7 Best Schecter Guitars for Metal: Reviews and Buying Guide

Last updated on February 4th, 2024

After testing out some of Schecter’s guitars, I found that the Hellraiser is the best line of guitars that Schecter has to offer. Its price is just right and the quality is excellent. Continue reading our full review on best schecter guitar for metal.

I know you don’t know me personally, but I’ve been active in the music industry for more than 15 years. I’ve played electric guitar in multiple bands and I got my degree in Music Industry. I’ve played a number of guitars throughout my time as a professional player.

It might seem a bit odd that the best Schecter guitar isn’t one of the most expensive ones, but that’s why I think the Hellraiser is so good. At just around $1,000, you get an outstanding electric guitar for a reasonable price.

Schecter guitars are excellent regardless of the type of metal music you’re playing. Even so, some are better than others at specific techniques. For that reason, I’ve made different “Best For” categories so that it’s easier to find one that fits your playing style.

Keep on reading this article if you want more information about the best Schecter guitars for metal music. We also have a list of the best metal guitars if you’re looking for something more general. If you want to check out a different brand, we also discuss the best PRS guitar for metal.

Best Schecter Guitar in our tests

1. Hellraiser C-1 – Best all around
2. Omen-6 – Best for riffs
3. Synyster – Best for hardcore
4. Apocalypse – Best for technical fingering
5. Reaper – Best for power chords
6. C-1 FR S Blackjack – Best for heavy chords
7. C-1 SLS Evil Twin – Best for shredding

7 Best Schecter Guitar for Metal 2021 Reviewed in Detail

Hellraiser C-1

Unlike some other instruments, like Fender metal guitars, Schecter guitars’ metal fame isn’t accidental. However, even though many do, not everyone thinks that the Hellraiser is the best Schecter for metal music.

The Schecter Hellraiser has a mahogany body with a quilted maple top that comes in a few colors, including a gorgeous black cherry. It also has a three-piece mahogany neck, as well as a rosewood fingerboard.

As for pickups, this instrument has active pickups, which are the EMG 81TW and EMG 89 humbuckers. They provide excellent output. This metal guitar is readily available for both right and left-handed people so that anyone can play it. Not only that, but it also has many string options, from six to nine strings.

If metal isn’t the only genre you play, the Hellraiser is versatile enough to work for many types of music. Dial the overdrive back a bit, and you can create a sound that’s soft enough for blues.

Pros

• The Schecter Hellraiser comes with a fantastic baritone scale and two different reinforcement rods to stabilize the 30-inch neck.
• Incredible quality for the price.
• This electric guitar has excellent playability and tight tones.
• It’s tonally versatile, so you can alter your sound no matter what you’re playing.
• It has excellent tuning stability despite lacking some of the tuning features that other Schecter guitars have.
• The body shape allows for ample access to higher-pitched notes on the neck of the guitar.
• Strings lock into place using a locking screw pin, so you don’t have to worry as much about detuning.
• The tailpiece and bridge don’t wiggle because they’re locked into place.
• It’s lightweight compared to other guitars.
• The EMG pickups are somewhat noise-canceling, so they’ll limit humming.

Cons

• Some guitarists may not like the Hellraiser’s sound.
• The Hellraiser doesn’t include all the features that some of the more expensive guitars on this list do.
• Some find the clean sounds a little thin or tangy.

Omen-6

The Schecter Omen is up there with the Hellraiser as one of the best metal guitars for the price and quality. Although many say that the Omen is for beginner and intermediate players, you can play it if your skill level is higher.

The Schecter Omen has a basswood body, which is good because it’s thick and resonant. That’s ideal for heavy metal. It also has a maple neck, a reflective wood that focuses more sound and energy towards the body. This electric guitar also has a rosewood fretboard.

For pickups, you get Schecter Diamond Plus pickups that are designed for high outputs and drop tunings. They’re also great for leads and rhythms.

Each tuner has a 10mm diameter hole, removable knobs, and threaded hex peghead bushing. You also get a Tune-o-matic bridge with a string through body tail. That gives you greater clarity, more string tension, and better sustain.

Pros

• It’s made to be played for hours without coming out of tune.
• The tuning is precise and smooth, thanks to the gear ratio of 15:1.
• The sealed, lubricated tuning housing also protects the gears so that they don’t have to spend as much time maintaining them.
• The thin, smooth neck makes playing the guitar easier, faster, and much more fun.
• The strings help boost the sustain.
• On most retail websites, the price for this instrument is spectacular, though you may have to search around a bit.
• The guitar models come in various colors, all of which would look just right during any stage performances you might have.

Cons

• Although suitable for expert and professional guitarists, they may not get as much use out of it as an intermediate or beginner player.
• Picking the right amp can be difficult.
• Basswood, although great for heavy metal, is a cheaper type of wood.

Schecter Synyster

This instrument looks a little like the Epiphone and Gibson Explorer guitar models but a little rounder. The design of this electric guitar may not be for everyone, but it definitely looks the part. It’s also the model that Synyster Gates of Avenged Sevenfold uses.

Out of the box, this guitar comes with a USA Synyster Gates humbucker bridge pickup. Unlike the other two I’ve talked about so far, this electric guitar also has a Sustainiac neck pickup. The neck and body are mahogany, and the Synyster sports a Floyd Rose 1500 series tremolo.

For neck reinforcement rods, Schecter decided to go with carbon fiber. The fretboard features 24 frets on an ebony fretboard with a radius of 16 inches.

As far as tone goes, this instrument produces both growl and twang; even without gain, it sounds great. It’s meant for players who want total metal mayhem, but the cleans still sound spectacular. Only its looks stop it from playing other genres of music.

Pros

• The ultra-thin neck makes this guitar easy to play quickly.
• The pickups are excellent, getting all of the good tones and none of the bad.
• Overall, the controls are easy to use.
• It shouldn’t take you too long to familiarize yourself with how the guitar works and how to play it.
• With a look that fits perfectly with Avenged Sevenfold, this electric guitar has attitude.
• The Sustainiac control system and pickup are useful for boosting sound quality and keeping it going.
• This is a quality guitar for all types of players, from beginners to experts.

Cons

• The shape and design of the guitar might be a bit too much for some players.
• Depending on where you purchase the guitar, it might not come fully set up and ready to play.
• There aren’t as many customization options for this guitar as there are with others that Schecter offers.

Schecter 6 String C-1 Apocalypse

The Apocalypse series has many differently shaped guitars, all with their own unique aspects. The one I’m looking at today is the C-1 FR S—all of these models are pretty similar.

The C-1 FR S has a swamp ash body and a thin C-shaped bubinga and maple neck that’s reinforced with carbon fiber rods. For pickups, the Apocalypse features an Apocalypse-VI bridge pickup and a Sustainic in the neck. It also has 24 X-jumbo stainless steel frets and a Floyd Rose locking bridge.

When it comes to playability, the Apocalypse is comfortable and fast. You get spot-on intonation and an instrument that can keep its tune. It’s a versatile piece because it has coil splitting with a knob that has push-pull functions. In single-coil mode, you’ll get a great sound with a clean amplifier.

Pros

• The fit of this electric guitar is tight. It’ll be easy for most players to hold, handle, and play.
• The overall build quality is excellent.
• The cutouts in the C-1 models allow for easy access to the highest-pitched notes on the neck.
• This guitar holds its tune very well; it’s good for drop tunings.
• Versatility is a huge plus, and the coil-splitting lets you use this electric guitar for multiple genres.
• The Sustainiac helps to sustain notes, as the name implies.

Cons

• There were some quality control issues with this guitar, including untreated wood near the pickups.
• I had trouble fitting a new, low E string through the capstan but managed to work it through.
• There are sometimes discrepancies between the appearance of the guitar online and in person.

Reaper

To be completely honest, I’m not sure if I like how the Reaper looks. I like the shape and the overall idea of it, but I think I prefer the look of darker-colored guitars. Although you can’t judge a guitar like this just by its looks, and I would absolutely be willing to overlook my dislike of the color in exchange for an electric guitar that’s this good.

Like the Apocalypse, the Reaper has a swamp ash body to give it resonant tonality, but it has a poplar burl top, a C-shaped ebony fingerboard, and two Diamond Decimator humbuckers that are high-output. It’s an incredibly lightweight and versatile guitar that can handle the heaviness of many different metal subgenres and non-metal genres, like hard rock and classic rock.

The contouring of the body makes it easier to hold and play, and again, the cutouts near the neck make accessing the higher notes a breeze. There’s also a custom hardtail bridge and Schecter tuners to keep your strings from detuning.

Pros

• The quality and price of this guitar are pretty unbeatable.
• The hardtail bridge makes it more difficult for the guitar to become detuned, resulting in a lot more playing time.
• The shape and cut make it easy to hold and play, with easy access to higher-pitched notes on the neck.
• The Reaper has very hot pickups that are also clear and can give plenty of bite when you need them to.
• Even unplugged, this guitar has beautiful resonance and a lot of sustain.
• Although it suits someone who’s an intermediate player, it’ll provide lots of power for advanced guitarists.

Cons

• There are some quality control issues with this one, too. The volume knob and tone knob were both loose when I got it.
• I don’t think that the color appeals to everyone, but I could be an outlier.
• It doesn’t have locking tuners.

C-1 FR S Blackjack

The look of the Blackjack is much more in line with my style. It’s a clean, black, sleek guitar that’s durable and aggressive. Depending on what you want, you can get many features out of Schecter’s Blackjack line of guitars. I’m reviewing the C-1 FR S model specifically, but any Schecter Blackjack guitar is outstanding.

This instrument has a mahogany body, a quilted maple top, an ebony fingerboard, and 24 X-jumbo frets. It has a Graph Tech XL Black Tusq nut, a Seymour Duncan Full Shred TB-10 bridge pickup and a Sustainiac SLS neck pickup. The C-shaped neck is fast, thin, and satin-finished.

For a bridge, the Blackjack has a Floyd Rose 1500 Series, which is double-locking. It also has a three-piece mahogany neck, which also has carbon fiber reinforcement rods.

Overall, it’s a great looking instrument with many features that set it apart from the rest. The reason it’s so low on my list is because the features it has don’t really make up for the sound quality. Not that the quality of the sound is bad. It’s actually excellent, but it doesn’t surpass the others on the list.

Pros

• The sustainer pickup allows a guitarist to play certain notes for longer without picking them more than once.
• The Floyd Rose 1000 series was excellent on its own, and the 1500 is even better.
• The black chrome hardware looks beautiful.
• Without the Sustainiac, the Seymour Duncan pickups can sustain notes well enough.
• It already isn’t the cheapest guitar on our list, but it still plays like a more expensive one.
• The satin black neck makes it an incredibly fast and easy-to-play neck.

Cons

• Because it has a mahogany body and neck, it’s heavier than other guitars I talked about today, weighing in at just over 10 pounds.
• The effect of the Sustainiac pickup is delayed and interferes with the pitch harmonics.
• The action was a little high, leading to unwanted buzzing.

C-1 SLS Evil Twin

With a name like that, it’s no wonder that this guitar made it to this list. It’s another sleek, satin black guitar that’s made for shredding. It’s another with a swamp ash body. It has two active humbuckers, a maple and walnut neck, and an ebony fretboard.

On the bridge, you get a Floyd Rose bridge that gives you more whammy and tuning stability. The neck design makes play on this guitar incredibly quick and easy. You can float up and down the fretboard, regardless of how large your fretting hand is.

There’s a Sustainiac in the neck position, which only adds to the sustainability. It also has glow-in-the-dark dot markers on the side, so it’s easier to see where your hand is when you’re playing in the dark.

As for the sound, its biggest strength lies within the gain channel or a distortion pedal. The clean tones aren’t bad, but the distortion is where this guitar excels. There’s a lot of versatility with this instrument, but the highs are a little weaker compared to other guitars I’ve already talked about.

Pros

• This guitar is on par with some of Schecter’s more expensive models.
• Overall, it’s a versatile guitar.
• The locking tuners keep your guitar in tune for longer.
• It comes out of the box ready to play with minimal setup.
• It’s easy to restring whenever needed.

Cons

• Even though it’s versatile and can play other genres, the highs are a little weak.
• The Fishman Fluence Modern can be a little buzzy.
• The C shape of the neck makes the neck feel even thinner than it already is, which could be detrimental to some people.
• The frets are more buzzy than Schecter’s other guitars.
• The guitar gets somewhat sticky as you play due to the finish.

Buying Guide: What to look for when choosing Schecter Guitar?

Purchasing an instrument is incredibly different when compared to buying other products. Ultimately, the choice is up to personal preference, so not everyone is going to want the same guitar. Before you start searching for a guitar, do some research. Find out what you want first.

Different woods will make different sounds, and so will pickups, bridges, strings, nuts, and more. Your choice of electric guitar will affect your amplifier choices, too, so you’ll need to find out the best amp for the guitar you want.

Generally, the more expensive a guitar is, the more features it likely has. Sometimes, though, you pay for the name. If you want one that’s from a famous brand, it’ll likely cost more than those that aren’t. For an entry-level guitar, that doesn’t really matter—if you’re more advanced, you’ll probably want an instrument that has quality, including the name.

My biggest piece of advice for finding a new guitar is to figure out what features you want and what sound you need.

Features

Whether you want a Tune-o-matic bridge, a different bridge position, or neck design is something you’ll need to figure out. They all uniquely affect your sound. A different bridge, master volume knob, or a locking nut can help sustain your sound so that you can alter it with a pedalboard or whammy bar if you want.

Some of the best Schecter guitars don’t have all the bells and whistles that others might, but they don’t always need to. Sometimes, you’ll need to sacrifice a cool feature for high quality sound. 

Problems

New guitars shouldn’t have too many problems. Even so, you can run into quite a few of them if you decide to buy a used one or through an online retailer. You should always research websites and stores before you make purchases. Always make sure that online retailers have a return or exchange policy because you never know what condition your guitar will show up in.

When looking at a guitar in person, make sure to check out anything that comes into contact with the strings. That includes the tuners, nut, bridge, and frets. Even if something lightly touches a string in the wrong way, it’ll become buzzy and won’t sound right. Be critical about it.

Frequently Asked Questions

Conclusion

Out of all the guitars I looked at, the Hellraiser beats out the competition. It’s fast, sleek, and has great tuning stability. It’s the best guitar on this list for both price and quality. The neck design is excellent, too, but most Schecter guitars have great neck designs.

Schecter makes some great guitars, but if you can, buy the Schecter Hellraiser. I think it’s the best Schecter electric guitar for metal music and a fantastic guitar all around.

Noah Feasey-Kemp

Noah is an accomplished audio engineer with several years of experience producing music for major companies and independent artists. He enjoys sharing his vast knowledge of audio engineering topics to help musicians and music producers create great music.