Thinking about a Schecter and I can't believe it

So I'm a hardcore Fender fan, have been for twenty years now. I've owned a slew of other guitars and outside of my 60s Ovation 335 copy and my epi LP JR I've never had a non Fender electric guitar that I've bonded with. They come into my music room, hang out for awhile and then I keep ignoring them to reach for my tele and eventually they get released back into the wild.

Oddly, I stumbled across a great deal on a rather beat up C1 Classic and I can't stop thinking about it. I'm thinking about getting metal axe... and it's got me confused.

Now here's the odd part, I don't play metal or anything even vaguely approaching it. I play blues, classic rock, country and the occasional jazz tune but I love the action on these guitars and their bulky necks. The string through body with the tone pros bridge and the neck through design all seem like great features.

Now, I know Schecter's history and that they were basically producing off brand Fenders for many years, but this isn't a PT Tele, its a Diamond Series super strat with all that it implies.

So what do you guys think?

Should I let the GAS pass and realize that I'm probably going to just be listing it on the bay in three weeks when the novelty wears off?

or

Should I see if there's some black leather lurking under this plaid, pearl buttoned exterior?

If the guitar talks to you I say go for it. I bought a Made In Korea Schecter XXX for my son a few years ago and I almost wanted to keep it for myself--it plays beautifully with impeccable fretwork, stays in tune like a rock, has Grovers and Tone Pros hardware, is perfectly finished and is lightweight and perfect;y balanced. I ran across another used one recently and really wanted to buy it--it was just as good as my son's guitar. The only reason why I didn't buy it is because I already have too many guitars.

I own three Schecters (one is a C1 Hellraiser) and I don't play metal either. They are just great playing and sounding guitars that have surprising versatility.

The Hellraiser:

http://i227.photobucket.com/albums/dd198/Chchadder/DSC02767.jpg

The Stargazer 12 string:

http://i227.photobucket.com/albums/dd198/Chchadder/Screenshot2012-04-10at120509PM.png

And the one that started it all, the Raiden bass:

http://i227.photobucket.com/albums/dd198/Chchadder/DSC02758.jpg

I agree with Radspin -- if a guitar speaks to you, go with it.

I have learned to be real open minded about guitar brands and "looks." This was really DEEPLY hammered home when I saw Carol Kaye a few years back -- Carol Kaye, the nice old lady who played bass on pretty much every 60s song you could care to name. Saw her doing a seminar and also a show, where she dusted off her jazz guitar chops.

Holy Hannah, she's just an incredible player and performer.

And she was using a real pointy Ibanez shredder-style solidbody, to do this straight-ahead jazz. She was, as they say, playing the snot out of it.

P.S. I have a Schecter Ultra III that I like a lot. They make nice guitars!

I have nothing negative to say about Schecter. Great guitars at an affordable price point. Very versatile. They are marketed in the metal direction, but by no means is it strictly a metal guitar. I've owned two, a Stargazer and a 006 Deluxe.

I agree with Radspin -- if a guitar speaks to you, go with it.

I have learned to be real open minded about guitar brands and "looks." This was really DEEPLY hammered home when I saw Carol Kaye a few years back -- Carol Kaye, the nice old lady who played bass on pretty much every 60s song you could care to name. Saw her doing a seminar and also a show, where she dusted off her jazz guitar chops.

Holy Hannah, she's just an incredible player and performer.

And she was using a real pointy Ibanez shredder-style solidbody, to do this straight-ahead jazz. She was, as they say, playing the snot out of it.


P.S. I have a Schecter Ultra III that I like a lot. They make nice guitars!


I have to agree. I'm a Fender fan, and we have more Fender products in our house than I like to think about, but we've also got Gibson, Epiphone, Ibanez, Martin, etc. in the house, too. And they get played frequently. We bought them (I'm lucky to have a partner who loves music and guitars as much as I do) because they spoke to one of us and they make great music. I think limiting oneself to a brand, due to loyalty or whatever, might cause one to miss some great sounding instruments. And that would be a shame.

:grin:

Go for it. I've never played a Schecter that didn't feel great. As far as I'm concerned, they are heads and shoulders above any other Asian manufactured guitar.

Cort make similar guitars....

This may be wildly wrong but they may even make Schecters????

They are very, very nice and great value - you might be getting pretty much the same thing with a different name on the headstock. Worth checking out.

...Wouldn't look too out of place in a blues setting...

http://www.richardsguitars.co.uk/acatalog/M600_160.jpg

I love my Schecter Ultra III , but it's HEAVY

Never thought I'd own a Schecter until I saw this. It was love at first sight. I'm glad they didn't call it the Rockabilly from Hell guitar. Just Solo Vintage

Though I have never owned them as was looking a Epi Dots, Gretsch Electromatics, and Ibanez Artcores, the last time I was at GC one salesperson told me the Schecter solidbodies were the hands down favorite among the GC staff, due to sheer quality and affordable price. They all liked the MIA PRS stuff behind the register but they were out of reach for most.

Never thought I'd own a Schecter until I saw this. It was love at first sight. I'm glad they didn't call it the Rockabilly from Hell guitar. Just Solo Vintage

Yeah I've seen those. Very cool design.

I have owned a few diamond series. Great players and you get a lot of features for the price. Most have a quilted or flame maple top and the semi hollows have nice piezo's in them.

I'm a PT owner. I love everything about it. Plays great, looks cool, sounds awesome. Just a great guitar.

I agree with Radspin -- if a guitar speaks to you, go with it.

Yep. If you buy a guitar and find that you really don't bond with it, you can always sell it, trade it, or otherwise release it back into the wild. If you pass up a guitar that speaks to you, you'll spend years regretting it.

I have six Strats in my collection, including a Clapton "Blackie" model and this old Schecter "Mercury" Strat is the best and my favorite of the lot. The rest of 'em will go before this baby does.... Here's a shot or two of it...JH in Va.

This one's always on the back of my mind :wink:

http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-WmzGvMZOLTs/T6x8sw6vyyI/AAAAAAAAAYM/S8PXiQU82do/s1600/omen8.JPG

^^^^^^Very nice. I tried an eight string Ibanez but got lost on the neck. The most I can get my mind around is seven strings and even then just barely. Eight strings feels like a totally different instrument.

I have a Schecter Corsair with a bigsby, that I play a lot. It's a 335 type semi hollow and the workmanship is outstanding.

Great reviews guys, thank you. Alas fate has a funny way of changing plans. The day after posting this I found out my company is restructuring so I'll be more on the guitar sales than acquisition side of things for awhile. However, when times are a little easier I'll definitely grab a C1 Classic.

Thanks again.

The Stargazer 12 string:

http://i227.photobucket.com/albums/dd198/Chchadder/Screenshot2012-04-10at120509PM.png

That Stargazer is very cool.

For what it's worth, I too have previously owned several Schecters (diamond series) and have been impressed with build quality and price. Wish I still had my black PT- which had such a good "comfortable" (for me) maple neck! The Solo Vintage does look good too doesnt it?

I took a Schecter in on a trade a couple of years ago thinking I turn it over for a quick sale. I still have it. Love the neck. It may be an inexpensive guitar but it feels right and sounds great.

I saw a schecter five string guitar used recently that was tuned like a cello with an e on top. They do some weird, wonderful stuff.

I am currently shopping around for an acoustic guitar, and I know very little about them. GC has a beautiful Used Taylor DN3 and I picked it up and instantly fell in love with it but unfortunately it just isnt in the budget. I went to it first because of course it was a Taylor. I picked up a Used Takamine GS330S and was amazed that it felt just as good as the Taylor and I looked at the tag and it was 25% of the price of the DN3! Now for the past week that Takamine has of course been in the back of my mind.

If there is anything that has changed with age is that I can care less what the name on the headstock says. If it talks to me or I can make a buck on it, its MINE!

Great reviews guys, thank you. Alas fate has a funny way of changing plans. The day after posting this I found out my company is restructuring so I'll be more on the guitar sales than acquisition side of things for awhile. However, when times are a little easier I'll definitely grab a C1 Classic.

Thanks again.

I'm so sorry man. Times sure are tuff right now. Hang in there.

That Stargazer is very cool.

Thanks man, I'm lovin' it. It has the prototypical Schecter neck that is a bit wider at the nut than most electric 12 strings, so it has some nice meat to grab onto and space for the fingers. What I really dig (beyond just how cool it looks and feels) is the tonal range it gets. Each of those buckers will get nice and warm on their own but still retain clarity, but each can be split as well. Just a super versatile, great sounding, playing and looking guitar all around.

I'm so sorry man. Times sure are tuff right now. Hang in there.

Thanks gitold, it's actually all good. I'm luckier than most have been and i cant forget it. I have a good education / resume, a wife with a solid job and a lot of connections. Part of me is excited about the notion of new starts and paring down to the necessities which, at the end of the day (musically at least), is a good acoustic and my tele. The rest is bonus.

However, when the time does come to diversify the herd I'll give into a Schecter C1, preferably a classic if I can find one. Damn sexy. Actually I'm already planning that purchase as my self-reward for finding a new day gig when the time comes ;)

Cort make similar guitars....

This may be wildly wrong but they may even make Schecters????

They are very, very nice and great value - you might be getting pretty much the same thing with a different name on the headstock. Worth checking out.

...Wouldn't look too out of place in a blues setting...

http://www.richardsguitars.co.uk/acatalog/M600_160.jpg

Interesting about the Cort's I've also heard the the Yamaha RGX520 is close to the Schecter C1 in features and feel.