new condition, yet could probably be had for $1200 less than what a new one would set you back.
One thing that I'm certain of, just like a Majesty, you wouldn't think it's a very versatile guitar, but that's not true. I'm wondering if those sellers just didn't bond with it...

 

[guitarnerdswe]

PART 1

I'm interested in the Jason Richardson Cutlass 6, looks great, but there's one thing about the wiring that I'd like to change, wondering if it's possible with the switch that's used.

What I'd like is for the middle position of the pickup selector to be both pickups in full humbucking mode, like most 2-humbucker guitars, then with the push-push switch pushed, just the 2 inside coils, like the JR has full time.

Anyone know if the push-push switch would support that. Is it DPDT? Something else?


PART 2

Looks like the JR is really high output, meant for metal shredders.
Anyone use one for more mid-gain/EOB stuff?

Having quite heavily modded both my Music Man LIIIs with circuit board etc, I would say that it's probably a lot easier than what I did. Here is how the JR looks under the hood:

From left to right: Pickup selector switch, volume pot, boost trim pot, tone pot, and a silent circuit to keep the splits quiet (with it's own trim pot). Without having one in front of me, I can't say for certain that it's possible. You're going to have to do what I did, which is trace the circuit and wires with a multimeter to figure out how everything is connected.