Schecter Guitars

Currently, Schecter guitars have established themselves as top-quality instruments that are visually stunning and sleek, with a price tag to match. Renowned for their custom-made guitars, which can only be ordered through authorized dealers with restrictions, Schecter Guitars have gained a reputation as a rare breed. And although they are rare, they are also quite popular.

Schecter Guitars History

Founded by David Schecter in 1976, Schecter guitars is a relatively young company with a somewhat tumultuous past. Initially based in Van Nuys, California, the company started out by producing replacement parts for Gibson and Fender guitars, including brass pickguards and their innovative tapped pickups. Tapped pickups are a fantastic addition to a guitar as they allow you to have a double-coil pickup in a single-coil package. With this feature, you can turn the second single-coil pickup on and off to achieve that alluring humbucker sound.

Schecter was also one of the first guitar component manufacturers to offer “black chrome” coloring for guitar bodies, which gained popularity among metal musicians.

The success that came with manufacturing guitar components allowed Schecter to expand and relocate to Dallas, Texas. However, things soon took a turn for the worse when mass production of Schecter guitars resulted in compromised sound and quality, damaging the company’s reputation.

In 1991, Schecter was purchased by the Los Angeles Musician’s Institute and EPS Guitars, with David Schecter remaining involved. The company was relocated back to California, where the future of Schecter guitars started to look brighter. Although EPS and Schecter eventually became operated by different companies as they grew apart in the industry, Schecter continued to produce custom guitars and began rebuilding its reputation by offering affordable guitars for beginners and budget-conscious customers.

Tempest, Avenger, Hellcat, Diamond – these are just some of the models that Schecter has introduced over the years.

A Turning Point

At a later time, Schecter invited Pete Townshend to design a custom ‘Telecaster’ with two humbucker pickups for the company to release. This effective marketing strategy, along with the endorsement from Mark Knopfler, revitalized Schecter’s once-dwindling reputation and put the company back into production. Since then, these high-end and highly popular guitars have also garnered the endorsement of Cure members Robert Smith and Simon Gallup, even leading to the creation of a Robert Smith model. This became something the guitar maker became known for among Cure fans.

Who Uses Schecters?

Serious musicians appreciate a beautiful guitar with custom components and striking aesthetics. These qualities have attracted a wide range of musicians to use Schecter guitars, showcasing their versatility. From hard rock to metal, punk, industrial, goth, pop, and nearly every genre in between, no one can deny the appeal of a Schecter guitar.

Notable musicians who use Schecter guitars include Pete Dee of the Adicts, Dez of Misfits, Adam from Three Days Grace, Charles Levy of Thrill Kill Kult, Raven of Killing Joke, Jack Owen of Deicide, and The Warriors.

The Value

In the end, the rarity and high cost of these instruments do not deter many guitarists from desiring one. Quality, craftsmanship, and premium components are the foundation of Schecter guitars, making them worth their setbacks.

Manuel Marino

Manuel Marino is a seasoned Senior Producer, Music Composer, and Artist with over a decade of experience. He specializes in branded entertainment across various mediums, including video games, films, and advertising campaigns. With 20+ years as a game music composer, Manuel has worked on numerous platforms, creating diverse orchestral soundtracks. HIRE ME