Schecter Hollywood custom USA identification

[prsplayer86]

Is anyone familiar with early Schecter guitars? I've come across a Schecter hollywood custom with USA on the headstock. The neck plate is blank chrome with nothing stamped on it. The thing is in a pawn shop so I can't pull the neck or pickups to see if anything would allude to it being a legit USA guitar. I've also come up dry on searching the internet for information on them .

I'm unsure if the usa on the head stock was a market shtick, like the import Charvel's that have USA on the neck plates or if it actually means made over seas, or if it indicates that its actually a usa guitar. I'll get pictures of the guitar tomorrow, but I've included a photo I've found that resembles the one in question.

 

[Metlupass2]

Did you try calling Schecter?

 

[prsplayer86]

Did you try calling Schecter?

I attempted about 3 months ago and didn't actually get through. Holiday or didn't get anyone at the time. I just basically forgot about it. I walked into the same pawn shop to see if they had any new gear and that guitar is still there. Probably try tomorrow.

 

[tom_h]

The blank neck plate seems suspicious. The headstock on a Shibuya-era (1987-current) custom shop Schecter should read "SCHECTER Los Angeles, CA", "SCHECTER Burbank, CA", or most recently "SCHECTER Sun Valley, CA". I've never seen one that was "SCHECTER USA". That is another concern. The guitar in the photo is legitimate, I have doubts about the pawn shop find.

If the guitar is from an even earlier era (Dallas, Van Nuys) then you'd most likely be looking at traditional strat and tele style guitars like Knopfler's and Townsend's, and not the type of guitar pictured. These guitars also used the Fender headstock shapes. It was during the Shibuya/Ciravolo era that the current "traditional" headstock shape was designed (as is seen in that photo).

 

[prsplayer86]

The blank neck plate seems suspicious. The headstock on a Shibuya-era (1987-current) custom shop Schecter should read "SCHECTER Los Angeles, CA", "SCHECTER Burbank, CA", or most recently "SCHECTER Sun Valley, CA". I've never seen one that was "SCHECTER USA". That is another concern. The guitar in the photo is legitimate, I have doubts about the pawn shop find.

If the guitar is from an even earlier era (Dallas, Van Nuys) then you'd most likely be looking at traditional strat and tele style guitars like Knopfler's and Townsend's, and not the type of guitar pictured. These guitars also used the Fender headstock shapes. It was during the Shibuya/Ciravolo era that the current "traditional" headstock shape was designed (as is seen in that photo).

Thank you for the insight. Like I said, I don't anything about Schecter's history besides they make fantastic instruments. My gut tells me that this is a fake or import. Pictures coming soon

 

[tom_h]

The neck plate on a custom shop Schecter should be one of the following:

SCHECTER logo with "USA" text and serial #
SCHECTER with image of the state of California and "The Original California Custom" text and serial #
SCHECTER GUITAR RESEARCH, USA CUSTOM SHOP, SUN VALLEY, CA with serial number (current version)

 

[tak]

Obviously, Schecter is the best resource if possible. With that said, I have owned a few over the years and I believe that DrumCityGuitarland is still pretty close with Schecter. If you can't reach anyone with Schecter in California, maybe give http://www.drumcityguitarland.com/ them a call and see if they have any contacts?

 

[MNet]

The blank neck plate seems suspicious. The headstock on a Shibuya-era (1987-current) custom shop Schecter should read "SCHECTER Los Angeles, CA", "SCHECTER Burbank, CA", or most recently "SCHECTER Sun Valley, CA". I've never seen one that was "SCHECTER USA". That is another concern. The guitar in the photo is legitimate, I have doubts about the pawn shop find.

If the guitar is from an even earlier era (Dallas, Van Nuys) then you'd most likely be looking at traditional strat and tele style guitars like Knopfler's and Townsend's, and not the type of guitar pictured. These guitars also used the Fender headstock shapes. It was during the Shibuya/Ciravolo era that the current "traditional" headstock shape was designed (as is seen in that photo).

Sorry for stealing an old thread but figured I'd try and see if I could leverage others knowledge. Been roaming the used guitars and looking at some custom schecter shop guitars, some a bit older. Does the "Lost Angeles, CA" headstock (and california map backplate) signify a specific year span that you or others might know?

Also how do the Schecter custom shop guitars from this era compare? Better, worse, the same, mixed bag. Are the Schecter pickups from this era good, have they gotten better, worse? Any general advice and opinions in buying one like this. Things to ask (it's an online listing). Any advice info would be greatly appreciated.