Schecter Guitars

I've played a little (very little) electric guitar (Epiphone solid body) about 30 years ago and I've got a hankerin' to give it a try again. I've been kicking around the idea of picking up a strat (Mexican or American???) but then I saw this Schecter C1 plus. It seems like a very well made and nice feeling guitar but I'm not at all familar with them. I'm not much of a lead-style player and this might be a better rythmn-style instrument.

Does anyone here have any experience with them? Any other suggestions are welcome. Since this a kind of a trial thing, I'd rather not throw a lot of money at it. I'm trying to keep it in the $500.00 range. Also, any thoughts/experience with the Epiphone Les Paul knock offs?

[trpullen]

Generally (and I repeat this is no hard/fast rule but does tend to be a good indicator) the pecking order is this.

USA (PRS, Fender, Gibson, Etc)
Canadian (Godin and others)
Japanese (Fender, Gretsch, Some Ibanez)
Mexican (Fender)
Korean (Most everything else on the market)
Indonesian (Squire)
Everywhere else.

Now there are exceptions BUT!!!.

Dollar for dollar, the Mexi Strats are good guitars. I am less impressed with the Epi LPs but I like their hollow stuff like the Casino...but only for Beatles reasons.

You SHOULD be able to find a well played US Stratocaster for $500 and that would do you well. There is also an imported line of Paul Reed Smith Santana models that people are saying good things about. You might also consider some of the Godin stuff (Canada) that comes in that price point and is really a fine instrument.

[ky224]

PRS makes two models now that are assembled in Korea...BUT they're excellent guitars in my opinion, and blow the Epiphones out of the water.

Santana SE

and the new Tremonti SE.

Make sure to try those out.

[JW]

Got two words for you,

Mexi Strat

[tbondo]

I've got an Epi LP Standard and an American Strat HT.....both were essentially the same $ (less than a grand)....the strat gets played and the EPI is looking for a new owner.....just doesn't make the grade.....my son has a Mexi Strat...some finish details are the only real differences......they cost $350 ....get one.

[chuck]

You may want to check out Fender's new Highway 101 Strat for about $500 @ GC or MF. All american made, just not fancy. I know a couple of pros who are buying them because they are good quality & the price is right.

[~j~]

I had a mexican standard strat that I HATED because the pickups buzz like no other, and the neck STUNK... my fault for not checking it out more thorougly when I bought it but I though it played fine in the store...

my very first guitar was a mexican Fender Squier strat which I don't think they make any more but was much better than the mexican standard (no idea why at all) and cost less...

I don't have a recommendatino on a cheap guitar to buy because after having a few cheapies I have decided they are not worth the time or expense at ALL

[JW]

Originally posted by chuck
You may want to check out Fender's new Highway 101 Strat for about $500 @ GC or MF. All american made, just not fancy. I know a couple of pros who are buying them because they are good quality & the price is right.

I thought that was a Highway 1, is the 101 a differant version? JW

[jam]

I'm also curious about the Schecter guitars. Has anybody actually played one? I'd like to know your opinion.
--jam

[mtnbrz]

I play PRS electrics, so take this with a grain of salt. I played a few Schecters when I was first thinking of buying a PRS. I didn't like the neck carve on the C1, and the frets had sharp edges (maybe the fretboard was dried out, it was at GC). I didn't like the clean tone of the guitar, but distorted, it was passable. If you're a shredder, this isn't a bad guitar, but for $500 you can probably do better in the used dept. And the C1 won't cop strat tones; i found it's split coil sound thin and lacking in character.

For $500 bucks, maybe you can find a well-used tele. Now, there's a great all around electric guitar. As usual, this opinion is worth 1/20 of a cent off your next advice request

[chuck]

Originally posted by JW
I thought that was a Highway 1, is the 101 a differant version? JW

You are right, I do get things mixed up sometimes and live about thirty miles from highway 101. I just checked my latest MF catalog & it is the Highway 1. Sorry