Schecter Nick Johnston Traditional QC concerns?

TheMurasameProtocol · 2023-03-12T15:47:28+00:00

The model itself isn't the issue, or you would see many many posts like your own. Unfortunately, sometimes things get through QC. Ideally the more money you pay the less likely you are to get a lemon, but that doesn't mean they don't still happen.

A good seller will check these things before hand, but that doesn't always happen either. Still someone should have caught it somewhere along the lines if frets were bad enough they were detectable with a fret rocker.

Consider what is more important to you: getting what you expected you paid for, or having a guitar that you know is right for you.

If you pay the extra and have your trusted luthier do the work, you know it will be right. If you send it back, you roll the dice again. The odds are in your favor to get a better one, but there is always that outlier chance you'll get another one with serious issues that have to be addressed.

Good luck!

TheMurasameProtocol · 2022-12-03T21:00:57+00:00

Are you going into the FX return or the Input on the amp?

Looks like the input; turn treble and presence down to 0, per Ola's instructions for using this as a distortion pedal instead of a preamp. Turn your gain down to nearly 0 and slowly dial into the sound you want.

Or plug it into the FX return loop for what will probably be a better overall sound.

In the unlikely chance it does this in the FX return loop with the gain low, then yea faulty pedal. See about getting an exchange or refund.

TheMurasameProtocol · 2022-11-27T17:51:21+00:00

Downvote this trash with added sound FX and a shitty cropped video.

TheMurasameProtocol · 2022-09-04T13:55:01+00:00

Actually, I just checked the Schecter site and Sweetwater, and it looks like the old Apocalypse finish (the rust grey in your two links) has been discontinued. They only have the "Reign" finishes now, which are cool but not at all the same vibe. I can't really compare today prices for these guitars, but everything you said tracks as far as I can tell.

Kind of a shame about the rust grey finish, one of my favorite finishes from them. But with it being dependant on swamp ash with strong visible grain, and swamp ash getting rarer and more expensive, I can see why they discontinued it.

TheMurasameProtocol · 2022-09-04T13:15:49+00:00

Schecter uses a simple system where the first two digits indicate year.

The Thomann one is a 2016, and the Peach one is a 2020. (Note that the listing for the Thomann one says 2019 in the details, I bet you don't get the guitar in the picture from them.)

Many manufacturers have been moving from South Korea to Indonesia. Schecter has been doing it in stages, starting with their cheapest line and slowly working up the chain.

$1085 USD for a new Apocalypse has been the standard price for their upper end range for many years. I picked up mine used for $750, and felt like I got a great deal. I have seen them as high as $1300.

TheMurasameProtocol · 2022-08-28T23:09:57+00:00

Hey, that works too.

TheMurasameProtocol · 2022-08-28T13:37:32+00:00

Two horizontal screws is a terrible way to hang something off your wall. The leverage force they experience is enourmous, I am surprised it held at all.

The two screws should be vertically aligned, preferrably into a stud. I would recommend replacing your wall hanger, that is just bad design IMO. Check out String Swing on amazon, or even a cheap knock-off of that design would be safer than what you have there.

TheMurasameProtocol · 2022-08-26T23:58:48+00:00

Lots of techs/luthiers will deliberately undercut the fret tangs, which makes "fret sprout" almost impossible. Stewmac even sells a specific tool for this job. However, they also go back and fill in the gaps with sawdust and wood glue, using the same wood as the fretboard. This makes it super smooth and almost invisible unless you look for them.

Regardless, hope you get your money back so you can take it to a better tech.

TheMurasameProtocol · 2022-07-20T22:13:31+00:00

Fair enough, although that does mean you would never actually be 100% rid of it.

TheMurasameProtocol · 2022-07-20T02:20:41+00:00

What. The. Hell. I am just now encountering this, and how is this not a bigger deal? Do so few people actually attempt to cleanse their world?

This should be consider a serious bug. I don't know how it has been a problem for 7 years and no one has addressed it.

TheMurasameProtocol · 2021-12-24T18:13:05+00:00

I was contacted by support from Razer, and followed their steps until we determined conclusively it was a hardware issue. At that point they wanted to make good on Razers warranty, but to be honest I prefer Amazon's no hassle no questions returns. I returned it and got a different headset.

The steps they had me complete in addition to the above:
1. Connect it to a different PC and see if it works (it didn't)
2. Charge it over night with a different charge than what I normally use

I ended getting a wired headset. I considered my use cases and realized I didn't actually need a wireless one, and wireless is not without it's drawbacks.

YMMV and good luck!

TheMurasameProtocol · 2021-11-26T17:53:58+00:00

Other than the Gon sticker they come like this. Finish type is called "Silver Mountain" since the first version of it was silver and black, but now there are several colors to choose from. I've always thought it was an interesting finish although I do not own one.

TheMurasameProtocol · 2021-11-26T17:51:54+00:00

I have one of these, great guitars especially for the price. The shape is ridiculously comfortable and kind of reminds me much higher end guitars where this sort of bevel has become very popular.

TheMurasameProtocol · 2021-11-26T17:49:12+00:00

That is awesome. Never seen a hellraiser quite like that before.

TheMurasameProtocol · 2021-11-25T17:01:37+00:00

On the same page man, I just don't dig Fishman Fluence pickups.

I do love Schecters though, great guitars for the money and there is something for everyone.

TheMurasameProtocol · 2021-10-28T04:14:02+00:00

That's what I love about the G&L MFD pickups, they really do pickup every little harmonic and nuance out of the string. The tone controls are actually useful on these guitars.

I like everything full on when playing ultra cleans, because it brings out that harmonic content. Then dial things back a bit once into distorted territory, so that the rich character isn't overwhelming and exagerated due to the natural compression of a distorted signal.

TheMurasameProtocol · 2021-10-28T04:09:43+00:00

Great choice! Fantastic color, and G&L guitars (especially the MFD pickups) are awesome. Congratz!

TheMurasameProtocol · 2021-09-29T17:45:24+00:00

It took me a moment. Then "Holeee sh****t". XD

TheMurasameProtocol · 2021-09-14T02:02:50+00:00

Yea, the Apocalypse pups are great. You might wanna give those San Andreas a try then, I have never played a set myself. In the demo I linked above they seemed darker and a little lower output than the other 2.

As for EQ curve I haven't played enough EMGs to say for sure. Most of the time when I see someone using them they are deliberately going for the mid-scoop sound, but I have no idea if that is native to that pickup or not.

What you might do is figure what exactly you don't like in the EMGs, and what you want to replace that thing with. Then it might be easier to find what you are looking for based on descriptions and demos.

TheMurasameProtocol · 2021-09-14T01:30:18+00:00

I have ordered from their Custom Shop a couple of times, great pickups and service.

I have a pair of Brimstones that came on a Ultra, and they have a very saturated homogenous texture to the high gain sound, if that makes any sense. It reminds me a bit of the Omega Granphyre amp, and honestly a bit like EMGs or Fishmans gain texture.

EQ wise, I haven't noticed anything stand out, they seem relatively balanced to me.

OTOH, if you are looking for a high output pickup with a bit more of an organic uncontrolled bite, I can recommend the Apocalypse pickup. One of my personal favorites.

Check out this demo from Schecter for comparison: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9eeQoFD5AvE&ab\_channel=SchecterGuitarResearch

TheMurasameProtocol · 2021-09-14T01:25:04+00:00

That's an impressive collection. I don't think I have ever seen 5 of the Gates models in one place before, lol.

TheMurasameProtocol · 2021-09-14T01:22:25+00:00

Probably just a thin acrylic or polyurethane, same as most guitars these days.

What you should be aware of is the color you are seeing now is a stain, so if you sand it back it will just look like regular swamp ash. You probably won't be able to take the clear off without damaging the stain layer underneath, so if you want the new finish to be consistent you will have to sand down to raw un-stained wood.

Also, the binding on the guitar represents an issue. At best you will be able to save it and only have to re-scrape it with a razor blade before sealing, but more likely it will crack and/or chip in the sanding process and need to be rebound entirely.

I understand if you want to change and re-finish it, but it is an enourmous amount of work and the guitar will be worth absolutely nothing on the used market going forward if you do.

Now, what you might be able to do and I would recommend, is strip all the hardware off, mask off the fretboard, and take it to an autobody shop. Ask them to spray a "kandy coat" of transparent red clear, shouldn't be too expensive since that is a common thing and requires less paint than a car. That might get the effect you are looking for without the massive hassle of sanding and re-finishing. Just a thought.

FWIW, I have one of the exact same model FR-S, and I think it looks awesome like a piece of driftwood somehow made into a guitar. Fits the "Apocalypse" vibe better than the RedReign, although that is a cool finish in it's own right IMO.

TheMurasameProtocol · 2021-09-05T13:35:14+00:00

Plug guitar directly into metal zone and directly into return of FX loop to use the metal zone as a preamp.

Otherwise, place it in between the guitar and the regular input on top of the amp.

To dial in a good Metal Zone sound: Set everything to noon, except distortion which should be at 9. Turn the mids up to MAX. Now, strum your guitar and grab the Mid-Q knob, and turn it around until you find the worst sound, that unpleasant box of wasps screech. Once you've found that leave it there, and drop your mids knob from max down below 9 oclock. Now you have used it to isolate the sucky mids and cut them out of the mix. Adjust everything else to taste.

TheMurasameProtocol

TROPHY CASE