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Schecter Reaper-6 Elite
Reverend Charger 290
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Playability
82
Sound
79
Build
83
Value
81
Score
81
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Playability
72
Sound
78
Build
62
Value
76
Score
71
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Schecter Reaper-6 Elite vs Reverend Charger 290

Reasons to Get
Schecter Reaper-6 Elite over Reverend Charger 290

Decorative Top
Quilted Maple Veneer vs None
Finished with beautiful natural wood patterns
Fret Material
Stainless Steel vs Nickel Silver
Best fret material that will last forever
Release Year
2023 vs 2021
From a more recent year
Frets Height
Taller vs Shorter
Easier to press down strings and bend them
Compound Radius
12" to 16" vs 12"
Balanced playability for chords and single-notes
Pickup Mods
Coil Split vs None
Splits humbuckers into single coil pickups
Neck Joint
Neck-Through vs Bolt-On
Stronger neck and easier access to upper frets
Pickups
HH vs P90P90
High output without hum
Number of Frets
24 vs 22
Allows to reach higher notes
Neck Thickness at 1st Fret
0.748'' (19mm) vs 0.85'' (21.6mm)
More comfortable open chords for small hands
Neck Thickness at 12th Fret
0.787'' (20mm) vs 0.9'' (22.9mm)
More comfortable at higher frets for small hands
Nut Width
1.654'' (42mm) vs 1.693'' (43mm)
Favors small hands, easier bar chords and other shapes
Luminescent Sidedots
Yes vs None
Assists you when playing in dark environments
Value Score
81 vs 76
Better price/quality relationship

Reasons to Get
Reverend Charger 290 over Schecter Reaper-6 Elite

Tone Knobs
2 vs 1
More tone control
Pickups
P90P90 vs HH
Vintage tone with decent versatility
Neck Thickness at 1st Fret
0.85'' (21.6mm) vs 0.748'' (19mm)
More comfortable open chords for big hands
Neck Thickness at 12th Fret
0.9'' (22.9mm) vs 0.787'' (20mm)
More comfortable at higher frets for big hands
Nut Width
1.693'' (43mm) vs 1.654'' (42mm)
Less likely to mute strings by accident and more space for fingerstyle

Other Key Differences
Schecter Reaper-6 Elite vs Reverend Charger 290

Bridge Pickup
Schecter USA San Andreas vs 9A5 Bridge
Different Bridge Pickup
Neck Pickup
Schecter USA San Andreas vs 9A5 Neck
Different Neck Pickup
Body Wood
Mahogany vs Limba
Different Body Wood
Neck Wood
Wenge vs Roasted Maple
Different Neck Wood
Fretboard Wood
Ebony vs Rosewood
Different Fretboard Wood
Headstock
R6 vs 6
Different Headstock
Nut Material
Black Tusq XL vs Boneite
Different Nut Material

Shared Features
Schecter Reaper-6 Elite vs Reverend Charger 290

Strings
6
Same playing style
Body Type
Solid Body
Feedback free
Switch Positions
3
Same pickups versatility
Volume Knobs
1
Same volume control
Paint Finish
Poly
Resistant paint that ages well
Bridge
Fixed
Good sustain and needs no set-up
Scale Length
25.5'' (647.7mm)
Same string tension and fret separation
Pickups Power
Passive
Cleaner sound and no battery needed
Neck Profile Type
C
Comfortable neck that works for most people
Type of Frets
XL Jumbo vs Jumbo
You won't feel the fretboard when pressing down the strings

Common Strengths

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

Common Weaknesses

  • Weight Relief
  • Stays in Tune (Evertune)
  • Compound Radius Fretboard
  • From a High-Quality-Standards Country
  • 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 Reaper-6 Elite is probably the better product overall with its final score of 81 compared to the Reverend Charger 290's 71 score, which is a significant difference.

The Schecter Reaper-6 Elite wins when it comes to sound, playability, build quality, value for the money. This means that it wins over the Reverend Charger 290 in every aspect.

If you got small hands, you'll probably feel more comfortable playing the Schecter Reaper-6 Elite.

Which One is Better for Beginners?

If you're looking for your first guitar to learn how to play, the Schecter Reaper-6 Elite is the better choice.

The Schecter Reaper-6 Elite meets 7 out of our 8 criteria items for beginner friendliness, while the Reverend Charger 290 meets only 4. This takes into account the type of frets, scale length, nut width, bridge type, fretboard radius, and neck profile to determine the easiest combination for new players.

New Player Friendliness

Schecter Reaper-6 Elite
  • Comfortable shape
  • Easy-to-use bridge
  • Locking tuners
  • Comfortable fretboard
  • Tall frets
  • Narrow nut
  • Comfortable neck
  • Short scale

New Player Friendliness

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

Nevertheless, when it comes to choosing an instrument, you should pick the one more compatible with your personal style. Still, below we'll try you to give you our results as objectively as it's possible to help you decide.

Schecter Reaper-6 Elite Overview

  • From Schecter's 2023 Reaper Elite series
  • Made in South Korea
  • 6 strings
  • 25.5"'' scale
  • 12" to 16" Fretboard Radius
  • Quilted Maple Veneer top
  • Khaya African Mahogany body
  • Wenge neck
  • Ebony fretboard
  • Bridge pickup: Schecter USA San Andreas (Humbucker/Passive)
  • Neck pickup: Schecter USA San Andreas (Humbucker/Passive)
  • 1 volume and 1 tone Dome knobs
  • 3-way Switch
  • Hipshot Ibby HM bridge
  • Ultra Thin C Neck-Through neck
  • 24 XL Jumbo Stainless Steel frets
  • Hipshot Grip-Lock tuners
  • Compare Specs >

Reverend Charger 290 Overview

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

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 Reaper-6 Elite

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

Wenge is a stiff wood that comes with straight and tight grains. Its color is dark brown and the tonality emphasizes the low and mid-ends (warm) frequencies, similar to Rosewood.

Ebony is a high-end wood, so it is not cheap. It's only used for fretboards because it's also very heavy. It does an excellent job as a durable material while looking elegant. Find out more about Ebony.

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

Woods Used in the Reverend Charger 290

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

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

Rosewood is an almost purple-looking wood that is used mainly for fretboards since it's heavy, rare, and expensive. It's sometimes used on acoustic guitar bodies to create stronger warm tones. Find out more about Rosewood.

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

Winner: Tie.

Pickup Configuration

The Schecter Reaper-6 Elite has an HH configuration while the Reverend Charger 290 has P90P90 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, P90P90 gives you two P90s for a crunchy vintage tone. The tone sits somewhere in the middle between typical single-coils and humbuckers. They also produce less hum than single-coils, but they don't cancel it completely like humbuckers.

Pickups Quality

Both come with very good pickups from at least one of the specialized brands in the market. With pickups like these, you probably won't need an upgrade anytime soon.

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

Both use Passive pickups. This is what's used for most music genres. They have a regular output and will serve you for both high-gain and clean tones. The alternative (Active pickups) offer a higher output that is mostly used for heavy music.

Winner: Reverend Charger 290.

Versatility Comparison

Some instruments offer you more ways to explore your creativity than others. Below you'll find how both compare when it comes to versatility.

Switch Options

Both are equal when it comes to the pickup switching option.

Only the Schecter Reaper-6 Elite 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.

Schecter Reaper-6 Elite pickups switch and push knobs diagram
Schecter Reaper-6 Elite's switch options
Reverend Charger 290 pickups switch and push knobs diagram
Reverend Charger 290'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 Reaper-6 Elite.

Final Sound Quality Scores

Schecter Reaper-6 Elite
Pickups 85
Sustain 85
Versatility 64
Tuning Stability 80
Sound 79
Reverend Charger 290
Pickups 100
Sustain 75
Versatility 56
Tuning Stability 80
Sound 78

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 Reaper-6 Elite compares to the Reverend Charger 290.

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 Reaper-6 Elite has 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).

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

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 Reaper-6 Elite 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 Reaper-6 Elite.

Bridge

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

Both come with a similar bridge: Fixed. It's a simple bridge that is very beginner-friendly since it doesn't require any set-up. You can swap strings easily. It might also give more sustain since it doesn't have complex moving parts that make the strings lose vibration. However, it doesn't have the same versatility as a tremolo bridge.

Since we need to be objective, the most expensive type of bridge will be the winner of this section. In the end, this doesn't matter if you're not going to use the bridge for its original purpose, so choose the bridge that fits your playing style better.

Winner: Tie.

Tuners

They both have locking tuners. They'll help to keep your guitar in tune because they allow you to tune it without wrapping the strings around the posts. This avoids variations in the tuning due to the strings changing position at the post after a bend. They come at the disadvantage of being slightly heavier than regular tuners. Also, it makes it a lot easier to restring.

Winner: Tie.

Neck Joint

Contrary to popular belief, the difference in sustain and tone that some neck joints give to a guitar is simply unperceivable—if they're all well built. However, some of them do have advantages over the others.

The Schecter Reaper-6 Elite 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 Reverend Charger 290 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 Reaper-6 Elite.

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

Strengths & Weaknesses
Schecter Reaper-6 Elite
  • Stainless Steel Frets
  • Locking Tuners
  • Expensive Wood
  • Black Tusq XL Nut
  • Top Brand Pickups
  • Neck-Through Build
  • Coil Split Pickups
  • Luminescent Inlay
  • Compound Radius Fretboard
  • Made in South Korea
  • No Weight Relief
  • No Tremolo
  • No 21:1 Tuner Ratio
  • No Strap Lock
Strengths & Weaknesses
Reverend Charger 290
  • Locking Tuners
  • Expensive Wood
  • Boneite Nut
  • Top Brand Pickups
  • Cheap Fret Wire (NS)
  • Made in South Korea
  • No Neck-Through Build
  • No Push Knob or Extra Switch Option
  • No Weight Relief
  • No Luminescent Inlay
  • No Tremolo
  • No Compound Radius Fretboard
  • No 21:1 Tuner Ratio
  • No Strap Lock

Final Build Quality Scores

Schecter Reaper-6 Elite
Quality of materials 83
Features 90
Quality Control 75
Build Quality 83
Reverend Charger 290
Quality of materials 56
Features 60
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 Reaper-6 Elite Nut Width
Schecter Reaper-6 Elite Nut Width
Reverend Charger 290 Nut Width
Reverend Charger 290 Nut Width

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

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

Scale Length

Schecter Reaper-6 Elite and Reverend Charger 290's Scale Length
Both have the same scale length

The scale length is one of the things that influences playability the most. This is the distance between the nut and the bridge and will affect everything from low action allowance, difficulty to perform bends, fret separation, and even tone.

In this case, both have a scale length of 25.5".

This is the scale used in most Stratocasters. It's slightly longer than the typical 24.75'' size found in Les Pauls, and it's one of the main reasons why Stratocasters have such a bright sound in general. A longer scale also means that the strings will have higher tension. This will help you get lower action without suffering fret buzz, which will also be helpful when playing in lower tunings without having to increase your string gauge.

However, this also means that there will be more separation between frets, which can make it more difficult to play. Also, bending the strings will require more strengths due to the increased tension, but remember that a tremolo guitar will offset this difficulty.

Lastly, remember that you can also affect the tension of the strings by changing your string gauge. You can use a thicker gauge for more tension and a lighter one for less tension.

Neck Profile

Schecter Reaper-6 Elite Neck Profile
Schecter Reaper-6 Elite's neck profile
Reverend Charger 290 Neck Profile
Reverend Charger 290's neck profile

No single neck shape is better than others. However, most people tend to prefer a thinner necks because it doesn't get in their way when playing fast and most hand sizes can adapt to it pretty well. However, some people still prefer thicker necks for a better grip, especially if they have big hands.

Both the Schecter Reaper-6 Elite and the Reverend Charger 290 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 Reaper-6 Elite Fretboard Compound Radius
Schecter Reaper-6 Elite's Compound Fretboard Radius
Reverend Charger 290 Fingerboard Radius
Reverend Charger 290'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 Reaper-6 Elite 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 Reverend Charger 290 favors large hands more than the Schecter Reaper-6 Elite.

Schecter Reaper-6 Elite:
Big Hands
Small Hands
Reverend Charger 290:
Big Hands
Small Hands

Fret Size

Schecter Reaper-6 Elite Frets Size
Schecter Reaper-6 Elite's Frets Size
Reverend Charger 290 Frets Size
Reverend Charger 290's Frets Size

The Schecter Reaper-6 Elite has XL Jumbo frets, which should be taller than the Reverend Charger 290's Jumbo frets.

Some people prefer taller frets because they result in more sustain since the strings get pressed cleanly without interference from the fretboard. However, if they're too tall—like Jumbo frets—, you might change the pitch of the strings accidentally if you press too hard because you won't be touching the fretboard with your fingers. This is also why some guitarists with a heavy grip prefer smaller frets. They like to feel the fingerboard to avoid pressing down too hard and getting out of pitch.

Final Playability Scores

Schecter Reaper-6 Elite
Bending & Vibrato Ease 75
Chord Playability 70
Solo Playability 100
Playability 82
Reverend Charger 290
Bending & Vibrato Ease 85
Chord Playability 50
Solo Playability 80
Playability 72

Specs Side-by-Side

Schecter Reaper-6 Elite vs Reverend Charger 290
General Schecter Reaper-6 Elite Reverend Charger 290
Brand: Schecter Reverend
Year: 2023 2021
Configuration: HH P90P90
Strings: 6 6
Made in: South Korea South Korea
Series: Reaper Elite Bolt-On
Colors: Blue Black, Blue, Green, Pink, Brown Burst
Left-Handed Version: No No
Body
Type: Solid Body Solid Body
Body Material: Khaya African Mahogany Korina
Bridge: Hipshot Ibby HM TOM with Stop Tail
Neck
Neck Joint: Neck-Through Bolt-On
Tuners: Hipshot Grip-Lock Reverend Pin-Lock
Fretboard: Ebony Rosewood
Neck Material: Wenge Roasted Maple
Decoration: Pearloid Lines Dots
Scale Size: 25.5" 25.5"
Shape: Ultra Thin C Medium Oval
Thickness: 1st Fret: 0.748'' (19mm) - 12th Fret: 0.787'' (20mm) 1st Fret: 0.85'' (21.6mm) - 12th Fret: 0.9'' (22.9mm)
Frets: 24 XL Jumbo Stainless Steel 22 Jumbo Nickel Silver
Fretboard Radius: 12" to 16" 12"
Nut: Black Tusq XL Boneite
Nut Width: 42mm (1.654'') 43mm (1.693'')
Electronics
Bridge Pickup: Schecter USA San Andreas (Humbucker / Passive) 9A5 Bridge (Single Coil / Passive)
Middle Pickup:
Neck Pickup: Schecter USA San Andreas (Humbucker / Passive) 9A5 Neck (Single Coil / Passive)
Switch: 3 Way 3 Way
Knobs: Dome Dome
Pickup Mods: Coil Split None
Volume Controls: 1 1
Tone Controls: 1 2