Dean USA Doyle Signature Annihilator vs Schecter C-1 Rob Scallon
Reasons to Get
Dean USA Doyle Signature Annihilator over Schecter C-1 Rob Scallon
Reasons to Get
Schecter C-1 Rob Scallon over Dean USA Doyle Signature Annihilator
Other Key Differences
Dean USA Doyle Signature Annihilator vs Schecter C-1 Rob Scallon
Shared Features
Dean USA Doyle Signature Annihilator vs Schecter C-1 Rob Scallon
Common Strengths
- Neck-Through Build
- High-Quality Nut
- Expensive Wood
Common Weaknesses
- Weight Relief
- Stays in Tune (Evertune)
- High-Quality Frets
- Compound Radius Fretboard
- Luminescent Sidedots
- Strap Lock
- Top Pickup Brand
- 21:1 Tuner Ratio
- Active/Passive Preamp
Table of Contents
Price History Comparison
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Which One is Better Overall?
After going through our comparison algorithm, the results show that the Schecter C-1 Rob Scallon is probably the better product overall with its final score of 74 compared to the Dean USA Doyle Signature Annihilator's 71 score, although not by a lot.
The Schecter C-1 Rob Scallon wins when it comes to sound, playability, value for the money. On the other hand, the Dean USA Doyle Signature Annihilator has the upper hand when it comes to build quality.
If you got small hands, none of these instruments will make a big difference when it comes to comfortability.
Which One is Better for Beginners?
If you're looking for your first guitar to learn how to play, the Schecter C-1 Rob Scallon is the better choice.
The Schecter C-1 Rob Scallon meets 6 out of our 8 criteria items for beginner friendliness, while the Dean USA Doyle Signature Annihilator meets only 2. 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
Dean USA Doyle Signature Annihilator- Tall frets
- Comfortable neck
- Comfortable shape
- Comfortable fretboard
- Narrow nut
- Short scale
- Locking tuners
- Easy-to-use bridge
New Player Friendliness
Schecter C-1 Rob Scallon- Comfortable shape
- Easy-to-use bridge
- Locking tuners
- Tall frets
- Narrow nut
- Comfortable neck
- Comfortable fretboard
- Short scale
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.
Dean USA Doyle Signature Annihilator Overview
- From Dean's 2022 Artist series
- Doyle Wolfgang Von Frankenstein Signature
- Made in United States
- 6 strings
- 25.5"'' scale
- 12" Fretboard Radius
- Mahogany body
- 3 Piece Mahogany neck
- Richlite fretboard
- Bridge pickup: Von Frankenstein MONSTER (Humbucker/Passive)
- 1 volume and 0 tone Dome knobs
- FU Custom bridge
- Doyle Spec. Ultra Slim D Shaped Neck-Through neck
- 27 Jumbo frets
- Schaller M6 Mini tuners
- Compare Specs >
Schecter C-1 Rob Scallon Overview
- From Schecter's 2022 Artist series
- Rob Scallon Signature
- Made in Indonesia
- 6 strings
- 25.5"'' scale
- 14" Fretboard Radius
- Swamp Ash body
- Mahogany 3-pc w/ Carbon Fiber Reinforcement Rods neck
- Ebony fretboard
- Bridge pickup: Schecter Diamond 78 Special Rob Scallon (Humbucker/Passive)
- Neck pickup: Schecter Diamond 78 Rob Scallon (Humbucker/Passive)
- 1 volume and 1 tone Dome knobs
- 3-way Switch
- Hipshot Hardtail (.125) w/ String Thru Body bridge
- Rob Scallon C Neck-Through neck
- 24 Jumbo frets
- Hipshot Grip-Lock tuners
- Weight between 7.75lbs (3.5kgs) and 8.2lbs (3.7kgs)
- Compare Specs >
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 Both
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.
Woods Used in the Dean USA Doyle Signature Annihilator
It's very similar to Ebony, but it is much cheaper to make. The main reason is that it is made from resin-infused paper. It is very durable and soft, so it's often used for fretboards and tops.
Woods Used in the Schecter C-1 Rob Scallon
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.
Winner: Schecter C-1 Rob Scallon.
Pickup Configuration
The Dean USA Doyle Signature Annihilator has an H configuration while the Schecter C-1 Rob Scallon has HH pickups.
A single H pickup gives you the advantage of having a little longer sustain (all other things being equal) because there will be less magnetic fields from other pickups affecting the strings' vibration. However, they also give you the least versatility because you won't have other pickups at different distances from the bridge to create different tones. A single humbucking pickup is used for noiseless high output, which is used mainly for Hard Rock genres.
On the other hand, 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
The Dean USA Doyle Signature Annihilator has pickups from a more specialized brand than the Schecter C-1 Rob Scallon. Its pickups should simply give you a better, fuller sound, although it all depends on what type of music you're going to play. We recommend these pickups for Hard Rock and similar genres.
Both use Passive pickups. This is what's used for most music genres. They have a regular output and will serve you for both high-gain and clean tones. The alternative (Active pickups) offer a higher output that is mostly used for heavy music.
Winner: Dean USA Doyle Signature Annihilator.
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
The Schecter C-1 Rob Scallon gives you 3 switch options while the Dean USA Doyle Signature Annihilator gives you 0. This means that the Schecter C-1 Rob Scallon gives you more options to find the right pickup combination for the type of sound you want to achieve
Only the Schecter C-1 Rob Scallon comes with some kind of pickup modification: 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.
The Dean USA Doyle Signature Annihilator doesn't come with pickup switching options.
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 C-1 Rob Scallon.
Final Sound Quality Scores
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 Dean USA Doyle Signature Annihilator compares to the Schecter C-1 Rob Scallon.
Country of Origin
The manufacturing country can tell a lot about the build quality of an instrument. The Dean USA Doyle Signature Annihilator is built in United States while the Schecter C-1 Rob Scallon is made in Indonesia.
The United States is considered one of the best electric guitar manufacturers in the world. A guitar made in this country is supposed to have world-class quality control. Nowadays, guitars made in other countries can beat some of the ones made in the US, but most of the time, this country offers the best you can get. Of course, that comes at a price.
Indonesia is becoming the most popular country for guitar building because they can make good instruments for a low price. Some people think that they're 'the new China' when it comes to build quality. But the truth is that Indonesian guitars are more consistent, although Chinese quality has improved a lot in the last few years.
Winner: Dean USA Doyle Signature Annihilator
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.
The Dean USA Doyle Signature Annihilator has a Locking nut. 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.
On the other hand, the Schecter C-1 Rob Scallon comes with a Black Tusq XL nut. TUSQ nuts are usually the highest quality you can get. Black TUSQs are made from a special slippery material that helps the strings get back to its original position (one of the keys to tune stability).
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.
Unfortunately, none of them come with stainless steel frets.
Winner: Tie.
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.
The Dean USA Doyle Signature Annihilator's brige is a 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.
On the other hand, the Schecter C-1 Rob Scallon's is a Fixed. It's a simple bridge that is very beginner-friendly since it doesn't require any set-up. You can swap strings easily. It might also give more sustain since it doesn't have complex moving parts that make the strings lose vibration. However, it doesn't have the same versatility as a tremolo bridge.
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: Dean USA Doyle Signature Annihilator.
Tuners
The Schecter C-1 Rob Scallon has the best tuners of the two because they are locking tuners. They'll help to keep your guitar in tune because they allow you to tune it without wrapping the strings around the posts. This avoids variations in the tuning due to the strings changing position at the post after a bend. They come at the disadvantage of being slightly heavier than regular tuners. Also, it makes it a lot easier to restring.
Nevertheless, the Dean USA Doyle Signature Annihilator has a locking nut, so it should have even better tune stability and doesn't need locking tuners.
Winner: Schecter C-1 Rob Scallon.
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.
Both have 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.
Winner: Tie.
Here is the list of features that were considered when choosing the winner in the Features subcategory:
Dean USA Doyle Signature Annihilator
- Made in United States
- Expensive Wood
- Locking Nut
- Neck-Through Build
- Tremolo
- Cheap Fret Wire (NS)
- No Locking Tuners
- No Top Brand Pickups
- No Push Knob or Extra Switch Option
- No Weight Relief
- No Luminescent Inlay
- No Compound Radius Fretboard
- No 21:1 Tuner Ratio
- No Retainer Bar
- No Strap Lock
Schecter C-1 Rob Scallon
- Locking Tuners
- Expensive Wood
- Black Tusq XL Nut
- Neck-Through Build
- Coil Split Pickups
- Cheap Fret Wire (NS)
- Made in Indonesia
- No Top Brand Pickups
- No Weight Relief
- No Luminescent Inlay
- No Tremolo
- No Compound Radius Fretboard
- No 21:1 Tuner Ratio
- No Strap Lock
Final Build Quality Scores
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, the Dean USA Doyle Signature Annihilator has the wider nut with 43mm (1.693'') vs 41.7mm (1.643''). This is a 1.3mm (0.05'') difference
This means that it will be more difficult to do bar chords on the Dean USA Doyle Signature Annihilator, especially closer to the nut. However, it's also easier to play without muting strings accidently. This favors people with big hands.
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.
In this case, both have different neck shapes:
The Dean USA Doyle Signature Annihilator has a D type of neck. This is a thin and flat neck that is made for playing fast. If you prefer a neck that doesn't get in your way when soloing, this is the shape you should use. Guitarists that prefer to have a bit more grip won't like this type of neck.
The Schecter C-1 Rob Scallon, on the other hand, has a C 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 Dean USA Doyle Signature Annihilator's fingerboard radius is smaller, which means it's more curved than the Schecter C-1 Rob Scallon's. This extra arc will make playing chords easier in this model. You won't be as likely to mute the strings, especially if you have big hands. However, playing single notes and bending will be easier on the Schecter C-1 Rob Scallon.
Still, both tend to favor soloing over chords, so if you're looking for a guitar for playing rhythm, you might want something else with a radius closer to a Stratocaster's 9.5''.
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 .
Dean USA Doyle Signature Annihilator:
Schecter C-1 Rob Scallon:
Fret Size
Both have a Jumbo fret size. This is one of the tallest frets you can get. You won't feel the fretboard when pressing down the strings. It will give you the best sustain and all types of chords will be easier to play. However, you can end up changing the pitch of your notes if you press too hard, which is something people used to feeling the fretboard do when trying Jumbo frets for the first time.
