I don't post these very often anymore because over the last couple years there has been a flow of coming and going in my collection. And since none of it has been too terribly noteworthy, I haven't bothered.

But this is a little different. In recent years, Schecter has seemed to step out of the "metal" rut they've been in for quite awhile. Don't get me wrong, I like the metal stuff too, but they started by getting back to their roots by making more regular Strats and Superstrats.

When they first released the E-1, I didn't pay much attention, because I already had a Gibson Explorer at the time. Well, after Gibson's lawsuits and the generall asshattery that came from their new CEO, it put such a bad taste in my mouth that I honestly and truly wanted to have a bonfire with my Gibsons every time I looked at them. I had the aforementioned Explorer and a couple Gibson Les Paul Standards, and in 2019, I sold them all. I only have my Epiphone Les Paul Custom left because it does have alot of sentimental value for me (another story).

So, a couple weeks ago I was practice amp shopping for my Niece. She's been playing woodwinds for a few years now and has been interested in guitar, so I'm  setting her up with one of my guitars, an amp, and the usual guitarist paraphernalia. So anyway, one of my local shops had this E-1 Custom hanging on the wall and I was drawn to it. So I tried it out, fell in love with the thing, and put it on layaway. So last Monday I took a guitar, and some pedals in that I don't use in on trade, and brought it home.

The neck is basically smack in between the Gibson '59 and '60 profiles, so it feels good in the hand, 12" - 16" compound radius fretboard, 24 3/4" scale, mahogany body & neck, quilted maple top, ebony fretboard, locking tuners, Tusq XL nut, Tonepros bridge and tailpiece, Schecter USA Sunset Strip bridge, and Pasadena neck pickups, push/pull split on the tone knob. Basically spec'd out exactly the way I would want it. The only thing I may change would be to add a push/pull volume pot so I can split the pups individually and if I end up not liking the pups, I may put a Duncan Custom and Jazz with an A4 swap in it. But so far, I'm really liking the pickups. But, IMHO, Schecter pickups are really under the radar, and are excellent. And overall, Schecter is blowing Gibson out of the water with these guitars.

So without further ado, pics!

And yes, I took the pickguard off. That wood is too friggin beautiful to have covered up.

Did I say I hate you??. I have to add an E-1 or Ibanez destroyer to my wall.  We all know the real reason you got an E-1...

Thanks.

And I just have a thing for Explorer shaped guitars, especially when it's spec'd this well.

That’s actually pretty nice looking.  I wish Gibson would put bindings and better inlays on a reasonably priced Explorer.  I hate dot inlays, would rather have a blank fretboard instead.

Sweet!  Beautiful grain and color

No one offers better neck/fretwork for under $2k.

Thanks, all!

G&L imports, and Ibanez Premium are also imports with extremely good fretwork. And believe it or not, they're both made in Indonesia.

Is your new one S. Korean or Indonesian?  Thought the Schecter neck through and set neck models were all still coming out of SK.

Very nice.

Thanks

Yeah, it's South Korean. I think all import Schecters are all made there.

I've never cared for explorer style guitars, but that is just incredible. I would have snapped that up if I'd seen it.

Only the nicer ones. The Schecter 2019 banshee extreme I almost bought was Indonesian but even it had very good build quality at $499. Nicer fretwork than any Ibanez south of a JEM.

Ah, ok. I wasn't aware of any Indonesian Schecters, I've only handled Korean built ones.

Nice,  I started a thread 3 years ago about that guitar
still have the pic I posted

Ok, cool.

Like I said, they weren't on my radar back then because I already had a Gibson Explorer. But things change.

Man, that's a gorgeous explorer style. I like it better without the pickguard, too. That finish is beautiful.

Thanks!