This Schecter is SICK (Solo II Custom) Pasadena USA pickups?

[V2a]

I own a Schecter USA Traditional (Strat) from 1997. Suck it.
ps. love the Schecter in this thread too. Must. resist.

 

[napalmdeath]

That LP with the Bigsby is so hot!

Hideous. Looks like a hot chick with headgear.

It is kind of a hot mess. Too much gold for me. Ditch the bigsby and change hardware to chrome, I'm in.

 

[D-Rock]

I'm looking at this very guitar right now locally for sale. lol!

 

[shred-o-holic]

Schecter LP types are typically chocked full of win. I loved the Solo 6 Custom I stupidly sold and adore my new Hellraiser Hybrid Solo 6 that I just installed Fluence Moderns in. Nice and heavy/solid.......killer tones great slim neck

 

[Junk Yard Dog]

I have this guitar. I actually have two at the moment. One is the Satin Black and the other is the Transparent Black. I WISH they made a Gloss Black! But I'm going to keep the satin black. I have strats, 4 Schecter PTs (2 USA - my favorites), and had a Les Paul Trad Pro. I was looking for a more comfortable transition between my USA Schecter PT's and a LP type guitar. My comments below...

Overall: the guitar is amazing bang for the buck. I really dig it. I first got the transparent black and it had a faulty pickup switch. I'm sending it back to Zzounds. I noticed I was not as crazy about the transparent black so I ordered the Satin Black. Slapped 10-52s on it and it really was already setup to take those strings perfectly well.

Body: Dig the weight. It's a little over 8 pounds. I do wish it was a 2" body vs. 1.75", but I do not feel ANY loss of chunk or chug when playing clean or dirty.

Neck: The dogs bollocks. On both the transparent black and satin black, the neck is the smoothest I've ever played. Not sure how they did it, but I rarely pick up a neck that feels this slick/smooth. I like the xJumbo frets as well; that's what's on all my Schecters and I love them.

Pickups: I dig the Pasadena+ in the bridge; it is akin to a JB, I think. It is tight and cuts with more sizzle and is also hotter than my Duncan Custom8, which I am thinking about replacing the Pasadena+ with. The Pasadena in the Neck is good too, but I tend to like only one neck humbucker: the Super Rock II's from the MIK guitars. I had to set the Pasadena neck flush with the pickup ring as it can pickup a ton of bass. I have C8's and the Superrock IIs in all my H-H guitars.

Feel/Playability: Really easy, man. Like I said, I just put new strings on it (the ones it came with felt like shit, but I play Elixirs) and it played great.

I also bought an Epiphone Matt Heafy to compare/contrast and keep only one. The Heafy is slightly cheaper ($100-150) new, but it has cheaper hardware, the neck is wider/chunkier, and has EMG's. I wanted to LOVE the Epiphone, but I could not bond with the neck. The Solo Custom II neck is standard thin and just perfect for me. The ONLY thing I wish the Schecter had was a 2" body, 'cause that's what I was used to from my LP.

Definitely give these guitars a look. ...Oh, I sent the Epiphone packing. Though a good guitar, the Schecter is substantially better value.

 

[Zado]

I was counting on a gloss solid black finish as well. It'd litteraly kill pretty much all black single cuts til Black Beauty price range. Yeah, I do hate the ESP Eclipse-II shape.

Would also love an aged white gloss (kinda like their old atx series) in a Gibson RR hardware-plastics dress....


BTW their USA pickups are things of beauty.

 

[D-Rock]

I'm still in talks with a seller regarding a Solo II Custom in trans black. Looks like the deal will go through...

 

[D-Rock]

Score!

 

[napalmdeath]

Score!

Looks a hell of alot better without the pickguard!

Post more pics when you get a chance! I'm thinking of buying one when my LP sells.

 

[errrrrl]

Score!

Man that looks pretty nice. Grats!

 

[D-Rock]

The Pasadena's are nice. Very tight, great midrange without being overbearing. Smooth highs. Slight compression (?) when you dig in. Lows are tight, but not overly big/fat. They sound great with over the top gain settings as a result.
The neck pickup is like nothing I've played before. Hard to explain. I really like how the notes leap off the fretboard, carry and sing.
I was thinking of putting a set of Duncan zebras in there but maybe I'll save that for another day because I'm kind of digging these pickups right now.

 

[Zado]

Score!

That's some beauty you got there. You may thing of swapping the Pasa+ for a Pasa Classic if the former is too hot or compressed.

 

[D-Rock]

I still need to fiddle with this little more, the previous owner had the strings wrapped over the stop tail and the bridge is really low. The action is fine no buzzing, but a little too low for my taste. There's basically almost no angle to the strings from the saddles to the stop tail.
Dude had 11-52s on it in standard tuning so I guess doing that relieved some of the string tension for him. The strings move right off the saddles if you push them a bit because there's no tension keeping them on there from the lack of string angle from the stop tail! LOL.

 

[D-Rock]

Before w/ 11-52s in standard.




After w/10-46 half step down.



Guitar plays so much better now. Raise the bridge a little bit too. I don't know how some of you guys play with action that low or such thick strings and standard tuning but good on ya. I don't like it personally the feel or the sound it just sounds so dull. I've been going to lighter strings lately and the tone is so much more livelier, elastic and warm. The strings breathe and resonate more, the crunch is deeper and more 3D sounding as well.

 

[napalmdeath]

What's the good word on these latest scores? I may order one!

 

[D-Rock]

Mine is excellent. Sorry I haven't put up additional photos yet. I'll do that in the next few days.
Any specific shots you'd like to see?

 

[napalmdeath]

Mine is excellent. Sorry I haven't put up additional photos yet. I'll do that in the next few days.
Any specific shots you'd like to see?

I'm more curious about the pickups, by I may try an C-1 SLS Elite with the Fishmans.

 

[D-Rock]

The pickups are great. But I'm struggling with them. The bridge is tight, hot and has great mids and highs. In JB territory but more polished and a shave less mid and treble. There is also a small bit of compression that I feel from them too.

Only problem is that I personally find that the bridge pickup does not have enough low end heft. It sounds great with down tuning but I've been using this guitar in half step down and would prefer something just as hot but a little bit thicker and with more body, and without going to a ceramic magnet.
It also doesn't help that I don't really like nickel covered pickups lol.

I'm not a neck pickup expert, but this one is probably the best I've ever played. It's a feel thing. I like how the notes release and then seem to vocally carry and sing. Very lively sounding.

 

[napalmdeath]

The pickups are great. But I'm struggling with them. The bridge is tight, hot and has great mids and highs. In JB territory but more polished and a shave less mid and treble. There is also a small bit of compression that I feel from them too.

Only problem is that I personally find that the bridge pickup does not have enough low end heft. It sounds great with down tuning but I've been using this guitar in half step down and would prefer something just as hot but a little bit thicker and with more body, and without going to a ceramic magnet.
It also doesn't help that I don't really like nickel covered pickups lol.

I'm not a neck pickup expert, but this one is probably the best I've ever played. It's a feel thing. I like how the notes release and then seem to vocally carry and sing. Very lively sounding.

Honestly, if that model came with pickups I could relate to, I'd buy one. But, I suppose swapping them is the clear option.

That guitar would look sick with a Zebra set of Duncans. I bet a '59 and a Custom would be the ticket!

 

[D-Rock]

The pickups are great. But I'm struggling with them. The bridge is tight, hot and has great mids and highs. In JB territory but more polished and a shave less mid and treble. There is also a small bit of compression that I feel from them too.

Only problem is that I personally find that the bridge pickup does not have enough low end heft. It sounds great with down tuning but I've been using this guitar in half step down and would prefer something just as hot but a little bit thicker and with more body, and without going to a ceramic magnet.
It also doesn't help that I don't really like nickel covered pickups lol.

I'm not a neck pickup expert, but this one is probably the best I've ever played. It's a feel thing. I like how the notes release and then seem to vocally carry and sing. Very lively sounding.

Honestly, if that model came with pickups I could relate to, I'd buy one. But, I suppose swapping them is the clear option.

That guitar would look sick with a Zebra set of Duncans. I bet a '59 and a Custom would be the ticket!

That's actually exactly what I've been thinking all along. I have a zebra 59 neck and zebra JB Bridge in the parts drawer. But I've had my eye on a zebra Custom for the bridge instead.