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Schecter Reaper-6 FR S Elite
Schecter Hellraiser C-VI
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Playability
80
Sound
85
Build
81
Value
82
Score
82
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Playability
78
Sound
79
Build
65
Value
74
Score
74
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Schecter Reaper-6 FR S Elite vs Hellraiser C-VI

Reasons to Get
Schecter Reaper-6 FR S Elite over Hellraiser C-VI

Fret Material
Stainless Steel vs Nickel Silver
Best fret material that will last forever
Release Year
2023 vs 2011
From a more recent year
Compound Radius
12" to 16" vs 14"
Balanced playability for chords and single-notes
Pickup Mods
Sustainer vs Coil Split
Infinite sustain when activated
Neck Joint
Neck-Through vs Set
Stronger neck and easier access to upper frets
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
1.625'' (41.3mm) vs 1.654'' (42mm)
Favors small hands, easier bar chords and other shapes
Luminescent Sidedots
Yes vs None
Assists you when playing in dark environments
Bridge
Floyd Rose vs Fixed
Allows intense vibratos and techniques like Dive Bombs
Scale Length
25.5'' (647.7mm) vs 30'' (762mm)
Easier bending, shorter fret separation and warmer natural tone
Pickups Power
Passive vs Active
Cleaner sound and no battery needed
Value Score
82 vs 74
Better price/quality relationship

Reasons to Get
Schecter Hellraiser C-VI over Reaper-6 FR S Elite

Pickup Mods
Coil Split vs Sustainer
Splits humbuckers into single coil pickups
Volume Knobs
2 vs 1
More volume control
Locking Tuners
Yes vs None
Easier to change strings
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
1.654'' (42mm) 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
30'' (762mm) vs 25.5'' (647.7mm)
Lower action and brighter natural tone
Pickups Power
Active vs Passive
More output

Other Key Differences
Schecter Reaper-6 FR S Elite vs Hellraiser C-VI

Bridge Pickup
Schecter USA San Andreas vs EMG 81TW
Different Bridge Pickup
Neck Pickup
Sustainiac vs EMG 89R
Different Neck Pickup
Neck Wood
Wenge vs Mahogany
Different Neck Wood
Fretboard Wood
Wenge vs Rosewood
Different Fretboard Wood
Headstock
R6 vs 3-3
Different Headstock
Nut Material
Locking vs Black Tusq XL
Different Nut Material

Shared Features
Schecter Reaper-6 FR S Elite vs Hellraiser C-VI

Body Wood
Mahogany
Same Body Wood
Strings
6
Same playing style
Body Type
Solid Body
Feedback free
Switch Positions
3
Same pickups versatility
Tone Knobs
1
Same tone control
Pickups
HH
High output without hum
Number of Frets
24
Same maximum octave
Paint Finish
Poly
Resistant paint that ages well
Decorative Top
Quilted Maple Veneer vs Quilted Maple
Finished with beautiful natural wood patterns
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)
  • 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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Schecter Hellraiser C-VI Prices

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Which One is Better Overall?

After going through our comparison algorithm, the results show that the Schecter Reaper-6 FR S Elite is probably the better product overall with its final score of 82 compared to the Schecter Hellraiser C-VI's 74 score, although not by a lot.

The Schecter Reaper-6 FR S Elite wins when it comes to sound, playability, build quality, value for the money. This means that it wins over the Schecter Hellraiser C-VI in every aspect.

If you got small hands, none of these instruments will make a big difference when it comes to comfortability.

Which One is Better for Beginners?

If you're looking for your first guitar to learn how to play, the Schecter Hellraiser C-VI is the better choice.

The Schecter Hellraiser C-VI meets 6 out of our 8 criteria items for beginner friendliness, while the Schecter Reaper-6 FR S Elite meets only 5. 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 FR S Elite
  • Comfortable shape
  • Comfortable fretboard
  • Tall frets
  • Narrow nut
  • Comfortable neck
  • Short scale
  • Locking tuners
  • Easy-to-use bridge

New Player Friendliness

Schecter Hellraiser C-VI
  • Comfortable shape
  • Easy-to-use bridge
  • Locking tuners
  • Tall frets
  • Narrow nut
  • Comfortable neck
  • Comfortable fretboard
  • 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 FR S 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
  • Wenge fretboard
  • Bridge pickup: Schecter USA San Andreas (Humbucker/Passive)
  • Neck pickup: Sustainiac (Humbucker/Passive)
  • 1 volume and 1 tone Dome knobs
  • 3-way Switch
  • Floyd Rose 1500 Series bridge
  • Ultra Thin C Neck-Through neck
  • 24 XL Jumbo Stainless Steel frets
  • Grover tuners
  • Compare Specs >

Schecter Hellraiser C-VI Overview

  • From Schecter's 2011 Hellraiser series
  • Made in South Korea
  • 6 strings
  • 30"'' scale
  • 14" Fretboard Radius
  • Quilted Maple top
  • Mahogany body
  • Mahogany 3-pc w/ Carbon Fiber Reinforcement Rods neck
  • Rosewood fretboard
  • Bridge pickup: EMG 81TW (Humbucker/Active)
  • Neck pickup: EMG 89R (Humbucker/Active)
  • 2 volume and 1 tone Dome knobs
  • 3-way Switch
  • TonePros System w/Custom Brass Saddles bridge
  • Thin C Set neck
  • 24 XL Jumbo frets
  • Schecter Locking 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

Mahogany wood pattern used for guitar building
Mahogany

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 Schecter Reaper-6 FR S Elite

Wenge wood pattern used for guitar building
Wenge

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.

Woods Used in the Schecter Hellraiser C-VI

Rosewood wood pattern used for guitar building
Rosewood

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.

Winner: Schecter Hellraiser C-VI.

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 Hellraiser C-VI's online:

The Schecter Reaper-6 FR S Elite's pickups are Passive while the Schecter Hellraiser C-VI'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: 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 give you different pickup mod options.

The Schecter Reaper-6 FR S Elite offers 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.

On the other hand, the Schecter Hellraiser C-VI comes with the following: 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 FR S Elite pickups switch and push knobs diagram
Schecter Reaper-6 FR S Elite's switch options
Schecter Hellraiser C-VI pickups switch and push knobs diagram
Schecter Hellraiser C-VI'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 FR S Elite.

Final Sound Quality Scores

Schecter Reaper-6 FR S Elite
Pickups 85
Sustain 100
Versatility 69
Tuning Stability 85
Sound 85
Schecter Hellraiser C-VI
Pickups 85
Sustain 90
Versatility 61
Tuning Stability 80
Sound 79

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 FR S Elite compares to the Schecter Hellraiser C-VI.

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 FR S Elite 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 Hellraiser C-VI 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.

In this comparison, the Schecter Reaper-6 FR S 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 FR S 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.

The Schecter Reaper-6 FR S Elite'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 Hellraiser C-VI'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 Reaper-6 FR S Elite.

Tuners

The Schecter Hellraiser C-VI has the best tuners of the two because they are 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.

Nevertheless, the Schecter Reaper-6 FR S Elite has a locking nut, so it should have even better tune stability and doesn't need locking tuners.

Winner: Schecter Hellraiser C-VI.

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 FR S 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 Schecter Hellraiser C-VI 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 Reaper-6 FR S Elite.

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

Strengths & Weaknesses
Schecter Reaper-6 FR S Elite
  • 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 Hellraiser C-VI
  • Locking Tuners
  • Expensive Wood
  • Black Tusq XL Nut
  • Top Brand Pickups
  • Coil Split Pickups
  • Cheap Fret Wire (NS)
  • Made in South Korea
  • No Neck-Through Build
  • 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 FR S Elite
Quality of materials 73
Features 95
Quality Control 75
Build Quality 81
Schecter Hellraiser C-VI
Quality of materials 55
Features 65
Quality Control 75
Build Quality 65

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 FR S Elite Nut Width
Schecter Reaper-6 FR S Elite Nut Width
Schecter Hellraiser C-VI Nut Width
Schecter Hellraiser C-VI Nut Width

The nut width will affect the separation between strings at the nut. In this comparison, the Schecter Hellraiser C-VI has the wider nut with 42mm (1.654'') vs 41.3mm (1.625''). This is a 0.7mm (0.029'') difference

This means that it will be more difficult to do bar chords on the Schecter Hellraiser C-VI, 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 FR S Elite's Scale Length
Schecter Reaper-6 FR S Elite's Scale Length
Schecter Hellraiser C-VI's Scale Length
Schecter Hellraiser C-VI'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 Hellraiser C-VI has the longest scale: 30". The Schecter Reaper-6 FR S Elite is only 25.5" long. This is a 4.5'' (114.3mm) 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 Reaper-6 FR S Elite Neck Profile
Schecter Reaper-6 FR S Elite's neck profile
Schecter Hellraiser C-VI Neck Profile
Schecter Hellraiser C-VI'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 FR S Elite and the Schecter Hellraiser C-VI 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 FR S Elite Fretboard Compound Radius
Schecter Reaper-6 FR S Elite's Compound Fretboard Radius
Schecter Hellraiser C-VI Fingerboard Radius
Schecter Hellraiser C-VI'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 FR S 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.

After taking into account the scale length, nut width, neck profile and fretboard radius, we can conclude that both in this comparison favor small hands .

Schecter Reaper-6 FR S Elite:
Big Hands
Small Hands
Schecter Hellraiser C-VI:
Big Hands
Small Hands

Fret Size

Schecter Reaper-6 FR S Elite and Schecter Hellraiser C-VI 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 Reaper-6 FR S Elite
Bending & Vibrato Ease 70
Chord Playability 70
Solo Playability 100
Playability 80
Schecter Hellraiser C-VI
Bending & Vibrato Ease 85
Chord Playability 60
Solo Playability 90
Playability 78

Specs Side-by-Side

Schecter Reaper-6 FR S Elite vs Hellraiser C-VI
General Schecter Reaper-6 FR S Elite Hellraiser C-VI
Brand: Schecter Schecter
Year: 2023 2011
Configuration: HH HH
Strings: 6 6
Made in: South Korea South Korea
Series: Reaper Elite Hellraiser
Colors: Blue Red
Left-Handed Version: No Yes
Body
Type: Solid Body Solid Body
Body Material: Khaya African Mahogany Mahogany
Bridge: Floyd Rose 1500 Series TonePros System w/Custom Brass Saddles
Neck
Neck Joint: Neck-Through Set
Tuners: Grover Schecter Locking
Fretboard: Wenge Rosewood
Neck Material: Wenge Mahogany 3-pc w/ Carbon Fiber Reinforcement Rods
Decoration: Pearloid Lines Abalone Gothic Crosses
Scale Size: 25.5" 30"
Shape: Ultra Thin C 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 Black Tusq XL
Nut Width: 41.3mm (1.625'') 42mm (1.654'')
Electronics
Bridge Pickup: Schecter USA San Andreas (Humbucker / Passive) EMG 81TW (Humbucker / Active)
Middle Pickup:
Neck Pickup: Sustainiac (Humbucker / Passive) EMG 89R (Humbucker / Active)
Switch: 3 Way 3 Way
Knobs: Dome Dome
Pickup Mods: Sustainer Coil Split
Volume Controls: 1 2
Tone Controls: 1 1