Any opinions on the popularity of Schecter?

[Inflames626]

So, I had never heard of Schecter until I was at GIT about 15 years ago. They did some presentation at the school in conjunction with ESP. The finishes and archtop bodies looked really nice, but they weren't really aggressive looking enough for my tastes, so I never got into them.

It seems since that time they've exploded in popularity, similar to where Ibanez was in the nu metal/extended range scene in the mid to late 90s.

I was wondering if anyone has opinions on how they think Schecter got to be so prevalent.

My guess is they filled in a niche for people who want a slightly more aggressive than vintage look without going the usual Jackson/ESP/BC Rich route, or at least the hockey stick headstock look (never been a fan of Jackson's new, rounder 3 on a side style guitars). For production guitars, Schecter's finishes and body sculpting are some of the most beautiful I've seen. The construction seems super solid for import guitars. A lot of rock kids in the 00s seemed to really prefer them.

I just like a few more points on my guitars, although not to BC Rich standards.

In my view, Schecters are very similar to Ibanez in that I'm tempted by a lot of their designs but I never want to pull the trigger on them like I want to on Jacksons. The only Ibbys I really care for are Icemans and Destroyers.

 

[Funkfingers]

Re: Any opinions on the popularity of Schecter?

So, I had never heard of Schecter until I was at GIT about 15 years ago.

Go back thirty five years and Schecter Guitars were a whole different thing.

Ibanez ... the nu metal/extended range scene

^
This. Scenes.

For some customers, Ibanez is the go-to brand. Inevitably, this means that, for another bunch of customers, this brand must be avoided like the plague.

The innumerable sub-genres of Metal bring forth factional purchasing impulses.

Schecter's success of recent years is down to skilful niche marketing.

 

[Snake Aces]

Re: Any opinions on the popularity of Schecter?

Schecter makes some nice looking guitars. I was more into their mid-2000's line-up that was not marketed towards metal players but they deserve their popularity.

 

[Inflames626]

Re: Any opinions on the popularity of Schecter?

Undoubtedly they're aided by modern YouTube guitarist stars who seem to pull more eyeballs demo'ing and selling gear than actually recording music, selling records, and touring.

 

[Inflames626]

Re: Any opinions on the popularity of Schecter?

Funny thing about Ibby as far as factionalism is that they embraced both ends of the technique spectrum harmoniously--shredders and nu metal players.

 

[Funkfingers]

Re: Any opinions on the popularity of Schecter?

Shove technique. It is a means to an end, not an end in itself.

 

[treyhaislip]

Re: Any opinions on the popularity of Schecter?

I thought Schecter always had cool color/finish schemes with nice hardware. I liked they way they played and had some great tones. The last one I owned was an 006 Omen that looked awesome and had really big frets.

 

[blueman335]

Re: Any opinions on the popularity of Schecter?

they embraced both ends of the technique spectrum harmoniously--shredders and nu metal players.

That's both end of the musical spectrum?

 

[Inflames626]

Re: Any opinions on the popularity of Schecter?

Not musical. Technique spectrum.

I'd rather be one than the other, since if I'm technical, I can play the simple. But if I'm simple, I can't play the technical.

Just an observation that they appealed to Korn and Steve Vai fans at the same time.

Then again you could say Fenders appealed to Yngwie and Nirvana fans simultaneously, too.

Just strange bedfellows during a contemporary place in time. It amuses me.

I also heard Schecters have really fat necks.

They have a 30" baritone I'd like to try.

 

[RStabler]

Re: Any opinions on the popularity of Schecter?

They did some presentation at the school in conjunction with ESP.

The same guy owns all three companies, so that's not exactly surprising. I have worked for a dealer that sells electric Schecters almost exclusively. We've had one guitar not come in perfect, and we think it may have been a Namm model that fell through the cracks. They require very little setup and everyone who buys one is extremely happy with it. I've sold them to hardcore Fender guys who now prefer their Schecters.

I know one guy who has some of the rarest Gibsons you can find. The Schecters are the only guitars he actually plays.

Bottom line: They play well(better and better with each year), they sound great, they are sturdy as hell, high-end features on low-priced instruments and they look amazing.

I'm talking about the Korean imports here, so this applies to LTD also. The other guitars out of this factory are great quality, I'm just not into some of the designs.

 

[Inflames626]

Re: Any opinions on the popularity of Schecter?

I thought they were related somehow, but I wasn't sure they were owned together outright--like Ford and Mazda making the same designs. Different companies with a partnership.

It does seem like one gets a lot for one's money in terms of build quality, especially used.

LTDs seem to be of really great quality for their price used as well--to the point that it seems hard to recommend a genuine mass produced ESP over some of them.

 

[PFDarkside]

Re: Any opinions on the popularity of Schecter?

Good quality import guitars that are equipped with upgraded features (tuners, bridges, pickups, push-pull pots) that fill a niche. I don't play mine too much anymore but is sounds and plays well for the price.

 

[PFDarkside]

Re: Any opinions on the popularity of Schecter?

That's both end of the musical spectrum?

He's implying that Shredders are the epitome of guitar technique and Nu-Metalers are just single string chugging. So anyone on the metal scale is represented.

 

[jmh151]

Re: Any opinions on the popularity of Schecter?

Schecter used to be a high end USA brand like Tom Andersen- in matter of fact Tom Andersen worked for Schecter at one time.

Then they started the import line- the Diamond series, which were very well made guitars, better than their Korean made Epiphone counterparts, and from what I remember, better than ESP's LTD line.

Schecter started to improve, making better guitars with better parts, which I think forced the other import companies to up their game (namely ESP's LTD line, PRS's SE line and Gibson's Epiphone line).

I don't have a Schecter, but liked many I have played and were impressed over how they came setup and played better than USA made Gibsons.

 

[Johnny the Kid]

Re: Any opinions on the popularity of Schecter?

I've always been pleasantly surprised by the quality on Schecters. Even on the lower end models, the build are really nice.

 

[JeffB]

Re: Any opinions on the popularity of Schecter?

The old USA guitars were fanfreakingtastic.

The S. Korean models remind me of PRS SE models- consistently well built, and a better value among similar priced imports, but do nothing for me. I wouldn't mind having a PT, but otherwise, meh.

 

[vinta9e]

Re: Any opinions on the popularity of Schecter?

Schecter worked their way up the exact same way Ibanez did 25 years ago. They figured out how to make a quality product at the right price points while continually promoting the company's visibility through artist endorsement. They stayed in touch with their clientele all the time; when seven strings were all the rage they made sure they had competitive models for everyone. Same story when eight strings came. They picked up the trends and harnessed them.

They've made a step in the right direction when they decided to ditch the tacky abalone imitating plastic. Don't forget all that fake crap was a fashion they themselves created a decade earlier, along with ESP. But bad taste or not, they have taken two bites off the market thanks to establishing that scheme, then abandoning it, so there's that.

In my honest view, Schecter never really made lookers; some pretty guitars sure but nothing nearly as striking as the airbrushed Jacksons, as wildly eccentric as the pointy BC Riches or as flamboyant as the lollipop colored ten top PRS's. Instead, the whole company seems focused on delivering solid, well made guitars in exchange for the customers' hard earned cash.

I figure Schecter's success is a reward for being reasonable in all aspects of activity, from market oriented product design through actual manufacturing, through advertising strategy to management.

 

[Progbusters]

Re: Any opinions on the popularity of Schecter?

i have a Diamond series baritone. Solid. Sounds good. Looks good. affordable. I like it.

 

[Zado]

Re: Any opinions on the popularity of Schecter?

Schecter's a weird brand . It's sort of a bland between ESP (owned by the same guy,similar shapes,sometimes similar headstocks, carved superstrat mania,same factory for diamond series and LTD,both have teles and strats) and Ibanez (very heterogeneous catalog,from ERGs to vintage oriented guitars,they both make amps,the banshee is actually an RG etc). That said,Schecter doesnt really get that much recognition,maybe due to being identified as "brand for metal kids",partially thanks to the not-really-professional inlays they've often used and the heavy use of abalone...this has lead the huge artists to avoid Schecter in favour of Ibanez,Jackson,ESP and so on.
Also,their USA stuff is top notch,think of Suhr,Tyler and Tom Anderson,all their CS guitar's I've played were just fantastic,and the new USA Production very nicely priced,just people doesn't seem to know/care.

Maybe they are just bad at advertising themself.

 

[Wattage]

Re: Any opinions on the popularity of Schecter?

I had a mid 80's Schecter bass that was unholy, it's a completely different company nowadays.

The new import stuff is nicely made, a little quirky design wise which I like but mostly a little too glossy for me. Always seem to be real good values though I can see why they sell.