Schecter Blog Series. Article 1: Why I Love Schecter Guitars

6 days ago

5 min read

Updated: 1 day ago

This new blog series is going to consist of three articles:

Article 1: Why I Love Schecter Guitars

Article 2: Three Schecter Guitars I'd Recommend to Other Guitarists

Article 3: Which Schecter Guitar Would I Buy Next

I have played the guitar since I was about 13 years old and my journey started much the same as many other youngsters. I remember hanging out with some friends and one of their older siblings was showing us bands like Green Day, Nirvana and Metallica. Playing music on cassettes.

I don't really remember learning how to play the guitar though, it was almost like I just could. After hearing those distorted guitar riffs, I fell in love with that sound and wanted to be able to do it myself.

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I had already been playing the euphonium for a few years and I had private lessons so I could read music and had all the basic musical skills in place. This must have helped me with learning the guitar.

When I was a bit older and had some part time jobs, I always saved my money to buy new guitars. I had an Epiphone SG, a Les Paul copy, a B.C. Rich Ironbird and a 100-watt Marshall amp.

Later on when I was around 25 years old, I was playing in a heavy metal band called Through Her Eyes, with my brother and two best mates. We recorded some of our tracks and performed a lot mainly around the West Midlands. Our music was original and we became really popular on the local scene, it is a side of me that perhaps many people do not know and I miss it a lot.

It was around this time when I discovered Schecter guitars. I tried loads in guitar shops and even tried some second hand. I settled on a C-6 Omen Extreme FR and this was my main guitar for many years.

How I got into Schecter guitars

I remember first trying one in a guitar shop in Birmingham, UK and something about it felt so smooth but also so expensive. It is an amazing feeling when you test out a new guitar, expecting it to be way out of your price range only to find you can actually afford it.

I was definitely inspired by some famous guitarists who played on Schecter guitars. For example Meegs from Coal Chamber, Synyster Gates from Avenged Sevenfold, Jerry Horton from Papa Roach and Dan Donegan from Disturbed.

I wanted a guitar that had the metal look, would handle heavy riffs and detuning. But I didn't want a shredders style guitar like a Jackson or Ibanez. I was never a lead guitarist, I could dabble with guitar solos but our music was more about the riffs and the story that each song told.

The Schecter guitars I own

I have owned a few different Schecter guitars but I currently have two. They are basically the same guitar which is the C-6 model. One is a cherry red, C-6 Omen Extreme with Floyd Rose and the other is basically the same guitar but in a matt cherry red without the Floyd Rose.

When I played in a band, I didn't use the Floyd Rose tremolo arm but when properly set up, the tuning was so accurate that it barely needed any adjustments even in the middle of a gig. Nowadays I find that I want the versatility that not having a Floyd Rose can give you. Maybe I can de-tune the guitar or just adjust it on the fly. Sometimes I play guitar in schools and what if the piano is out of tune?

You will find out what other Schecter guitars I like in later articles but sometimes the most attractive or even wild looking shapes are not very comfortable to play. This is why I have always fallen back on the trusty and somewhat basic C-6 design model.

What I love about Schecter

I love how Schecter guitars can cross over between many different styles, a bit like a PRS. They work well in any setting. Nowadays I take my Schecter guitar into schools and accompany singers by just strumming chords. It feels amazing using this guitar for basic things, it is so versatile but also gets everyone asking questions about it.

Schecter’s own-brand pickups are actually really good. They aren't just generic pickups fitted to Schecter guitars to save money, Schecter has a long history of making its own pickups in the USA, and some of its higher-end designs are genuinely worth considering as aftermarket upgrades. In all my gigging days, I never once felt the need to change to Seymour Duncans or even EMG's. My guitar tone always hit like a train, using a Marshall head and 4x12 cabinet and a Zoom tri-metal pedal.

I also love the neck, it is slim and fairly conventional when compared to other guitars. This means having a Schecter works well if you like to swap between guitars in a set.

Are Schecter guitars right for you?

Schecter guitars have built a strong reputation for offering a lot of guitar for the money, particularly for players who value playability, powerful sounds and modern styling. Although the brand is often associated with metal and hard rock, its range is much broader than that.

Many Schecter models feature comfortable necks as mentioned, solid hardware, well-built bodies and pickups that deliver plenty of clarity and output, making them appealing to both intermediate players looking to upgrade and experienced guitarists who want a dependable instrument for rehearsals, recording or live performance.

If you're into heavy riffs, drop tunings, progressive metal, hard rock or modern alternative, Schecter is one of the best. However, its more traditional designs can also work well for blues, classic rock, indie and general-purpose playing, depending on the model and pickup configuration.

The main thing to consider before buying is that Schecter is a diverse brand, so the individual model matters more than the logo on the headstock. If you want tight, aggressive tones and high-gain performance, look at models with humbuckers and, if needed, an extended-range or baritone setup. If you prefer vintage-style cleans, expressive blues tones or a more traditional rock sound, explore its more classic-inspired models and compare their pickup voicings carefully.

Ultimately, the best Schecter is one that feels natural in your hands and suits the sounds you actually play, rather than simply the one with the most aggressive appearance or the longest specification list.