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Schecter DJ Ashba
Schecter Damien Platinum-7
VS
Playability
73
Sound
84
Build
65
Value
74
Score
74
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Playability
75
Sound
74
Build
60
Value
75
Score
70
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Schecter DJ Ashba vs Damien Platinum-7

Reasons to Get
Schecter DJ Ashba over Damien Platinum-7

Release Year
2016 vs 2015
From a more recent year
Pickup Mods
Sustainer vs None
Infinite sustain when activated
Neck Joint
Bolt-On vs Set
Allows you to detach and swap the neck
Strings
6 vs 7
Narrower neck and fewer strings to change
Nut Width
1.625'' (41.3mm) vs 1.89'' (48mm)
Favors small hands, easier bar chords and other shapes
Bridge
Floyd Rose vs Fixed
Allows intense vibratos and techniques like Dive Bombs
Scale Length
25.5'' (647.7mm) vs 26.5'' (673.1mm)
Easier bending, shorter fret separation and warmer natural tone
Fretboard Radius
14'' (355.6mm) vs 16'' (406.4mm)
More curved fretboard helpful to play chords without muting strings
Pickups Power
Passive vs Active
Cleaner sound and no battery needed

Reasons to Get
Schecter Damien Platinum-7 over DJ Ashba

Strings
7 vs 6
Allows you to play lower notes
Tone Knobs
1 vs 0
More tone control
Number of Frets
24 vs 22
Allows to reach higher notes
Nut Width
1.89'' (48mm) vs 1.625'' (41.3mm)
Less likely to mute strings by accident and more space for fingerstyle
Bridge
Fixed vs Floyd Rose
Good sustain and needs no set-up
Scale Length
26.5'' (673.1mm) vs 25.5'' (647.7mm)
Lower action and brighter natural tone
Fretboard Radius
16'' (406.4mm) vs 14'' (355.6mm)
Flatter fretboard makes it easier to play single notes and bend
Pickups Power
Active vs Passive
More output
Value Score
75 vs 74
Better price/quality relationship

Other Key Differences
Schecter DJ Ashba vs Damien Platinum-7

Bridge Pickup
EMG 81 vs EMG 81-7
Different Bridge Pickup
Neck Pickup
Sustainiac vs EMG 85-7
Different Neck Pickup
Body Wood
Alder vs Mahogany
Different Body Wood
Fretboard Wood
Ebony vs Rosewood
Different Fretboard Wood
Headstock
2-4 vs 4-3
Different Headstock
Nut Material
Locking vs Black Tusq XL
Different Nut Material

Shared Features
Schecter DJ Ashba vs Damien Platinum-7

Neck Wood
Maple
Same Neck Wood
Body Type
Solid Body
Feedback free
Switch Positions
3
Same pickups versatility
Volume Knobs
1
Same volume control
Pickups
HH
High output without hum
Neck Thickness at 1st Fret
0.79'' (20.1mm)
Same neck comfortability
Neck Thickness at 12th Fret
0.87'' (22.1mm)
Same neck comfortability
Paint Finish
Poly
Resistant paint that ages well
Neck Profile Type
C
Comfortable neck that works for most people
Type of Frets
XL Jumbo
You won't feel the fretboard when pressing down the strings

Common Strengths

  • 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

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Which One is Better Overall?

After going through our comparison algorithm, the results show that the Schecter DJ Ashba is probably the better product overall with its final score of 74 compared to the Schecter Damien Platinum-7's 70 score, although not by a lot.

The Schecter DJ Ashba wins when it comes to sound, build quality. On the other hand, the Schecter Damien Platinum-7 has the upper hand when it comes to playability, value for the money.

If you got small hands, you'll probably feel more comfortable playing the Schecter DJ Ashba.

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

New Player Friendliness

Schecter Damien Platinum-7
  • Comfortable shape
  • Easy-to-use bridge
  • Tall frets
  • Comfortable neck
  • Comfortable fretboard
  • Narrow nut
  • Short scale
  • Locking tuners

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 DJ Ashba Overview

  • From Schecter's 2016 Artist series
  • DJ Ashba Signature
  • Made in South Korea
  • 6 strings
  • 25.5"'' scale
  • 14" Fretboard Radius
  • Alder body
  • Maple neck
  • Ebony fretboard
  • Bridge pickup: EMG 81 (Humbucker/Active)
  • Neck pickup: Sustainiac (Humbucker/Passive)
  • 1 volume and 0 tone Dome knobs
  • 3-way Switch
  • Floyd Rose 1500 Series bridge
  • Thin C Bolt-On neck
  • 22 XL Jumbo frets
  • Grover Rotomatic 18:1 tuners
  • Compare Specs >

Schecter Damien Platinum-7 Overview

  • From Schecter's 2015 Damien series
  • Made in South Korea
  • 7 strings
  • 26.5"'' scale
  • 16" Fretboard Radius
  • Mahogany body
  • Maple 3-pc neck
  • Rosewood fretboard
  • Bridge pickup: EMG 81-7 (Humbucker/Active)
  • Neck pickup: EMG 85-7 (Humbucker/Active)
  • 1 volume and 1 tone Dome knobs
  • 3-way Switch
  • Tune-O-Matic w/ String Thru Body bridge
  • Thin C Set neck
  • 24 XL Jumbo frets
  • Grover 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 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 DJ Ashba

Ebony wood pattern used for guitar building
Ebony
Alder wood pattern used for guitar building
Alder

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.

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

Woods Used in the Schecter Damien Platinum-7

Rosewood wood pattern used for guitar building
Rosewood
Mahogany wood pattern used for guitar building
Mahogany

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.

Mahogany is a fairly rare wood nowadays. It's used mostly for bodies due to its relatively lightweight. Gibson popularized it with their Les Paul guitars during their golden years, so this wood has a lot of good reputation behind it. The most expensive type comes from South America and it's still used by Gibson even today. Find out more about Mahogany.

Winner: Schecter Damien Platinum-7.

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.

However, the Schecter DJ Ashba has a slight sound quality advantage when taking into account other factors like the type of pickups, magnet, position, etc.

You can purchase similar pickups to the Schecter DJ Ashba's and use them on any guitar:

We found the same or similar pickups to the Schecter Damien Platinum-7's online:

The Schecter DJ Ashba's pickups are Passive while the Schecter Damien Platinum-7's are Active.

Passive pickups are what most guitars use. These have a normal output that works well for most genres. However, Active pickups are the preferred choice of heavy metal players because they offer extra output thanks to their 9v battery, which results in a heavier, more distorted sound. Bear in mind that achieving a completely clean tone with them won't be easy. So if you want to also use clean tones, you might want to avoid Active pickups.

Winner: Schecter DJ Ashba.

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 DJ Ashba comes with some kind of pickup modification: 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 DJ Ashba pickups switch and push knobs diagram
Schecter DJ Ashba's switch options
Schecter Damien Platinum-7 pickups switch and push knobs diagram
Schecter Damien Platinum-7'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 DJ Ashba.

Final Sound Quality Scores

Schecter DJ Ashba
Pickups 90
Sustain 100
Versatility 62
Tuning Stability 85
Sound 84
Schecter Damien Platinum-7
Pickups 85
Sustain 90
Versatility 49
Tuning Stability 70
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 DJ Ashba compares to the Schecter Damien Platinum-7.

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 Schecter DJ Ashba has a Locking nut. 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.

On the other hand, the Schecter Damien Platinum-7 comes with a Black Tusq XL nut. TUSQ nuts are usually the highest quality you can get. Black TUSQs are made from a special slippery material that helps the strings get back to its original position (one of the keys to tune stability).

Winner: Tie.

Fret Material

Most fret wire is made of nickel silver. This material eventually wears down after a lot of use and most instruments end up needing a complete fret replacement. However, some expensive models come with stainless steel frets. This is what you should aim for if you can afford it.

Unfortunately, none of them come with stainless steel frets.

Winner: Tie.

Bridge

The perfect bridge for you will depend on your playstyle because they all have advantages and disadvantages. However, some bridges are more expensive—like Floyd Roses and Evertunes—and thus add more value to a guitar.

The Schecter DJ Ashba'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 Schecter Damien Platinum-7's is a Fixed. It's a simple bridge that is very beginner-friendly since it doesn't require any set-up. You can swap strings easily. It might also give more sustain since it doesn't have complex moving parts that make the strings lose vibration. However, it doesn't have the same versatility as a tremolo bridge.

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 DJ Ashba.

Tuners

Both come with regular tuners. The Schecter DJ Ashba's are Grover Rotomatic 18:1 while the Schecter Damien Platinum-7's are Grover

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 DJ Ashba 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 Damien Platinum-7 comes with Set neck joint. This neck is tightly glued to the body. They give you the least versatility because you can't swap them for a neck that fits your hand better if you want to, unlike bolt-on necks. Some people think this gives more resonance and sustain, but there's no real difference if the bolt-on joint is well built.

Winner: Schecter DJ Ashba.

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

Strengths & Weaknesses
Schecter DJ Ashba
  • Expensive Wood
  • Locking Nut
  • Top Brand Pickups
  • Sustainer Pickups
  • Tremolo
  • Retainer Bar
  • Cheap Fret Wire (NS)
  • No Locking Tuners
  • Made in South Korea
  • No Neck-Through Build
  • No Weight Relief
  • No Luminescent Inlay
  • No Compound Radius Fretboard
  • No 21:1 Tuner Ratio
  • No Strap Lock
Strengths & Weaknesses
Schecter Damien Platinum-7
  • Expensive Wood
  • Black Tusq XL Nut
  • Top Brand Pickups
  • Cheap Fret Wire (NS)
  • No Locking Tuners
  • 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

Final Build Quality Scores

Schecter DJ Ashba
Quality of materials 51
Features 70
Quality Control 75
Build Quality 65
Schecter Damien Platinum-7
Quality of materials 61
Features 50
Quality Control 70
Build Quality 60

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 DJ Ashba Nut Width
Schecter DJ Ashba Nut Width
Schecter Damien Platinum-7 Nut Width
Schecter Damien Platinum-7 Nut Width

The nut width will affect the separation between strings at the nut. In this comparison, the Schecter Damien Platinum-7 has the wider nut with 48mm (1.89'') vs 41.3mm (1.625''). This is a 6.7mm (0.265'') difference

This means that it will be more difficult to do bar chords on the Schecter Damien Platinum-7, 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 DJ Ashba's Scale Length
Schecter DJ Ashba's Scale Length
Schecter Damien Platinum-7's Scale Length
Schecter Damien Platinum-7'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 Damien Platinum-7 has the longest scale: 26.5". The Schecter DJ Ashba 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 DJ Ashba Neck Profile
Both guitars have the same 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 Schecter DJ Ashba and the Schecter Damien Platinum-7 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

Schecter DJ Ashba Fingerboard Radius
Schecter DJ Ashba's Fingerboard radius
Schecter Damien Platinum-7 Fingerboard Radius
Schecter Damien Platinum-7'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 DJ Ashba's fingerboard radius is smaller, which means it's more curved than the Schecter Damien Platinum-7'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 Damien Platinum-7.

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 Schecter Damien Platinum-7 favors large hands more than the Schecter DJ Ashba.

Schecter DJ Ashba:
Big Hands
Small Hands
Schecter Damien Platinum-7:
Big Hands
Small Hands

Fret Size

Schecter DJ Ashba and Schecter Damien Platinum-7 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 DJ Ashba
Bending & Vibrato Ease 80
Chord Playability 60
Solo Playability 80
Playability 73
Schecter Damien Platinum-7
Bending & Vibrato Ease 85
Chord Playability 50
Solo Playability 90
Playability 75

Specs Side-by-Side

Schecter DJ Ashba vs Damien Platinum-7
General Schecter DJ Ashba Damien Platinum-7
Brand: Schecter Schecter
Year: 2016 2015
Configuration: HH HH
Strings: 6 7
Made in: South Korea South Korea
Series: Artist Damien
Colors: Black Black
Left-Handed Version: No Yes
Body
Type: Solid Body Solid Body
Body Material: Alder Mahogany
Bridge: Floyd Rose 1500 Series Tune-O-Matic w/ String Thru Body
Neck
Neck Joint: Bolt-On Set
Tuners: Grover Rotomatic 18:1 Grover
Fretboard: Ebony Rosewood
Neck Material: Maple Maple 3-pc
Decoration: Birds on a Wire Platinum Bats
Scale Size: 25.5" 26.5"
Shape: Thin C Thin C
Thickness: 1st Fret: 0.79'' (20.1mm) - 12th Fret: 0.87'' (22.1mm) 1st Fret: 0.79'' (20.1mm) - 12th Fret: 0.87'' (22.1mm)
Frets: 22 XL Jumbo Nickel Silver 24 XL Jumbo Nickel Silver
Fretboard Radius: 14" 16"
Nut: Locking Black Tusq XL
Nut Width: 41.3mm (1.625'') 48mm (1.89'')
Electronics
Bridge Pickup: EMG 81 (Humbucker / Active) EMG 81-7 (Humbucker / Active)
Middle Pickup:
Neck Pickup: Sustainiac (Humbucker / Passive) EMG 85-7 (Humbucker / Active)
Switch: 3 Way 3 Way
Knobs: Dome Dome
Pickup Mods: Sustainer None
Volume Controls: 1 1
Tone Controls: 0 1