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Ibanez YY20
Schecter Ultra-III
VS
Playability
72
Sound
75
Build
69
Value
72
Score
72
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Playability
73
Sound
69
Build
65
Value
74
Score
69
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Ibanez YY20 vs Schecter Ultra-III

Reasons to Get
Ibanez YY20 over Schecter Ultra-III

Release Year
2022 vs 2009
From a more recent year
Type of Frets
Medium vs XL Jumbo
You'll feel the fretboard when pressing down the strings
Pickups Brand
Seymour Duncan vs None
Pickups from a renown brand
Neck Joint
Bolt-On vs Set
Allows you to detach and swap the neck
Pickups
SS vs HHH
Beautiful cleans
Locking Tuners
Yes vs None
Easier to change strings
Neck Thickness at 1st Fret
0.83'' (21.1mm) vs 0.79'' (20.1mm)
More comfortable open chords for big hands
Nut Width
1.614'' (41mm) vs 1.654'' (42mm)
Favors small hands, easier bar chords and other shapes
Luminescent Sidedots
Yes vs None
Assists you when playing in dark environments
Bridge
Fixed vs Bigsby Tremolo
Good sustain and needs no set-up
Fretboard Radius
12'' (304.8mm) vs 14'' (355.6mm)
More curved fretboard helpful to play chords without muting strings

Reasons to Get
Schecter Ultra-III over Ibanez YY20

Frets Height
Taller vs Shorter
Easier to press down strings and bend them
Type of Frets
XL Jumbo vs Medium
You won't feel the fretboard when pressing down the strings
Pickup Mods
Coil Split vs None
Splits humbuckers into single coil pickups
Switch Positions
5 vs 3
More tone options
Pickups
HHH vs SS
High output without hum and tons of tone versatility
Neck Thickness at 1st Fret
0.79'' (20.1mm) vs 0.83'' (21.1mm)
More comfortable open chords for small hands
Nut Width
1.654'' (42mm) vs 1.614'' (41mm)
Less likely to mute strings by accident and more space for fingerstyle
Bridge
Bigsby Tremolo vs Fixed
Intense vibrato with a solid arm
Fretboard Radius
14'' (355.6mm) vs 12'' (304.8mm)
Flatter fretboard makes it easier to play single notes and bend
Value Score
74 vs 72
Better price/quality relationship

Other Key Differences
Ibanez YY20 vs Schecter Ultra-III

Bridge Pickup
Seymour Duncan Alnico II Pro APS1 vs Schecter Diamond Mini FilterTron
Different Bridge Pickup
Neck Pickup
Seymour Duncan Alnico II Pro APS1 vs Schecter Diamond Mini FilterTron
Different Neck Pickup
Body Wood
Alder vs Mahogany
Different Body Wood
Neck Wood
Maple vs Mahogany
Different Neck Wood
Nut Material
Bone vs Black Tusq XL
Different Nut Material

Shared Features
Ibanez YY20 vs Schecter Ultra-III

Fretboard Wood
Rosewood
Same Fretboard Wood
Headstock
3-3
Same Headstock
Strings
6
Same playing style
Body Type
Solid Body
Feedback free
Volume Knobs
1
Same volume control
Tone Knobs
1
Same tone control
Number of Frets
22
Same maximum octave
Neck Thickness at 12th Fret
0.87'' (22.1mm)
Same neck comfortability
Paint Finish
Poly
Resistant paint that ages well
Scale Length
25.5'' (647.7mm)
Same string tension and fret separation
Pickups Power
Passive
Cleaner sound and no battery needed
Neck Profile Type
C
Comfortable neck that works for most people

Common Strengths

  • High-Quality Nut
  • Expensive Wood

Common Weaknesses

  • Weight Relief
  • Stays in Tune (Evertune)
  • High-Quality Frets
  • Compound Radius Fretboard
  • From a High-Quality-Standards Country
  • Strap Lock
  • 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 Ibanez YY20 is probably the better product overall with its final score of 72 compared to the Schecter Ultra-III's 69 score, although not by a lot.

The Ibanez YY20 wins when it comes to sound, build quality. On the other hand, the Schecter Ultra-III has the upper hand when it comes to playability, value for the money.

If you got small hands, you'll probably feel that the Schecter Ultra-III is easier to play.

Which One is Better for Beginners?

If you're looking for your first guitar to learn how to play, the Ibanez YY20 is the better choice.

The Ibanez YY20 meets 5 out of our 8 criteria items for beginner friendliness, while the Schecter Ultra-III meets only 3. 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

Ibanez YY20
  • Easy-to-use bridge
  • Locking tuners
  • Tall frets
  • Narrow nut
  • Comfortable neck
  • Comfortable shape
  • Comfortable fretboard
  • Short scale

New Player Friendliness

Schecter Ultra-III
  • Tall frets
  • Narrow nut
  • Comfortable neck
  • Comfortable shape
  • 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.

Ibanez YY20 Overview

  • From Ibanez's 2022 YY series
  • Yvette Young Signature
  • Made in Indonesia
  • 6 strings
  • 25.5"'' scale
  • 12" Fretboard Radius
  • Alder body
  • Maple neck
  • Rosewood fretboard
  • Bridge pickup: Seymour Duncan Alnico II Pro APS1 (Single Coil/Passive)
  • Neck pickup: Seymour Duncan Alnico II Pro APS1 (Single Coil/Passive)
  • 1 volume and 1 tone Bell knobs
  • 3-way Switch
  • Gotoh GTC202 bridge
  • YY Bolt-On neck
  • 22 Medium frets
  • Gotoh MG-T locking machine heads tuners
  • Compare Specs >

Schecter Ultra-III Overview

  • From Schecter's 2009 Retro series
  • Made in South Korea
  • 6 strings
  • 25.5"'' scale
  • 14" Fretboard Radius
  • Mahogany body
  • Mahogany 3-pc neck
  • Rosewood fretboard
  • Bridge pickup: Schecter Diamond Mini FilterTron (Humbucker/Passive)
  • Middle pickup: Schecter Diamond Mini FilterTron (Humbucker/Passive)
  • Neck pickup: Schecter Diamond Mini FilterTron (Humbucker/Passive)
  • 1 volume and 1 tone Bell knobs
  • 5-way Switch
  • Bigsby Flat Top B50 w/ Roller TOM bridge
  • Thin C Set neck
  • 22 XL Jumbo frets
  • Grover tuners
  • Weight between 8.35lbs (3.8kgs) and 9.1lbs (4.1kgs)
  • 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

Rosewood wood pattern used for guitar building
Rosewood

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.

Woods Used in the Ibanez YY20

Maple wood pattern used for guitar building
Maple
Alder wood pattern used for guitar building
Alder

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.

Alder is the most popular wood that Fender uses in most of their guitars nowadays. Even though they say it's because of its balanced tone with an emphasis in the upper midrange, it probably is because it isn't too expensive, and it's also pretty lightweight—more than Mahogany. Find out more about Alder.

Woods Used in the Schecter Ultra-III

Mahogany wood pattern used for guitar building
Mahogany

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.

Winner: Schecter Ultra-III.

Pickup Configuration

The Ibanez YY20 has an SS configuration while the Schecter Ultra-III has HHH pickups.

SS is the classic Telecaster configuration. It's used mainly for playing clean or with low-gain distortion, and it's very popular for the country genre because of their brightness. It doesn't give you as much versatility as a Strat SSS configuration, but you might like the cleaner look of a guitar body with fewer pickups.

On the other hand, A triple Humbucker (HHH) can be intimidating at first, but it's one of the combinations that offer the most tone versatility. You'll be able to have from a lot of output for Hard Rock genres, to warm and clean sounds that are more common in Jazz.

Pickups Quality

The Ibanez YY20 has pickups from a more specialized brand than the Schecter Ultra-III. 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 Country and similar genres.

You can purchase similar pickups to the Ibanez YY20's and use them on any guitar:

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: Ibanez YY20.

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 Ultra-III gives you 5 switch options while the Ibanez YY20 gives you 3. This means that the Schecter Ultra-III gives you more options to find the right pickup combination for the type of sound you want to achieve

Only the Schecter Ultra-III 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.

Ibanez YY20 pickups switch and push knobs diagram
Ibanez YY20's switch options
Schecter Ultra-III pickups switch selector and push knobs diagram
Schecter Ultra-III's switch 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 Ultra-III.

Final Sound Quality Scores

Ibanez YY20
Pickups 100
Sustain 65
Versatility 54
Tuning Stability 80
Sound 75
Schecter Ultra-III
Pickups 60
Sustain 80
Versatility 70
Tuning Stability 65
Sound 69

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 Ibanez YY20 compares to the Schecter Ultra-III.

Country of Origin

The manufacturing country can tell a lot about the build quality of an instrument. The Ibanez YY20 is built in Indonesia while the Schecter Ultra-III is made in South Korea.

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.

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.

The Ibanez YY20 has a Bone nut. It's a type of nut found in high-quality instruments. They sound similar to Ivory since they give a lot of sustain and a bright sound (at least when striking open strings). The only problem they can run into is that you may get a bone piece that simply doesn't sound as well as others because that's just how natural materials are.

On the other hand, the Schecter Ultra-III 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 Ibanez YY20's brige 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.

On the other hand, the Schecter Ultra-III's is a Bigsby Tremolo. Bigsby tremolos are built differently than regular tremolos. They have a stiffer arm, which is something a lot of people like because the arm won't wiggle around a lot. On the other hand, this type of tremolo is more complicated to restring and it might not be as newbie-friendly as other simpler tremolos.

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: Schecter Ultra-III.

Tuners

The Ibanez YY20 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.

Winner: Ibanez YY20.

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 Ibanez YY20 has a Bolt-On neck joint. This neck is joined to the body by 4 bolts that you can simply unscrew. This allows you to replace the neck or take it off for travel. It's the most common and cheapest way to build a guitar.

On the other hand, the Schecter Ultra-III 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: Ibanez YY20.

Here is the list of features that were considered when choosing the winner in the Features subcategory:

Strengths & Weaknesses
Ibanez YY20
  • Locking Tuners
  • Expensive Wood
  • Bone Nut
  • Top Brand Pickups
  • Luminescent Inlay
  • Cheap Fret Wire (NS)
  • Made in Indonesia
  • No Neck-Through Build
  • No Push Knob or Extra Switch Option
  • No Weight Relief
  • No Tremolo
  • No Compound Radius Fretboard
  • No 21:1 Tuner Ratio
  • No Strap Lock
Strengths & Weaknesses
Schecter Ultra-III
  • Expensive Wood
  • Black Tusq XL Nut
  • Coil Split Pickups
  • Tremolo
  • Cheap Fret Wire (NS)
  • No Locking Tuners
  • Made in South Korea
  • No Top Brand Pickups
  • 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

Ibanez YY20
Quality of materials 66
Features 65
Quality Control 75
Build Quality 69
Schecter Ultra-III
Quality of materials 66
Features 60
Quality Control 70
Build Quality 65

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

Ibanez YY20 Nut Width
Ibanez YY20 Nut Width
Schecter Ultra-III Nut Width
Schecter Ultra-III Nut Width

The nut width will affect the separation between strings at the nut. In this comparison, the Schecter Ultra-III has the wider nut with 42mm (1.654'') vs 41mm (1.614''). This is a 1mm (0.04'') difference

This means that it will be more difficult to do bar chords on the Schecter Ultra-III, especially closer to the nut. However, it's also easier to play without muting strings accidently. This favors people with big hands.

Scale Length

Ibanez YY20 and Schecter Ultra-III's Scale Length
Both have the same 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

Ibanez YY20 Neck Profile
Ibanez YY20's neck profile
Schecter Ultra-III Neck Profile
Schecter Ultra-III's 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 Ibanez YY20 and the Schecter Ultra-III 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

Ibanez YY20 Fingerboard Radius
Ibanez YY20's Fingerboard radius
Schecter Ultra-III Fingerboard Radius
Schecter Ultra-III's Fingerboard 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 Ibanez YY20's fingerboard radius is smaller, which means it's more curved than the Schecter Ultra-III'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 Ultra-III.

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.

And after taking into account the scale length, nut width, neck profile and fretboard radius, we can conclude that the Ibanez YY20 favors large hands more than the Schecter Ultra-III. But it's still more comfortable for people with small hands, as you can see in the score meter below.

Ibanez YY20:
Big Hands
Small Hands
Schecter Ultra-III:
Big Hands
Small Hands

Fret Size

Ibanez YY20 Frets Size
Ibanez YY20's Frets Size
Schecter Ultra-III Frets Size
Schecter Ultra-III's Frets Size

The Schecter Ultra-III has XL Jumbo frets, which should be taller than the Ibanez YY20's Medium frets.

Some people prefer taller frets because they result in more sustain since the strings get pressed cleanly without interference from the fretboard. However, if they're too tall—like Jumbo frets—, you might change the pitch of the strings accidentally if you press too hard because you won't be touching the fretboard with your fingers. This is also why some guitarists with a heavy grip prefer smaller frets. They like to feel the fingerboard to avoid pressing down too hard and getting out of pitch.

Final Playability Scores

Ibanez YY20
Bending & Vibrato Ease 75
Chord Playability 70
Solo Playability 70
Playability 72
Schecter Ultra-III
Bending & Vibrato Ease 80
Chord Playability 60
Solo Playability 80
Playability 73

Specs Side-by-Side

Ibanez YY20 vs Schecter Ultra-III
General Ibanez YY20 Schecter Ultra-III
Brand: Ibanez Schecter
Year: 2022 2009
Configuration: SS HHH
Strings: 6 6
Made in: Indonesia South Korea
Series: YY Retro
Colors: Orange Blue, Red, Yellow
Left-Handed Version: No No
Body
Type: Solid Body Solid Body
Body Material: Alder Mahogany
Bridge: Gotoh GTC202 Bigsby Flat Top B50 w/ Roller TOM
Neck
Neck Joint: Bolt-On Set
Tuners: Gotoh MG-T locking machine heads Grover
Fretboard: Rosewood Rosewood
Neck Material: Maple Mahogany 3-pc
Decoration: White Dot Pearl Blocks
Scale Size: 25.5" 25.5"
Shape: YY Thin C
Thickness: 1st Fret: 0.83'' (21.1mm) - 12th Fret: 0.87'' (22.1mm) 1st Fret: 0.79'' (20.1mm) - 12th Fret: 0.87'' (22.1mm)
Frets: 22 Medium Nickel Silver 22 XL Jumbo Nickel Silver
Fretboard Radius: 12" 14"
Nut: Bone Black Tusq XL
Nut Width: 41mm (1.614'') 42mm (1.654'')
Electronics
Bridge Pickup: Seymour Duncan Alnico II Pro APS1 (Single Coil / Passive) Schecter Diamond Mini FilterTron (Humbucker / Passive)
Middle Pickup: Schecter Diamond Mini FilterTron (Humbucker / Passive)
Neck Pickup: Seymour Duncan Alnico II Pro APS1 (Single Coil / Passive) Schecter Diamond Mini FilterTron (Humbucker / Passive)
Switch: 3 Way 5 Way
Knobs: Bell Bell
Pickup Mods: None Coil Split
Volume Controls: 1 1
Tone Controls: 1 1