Swap
Swap
Schecter Banshee Mach-7 FR S
Ibanez JS1CR
VS
Playability
77
Sound
85
Build
83
Value
77
Score
82
FIND IT ON:
Sweetwater logo
Playability
68
Sound
86
Build
74
Value
61
Score
76
FIND IT ON:
Sweetwater logo
Add more to comparison

Schecter Banshee Mach-7 FR S vs Ibanez JS1CR

Reasons to Get
Schecter Banshee Mach-7 FR S over Ibanez JS1CR

Decorative Top
Flamed Maple vs None
Finished with beautiful natural wood patterns
Fret Material
Stainless Steel vs Nickel Silver
Best fret material that will last forever
Release Year
2020 vs 2019
From a more recent year
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
Compound Radius
12" to 16" vs 10"
Balanced playability for chords and single-notes
Neck Profile
Ultra Thin U vs JS
Comfortable neck with more grip
Neck Joint
Neck-Through vs Bolt-On
Stronger neck and easier access to upper frets
Strings
7 vs 6
Allows you to play lower notes
Pickups
HH vs HS
High output without hum
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 0.88'' (22.4mm)
More comfortable at higher frets for small hands
Nut Width
1.875'' (47.6mm) vs 1.693'' (43mm)
Less likely to mute strings by accident and more space for fingerstyle
Luminescent Sidedots
Yes vs None
Assists you when playing in dark environments
Bridge
Floyd Rose vs Edge
Allows intense vibratos and techniques like Dive Bombs
Scale Length
26.5'' (673.1mm) vs 25.5'' (647.7mm)
Lower action and brighter natural tone
Value Score
77 vs 61
Better price/quality relationship

Reasons to Get
Ibanez JS1CR over Schecter Banshee Mach-7 FR S

Country of Manufacturing
Japan vs South Korea
Built with higher quality standards
Type of Frets
Medium vs XL Jumbo
You'll feel the fretboard when pressing down the strings
Neck Profile
JS vs Ultra Thin U
Comfortable neck that works for most people
Strings
6 vs 7
Narrower neck and fewer strings to change
Pickups
HS vs HH
High output with bright neck cleans
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
0.88'' (22.4mm) vs 0.787'' (20mm)
More comfortable at higher frets for big hands
Nut Width
1.693'' (43mm) vs 1.875'' (47.6mm)
Favors small hands, easier bar chords and other shapes
Bridge
Edge vs Floyd Rose
Intense vibratos with more features than a Floyd Rose
Scale Length
25.5'' (647.7mm) vs 26.5'' (673.1mm)
Easier bending, shorter fret separation and warmer natural tone

Other Key Differences
Schecter Banshee Mach-7 FR S vs Ibanez JS1CR

Bridge Pickup
Lundgren M7 vs DiMarzio Satchur8
Different Bridge Pickup
Body Wood
Ash vs Alder
Different Body Wood
Neck Wood
Roasted Maple vs Maple
Different Neck Wood
Fretboard Wood
Ebony vs Rosewood
Different Fretboard Wood
Headstock
R7 vs 6
Different Headstock

Shared Features
Schecter Banshee Mach-7 FR S vs Ibanez JS1CR

Neck Pickup
Sustainiac
Same Neck Pickup
Nut Material
Locking
Same Nut Material
Body Type
Solid Body
Feedback free
Switch Positions
3
Same pickups versatility
Volume Knobs
1
Same volume control
Tone Knobs
1
Same tone control
Number of Frets
24
Same maximum octave
Paint Finish
Poly
Resistant paint that ages well
Pickups Power
Passive
Cleaner sound and no battery needed

Common Strengths

  • Pickup Alter Switch/Knob
  • Retainer Bar
  • High-Quality Nut
  • Top Pickup Brand
  • Expensive Wood

Common Weaknesses

  • Weight Relief
  • Stays in Tune (Evertune)
  • Compound Radius Fretboard
  • Strap Lock
  • 21:1 Tuner Ratio
  • Active/Passive Preamp

Table of Contents

Price History Comparison

SET PRICE ALERT
SET PRICE ALERT

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 Overall?

After going through our comparison algorithm, the results show that the Schecter Banshee Mach-7 FR S is probably the better product overall with its final score of 82 compared to the Ibanez JS1CR's 76 score, although not by a lot.

The Schecter Banshee Mach-7 FR S wins when it comes to playability, build quality, value for the money. On the other hand, the Ibanez JS1CR has the upper hand when it comes to sound.

If you got small hands, you'll probably feel that the Ibanez JS1CR is easier to play.

Which One is Better for Beginners?

If you're looking for your first guitar to learn how to play, the Schecter Banshee Mach-7 FR S is the better choice.

The Schecter Banshee Mach-7 FR S meets 4 out of our 8 criteria items for beginner friendliness, while the Ibanez JS1CR 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

Schecter Banshee Mach-7 FR S
  • Comfortable shape
  • Comfortable fretboard
  • Tall frets
  • Comfortable neck
  • Narrow nut
  • Short scale
  • Locking tuners
  • Easy-to-use bridge

New Player Friendliness

Ibanez JS1CR
  • Comfortable shape
  • Tall frets
  • Comfortable neck
  • Comfortable fretboard
  • Narrow nut
  • 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.

Schecter Banshee Mach-7 FR S Overview

  • From Schecter's 2020 Banshee Mach series
  • Made in South Korea
  • 7 strings
  • 26.5"'' scale
  • 12" to 16" Fretboard Radius
  • Flamed Maple top
  • Swamp Ash body
  • Roasted Maple/Purpleheart Multi-ply with Carbon Fiber Reinforcement Rods neck
  • Ebony fretboard
  • Bridge pickup: Lundgren M7 (Humbucker/Passive)
  • Neck pickup: Sustainiac (Humbucker/Passive)
  • 1 volume and 1 tone Dome knobs
  • 3-way Switch
  • Floyd Rose 1500 Series bridge
  • Ultra Thin U Neck-Through neck
  • 24 XL Jumbo Stainless Steel frets
  • Grover Rotomatic 18:1 tuners
  • Compare Specs >

Ibanez JS1CR Overview

  • From Ibanez's 2019 JS series
  • Joe Satriani Signature
  • Made in Japan
  • 6 strings
  • 25.5"'' scale
  • 10" Fretboard Radius
  • Alder body
  • 3pc Maple/Bubinga neck
  • Rosewood fretboard
  • Bridge pickup: DiMarzio Satchur8 (Humbucker/Passive)
  • Neck pickup: Sustainiac (Humbucker/Passive)
  • 1 volume and 1 tone Dome knobs
  • 3-way Switch
  • Edge tremolo bridge
  • JS Bolt-On neck
  • 24 Medium frets
  • Gotoh machine heads 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 Schecter Banshee Mach-7 FR S

Roasted Maple wood pattern used for guitar building
Roasted Maple
Ebony wood pattern used for guitar building
Ebony
Ash wood pattern used for guitar building
Ash

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.

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 Ibanez JS1CR

Maple wood pattern used for guitar building
Maple
Rosewood wood pattern used for guitar building
Rosewood
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.

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.

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.

Winner: Schecter Banshee Mach-7 FR S.

Pickup Configuration

The Schecter Banshee Mach-7 FR S has an HH configuration while the Ibanez JS1CR has HS pickups.

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.

On the other hand, An HS configuration gives you a bridge pickup with a lot of output for playing distortion parts, but you'll also have the bright sound of a Tele or Strat neck pickup for your clean tones.

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.

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: 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 offer you the same type of pickup mod: Sustainer.

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.

Schecter Banshee Mach-7 FR S pickups switch and push knobs diagram
Schecter Banshee Mach-7 FR S's switch options
Ibanez JS1CR pickups switch and push knobs diagram
Ibanez JS1CR'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: Ibanez JS1CR.

Final Sound Quality Scores

Schecter Banshee Mach-7 FR S
Pickups 85
Sustain 100
Versatility 69
Tuning Stability 85
Sound 85
Ibanez JS1CR
Pickups 85
Sustain 100
Versatility 74
Tuning Stability 85
Sound 86

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 Banshee Mach-7 FR S compares to the Ibanez JS1CR.

Country of Origin

The manufacturing country can tell a lot about the build quality of an instrument. The Schecter Banshee Mach-7 FR S is built in South Korea while the Ibanez JS1CR is made in Japan.

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.

Japan has a long history of high-quality guitar building. Little has changed in terms of their manufacturing and quality control over the years. Many guitars made in this country can be compared—and even beat—others made in the US.

Winner: Ibanez JS1CR

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 Banshee Mach-7 FR S 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 Banshee Mach-7 FR S.

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 Schecter Banshee Mach-7 FR S'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 Ibanez JS1CR's is a Edge. This is a double-locking tremolo system designed by Ibanez. It's a tremolo inspired by Floyd Roses but with its own design improvements, like a push-in arm, better-positioned fine-tuners for more right-hand comfortability, replaceable knife edges, and more mass for more sustain. These bridges offer tons of versatility, but they also require more work than simpler tremolos to set up.

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: Ibanez JS1CR.

Tuners

Both come with regular tuners. The Schecter Banshee Mach-7 FR S's are Grover Rotomatic 18:1 while the Ibanez JS1CR's are Gotoh machine heads

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 Banshee Mach-7 FR S 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 Ibanez JS1CR comes with 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.

Winner: Schecter Banshee Mach-7 FR S.

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

Strengths & Weaknesses
Schecter Banshee Mach-7 FR S
  • Stainless Steel Frets
  • Expensive Wood
  • Locking Nut
  • Top Brand Pickups
  • Neck-Through Build
  • Sustainer Pickups
  • Luminescent Inlay
  • Tremolo
  • Compound Radius Fretboard
  • Retainer Bar
  • No Locking Tuners
  • Made in South Korea
  • No Weight Relief
  • No 21:1 Tuner Ratio
  • No Strap Lock
Strengths & Weaknesses
Ibanez JS1CR
  • Made in Japan
  • Expensive Wood
  • Locking Nut
  • Top Brand Pickups
  • Sustainer Pickups
  • Tremolo
  • Retainer Bar
  • Cheap Fret Wire (NS)
  • No Locking Tuners
  • 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 Banshee Mach-7 FR S
Quality of materials 75
Features 95
Quality Control 80
Build Quality 83
Ibanez JS1CR
Quality of materials 51
Features 70
Quality Control 100
Build Quality 74

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

Schecter Banshee Mach-7 FR S Nut Width
Schecter Banshee Mach-7 FR S Nut Width
Ibanez JS1CR Nut Width
Ibanez JS1CR Nut Width

The nut width will affect the separation between strings at the nut. In this comparison, the Schecter Banshee Mach-7 FR S has the wider nut with 47.6mm (1.875'') vs 43mm (1.693''). This is a 4.6mm (0.182'') difference

This means that it will be more difficult to do bar chords on the Schecter Banshee Mach-7 FR S, especially closer to the nut. However, it's also easier to play without muting strings accidently. This favors people with big hands.

Scale Length

Schecter Banshee Mach-7 FR S's Scale Length
Schecter Banshee Mach-7 FR S's Scale Length
Ibanez JS1CR's Scale Length
Ibanez JS1CR's 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.

The Schecter Banshee Mach-7 FR S has the longest scale: 26.5". The Ibanez JS1CR is only 25.5" long. This is a 1'' (25.4mm) scale length difference.

This longer scale means that the strings need more tension to get in tune. This is good if you want to avoid fret buzz, which can happen when the strings are too loose and touch the frets while vibrating. This is especially important when playing in lower tunings. This will also let you reduce the gap between fretboard and strings (low action) to make them easier to press down. However, this higher tension will also make it harder to perform bends and vibratos as the strings will feel stiffer.

This also means that the frets have a longer separation between each other, so this will make it harder for people with smaller hands when playing some chord positions.

Another characteristic of a longer scale is that it makes the guitar sound 'snappier' or brighter. This is due to the extra separation between harmonics and overtones produced by the tension. This influences tone more than any other factor (except the pickups).

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

Schecter Banshee Mach-7 FR S Neck Profile
Schecter Banshee Mach-7 FR S's neck profile
Ibanez JS1CR Neck Profile
Ibanez JS1CR'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.

In this case, both have different neck shapes:

The Schecter Banshee Mach-7 FR S has a U type of neck. This is also referred to as ''baseball neck'' because of its shape. It's usually thick, which is why some people with big hands like it. However, they can also be thin, similar to a C shape, but with more shoulders for a better grip.

The Ibanez JS1CR, 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

Schecter Banshee Mach-7 FR S Fretboard Compound Radius
Schecter Banshee Mach-7 FR S's Compound Fretboard Radius
Ibanez JS1CR Fingerboard Radius
Ibanez JS1CR'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 Schecter Banshee Mach-7 FR S 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.

And after taking into account the scale length, nut width, neck profile and fretboard radius, we can conclude that the Schecter Banshee Mach-7 FR S favors large hands more than the Ibanez JS1CR.

Schecter Banshee Mach-7 FR S:
Big Hands
Small Hands
Ibanez JS1CR:
Big Hands
Small Hands

Fret Size

Schecter Banshee Mach-7 FR S Frets Size
Schecter Banshee Mach-7 FR S's Frets Size
Ibanez JS1CR Frets Size
Ibanez JS1CR's Frets Size

The Schecter Banshee Mach-7 FR S has XL Jumbo frets, which should be taller than the Ibanez JS1CR'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

Schecter Banshee Mach-7 FR S
Bending & Vibrato Ease 70
Chord Playability 70
Solo Playability 90
Playability 77
Ibanez JS1CR
Bending & Vibrato Ease 65
Chord Playability 65
Solo Playability 75
Playability 68

Specs Side-by-Side

Schecter Banshee Mach-7 FR S vs Ibanez JS1CR
General Schecter Banshee Mach-7 FR S Ibanez JS1CR
Brand: Schecter Ibanez
Year: 2020 2019
Configuration: HH HS
Strings: 7 6
Made in: South Korea Japan
Series: Banshee Mach JS
Colors: Black Burst, Natural Burst Gray
Left-Handed Version: Yes No
Body
Type: Solid Body Solid Body
Body Material: Swamp Ash Alder
Bridge: Floyd Rose 1500 Series Edge tremolo
Neck
Neck Joint: Neck-Through Bolt-On
Tuners: Grover Rotomatic 18:1 Gotoh machine heads
Fretboard: Ebony Rosewood
Neck Material: Roasted Maple/Purpleheart Multi-ply with Carbon Fiber Reinforcement Rods 3pc Maple/Bubinga
Decoration: Offset/Reverse Roman Numerals Mother of Pearl dot
Scale Size: 26.5" 25.5"
Shape: Ultra Thin U JS
Thickness: 1st Fret: 0.748'' (19mm) - 12th Fret: 0.787'' (20mm) 1st Fret: 0.79'' (20.1mm) - 12th Fret: 0.88'' (22.4mm)
Frets: 24 XL Jumbo Stainless Steel 24 Medium Nickel Silver
Fretboard Radius: 12" to 16" 10"
Nut: Locking Locking
Nut Width: 47.6mm (1.875'') 43mm (1.693'')
Electronics
Bridge Pickup: Lundgren M7 (Humbucker / Passive) DiMarzio Satchur8 (Humbucker / Passive)
Middle Pickup:
Neck Pickup: Sustainiac (Humbucker / Passive) Sustainiac (Humbucker / Passive)
Switch: 3 Way 3 Way
Knobs: Dome Dome
Pickup Mods: Sustainer Sustainer
Volume Controls: 1 1
Tone Controls: 1 1