Swap
Browse >>
Swap
Browse >>
Schecter C-1 FR S SLS Elite
Schecter Hellraiser C-1 FR
VS
Set a price alert
Set a price alert
Had
Have
Want
Add to Compare
Discuss or ask a question
Side to side spec comparison >
Reasons to Get
Schecter C-1 FR S SLS Elite over Hellraiser C-1 FR
Fret Material
Stainless Steel vs Nickel Silver
Best fret material that will last forever
Release Year
2018 vs 2006
From a more recent year
Compound Radius
12" to 16" vs 14"
Balanced playability for chords and single-notes
Pickup Mods
Multiple vs Coil Split
Neck Joint
Neck-Through vs Set
Stronger neck and easier access to upper frets
Neck Thickness at 1st Fret
0.748'' (19mm) vs 0.79'' (20.1mm)
More comfortable open chords for small hands
Neck Thickness at 12th Fret
0.787'' (20mm) vs 0.87'' (22.1mm)
More comfortable at higher frets for small hands
Pickups Power
Passive vs Active
Cleaner sound and no battery needed
Value Score
82 vs 75
Better price/quality relationship
Reasons to Get
Schecter Hellraiser C-1 FR over C-1 FR S SLS Elite
Pickup Mods
Coil Split vs Multiple
Splits humbuckers into single coil pickups
Volume Knobs
2 vs 1
More volume control
Neck Thickness at 1st Fret
0.79'' (20.1mm) vs 0.748'' (19mm)
More comfortable open chords for big hands
Neck Thickness at 12th Fret
0.87'' (22.1mm) vs 0.787'' (20mm)
More comfortable at higher frets for big hands
Pickups Power
Active vs Passive
More output
Other Key Differences
Schecter C-1 FR S SLS Elite vs Hellraiser C-1 FR
Bridge Pickup
Fishman Fluence Modern Ceramic vs EMG 81TW
Different Bridge Pickup
Neck Pickup
Sustainiac vs EMG 89R
Different Neck Pickup
Body Wood
Ash vs Mahogany
Different Body Wood
Neck Wood
Maple vs Mahogany
Different Neck Wood
Fretboard Wood
Ebony vs Rosewood
Different Fretboard Wood
Shared Features
Schecter C-1 FR S SLS Elite vs Hellraiser C-1 FR
Headstock
3-3
Same Headstock
Nut Material
Locking
Same Nut Material
Strings
6
Same playing style
Body Type
Solid Body
Feedback free
Switch Positions
3
Same pickups versatility
Tone Knobs
1
Same tone control
Pickups
HH
High output without hum
Number of Frets
24
Same maximum octave
Nut Width
1.625'' (41.3mm)
Same string separation at the nut
Paint Finish
Poly
Resistant paint that ages well
Bridge
Floyd Rose
Allows intense vibratos and techniques like Dive Bombs
Scale Length
25.5'' (647.7mm)
Same string tension and fret separation
Decorative Top
Flamed Maple vs Quilted Maple
Finished with beautiful natural wood patterns
Neck Profile Type
C
Comfortable neck that works for most people
Type of Frets
XL Jumbo
You won't feel the fretboard when pressing down the strings
Common Strengths
- Retainer Bar
- High-Quality Nut
- Top Pickup Brand
- Expensive Wood
Common Weaknesses
- Weight Relief
- Stays in Tune (Evertune)
- Compound Radius Fretboard
- From a High-Quality-Standards Country
- Luminescent Sidedots
- Strap Lock
- 21:1 Tuner Ratio
- Active/Passive Preamp
Price History Comparison
Schecter C-1 FR S SLS Elite Prices
SET PRICE ALERT
Set a price alert for the Schecter C-1 FR S SLS Elite We'll send you an email if we find the price you want
Schecter Hellraiser C-1 FR Prices
SET PRICE ALERT
Set a price alert for the Schecter Hellraiser C-1 FR We'll send you an email if we find the price you want
These are affiliate links. We may earn a fee if you purchase after clicking. These prices are prone to error. Make sure you're buying the right product after clicking on a link from our site. We are not liable if you buy the wrong product after following these links. As an Amazon Associate site we earn from qualifying purchases.
Which One is Better for Beginners?
The Schecter C-1 FR S SLS Elite meets 5 out of our 8 criteria items for beginner friendliness, while the Schecter Hellraiser C-1 FR meets only 4. This takes into account the type of frets, scale length, nut width, bridge type, fretboard radius, and neck profile to determine the easiest combination for new players.
New Player Friendliness
Schecter C-1 FR S SLS Elite
- Comfortable shape
- Comfortable fretboard
- Tall frets
- Narrow nut
- Comfortable neck
- Short scale
- Locking tuners
- Easy-to-use bridge
New Player Friendliness
Schecter Hellraiser C-1 FR
- Comfortable shape
- Tall frets
- Narrow nut
- Comfortable neck
- Comfortable fretboard
- Short scale
- Locking tuners
- Easy-to-use bridge
Nevertheless, when it comes to choosing an instrument, you should pick the one more compatible with your personal style. Still, below we'll try you to give you our results as objectively as it's possible to help you decide.
Sound Quality Comparison
The wood used in an electric guitar or bass is not as important to determine the final tone. However, some people prefer specific wood types, so we'll take a look at those first. Then, we'll take a look at the electronics to determine the versatility and sound quality of each instrument.
Woods Used in the Schecter C-1 FR S SLS Elite
Maple is one of the most popular necks for good reasons. It is a strong wood that is relatively cheap to make and looks beautiful. The highest quality maple is the hardest that comes from North America. Find out more about Maple.
Ebony is a high-end wood, so it is not cheap. It's only used for fretboards because it's also very heavy. It does an excellent job as a durable material while looking elegant. Find out more about Ebony.
Ash is a type of wood that Fender used almost exclusively in the 50s, and it's still used by many brands. It's a dense wood with a light color that works well for a transparent, natural finish because of its beautiful patterns. In terms of sound, it's known for emphasizing the mid and high frequencies, but with strong low end. Find out more about Ash.
Woods Used in the Schecter Hellraiser C-1 FR
Mahogany is a fairly rare wood nowadays. It's used mostly for bodies due to its relatively lightweight. Gibson popularized it with their Les Paul guitars during their golden years, so this wood has a lot of good reputation behind it. The most expensive type comes from South America and it's still used by Gibson even today. Find out more about Mahogany.
Rosewood is an almost purple-looking wood that is used mainly for fretboards since it's heavy, rare, and expensive. It's sometimes used on acoustic guitar bodies to create stronger warm tones. Find out more about Rosewood.
Winner: Tie.
Pickup Configuration
Both pickup configurations are HH. Double Humbucker (HH) is the choice for people who want a fuller, more round sound with tons of mids and lows. Humbuckers also get rid of the hum noise that plague single-coil pickups. They can work out for almost any genre going from Djent to even Jazz.
Pickups Quality
Both come with very good pickups from at least one of the specialized brands in the market. With pickups like these, you probably won't need an upgrade anytime soon.
You can purchase similar pickups to the Schecter C-1 FR S SLS Elite's and use them on any guitar:
We found the same or similar pickups to the Schecter Hellraiser C-1 FR's online:
The Schecter C-1 FR S SLS Elite's pickups are Passive while the Schecter Hellraiser C-1 FR's are Active.
Passive pickups are what most guitars use. These have a normal output that works well for most genres. However, Active pickups are the preferred choice of heavy metal players because they offer extra output thanks to their 9v battery, which results in a heavier, more distorted sound. Bear in mind that achieving a completely clean tone with them won't be easy. So if you want to also use clean tones, you might want to avoid Active pickups.
Winner: Tie.
Versatility Comparison
Some instruments offer you more ways to explore your creativity than others. Below you'll find how both compare when it comes to versatility.
Switch Options
Both are equal when it comes to the pickup switching option.
Both give you different pickup mod options.
The Schecter C-1 FR S SLS Elite offers Multi-Voicing, Sustainer.
Multi-Voicing means the pickups come with multiple ''voices'', which means they can change the tone and gain by a simple switch or knob. Piezo, Fishman and similar are considered multi-voicing pickups.
The pickups with Sustainer are able to recreate the 'feedback' you get when you hold your guitar near a speaker without muting the strings. This allows them to produce infinite sustain that you can use for as long as you want to create interest sounds and harmonics.
On the other hand, the Schecter Hellraiser C-1 FR comes with the following: Coil Split.
Coil Split lets you disconnect one of the pickup coils. When used with humbuckers, it turns them into single-coil with lower output and cleaner tone.
When evaluating versatility, we also take into consideration bridge and neck joint type, number of frets, switch options, amount of pickups and more.
Winner: Schecter Hellraiser C-1 FR.
Final Sound Quality Scores
Schecter C-1 FR S SLS Elite
Pickups85
Sustain100
Versatility69
Tuning Stability85
Sound85
Schecter Hellraiser C-1 FR
Pickups85
Sustain85
Versatility71
Tuning Stability85
Sound82
Build Quality Comparison
When it comes to build quality, we like to take into account everything used to build the instrument. This includes materials, hardware and the quality control expected depending on the country where it was built. Let's see how the Schecter C-1 FR S SLS Elite compares to the Schecter Hellraiser C-1 FR.
Country of Origin
The manufacturing country can tell a lot about the build quality of an instrument. Both in this comparison where made in South Korea.
South Korea was for many years the number one choice for mass-producing semi-premium guitars. They can build excellent guitars for a cheap price. Now, it's less common to find Korean guitars because Indonesia has proved capable of building guitars just as well, but likely for cheaper.
Winner: Tie
Nut Material
If you want your guitar to stay in tune and sound good, you need a well cut nut. Nut quality can be inconsistent even when comparing two copies of the same model. The best way to make sure you're nut will be well done is by getting a nut made by an expert company like TUSQ or Micarta.
In this case, both have Locking nuts. Instead of a regular nut, this guitar has a locking system that will lock down the strings at the nut, preventing it from getting out of tune. It removes one of the disadvantages of tremolo bridges, tune stability.
Both models come with a retainer bar, which is helpful when changing the strings on a double-locking tremolo. Without it, the strings would change pitch once you lock down the nut, so you'd have to make more micro-adjustments at the bridge to tune it correctly
Winner: Tie.
Fret Material
Most fret wire is made of nickel silver. This material eventually wears down after a lot of use and most instruments end up needing a complete fret replacement. However, some expensive models come with stainless steel frets. This is what you should aim for if you can afford it.
In this comparison, the Schecter C-1 FR S SLS Elite is the only one that has stainless steel frets. These frets will basically last for the entire life of the guitar. They will never need polishing nor replacement. And not only that, but some people also notice that bending and vibratos are much easier to perform when they upgrade to stainless steel.
Winner: Schecter C-1 FR S SLS Elite.
Bridge
The perfect bridge for you will depend on your playstyle because they all have advantages and disadvantages. However, some bridges are more expensive—like Floyd Roses and Evertunes—and thus add more value to a guitar.
Both come with a similar bridge: Floyd Rose. This is a double-locking bridge system that allows you to perform techniques like dive bombs and pinch harmonics. The locking nut allows your guitar to stay in tune even after the most intense tremolo usage. The disadvantage is that it takes more work to change the strings and set up everything correctly.
Since we need to be objective, the most expensive type of bridge will be the winner of this section. In the end, this doesn't matter if you're not going to use the bridge for its original purpose, so choose the bridge that fits your playing style better.
Winner: Tie.
Tuners
Both come with regular tuners.The Schecter C-1 FR S SLS Elite's are Grover Rotomatic 18:1 while the Schecter Hellraiser C-1 FR's are Grover
Winner: Tie.
Neck Joint
Contrary to popular belief, the difference in sustain and tone that some neck joints give to a guitar is simply unperceivable—if they're all well built. However, some of them do have advantages over the others.
The Schecter C-1 FR S SLS Elite has a Neck-Through neck joint. This neck is a lot more resistant and lets builders give the neck joint a more comfortable shape for soloing at the upper frets. The disadvantage is that they're more expensive and that if you damage your neck, you can't simply replace it like with bolt-on necks.
On the other hand, the Schecter Hellraiser C-1 FR comes with Set neck joint. This neck is tightly glued to the body. They give you the least versatility because you can't swap them for a neck that fits your hand better if you want to, unlike bolt-on necks. Some people think this gives more resonance and sustain, but there's no real difference if the bolt-on joint is well built.
Winner: Schecter C-1 FR S SLS Elite.
Here is the list of features that were considered when choosing the winner in the Features subcategory:
Strengths & Weaknesses
Schecter C-1 FR S SLS Elite
- Stainless Steel Frets
- Expensive Wood
- Locking Nut
- Top Brand Pickups
- Neck-Through Build
- Multi-Voicing, Sustainer Pickups
- Tremolo
- Compound Radius Fretboard
- Retainer Bar
- No Locking Tuners
- Made in South Korea
- No Weight Relief
- No Luminescent Inlay
- No 21:1 Tuner Ratio
- No Strap Lock
Strengths & Weaknesses
Schecter Hellraiser C-1 FR
- Expensive Wood
- Locking Nut
- Top Brand Pickups
- Coil Split Pickups
- Tremolo
- Retainer Bar
- Cheap Fret Wire (NS)
- No Locking Tuners
- Made in South Korea
- No Neck-Through Build
- No Weight Relief
- No Luminescent Inlay
- No Compound Radius Fretboard
- No 21:1 Tuner Ratio
- No Strap Lock
Final Build Quality Scores
Schecter C-1 FR S SLS Elite
Quality of materials75
Features90
Quality Control75
Build Quality80
Schecter Hellraiser C-1 FR
Quality of materials55
Features70
Quality Control75
Build Quality67
Playability Comparison
Let's now compare their playability. Bear in mind that the instrument will feel different depending on your hand size and play style. That's why you should always test before buying. But if you can't or want a second opinion on it, we can still take a look at each of the important measurements of the instrument for you. This way, we can predict how easy a guitar might be to play, or how different it will feel compared to the other.
Remember that, even though the difference might seem small, every inch counts when it comes to feeling of the instrument in your hands. Any variation can completely change how comfortable a guitar feels in your hands.
Nut Width
The nut width will affect the separation between strings at the nut. In this comparison, both have a nut width of 41.3mm (1.625'').
This is considered a narrow width for a 6-string guitar. This means that this guitar will have a narrower string separation at the nut, which will affect your fretting hand.
If you are a player with big hands, you might find it difficult to play chords without muting strings. However, this is good for players who have smaller hands, as it will allow them to reach each string more easily at the nut.
Scale Length
The scale length is one of the things that influences playability the most. This is the distance between the nut and the bridge and will affect everything from low action allowance, difficulty to perform bends, fret separation, and even tone.
In this case, both have a scale length of 25.5".
This is the scale used in most Stratocasters. It's slightly longer than the typical 24.75'' size found in Les Pauls, and it's one of the main reasons why Stratocasters have such a bright sound in general. A longer scale also means that the strings will have higher tension. This will help you get lower action without suffering fret buzz, which will also be helpful when playing in lower tunings without having to increase your string gauge.
However, this also means that there will be more separation between frets, which can make it more difficult to play. Also, bending the strings will require more strengths due to the increased tension, but remember that a tremolo guitar will offset this difficulty.
Lastly, remember that you can also affect the tension of the strings by changing your string gauge. You can use a thicker gauge for more tension and a lighter one for less tension.
Neck Profile
No single neck shape is better than others. However, most people tend to prefer a thinner necks because it doesn't get in their way when playing fast and most hand sizes can adapt to it pretty well. However, some people still prefer thicker necks for a better grip, especially if they have big hands.
Both the Schecter C-1 FR S SLS Elite and the Schecter Hellraiser C-1 FR have a C-shaped neck. This is what you'll find in most modern guitars. Most people feel like the thickness of a C neck is simply the less intrusive one for playing fast, while at the same time allowing you to grab the neck easily for resting if you want to.
Fretboard Radius
Most guitar fretboards are not flat; they usually have a curve or arc across their width. A curved fretboard will make it easier to perform chords without muting strings, while a flatter one will make it easier to play single notes, which is good for bending and soloing in general. The best fretboards have a compound radius that varies across the fingerboard, but they're not common since they take a lot more work to build.
In this case, the Schecter C-1 FR S SLS Elite is the only one with a compound radius. This is a huge win because it will give you the best of both worlds: a more curved radius in the first few frets for chords, and flatter as you come closer to the body for soloing.
Hand Size Comfortability
Everyone has a different hand size, and that's why it's recommended to try a guitar before buying, even if others tell you that it's comfortable to play. However, we can know whether a guitar favors small or large hands just by knowing its exact measurements.
After taking into account the scale length, nut width, neck profile and fretboard radius, we can conclude that both in this comparison favor small hands .
Schecter C-1 FR S SLS Elite:
Big Hands
Small Hands
Schecter Hellraiser C-1 FR:
Big Hands
Small Hands
Fret Size
Both have a XL Jumbo fret size. These are really tall frets made like this so you don't meet any resistance when playing techniques like vibrato, bending, tapping, etc. They should make the guitar easier to play, but you have to be careful not to get the notes out of pitch by pressing down too hard, which might happen since the fretboard will be too low to stop your hand.
Final Playability Scores
Schecter C-1 FR S SLS Elite
Bending & Vibrato Ease70
Chord Playability70
Solo Playability100
Playability80
Schecter Hellraiser C-1 FR
Bending & Vibrato Ease80
Chord Playability60
Solo Playability90
Playability77
Get our Newsletter
Get the latest guitar news, deals, lessons, reviews, and more, direct to your inbox!
Specs Side-by-Side
Schecter C-1 FR S SLS Elite vs Hellraiser C-1 FR
GeneralSchecter C-1 FR S SLS EliteHellraiser C-1 FR
Brand:SchecterSchecter
Year:20182006
Configuration:HHHH
Strings:66
Made in:South KoreaSouth Korea
Series:SLS EliteHellraiser
Colors:Black, OrangeWhite, Black, Red, Purple
Left-Handed Version:YesYes
Body
Type:Solid BodySolid Body
Body Material:Swamp AshMahogany
Bridge:Floyd Rose 1500 SeriesFloyd Rose 1000 Series
Neck
Neck Joint:Neck-ThroughSet
Tuners:Grover Rotomatic 18:1Grover
Fretboard:EbonyRosewood
Neck Material:Maple/Walnut/Padauk Multi-ply w/ Carbon Fiber Reinforcement RodsMahogany 3-pc
Decoration:Abalone Offset/Reverse DotsAbalone Gothic Crosses
Scale Size:25.5"25.5"
Shape:Ultra Thin CThin C
Thickness:1st Fret: 0.748'' (19mm) - 12th Fret: 0.787'' (20mm)1st Fret: 0.79'' (20.1mm) - 12th Fret: 0.87'' (22.1mm)
Frets:24 XL Jumbo Stainless Steel24 XL Jumbo Nickel Silver
Fretboard Radius:12" to 16"14"
Nut:LockingLocking
Nut Width:41.3mm (1.625'')41.3mm (1.625'')
Electronics
Bridge Pickup:Fishman Fluence Modern Ceramic (Humbucker / Active)EMG 81TW (Humbucker / Active)
Middle Pickup:
Neck Pickup:Sustainiac (Humbucker / Passive)EMG 89R (Humbucker / Active)
Switch:3 Way3 Way
Knobs:DomeDome
Pickup Mods:Multi-Voicing, SustainerCoil Split
Volume Controls:12
Tone Controls:11