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Schecter Corsair 2020
Fender American Original 50s Stratocaster
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Playability
75
Sound
66
Build
69
Value
70
Score
70
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Playability
67
Sound
74
Build
70
Value
60
Score
70
FIND IT ON:
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Schecter Corsair 2020 vs Fender American Original 50s Stratocaster Specs Comparison
Schecter Corsair 2020 Fender American Original 50s Stratocaster
General
Brand: Schecter Fender
Year: 2021 2018
Configuration: HH SSS
Strings: 6 6
Made in: Indonesia United States
Series: Corsair American Original
Colors: Gold White, Sunburst, Gray
Left-Handed Version: No Yes
Body
Type: Semi-Hollow Solid Body
Body Material: Maple Alder
Bridge: Tremolo Roller Tune-O-Matic Pure Vintage 6-Saddle Synchronized Tremolo
Neck
Neck Joint: Set Bolt-On
Tuners: Grover Rotomatic 18:1 Pure Vintage Single Line Fender Deluxe
Fretboard: Ebony 1-Piece Maple
Neck Material: Mahogany Maple
Decoration: Blocks Black Dot
Scale Size: 24.75" 25.5"
Shape: Thin C Fender Soft V
Thickness: 1st Fret: 0.79'' (20.1mm) - 12th Fret: 0.87'' (22.1mm) 1st Fret: 0.9'' (22.9mm) - 12th Fret: 0.99'' (25.1mm)
Frets: 22 Medium Nickel Silver 21 Vintage Tall Nickel Silver
Fretboard Radius: 14" 9.5"
Nut: Ivory Tusq Bone
Nut Width: 42mm (1.654'') 42mm (1.654'')
Electronics
Bridge Pickups: Schecter Diamond 78 (Humbucker / Passive) Fender Pure Vintage 59 Single-Coil Strat (Single Coil / Passive)
Middle Pickup: Fender Pure Vintage 59 Single-Coil Strat (Single Coil / Passive)
Neck Pickup: Schecter Diamond 78 (Humbucker / Passive) Fender Pure Vintage 59 Single-Coil Strat (Single Coil / Passive)
Switch: 3 Way 5 Way
Knobs: Speed Bell
Pickup Mods: Coil Split None
Volume Controls: 2 1
Tone Controls: 2 2
Hardware
Strap Lock: No No
Hardware Color: Chrome Chrome
Show Diagrams Comparison
Schecter Corsair 2020 pickups switch and push knobs diagram
Schecter Corsair 2020's switch options
Fender American Original 50s Stratocaster pickups switch selector and push knobs diagram
Fender American Original 50s Stratocaster's switch options

Reasons to Get
Schecter Corsair 2020 over Fender American Original 50s Stratocaster

Decorative Top
Poplar Burl Veneer vs None
Finished with beautiful natural wood patterns
Release Year
2021 vs 2018
From a more recent year
Neck Profile
Thin C vs Fender Soft V
Comfortable neck that works for most people
Pickup Mods
Coil Split vs None
Splits humbuckers into single coil pickups
Body Type
Semi-Hollow vs Solid Body
Lighter and allows more gain than a hollowbody
Volume Knobs
2 vs 1
More volume control
Pickups
HH vs SSS
High output without hum
Number of Frets
22 vs 21
Allows to reach higher notes
Neck Thickness at 1st Fret
0.79'' (20.1mm) vs 0.9'' (22.9mm)
More comfortable open chords for small hands
Neck Thickness at 12th Fret
0.87'' (22.1mm) vs 0.99'' (25.1mm)
More comfortable at higher frets for small hands
Bridge
Bigsby Tremolo vs Tremolo
Intense vibrato with a solid arm
Scale Length
24.75'' (628.7mm) vs 25.5'' (647.7mm)
Easier bending, shorter fret separation and warmer natural tone
Fretboard Radius
14'' (355.6mm) vs 9.5'' (241.3mm)
Flatter fretboard makes it easier to play single notes and bend
Value Score
70 vs 60
Better price/quality relationship

Reasons to Get
Fender American Original 50s Stratocaster over Schecter Corsair 2020

Country of Manufacturing
United States vs Indonesia
Built with higher quality standards
Frets Height
Taller vs Shorter
Easier to press down strings and bend them
Neck Profile
Fender Soft V vs Thin C
Great if you like to hang your thumb over the fretboard
Pickups Brand
Fender vs None
Pickups from a renown brand
Neck Joint
Bolt-On vs Set
Allows you to detach and swap the neck
Body Type
Solid Body vs Semi-Hollow
Feedback free
Switch Positions
5 vs 3
More tone options
Pickups
SSS vs HH
Beautiful cleans and good tone versatility
Neck Thickness at 1st Fret
0.9'' (22.9mm) vs 0.79'' (20.1mm)
More comfortable open chords for big hands
Neck Thickness at 12th Fret
0.99'' (25.1mm) vs 0.87'' (22.1mm)
More comfortable at higher frets for big hands
Bridge
Tremolo vs Bigsby Tremolo
Simple vibratos without too much maintenance
Scale Length
25.5'' (647.7mm) vs 24.75'' (628.7mm)
Lower action and brighter natural tone
Fretboard Radius
9.5'' (241.3mm) vs 14'' (355.6mm)
Easier to play chords without muting strings
Avg. Weight
7.969lbs (3.6kgs) vs 8.375lbs (3.8kgs)
Tends to be lighter

Other Key Differences
Schecter Corsair 2020 vs Fender American Original 50s Stratocaster

Bridge Pickup
Schecter Diamond 78 vs Fender Pure Vintage 59 Single-Coil Strat
Different Bridge Pickup
Neck Pickup
Schecter Diamond 78 vs Fender Pure Vintage 59 Single-Coil Strat
Different Neck Pickup
Body Wood
Maple vs Alder
Different Body Wood
Neck Wood
Mahogany vs Maple
Different Neck Wood
Fretboard Wood
Ebony vs Maple
Different Fretboard Wood
Headstock
3-3 vs 6
Different Headstock
Nut Material
Ivory Tusq vs Bone
Different Nut Material

Shared Features
Schecter Corsair 2020 vs Fender American Original 50s Stratocaster

Strings
6
Same playing style
Tone Knobs
2
Same tone control
Nut Width
1.654'' (42mm)
Same string separation at the nut
Paint Finish
Poly
Resistant paint that ages well
Pickups Power
Passive
Cleaner sound and no battery needed
Type of Frets
Medium vs Vintage Tall
You'll feel the fretboard when pressing down the strings

Common Strengths

  • High-Quality Nut

Common Weaknesses

  • Locking Tuners
  • Stays in Tune (Evertune)
  • High-Quality Frets
  • Compound Radius Fretboard
  • Luminescent Sidedots
  • Strap Lock
  • 21:1 Tuner Ratio
  • Active/Passive Preamp

Price History Comparison

SET PRICE ALERT

Fender American Original 50s Stratocaster Prices

SET PRICE ALERT

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Hand Size Comfortability

And after taking into account the scale length, nut width, neck profile and fretboard radius, we can conclude that the Fender American Original 50s Stratocaster favors large hands more than the Schecter Corsair 2020.

Schecter Corsair 2020:
Big Hands
Small Hands
Fender American Original 50s Stratocaster:
Big Hands
Small Hands

Beginner Friendliness

The Fender American Original 50s Stratocaster meets 5 out of our 8 criteria items for beginner friendliness, while the Schecter Corsair 2020 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

Schecter Corsair 2020
  • Comfortable shape
  • Tall frets
  • Narrow nut
  • Comfortable neck
  • Comfortable fretboard
  • Short scale
  • Locking tuners
  • Easy-to-use bridge

New Player Friendliness

Fender American Original 50s Stratocaster
  • Comfortable shape
  • Easy-to-use bridge
  • Comfortable fretboard
  • Tall frets
  • Narrow nut
  • Short scale
  • Comfortable neck
  • Locking tuners

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

Maple wood pattern used for guitar building
Maple

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.

Woods Used in the Schecter Corsair 2020

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

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 Fender American Original 50s Stratocaster

Alder wood pattern used for guitar building
Alder

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 Corsair 2020.

Pickup Configuration

The Schecter Corsair 2020 has an HH configuration while the Fender American Original 50s Stratocaster has SSS 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, SSS is perfect for players who like to play clean. The definition you get between notes and the crispiness is unmatched by most other configurations. You can still use it for distortion, but you won't get the same kind of output and power compared to a humbucker, and the hum they produce also makes them less adequate for high gain.

Pickups Quality

The Fender American Original 50s Stratocaster pickups from a more specialized brand than the Schecter Corsair 2020. Its pickups should give you a fuller, richer sound, although it all depends on what type of music you're going to play. We recommend these pickups for Funk and similar genres.

We found the same or similar pickups to the Fender American Original 50s Stratocaster'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: Fender American Original 50s Stratocaster.

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 Fender American Original 50s Stratocaster gives you 5 switch options while the Schecter Corsair 2020 gives you 3. This means that the Fender American Original 50s Stratocaster gives you more options to find the right pickup combination for the type of sound you want to achieve

Only the Schecter Corsair 2020 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.

When evaluating versatility, we also take into consideration bridge and neck joint type, number of frets, switch options, amount of pickups and more.

Winner: Fender American Original 50s Stratocaster.

Final Sound Quality Scores

Schecter Corsair 2020
Pickups 60
Sustain 70
Versatility 68
Tuning Stability 65
Sound 66
Fender American Original 50s Stratocaster
Pickups 100
Sustain 60
Versatility 72
Tuning Stability 65
Sound 74

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 Corsair 2020 compares to the Fender American Original 50s Stratocaster.

Country of Origin

The manufacturing country can tell a lot about the build quality of an instrument. The Schecter Corsair 2020 is built in Indonesia while the Fender American Original 50s Stratocaster is made in United States.

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.

The United States is considered one of the best electric guitar manufacturers in the world. A guitar made in this country is supposed to have world-class quality control. Nowadays, guitars made in other countries can beat some of the ones made in the US, but most of the time, this country offers the best you can get. Of course, that comes at a price.

Winner: Fender American Original 50s Stratocaster

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 Schecter Corsair 2020 has a Ivory Tusq nut. Ivory used to be considered the best material for guitar nuts due to its beauty, durability, and the rich harmonics and sustain you could get from a guitar with it. However, the way to obtain it is simply unethical. Enter TUSQ ivory nuts, which are made synthetically to imitate ivory. Technically, it's better than ivory because it is consistent piece-to-piece, while natural materials can vary a lot, even if they're made from the same.

On the other hand, the Fender American Original 50s Stratocaster comes with 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.

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 Schecter Corsair 2020's brige 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.

On the other hand, the Fender American Original 50s Stratocaster's is a Tremolo. Tremolo bridges give you more versatility than fixed bridges. They let you perform the intense vibrato effects that would be impossible with a fixed bridge. However, since the bridge floats and there's less contact with the body, the strings lose sustain slightly faster. They can also be a bit harder to restring and set up correctly than fixed bridges.

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 Corsair 2020.

Tuners

Both come with regular tuners. The Schecter Corsair 2020's are Grover Rotomatic 18:1 while the Fender American Original 50s Stratocaster's are Pure Vintage Single Line Fender Deluxe

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 Corsair 2020 has a 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.

On the other hand, the Fender American Original 50s Stratocaster 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: Fender American Original 50s Stratocaster.

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

Strengths & Weaknesses
Schecter Corsair 2020
  • Expensive Wood
  • Ivory Tusq Nut
  • Coil Split Pickups
  • Tremolo
  • Cheap Fret Wire (NS)
  • No Locking Tuners
  • Made in Indonesia
  • No Top Brand Pickups
  • No Neck-Through Build
  • No Luminescent Inlay
  • No Compound Radius Fretboard
  • No 21:1 Tuner Ratio
  • No Strap Lock
Strengths & Weaknesses
Fender American Original 50s Stratocaster
  • Made in United States
  • Bone Nut
  • Top Brand Pickups
  • Tremolo
  • Cheap Fret Wire (NS)
  • No Locking Tuners
  • No Expensive Woods
  • No Neck-Through Build
  • No Push Knob or Extra Switch Option
  • No Weight Relief
  • No Luminescent Inlay
  • No Compound Radius Fretboard
  • No 21:1 Tuner Ratio
  • No Strap Lock

Final Build Quality Scores

Schecter Corsair 2020
Quality of materials 68
Features 65
Quality Control 75
Build Quality 69
Fender American Original 50s Stratocaster
Quality of materials 61
Features 55
Quality Control 95
Build Quality 70

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 Corsair 2020 Nut Width
Both Guitars Have The Same Nut Width

The nut width will affect the separation between strings at the nut. In this comparison, both have a nut width of 42mm (1.654'').

This is considered a narrow width for a 6-string guitar. This means that this guitar will have a narrower string separation at the nut, which will affect your fretting hand.

If you are a player with big hands, you might find it difficult to play chords without muting strings. However, this is good for players who have smaller hands, as it will allow them to reach each string more easily at the nut.

Scale Length

Schecter Corsair 2020's Scale Length
Schecter Corsair 2020's Scale Length
Fender American Original 50s Stratocaster's Scale Length
Fender American Original 50s Stratocaster'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 Fender American Original 50s Stratocaster has the longest scale: 25.5". The Schecter Corsair 2020 is only 24.75" long. This is a 0.75'' (19.1mm) 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 Corsair 2020 Neck Profile
Schecter Corsair 2020's neck profile
Fender American Original 50s Stratocaster Neck Profile
Fender American Original 50s Stratocaster'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 Corsair 2020 has a C type of 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.

The Fender American Original 50s Stratocaster, on the other hand, has a V neck. This neck shape was more common during Fender's early years. Some people like it because they use their thumb over the edge of the fretboard to press the lower strings. It's rather thicker than most modern necks, so it's not usually used for playing fast solos.

Fretboard Radius

Schecter Corsair 2020 Fingerboard Radius
Schecter Corsair 2020's Fingerboard radius
Fender American Original 50s Stratocaster Fingerboard Radius
Fender American Original 50s Stratocaster'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 Fender American Original 50s Stratocaster's fingerboard radius is smaller, which means it's more curved than the Schecter Corsair 2020'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 Corsair 2020.

Fret Size

Schecter Corsair 2020 Frets Size
Schecter Corsair 2020's Frets Size
Fender American Original 50s Stratocaster Frets Size
Fender American Original 50s Stratocaster's Frets Size

The Fender American Original 50s Stratocaster has Vintage Tall frets, which should be taller than the Schecter Corsair 2020'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 Corsair 2020
Bending & Vibrato Ease 80
Chord Playability 75
Solo Playability 70
Playability 75
Fender American Original 50s Stratocaster
Bending & Vibrato Ease 60
Chord Playability 90
Solo Playability 50
Playability 67