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Reverend Charger 290
Schecter Dan Donegan Ultra
VS
Playability
72
Sound
78
Build
62
Value
76
Score
71
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Playability
78
Sound
79
Build
69
Value
75
Score
75
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Reverend Charger 290 vs Schecter Dan Donegan Ultra

Reasons to Get
Reverend Charger 290 over Schecter Dan Donegan Ultra

Release Year
2021 vs 2011
From a more recent year
Tone Knobs
2 vs 1
More tone control
Pickups
P90P90 vs HH
Vintage tone with decent versatility
Neck Thickness at 1st Fret
0.85'' (21.6mm) vs 0.79'' (20.1mm)
More comfortable open chords for big hands
Neck Thickness at 12th Fret
0.9'' (22.9mm) vs 0.87'' (22.1mm)
More comfortable at higher frets for big hands
Nut Width
1.693'' (43mm) vs 1.654'' (42mm)
Less likely to mute strings by accident and more space for fingerstyle
Fretboard Radius
12'' (304.8mm) vs 14'' (355.6mm)
More curved fretboard helpful to play chords without muting strings
Value Score
76 vs 75
Better price/quality relationship

Reasons to Get
Schecter Dan Donegan Ultra over Reverend Charger 290

Frets Height
Taller vs Shorter
Easier to press down strings and bend them
Pickup Mods
Coil Split vs None
Splits humbuckers into single coil pickups
Neck Joint
Neck-Through vs Bolt-On
Stronger neck and easier access to upper frets
Pickups
HH vs P90P90
High output without hum
Neck Thickness at 1st Fret
0.79'' (20.1mm) vs 0.85'' (21.6mm)
More comfortable open chords for small hands
Neck Thickness at 12th Fret
0.87'' (22.1mm) vs 0.9'' (22.9mm)
More comfortable at higher frets for small hands
Nut Width
1.654'' (42mm) vs 1.693'' (43mm)
Favors small hands, easier bar chords and other shapes
Fretboard Radius
14'' (355.6mm) vs 12'' (304.8mm)
Flatter fretboard makes it easier to play single notes and bend

Other Key Differences
Reverend Charger 290 vs Schecter Dan Donegan Ultra

Bridge Pickup
9A5 Bridge vs Schecter USA Brimstone-Six
Different Bridge Pickup
Neck Pickup
9A5 Neck vs Schecter USA Brimstone-Six
Different Neck Pickup
Body Wood
Limba vs Mahogany
Different Body Wood
Neck Wood
Roasted Maple vs Maple
Different Neck Wood
Fretboard Wood
Rosewood vs Ebony
Different Fretboard Wood
Headstock
6 vs 3-3
Different Headstock
Nut Material
Boneite vs Black Tusq XL
Different Nut Material

Shared Features
Reverend Charger 290 vs Schecter Dan Donegan Ultra

Strings
6
Same playing style
Body Type
Solid Body
Feedback free
Switch Positions
3
Same pickups versatility
Volume Knobs
1
Same volume control
Number of Frets
22
Same maximum octave
Paint Finish
Poly
Resistant paint that ages well
Bridge
Fixed
Good sustain and needs no set-up
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
Type of Frets
Jumbo vs XL Jumbo
You won't feel the fretboard when pressing down the strings

Common Strengths

  • Locking Tuners
  • High-Quality Nut
  • Top Pickup Brand
  • Expensive Wood

Common Weaknesses

  • Weight Relief
  • Stays in Tune (Evertune)
  • High-Quality Frets
  • Compound Radius Fretboard
  • From a High-Quality-Standards Country
  • Luminescent Sidedots
  • Strap Lock
  • 21:1 Tuner Ratio
  • Active/Passive Preamp

Table of Contents

Price History Comparison

SET PRICE ALERT

Schecter Dan Donegan Ultra Prices

SET PRICE ALERT

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Which One is Better Overall?

After going through our comparison algorithm, the results show that the Schecter Dan Donegan Ultra is probably the better product overall with its final score of 75 compared to the Reverend Charger 290's 71 score, although not by a lot.

The Schecter Dan Donegan Ultra wins when it comes to sound, playability, build quality. On the other hand, the Reverend Charger 290 has the upper hand when it comes to value for the money.

If you got small hands, you'll probably feel more comfortable playing the Schecter Dan Donegan Ultra.

Which One is Better for Beginners?

If you're looking for your first guitar to learn how to play, the Schecter Dan Donegan Ultra is the better choice.

The Schecter Dan Donegan Ultra meets 5 out of our 8 criteria items for beginner friendliness, while the Reverend Charger 290 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

Reverend Charger 290
  • Easy-to-use bridge
  • Locking tuners
  • Tall frets
  • Comfortable neck
  • Comfortable shape
  • Comfortable fretboard
  • Narrow nut
  • Short scale

New Player Friendliness

Schecter Dan Donegan Ultra
  • Easy-to-use bridge
  • Locking tuners
  • Tall frets
  • Narrow nut
  • Comfortable neck
  • Comfortable shape
  • 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.

Reverend Charger 290 Overview

  • From Reverend's 2021 Bolt-On series
  • Made in South Korea
  • 6 strings
  • 25.5"'' scale
  • 12" Fretboard Radius
  • Korina body
  • Roasted Maple neck
  • Rosewood fretboard
  • Bridge pickup: 9A5 Bridge (Single Coil/Passive)
  • 1 volume and 2 tone Dome knobs
  • 3-way Switch
  • TOM with Stop Tail bridge
  • Medium Oval Bolt-On neck
  • 22 Jumbo frets
  • Reverend Pin-Lock tuners
  • Weight between 7.45lbs (3.4kgs) and 8.4lbs (3.8kgs)
  • Compare Specs >

Schecter Dan Donegan Ultra Overview

  • From Schecter's 2011 Artist series
  • Dan Donegan Signature
  • Made in South Korea
  • 6 strings
  • 25.5"'' scale
  • 14" Fretboard Radius
  • Mahogany body
  • Maple 3-pc neck
  • Ebony fretboard
  • Bridge pickup: Schecter USA Brimstone-Six (Humbucker/Passive)
  • Neck pickup: Schecter USA Brimstone-Six (Humbucker/Passive)
  • 1 volume and 1 tone Speed knobs
  • 3-way Switch
  • TonePros T3BT TOM & T1Z Tailpiece bridge
  • Thin C Neck-Through neck
  • 22 XL Jumbo frets
  • Schecter Locking tuners
  • 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 the Reverend Charger 290

Roasted Maple wood pattern used for guitar building
Roasted Maple
Rosewood wood pattern used for guitar building
Rosewood
Limba wood pattern used for guitar building
Limba

Roasted Maple is just maple without a finish. It's technically cheaper than regular maple, but it doesn't have any extra disadvantages because of this. The color is darker, and it's lighter weight and very stable even when there's a lot of humidity.

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.

Limba is a relatively rare wood that shows exotic tight dark grain stripes. It comes in white or black. As a tonewood, it is comparable to Mahogany but with richer mids. Find out more about Limba.

Woods Used in the Schecter Dan Donegan Ultra

Maple wood pattern used for guitar building
Maple
Ebony wood pattern used for guitar building
Ebony
Mahogany wood pattern used for guitar building
Mahogany

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.

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: Tie.

Pickup Configuration

The Reverend Charger 290 has an P90P90 configuration while the Schecter Dan Donegan Ultra has HH pickups.

P90P90 gives you two P90s for a crunchy vintage tone. The tone sits somewhere in the middle between typical single-coils and humbuckers. They also produce less hum than single-coils, but they don't cancel it completely like humbuckers.

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

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.

However, the Reverend Charger 290 has a slight sound quality advantage when taking into account other factors like the type of pickups, magnet, position, etc.

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: Reverend Charger 290.

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.

Only the Schecter Dan Donegan Ultra 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.

Reverend Charger 290 pickups switch and push knobs diagram
Reverend Charger 290's switch options
Schecter Dan Donegan Ultra pickups switch and push knobs diagram
Schecter Dan Donegan Ultra'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 Dan Donegan Ultra.

Final Sound Quality Scores

Reverend Charger 290
Pickups 100
Sustain 75
Versatility 56
Tuning Stability 80
Sound 78
Schecter Dan Donegan Ultra
Pickups 90
Sustain 85
Versatility 59
Tuning Stability 80
Sound 79

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 Reverend Charger 290 compares to the Schecter Dan Donegan Ultra.

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.

The Reverend Charger 290 has a Boneite nut. This is an artificial material made to imitate the favored type of nut: bone. This allows it to sound and feel pretty much like bone, but without the inconsistency of natural materials.

On the other hand, the Schecter Dan Donegan Ultra 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.

Both come with a similar bridge: 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: Tie.

Tuners

They both have 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: 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 Reverend Charger 290 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 Dan Donegan Ultra comes with 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: Schecter Dan Donegan Ultra.

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

Strengths & Weaknesses
Reverend Charger 290
  • Locking Tuners
  • Expensive Wood
  • Boneite Nut
  • Top Brand Pickups
  • Cheap Fret Wire (NS)
  • Made in South Korea
  • No Neck-Through Build
  • No Push Knob or Extra Switch Option
  • No Weight Relief
  • No Luminescent Inlay
  • No Tremolo
  • No Compound Radius Fretboard
  • No 21:1 Tuner Ratio
  • No Strap Lock
Strengths & Weaknesses
Schecter Dan Donegan Ultra
  • Locking Tuners
  • Expensive Wood
  • Black Tusq XL Nut
  • Top Brand Pickups
  • Neck-Through Build
  • Coil Split Pickups
  • Cheap Fret Wire (NS)
  • Made in South Korea
  • No Weight Relief
  • No Luminescent Inlay
  • No Tremolo
  • No Compound Radius Fretboard
  • No 21:1 Tuner Ratio
  • No Strap Lock

Final Build Quality Scores

Reverend Charger 290
Quality of materials 56
Features 60
Quality Control 70
Build Quality 62
Schecter Dan Donegan Ultra
Quality of materials 56
Features 75
Quality Control 75
Build Quality 69

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

Reverend Charger 290 Nut Width
Reverend Charger 290 Nut Width
Schecter Dan Donegan Ultra Nut Width
Schecter Dan Donegan Ultra Nut Width

The nut width will affect the separation between strings at the nut. In this comparison, the Reverend Charger 290 has the wider nut with 43mm (1.693'') vs 42mm (1.654''). This is a 1mm (0.039'') difference

This means that it will be more difficult to do bar chords on the Reverend Charger 290, especially closer to the nut. However, it's also easier to play without muting strings accidently. This favors people with big hands.

Scale Length

Reverend Charger 290 and Schecter Dan Donegan Ultra'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

Reverend Charger 290 Neck Profile
Reverend Charger 290's neck profile
Schecter Dan Donegan Ultra Neck Profile
Schecter Dan Donegan Ultra'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 Reverend Charger 290 and the Schecter Dan Donegan Ultra 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

Reverend Charger 290 Fingerboard Radius
Reverend Charger 290's Fingerboard radius
Schecter Dan Donegan Ultra Fingerboard Radius
Schecter Dan Donegan Ultra'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 Reverend Charger 290's fingerboard radius is smaller, which means it's more curved than the Schecter Dan Donegan Ultra'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 Dan Donegan Ultra.

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 Reverend Charger 290 favors large hands more than the Schecter Dan Donegan Ultra.

Reverend Charger 290:
Big Hands
Small Hands
Schecter Dan Donegan Ultra:
Big Hands
Small Hands

Fret Size

Reverend Charger 290 Frets Size
Reverend Charger 290's Frets Size
Schecter Dan Donegan Ultra Frets Size
Schecter Dan Donegan Ultra's Frets Size

The Schecter Dan Donegan Ultra has XL Jumbo frets, which should be taller than the Reverend Charger 290's Jumbo 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

Reverend Charger 290
Bending & Vibrato Ease 85
Chord Playability 50
Solo Playability 80
Playability 72
Schecter Dan Donegan Ultra
Bending & Vibrato Ease 85
Chord Playability 60
Solo Playability 90
Playability 78

Specs Side-by-Side

Reverend Charger 290 vs Schecter Dan Donegan Ultra
General Reverend Charger 290 Schecter Dan Donegan Ultra
Brand: Reverend Schecter
Year: 2021 2011
Configuration: P90P90 HH
Strings: 6 6
Made in: South Korea South Korea
Series: Bolt-On Artist
Colors: Black, Blue, Green, Pink, Brown Burst Black
Left-Handed Version: No No
Body
Type: Solid Body Solid Body
Body Material: Korina Mahogany
Bridge: TOM with Stop Tail TonePros T3BT TOM & T1Z Tailpiece
Neck
Neck Joint: Bolt-On Neck-Through
Tuners: Reverend Pin-Lock Schecter Locking
Fretboard: Rosewood Ebony
Neck Material: Roasted Maple Maple 3-pc
Decoration: Dots Gold Dots
Scale Size: 25.5" 25.5"
Shape: Medium Oval Thin C
Thickness: 1st Fret: 0.85'' (21.6mm) - 12th Fret: 0.9'' (22.9mm) 1st Fret: 0.79'' (20.1mm) - 12th Fret: 0.87'' (22.1mm)
Frets: 22 Jumbo Nickel Silver 22 XL Jumbo Nickel Silver
Fretboard Radius: 12" 14"
Nut: Boneite Black Tusq XL
Nut Width: 43mm (1.693'') 42mm (1.654'')
Electronics
Bridge Pickup: 9A5 Bridge (Single Coil / Passive) Schecter USA Brimstone-Six (Humbucker / Passive)
Middle Pickup:
Neck Pickup: 9A5 Neck (Single Coil / Passive) Schecter USA Brimstone-Six (Humbucker / Passive)
Switch: 3 Way 3 Way
Knobs: Dome Speed
Pickup Mods: None Coil Split
Volume Controls: 1 1
Tone Controls: 2 1