NGD: Schecter Nick Johnston HSS 10th Anniversary

[AlbertA]

I received my pre-ordered Schecter Nick Johnston HSS 10th Anniversary in Atomic Violet color from Sweetwater (they matched MF 15% discount).
Unfortunately the first one I received had an internal rattle that sounded like the truss-rod end was loose (around the nut area) and couldn't do anything about it. I requested an exchange and Sweetwater came through without any issue and they paid for shipping back the original guitar. Super smooth experience there.

I like that they spec'ed a Wenge neck like in the USA models.

• Stainless steel frets
• Ebony fretboard
• 14" radius
• Graph tech nut
• Locking tuners
• Same pickups as the USA model
• Upgraded bridge (compared to the previous import models)

It's a heavy guitar, coming at at around 8.5lbs, I guess because wenge is denser than maple.

The bridge is upgraded too - they call it Schecter Nouveau, also used in their Japan Fujigen built guitars. It has stainless steel saddles.

Three String Tree String Retainer by Music City, wenge headstock​

Great neck pocket fitting

 

[AlbertA]

The default setup as received was medium action:

• 2mm at 12th fret, 6th string
• 1.5mm at 12th fret, 1st string
• 2.3mm at last fret, 6th string
• 1.9mm at last fret, 1st string

Frets where correctly beveled and fairly smooth (could use more polish) and about 5 high spots through out the neck. With the default action, no fret buzz though but that's a bit too high for me.

Nut height clears the first fret with about 0.018" of clearance.
The neck relief as received was at .007"

 

[ᛗᛜᛜᚺDᛜᎶ Ꮤᛨᚳᚴ]

Looks great! And awesome that Sweetwater held up their end of the mishap!! Congrats and enjoy ;~))

 

[AlbertA]

I took care of all the high spots over last weekend - let's face it, import guitars are not gonna get this much time spent on the frets



This takes it to the next level.

Re-leveled all the frets, re-crowned them and polished them with micro-mesh sheets + Dremel and polishing compound for the final touch.

I re-strung with a D'Addario's NYXL 10-46 set and dialed in my preferred setup:

• .005" neck relief
• 1.5mm at 12th fret, 6th string, 1.25mm at 12 fret, 1st string
• ~1.6mm at last fret, 6th string, 1.4mm at last fret, 1st string.

No need to adjust the neck angle - happy about that.

It plays like butter now.

 

[FuzzyAce]

Congrats! That's a beauty.

 

[Alex Kenivel]

Delicious! Way to make those frets pop!

 

[gearJunkie]

Congrats!

 

[Stone]

Congrats !! Schecter kills it for price performance!!

 

[Whizzinby]

Sharp as hell

 

[paisleywookiee]

Looks great! And awesome that Sweetwater held up their end of the mishap!! Congrats and enjoy ;~))

As much as I love Sweetwater, their 55-point inspection is horseshit, IMO. But at least their CS is good otherwise.

 

[spawnofthesith]

Looks great, congrats!!

 

[CorrosiveMatter]

It's a beaut!

 

[DrewJD82]

Sweet!!!

For a while I was buying into the “lighter Strats sound better” trope, but my Gilmour Strat is around 8.5lbs as well and that thing sounds fantastic.

Any noticeable differences in sound with the SS saddles??

 

[CorrosiveMatter]

Just noticed it's another Indo guitar, I thought Schecter was one of the Korean Wolrd of Music hold outs.

 

[paisleywookiee]

Just noticed it's another Indo guitar, I thought Schecter was one of the Korean Wolrd of Music hold outs.

Depends on the guitar. They still have a lot made by WMI as well.

Sweet guitar. I've been eyeing that one for awhile.

 

[CBHScott]

Just noticed it's another Indo guitar, I thought Schecter was one of the Korean Wolrd of Music hold outs.

There are still a few MIK Schecters.

I think the only company that has not shifted anything away from MIK at this point is Reverend.

 

[QQQ]

Nice guitar. Congrats! My old man back and shoulder would be to differ, at that weight though.

 

[AlbertA]

Any noticeable differences in sound with the SS saddles??

If there is I don't think I could pinpoint to the bridge saddles, given that it's a wenge neck, ebony fretboard and different pickups compared to my other Schecter Nick Johnston.

 

[paisleywookiee]

There are still a few MIK Schecters.

I think the only company that has not shifted anything away from MIK at this point is Reverend.

That's a totally different Korean factory as well.

 

[AlbertA]

Just noticed it's another Indo guitar, I thought Schecter was one of the Korean Wolrd of Music hold outs.

Yeah, the other Nick Johnston imports are also from Indonesia - My guess is that it is easier to expand the line there where they already have existing production as well as to keep costs down.