Huh, stats keep saying that the C1 flies better than the cutty... I did some combat in it and it sure as hell don't feel like it but it's perfectly adequate enough so I guess the data is correct... Anyways, it's decent at defending itself from the usual low level npc scum.
The lack of missiles is... well, depends on how missilies will get patched. One patch they are OP, the next they are useless.... I did do some VLRT huntin and the stock guns are okay. The missiles were gone fast and didn't do much. But at least it doesn't run out of cap easily. I have seen some mad performances on videos where it did VHRTs, it is capable but sure as hell ain't the best thing for it. As gun stats will be changing a lot still, it's anybodies guess where things will end up.
The cutty feels smaller, easier to get around with, it's got more doors you can actually make use of, I feel like it's more practical when it comes to combat oriented tasks imo. If you have crew mates, at least one can man a turret and be useful.
The C1 is really more of a clean-cut small freighter.
Because so much of the gameplay mechanics depends on having an easy to access ramp and cargospace, and it has guns, it does work as a daily for any task really. But if I were going raiding with a party of 4-6 players I'd still take a cutty for the doors and thus fire support, the extra booster seats, the turret, and for having a smaller crossection for a target. The C1 is a huge effing triangle, hard to miss, the cutty is just sleeker. I just feel like the cutty is more fun when doing stuff in a party.
What I do love about my C1 though is the straightforward design. Cos it's literally just run straight in and you are in the pilot seat, although the doors can be annoying sometimes just like in the cutty.
But most of all I love the Huuuuuuge amounts of booster time it has. You can get out of the "slow zone" on almost any planet with a single full length boost session. The cutty doesn't come anywhere near. This makes it a great machine to use as a main for planet hopping tasks. I used to stick to the stations above the cities so I wouldn't have to climb out of atmo, but for the first time, I don't have to worry about it.
As for Q fuel, for now it's great but that's gonna change, as for H fuel, it eats it up like a racecar. I can't remember a time when I had to go around chasing ports to fill up before the ship was lost and reset. With the C1, you do have to plan for it happening more than once in a couple hour long playsession. It runs out surprisingly fast and it doesn't die easily so you will end up having to feed it. Ofc you could claim it again and again, but it's the first time I don't actually have to once every 2 hours and I like that. It's starting to feel like a game where my ship is actually mine and not just a rental until another 30K hits.
I do daily my C1, I bought it to be my main allrounder along with my original 300i. I had a cutty black loaner for quiet a while and the easy answer is whether you should melt or it not: get both. Both are great at being a solo ship, and they are useful as party transports as well. But they are a different flavor. As the cutty is pretty cheap in game, I'll be pickin one up as soon as I can.
I can't compare it to a Freelancer or MAX, only had a base lancer for a bit when CIG gave us one for some reason and it simply stuck to my account for 2 patches or so. I remember doing bounty missions in it with guns set up for pure alpha. It was fun and waaay more effective than a cutty or the C1. But that was ages ago, much has changed since.
TLDR: as a C1 owner, would I take out a Cutty for a run instead? Yes, I would. Both serve different tasks, have different feel and uses. Keep one, buy the other in-game.
C1 is better a better cargo ship, Cutty is a better multicrew and combat oriented ship. Have both!
