Swap
Swap
Schecter Banshee Mach-7 FR S
Schecter Sun Valley Super Shredder FR S
VS
Playability
77
Sound
85
Build
83
Value
77
Score
82
FIND IT ON:
Sweetwater logo
Playability
77
Sound
85
Build
62
Value
80
Score
75
FIND IT ON:
Sweetwater logo
Add more to comparison

Schecter Banshee Mach-7 FR S vs Sun Valley Super Shredder FR S

Reasons to Get
Schecter Banshee Mach-7 FR S over Sun Valley Super Shredder FR S

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 2017
From a more recent year
Compound Radius
12" to 16" vs 14"
Balanced playability for chords and single-notes
Neck Profile
Ultra Thin U vs Thin C
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
Tone Knobs
1 vs 0
More tone control
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
Nut Width
1.875'' (47.6mm) vs 1.625'' (41.3mm)
Less likely to mute strings by accident and more space for fingerstyle
Luminescent Sidedots
Yes vs None
Assists you when playing in dark environments
Scale Length
26.5'' (673.1mm) vs 25.5'' (647.7mm)
Lower action and brighter natural tone

Reasons to Get
Schecter Sun Valley Super Shredder FR S over Banshee Mach-7 FR S

Neck Profile
Thin C vs Ultra Thin U
Comfortable neck that works for most people
Strings
6 vs 7
Narrower neck and fewer strings to change
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
Nut Width
1.625'' (41.3mm) vs 1.875'' (47.6mm)
Favors small hands, easier bar chords and other shapes
Scale Length
25.5'' (647.7mm) vs 26.5'' (673.1mm)
Easier bending, shorter fret separation and warmer natural tone
Value Score
80 vs 77
Better price/quality relationship

Other Key Differences
Schecter Banshee Mach-7 FR S vs Sun Valley Super Shredder FR S

Bridge Pickup
Lundgren M7 vs EMG Retro Active Hot 70
Different Bridge Pickup
Body Wood
Ash vs Mahogany
Different Body Wood
Neck Wood
Roasted Maple vs Maple
Different Neck Wood
Headstock
R7 vs 6
Different Headstock

Shared Features
Schecter Banshee Mach-7 FR S vs Sun Valley Super Shredder FR S

Neck Pickup
Sustainiac
Same Neck Pickup
Fretboard Wood
Ebony
Same Fretboard Wood
Nut Material
Locking
Same Nut Material
Body Type
Solid Body
Feedback free
Switch Positions
3
Same pickups versatility
Pickups
HH
High output without hum
Number of Frets
24
Same maximum octave
Paint Finish
Poly
Resistant paint that ages well
Bridge
Floyd Rose
Allows intense vibratos and techniques like Dive Bombs
Pickups Power
Passive
Cleaner sound and no battery needed
Type of Frets
XL Jumbo
You won't feel the fretboard when pressing down the strings

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
  • From a High-Quality-Standards Country
  • Strap Lock
  • 21:1 Tuner Ratio
  • Active/Passive Preamp

Table of Contents

Price History Comparison

SET PRICE ALERT

Schecter Sun Valley Super Shredder FR S Prices

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 Schecter Sun Valley Super Shredder FR S's 75 score, although not by a lot.

The Schecter Banshee Mach-7 FR S wins when it comes to build quality. On the other hand, the Schecter Sun Valley Super Shredder FR S has the upper hand when it comes to value for the money.

If you got small hands, you'll probably feel that the Schecter Sun Valley Super Shredder FR S is easier to play.

Which One is Better for Beginners?

Both meet 4 out of our 8 criteria items for beginner friendliness. 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. If you're looking for your first guitar to learn how to play, you can't go wrong with either of them.

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

Schecter Sun Valley Super Shredder FR S
  • 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.

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 >

Schecter Sun Valley Super Shredder FR S Overview

  • From Schecter's 2017 Sun Valley Super Shredder series
  • Made in Indonesia
  • 6 strings
  • 25.5"'' scale
  • 14" Fretboard Radius
  • Mahogany body
  • Maple neck
  • Ebony fretboard
  • Bridge pickup: EMG Retro Active Hot 70 (Humbucker/Active)
  • Neck pickup: Sustainiac (Humbucker/Passive)
  • 2 volume and 0 tone Dome knobs
  • 3-way Switch
  • Floyd Rose Special Hot Rod Locking Tremolo (Schecter Exclusive) bridge
  • Thin C Bolt-On neck
  • 24 XL Jumbo frets
  • Schecter tuners
  • Weight between 7.3lbs (3.3kgs) and 7.8lbs (3.5kgs)
  • 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

Ebony wood pattern used for guitar building
Ebony

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.

Woods Used in the Schecter Banshee Mach-7 FR S

Roasted Maple wood pattern used for guitar building
Roasted Maple
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.

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 Sun Valley Super Shredder FR S

Maple wood pattern used for guitar building
Maple
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.

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

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.

We found the same or similar pickups to the Schecter Sun Valley Super Shredder FR S's online:

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.

They both share the following switching options:

Schecter Banshee Mach-7 FR S and Schecter Sun Valley Super Shredder FR S pickups switch and push knobs diagram
Schecter Banshee Mach-7 FR S and Schecter Sun Valley Super Shredder FR S'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: Tie.

Final Sound Quality Scores

Schecter Banshee Mach-7 FR S
Pickups 85
Sustain 100
Versatility 69
Tuning Stability 85
Sound 85
Schecter Sun Valley Super Shredder FR S
Pickups 85
Sustain 100
Versatility 69
Tuning Stability 85
Sound 85

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 Schecter Sun Valley Super Shredder FR S.

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 Schecter Sun Valley Super Shredder FR S is made in Indonesia.

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.

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: 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 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.

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 Banshee Mach-7 FR S's are Grover Rotomatic 18:1 while the Schecter Sun Valley Super Shredder FR S's are Schecter

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 Schecter Sun Valley Super Shredder FR S 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
Schecter Sun Valley Super Shredder FR S
  • Expensive Wood
  • Locking Nut
  • Top Brand Pickups
  • Sustainer Pickups
  • Tremolo
  • Retainer Bar
  • Cheap Fret Wire (NS)
  • No Locking Tuners
  • Made in Indonesia
  • 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
Schecter Sun Valley Super Shredder FR S
Quality of materials 46
Features 70
Quality Control 70
Build Quality 62

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
Schecter Sun Valley Super Shredder FR S Nut Width
Schecter Sun Valley Super Shredder FR S 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 41.3mm (1.625''). This is a 6.3mm (0.25'') 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
Schecter Sun Valley Super Shredder FR S's Scale Length
Schecter Sun Valley Super Shredder FR S'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 Schecter Sun Valley Super Shredder FR S 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
Schecter Sun Valley Super Shredder FR S Neck Profile
Schecter Sun Valley Super Shredder FR S'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 Schecter Sun Valley Super Shredder FR S, 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
Schecter Sun Valley Super Shredder FR S Fingerboard Radius
Schecter Sun Valley Super Shredder FR S'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 Schecter Sun Valley Super Shredder FR S.

Schecter Banshee Mach-7 FR S:
Big Hands
Small Hands
Schecter Sun Valley Super Shredder FR S:
Big Hands
Small Hands

Fret Size

Schecter Banshee Mach-7 FR S and Schecter Sun Valley Super Shredder FR S Frets Size
Both have a similar XL Jumbo 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 Banshee Mach-7 FR S
Bending & Vibrato Ease 70
Chord Playability 70
Solo Playability 90
Playability 77
Schecter Sun Valley Super Shredder FR S
Bending & Vibrato Ease 80
Chord Playability 60
Solo Playability 90
Playability 77

Specs Side-by-Side

Schecter Banshee Mach-7 FR S vs Sun Valley Super Shredder FR S
General Schecter Banshee Mach-7 FR S Sun Valley Super Shredder FR S
Brand: Schecter Schecter
Year: 2020 2017
Configuration: HH HH
Strings: 7 6
Made in: South Korea Indonesia
Series: Banshee Mach Sun Valley Super Shredder
Colors: Black Burst, Natural Burst Black, Blue, Green
Left-Handed Version: Yes Yes
Body
Type: Solid Body Solid Body
Body Material: Swamp Ash Mahogany
Bridge: Floyd Rose 1500 Series Floyd Rose Special Hot Rod Locking Tremolo (Schecter Exclusive)
Neck
Neck Joint: Neck-Through Bolt-On
Tuners: Grover Rotomatic 18:1 Schecter
Fretboard: Ebony Ebony
Neck Material: Roasted Maple/Purpleheart Multi-ply with Carbon Fiber Reinforcement Rods Maple
Decoration: Offset/Reverse Roman Numerals Offset/Reverse Dots
Scale Size: 26.5" 25.5"
Shape: Ultra Thin U Thin 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 Steel 24 XL Jumbo Nickel Silver
Fretboard Radius: 12" to 16" 14"
Nut: Locking Locking
Nut Width: 47.6mm (1.875'') 41.3mm (1.625'')
Electronics
Bridge Pickup: Lundgren M7 (Humbucker / Passive) EMG Retro Active Hot 70 (Humbucker / Active)
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 2
Tone Controls: 1 0