Swap
Swap
Schecter Ultra-III
Schecter C-1 E/A
VS
Playability
73
Sound
69
Build
65
Value
74
Score
69
FIND IT ON:
Musician's Friend logoSweetwater logoAmazon logo
Playability
78
Sound
70
Build
65
Value
71
Score
71
FIND IT ON:
Sweetwater logoMusician's Friend logo
Add more to comparison

Schecter Ultra-III vs C-1 E/A

Reasons to Get
Schecter Ultra-III over C-1 E/A

Number of Frets
22 vs 24
Warmer neck pickup
Pickup Mods
Coil Split vs Multi-Voicing
Splits humbuckers into single coil pickups
Switch Positions
5 vs 3
More tone options
Pickups
HHH vs HH
High output without hum and tons of tone versatility
Bridge
Bigsby Tremolo vs Fixed
Intense vibrato with a solid arm
Value Score
74 vs 71
Better price/quality relationship

Reasons to Get
Schecter C-1 E/A over Ultra-III

Decorative Top
Flamed Maple vs None
Finished with beautiful natural wood patterns
Release Year
2015 vs 2009
From a more recent year
Pickup Mods
Multi-Voicing vs Coil Split
Changes the voice (tones or gain) of the pickups
Volume Knobs
2 vs 1
More volume control
Tone Knobs
2 vs 1
More tone control
Pickups
HH vs HHH
High output without hum
Number of Frets
24 vs 22
Allows to reach higher notes
Bridge
Fixed vs Bigsby Tremolo
Good sustain and needs no set-up

Other Key Differences
Schecter Ultra-III vs C-1 E/A

Bridge Pickup
Schecter Diamond Mini FilterTron vs Schecter Diamond Plus
Different Bridge Pickup
Neck Pickup
Schecter Diamond Mini FilterTron vs Schecter Diamond Plus
Different Neck Pickup
Nut Material
Black Tusq XL vs Ivory Tusq
Different Nut Material

Shared Features
Schecter Ultra-III vs C-1 E/A

Body Wood
Mahogany
Same Body Wood
Neck Wood
Mahogany
Same Neck Wood
Fretboard Wood
Rosewood
Same Fretboard Wood
Headstock
3-3
Same Headstock
Strings
6
Same playing style
Body Type
Solid Body
Feedback free
Neck Thickness at 1st Fret
0.79'' (20.1mm)
Same neck comfortability
Neck Thickness at 12th Fret
0.87'' (22.1mm)
Same neck comfortability
Nut Width
1.654'' (42mm)
Same string separation at the nut
Paint Finish
Poly
Resistant paint that ages well
Scale Length
25.5'' (647.7mm)
Same string tension and fret separation
Fretboard Radius
14'' (355.6mm)
Same fretboard comfortability
Pickups Power
Passive
Cleaner sound and no battery needed
Neck Profile Type
C
Comfortable neck that works for most people
Neck Joint
Set
Neck is glued to the body
Type of Frets
XL Jumbo
You won't feel the fretboard when pressing down the strings

Common Strengths

  • High-Quality Nut
  • Expensive Wood

Common Weaknesses

  • Neck-Through Build
  • Weight Relief
  • Locking Tuners
  • Stays in Tune (Evertune)
  • High-Quality Frets
  • Compound Radius Fretboard
  • From a High-Quality-Standards Country
  • Luminescent Sidedots
  • Strap Lock
  • Top Pickup Brand
  • 21:1 Tuner Ratio
  • Active/Passive Preamp

Table of Contents

Price History Comparison

SET PRICE ALERT
SET PRICE ALERT

These are affiliate links. We may earn a fee if you purchase after clicking. These prices are prone to error. Make sure you're buying the right product after clicking on a link from our site. We are not liable if you buy the wrong product after following these links. As an Amazon Associate site we earn from qualifying purchases.

Which One is Better Overall?

After going through our comparison algorithm, the results show that the Schecter C-1 E/A is probably the better product overall with its final score of 71 compared to the Schecter Ultra-III's 69 score, although not by a lot.

The Schecter C-1 E/A wins when it comes to sound, playability. On the other hand, the Schecter Ultra-III has the upper hand when it comes to value for the money.

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 C-1 E/A is the better choice.

The Schecter C-1 E/A meets 5 out of our 8 criteria items for beginner friendliness, while the Schecter Ultra-III meets only 3. 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 Ultra-III
  • Tall frets
  • Narrow nut
  • Comfortable neck
  • Comfortable shape
  • Comfortable fretboard
  • Short scale
  • Locking tuners
  • Easy-to-use bridge

New Player Friendliness

Schecter C-1 E/A
  • Comfortable shape
  • Easy-to-use bridge
  • Tall frets
  • Narrow nut
  • Comfortable neck
  • Comfortable fretboard
  • 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 Ultra-III Overview

  • From Schecter's 2009 Retro series
  • Made in South Korea
  • 6 strings
  • 25.5"'' scale
  • 14" Fretboard Radius
  • Mahogany body
  • Mahogany 3-pc neck
  • Rosewood fretboard
  • Bridge pickup: Schecter Diamond Mini FilterTron (Humbucker/Passive)
  • Middle pickup: Schecter Diamond Mini FilterTron (Humbucker/Passive)
  • Neck pickup: Schecter Diamond Mini FilterTron (Humbucker/Passive)
  • 1 volume and 1 tone Bell knobs
  • 5-way Switch
  • Bigsby Flat Top B50 w/ Roller TOM bridge
  • Thin C Set neck
  • 22 XL Jumbo frets
  • Grover tuners
  • Weight between 8.35lbs (3.8kgs) and 9.1lbs (4.1kgs)
  • Compare Specs >

Schecter C-1 E/A Overview

  • From Schecter's 2015 Retro series
  • Made in South Korea
  • 6 strings
  • 25.5"'' scale
  • 14" Fretboard Radius
  • Flamed Maple top
  • Mahogany body
  • Mahogany 3-pc neck
  • Rosewood fretboard
  • Bridge pickup: Schecter Diamond Plus (Humbucker/Passive)
  • Neck pickup: Schecter Diamond Plus (Humbucker/Passive)
  • 2 volume and 2 tone Dome knobs
  • 3-way Switch
  • Fishman Powerbridge (Piezo) w/TonePros T1Z Tailpiece 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

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

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: Tie.

Pickup Configuration

The Schecter Ultra-III has an HHH configuration while the Schecter C-1 E/A has HH pickups.

A triple Humbucker (HHH) can be intimidating at first, but it's one of the combinations that offer the most tone versatility. You'll be able to have from a lot of output for Hard Rock genres, to warm and clean sounds that are more common in Jazz.

On the other hand, 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

The Schecter Ultra-III has pickups from a more specialized brand than the Schecter C-1 E/A. Its pickups should simply give you a better, fuller sound, although it all depends on what type of music you're going to play. We recommend these pickups for Hard Rock and similar genres.

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: Schecter Ultra-III.

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 Schecter Ultra-III gives you 5 switch options while the Schecter C-1 E/A gives you 3. This means that the Schecter Ultra-III gives you more options to find the right pickup combination for the type of sound you want to achieve

Both give you different pickup mod options.

The Schecter Ultra-III offers 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.

On the other hand, the Schecter C-1 E/A comes with the following: Multi-Voicing.

Multi-Voicing means the pickups come with multiple ''voices'', which means they can change the tone and gain by a simple switch or knob. Piezo, Fishman and similar are considered multi-voicing pickups.

Schecter Ultra-III pickups switch selector and push knobs diagram
Schecter Ultra-III's switch options
Schecter C-1 E/A pickups switch and push knobs diagram
Schecter C-1 E/A'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 Ultra-III.

Final Sound Quality Scores

Schecter Ultra-III
Pickups 60
Sustain 80
Versatility 70
Tuning Stability 65
Sound 69
Schecter C-1 E/A
Pickups 55
Sustain 85
Versatility 68
Tuning Stability 70
Sound 70

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 Ultra-III compares to the Schecter C-1 E/A.

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 Ultra-III 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 Schecter C-1 E/A comes with 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.

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 Ultra-III'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 Schecter C-1 E/A'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 Ultra-III.

Tuners

Both come with regular tuners. Both come with 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.

Both have 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.

Winner: Tie.

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

Strengths & Weaknesses
Schecter Ultra-III
  • Expensive Wood
  • Black Tusq XL Nut
  • Coil Split Pickups
  • Tremolo
  • Cheap Fret Wire (NS)
  • No Locking Tuners
  • Made in South Korea
  • No Top Brand Pickups
  • 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 C-1 E/A
  • Expensive Wood
  • Ivory Tusq Nut
  • Multi-Voicing Pickups
  • Cheap Fret Wire (NS)
  • No Locking Tuners
  • Made in South Korea
  • No Top Brand Pickups
  • 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 Ultra-III
Quality of materials 66
Features 60
Quality Control 70
Build Quality 65
Schecter C-1 E/A
Quality of materials 65
Features 55
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 Ultra-III 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 Ultra-III and Schecter C-1 E/A'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 Ultra-III 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 Ultra-III and the Schecter C-1 E/A 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 Ultra-III Fingerboard Radius
Both Guitars Have The Same Fretboard 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.

Both the Schecter Ultra-III and the Schecter C-1 E/A have the same fretboard radius of 14". This radius y closer to the 12'' that most Les Paul guitars have, but a bit flatter. It'll make it easier to play single notes than chords, but it's still comfortable for playing chords without muting strings.

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 Ultra-III:
Big Hands
Small Hands
Schecter C-1 E/A:
Big Hands
Small Hands

Fret Size

Schecter Ultra-III and Schecter C-1 E/A 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 Ultra-III
Bending & Vibrato Ease 80
Chord Playability 60
Solo Playability 80
Playability 73
Schecter C-1 E/A
Bending & Vibrato Ease 85
Chord Playability 60
Solo Playability 90
Playability 78

Specs Side-by-Side

Schecter Ultra-III vs C-1 E/A
General Schecter Ultra-III C-1 E/A
Brand: Schecter Schecter
Year: 2009 2015
Configuration: HHH HH
Strings: 6 6
Made in: South Korea South Korea
Series: Retro Retro
Colors: Blue, Red, Yellow Brown
Left-Handed Version: No No
Body
Type: Solid Body Solid Body
Body Material: Mahogany Mahogany
Bridge: Bigsby Flat Top B50 w/ Roller TOM Fishman Powerbridge (Piezo) w/TonePros T1Z Tailpiece
Neck
Neck Joint: Set Set
Tuners: Grover Grover
Fretboard: Rosewood Rosewood
Neck Material: Mahogany 3-pc Mahogany 3-pc
Decoration: Pearl Blocks Mother of Pearl Dots
Scale Size: 25.5" 25.5"
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" 14"
Nut: Black Tusq XL Ivory Tusq
Nut Width: 42mm (1.654'') 42mm (1.654'')
Electronics
Bridge Pickup: Schecter Diamond Mini FilterTron (Humbucker / Passive) Schecter Diamond Plus (Humbucker / Passive)
Middle Pickup: Schecter Diamond Mini FilterTron (Humbucker / Passive)
Neck Pickup: Schecter Diamond Mini FilterTron (Humbucker / Passive) Schecter Diamond Plus (Humbucker / Passive)
Switch: 5 Way 3 Way
Knobs: Bell Dome
Pickup Mods: Coil Split Multi-Voicing
Volume Controls: 1 2
Tone Controls: 1 2