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Schecter Ultra-III
Schecter Hellcat-VI
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Playability
73
Sound
69
Build
65
Value
74
Score
69
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Playability
75
Sound
79
Build
64
Value
73
Score
73
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Schecter Ultra-III vs Hellcat-VI

Reasons to Get
Schecter Ultra-III over Hellcat-VI

Pickups
HHH vs SSS
High output without hum and tons of tone versatility
Neck Thickness at 1st Fret
0.79'' (20.1mm) vs 0.826'' (21mm)
More comfortable open chords for small hands
Neck Thickness at 12th Fret
0.87'' (22.1mm) vs 0.905'' (23mm)
More comfortable at higher frets for small hands
Bridge
Bigsby Tremolo vs Fixed
Intense vibrato with a solid arm
Scale Length
25.5'' (647.7mm) vs 30'' (762mm)
Easier bending, shorter fret separation and warmer natural tone
Fretboard Radius
14'' (355.6mm) vs 12'' (304.8mm)
Flatter fretboard makes it easier to play single notes and bend
Value Score
74 vs 73
Better price/quality relationship

Reasons to Get
Schecter Hellcat-VI over Ultra-III

Release Year
2010 vs 2009
From a more recent year
Pickups Brand
Schecter USA vs None
Pickups from a renown brand
Neck Joint
Bolt-On vs Set
Allows you to detach and swap the neck
Pickups
SSS vs HHH
Beautiful cleans and good tone versatility
Neck Thickness at 1st Fret
0.826'' (21mm) vs 0.79'' (20.1mm)
More comfortable open chords for big hands
Neck Thickness at 12th Fret
0.905'' (23mm) vs 0.87'' (22.1mm)
More comfortable at higher frets for big hands
Bridge
Fixed vs Bigsby Tremolo
Good sustain and needs no set-up
Scale Length
30'' (762mm) vs 25.5'' (647.7mm)
Lower action and brighter natural tone
Fretboard Radius
12'' (304.8mm) vs 14'' (355.6mm)
More curved fretboard helpful to play chords without muting strings

Other Key Differences
Schecter Ultra-III vs Hellcat-VI

Bridge Pickup
Schecter Diamond Mini FilterTron vs Schecter USA MonsterTone Stack
Different Bridge Pickup
Middle Pickup
Schecter Diamond Mini FilterTron vs Schecter USA MonsterTone Stack
Different Middle Pickup
Neck Pickup
Schecter Diamond Mini FilterTron vs Schecter USA MonsterTone Stack
Different Neck Pickup
Body Wood
Mahogany vs Ash
Different Body Wood
Neck Wood
Mahogany vs Maple
Different Neck Wood
Fretboard Wood
Rosewood vs Pau Ferro
Different Fretboard Wood
Headstock
3-3 vs 6
Different Headstock

Shared Features
Schecter Ultra-III vs Hellcat-VI

Nut Material
Black Tusq XL
Same Nut Material
Strings
6
Same playing style
Body Type
Solid Body
Feedback free
Switch Positions
5
Same pickups versatility
Volume Knobs
1
Same volume control
Tone Knobs
1
Same tone control
Number of Frets
22
Same maximum octave
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
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

  • Pickup Alter Switch/Knob
  • High-Quality Nut
  • Expensive Wood

Common Weaknesses

  • Weight Relief
  • Locking Tuners
  • 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

SET PRICE ALERT

Schecter Hellcat-VI Prices

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Which One is Better Overall?

After going through our comparison algorithm, the results show that the Schecter Hellcat-VI is probably the better product overall with its final score of 73 compared to the Schecter Ultra-III's 69 score, although not by a lot.

The Schecter Hellcat-VI wins when it comes to sound, playability. On the other hand, the Schecter Ultra-III has the upper hand when it comes to build quality, value for the money.

If you got small hands, you'll probably feel that the Schecter Ultra-III is easier to play.

Which One is Better for Beginners?

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

The Schecter Hellcat-VI 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 Hellcat-VI
  • 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 Hellcat-VI Overview

  • From Schecter's 2010 Retro series
  • Made in South Korea
  • 6 strings
  • 30"'' scale
  • 12" Fretboard Radius
  • Swamp Ash body
  • Maple w/ Carbon Fiber Reinforcement Rods neck
  • Pau Ferro fretboard
  • Bridge pickup: Schecter USA MonsterTone Stack (Single Coil/Passive)
  • Middle pickup: Schecter USA MonsterTone Stack (Single Coil/Passive)
  • Neck pickup: Schecter USA MonsterTone Stack (Single Coil/Passive)
  • 1 volume and 1 tone Dome knobs
  • 5-way Switch
  • TonePros System w/Custom Brass Saddles bridge
  • Schecter C Bolt-On neck
  • 22 XL Jumbo frets
  • Grover Vintage Deluxe 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 the Schecter Ultra-III

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.

Woods Used in the Schecter Hellcat-VI

Maple wood pattern used for guitar building
Maple
Pau Ferro wood pattern used for guitar building
Pau Ferro
Ash wood pattern used for guitar building
Ash

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.

Pau Ferro has a dark, chocolate-like color with straight dark grains that is being used as a replacement to Rosewood due to the regulations. It produces a warm tone that is somewhere between Mahogany and Rosewood. Find out more about Pau Ferro.

Ash is a type of wood that Fender used almost exclusively in the 50s, and it's still used by many brands. It's a dense wood with a light color that works well for a transparent, natural finish because of its beautiful patterns. In terms of sound, it's known for emphasizing the mid and high frequencies, but with strong low end. Find out more about Ash.

Winner: Schecter Ultra-III.

Pickup Configuration

The Schecter Ultra-III has an HHH configuration while the Schecter Hellcat-VI has SSS 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, 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 Schecter Hellcat-VI pickups from a more specialized brand than the Schecter Ultra-III. 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.

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 Hellcat-VI.

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 offer you the same type of pickup mod: 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 Ultra-III pickups switch selector and push knobs diagram
Schecter Ultra-III's switch options
Schecter Hellcat-VI pickups switch selector and push knobs diagram
Schecter Hellcat-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: Tie.

Final Sound Quality Scores

Schecter Ultra-III
Pickups 60
Sustain 80
Versatility 70
Tuning Stability 65
Sound 69
Schecter Hellcat-VI
Pickups 100
Sustain 75
Versatility 70
Tuning Stability 70
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 Ultra-III compares to the Schecter Hellcat-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.

In this case, both have Black Tusq XL nuts. 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).

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 Hellcat-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 Ultra-III.

Tuners

Both come with regular tuners. The Schecter Ultra-III's are Grover while the Schecter Hellcat-VI's are Grover Vintage 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 Ultra-III 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 Schecter Hellcat-VI 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 Hellcat-VI.

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 Hellcat-VI
  • Expensive Wood
  • Black Tusq XL Nut
  • Top Brand Pickups
  • Coil Split Pickups
  • Cheap Fret Wire (NS)
  • No Locking Tuners
  • 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 Ultra-III
Quality of materials 66
Features 60
Quality Control 70
Build Quality 65
Schecter Hellcat-VI
Quality of materials 61
Features 55
Quality Control 75
Build Quality 64

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's Scale Length
Schecter Ultra-III's Scale Length
Schecter Hellcat-VI's Scale Length
Schecter Hellcat-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 Hellcat-VI has the longest scale: 30". The Schecter Ultra-III 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 Ultra-III Neck Profile
Schecter Ultra-III's neck profile
Schecter Hellcat-VI Neck Profile
Schecter Hellcat-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 Ultra-III and the Schecter Hellcat-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 Ultra-III Fingerboard Radius
Schecter Ultra-III's Fingerboard radius
Schecter Hellcat-VI Fingerboard Radius
Schecter Hellcat-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 Hellcat-VI's fingerboard radius is smaller, which means it's more curved than the Schecter Ultra-III'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 Ultra-III.

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 Hellcat-VI favors large hands more than the Schecter Ultra-III. But it's still more comfortable for people with small hands, as you can see in the score meter below.

Schecter Ultra-III:
Big Hands
Small Hands
Schecter Hellcat-VI:
Big Hands
Small Hands

Fret Size

Schecter Ultra-III and Schecter Hellcat-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 Ultra-III
Bending & Vibrato Ease 80
Chord Playability 60
Solo Playability 80
Playability 73
Schecter Hellcat-VI
Bending & Vibrato Ease 85
Chord Playability 60
Solo Playability 80
Playability 75

Specs Side-by-Side

Schecter Ultra-III vs Hellcat-VI
General Schecter Ultra-III Hellcat-VI
Brand: Schecter Schecter
Year: 2009 2010
Configuration: HHH SSS
Strings: 6 6
Made in: South Korea South Korea
Series: Retro Retro
Colors: Blue, Red, Yellow White, Sunburst
Left-Handed Version: No No
Body
Type: Solid Body Solid Body
Body Material: Mahogany Swamp Ash
Bridge: Bigsby Flat Top B50 w/ Roller TOM TonePros System w/Custom Brass Saddles
Neck
Neck Joint: Set Bolt-On
Tuners: Grover Grover Vintage Deluxe
Fretboard: Rosewood Pau Ferro
Neck Material: Mahogany 3-pc Maple w/ Carbon Fiber Reinforcement Rods
Decoration: Pearl Blocks Mother of Pear Dots
Scale Size: 25.5" 30"
Shape: Thin C Schecter C
Thickness: 1st Fret: 0.79'' (20.1mm) - 12th Fret: 0.87'' (22.1mm) 1st Fret: 0.826'' (21mm) - 12th Fret: 0.905'' (23mm)
Frets: 22 XL Jumbo Nickel Silver 22 XL Jumbo Nickel Silver
Fretboard Radius: 14" 12"
Nut: Black Tusq XL Black Tusq XL
Nut Width: 42mm (1.654'') 42mm (1.654'')
Electronics
Bridge Pickup: Schecter Diamond Mini FilterTron (Humbucker / Passive) Schecter USA MonsterTone Stack (Single Coil / Passive)
Middle Pickup: Schecter Diamond Mini FilterTron (Humbucker / Passive) Schecter USA MonsterTone Stack (Single Coil / Passive)
Neck Pickup: Schecter Diamond Mini FilterTron (Humbucker / Passive) Schecter USA MonsterTone Stack (Single Coil / Passive)
Switch: 5 Way 5 Way
Knobs: Bell Dome
Pickup Mods: Coil Split Coil Split
Volume Controls: 1 1
Tone Controls: 1 1