Schecter C7 Hellraiser Review

Ok, a slow day at work means it's time for...

The Hellraiser Review!!!



Construction: Fit and Finish, Cosmetics, etc.

First off, there's no denying this guitar is total eye candy. A deep red quilted top (lighter than it looks in the above picture, sorry 'bout that), abalone body trim and fretboard inlays, dark chrome hardware... This is just a classy looking guitar.

However, the cosmetic finishing was actually the area where this guitar came up the shortest. Nothing was really bad, per se, but there were a few little slip-ups - the black body binding at the very edge had a quarter-sized whitish spot on the inside of the upper cutaway, and the chrome "schecter" logo on the headstock seems to have had the second "c"...

No, I mean going by others photos.

Like, okay...

Hellraiser(borrowed from another thread):


Cut-away joins the body between the 22nd and 23rd frets, depth is halfway through the 23rd.

Blackjack(quick craptastic photo):


Cut-away joins the body at the 21st fret, depth is halfway through the 22nd.

It's a small thing, but it makes the 24th fret unplayable from a normal position without making my hand go all twisted.

That Hellraiser is hella sexy!

Good job on the reveiw, too. I really want to play a Hellraiser one day. I played a sixstring Hellraiser, and it was sweet. But a sevenstring one would be superb.

On a similar note, one thing I've always wondered was why most acoustics don't have cutaways. I used to have an acoustic with 19 frets (I think), but because of how the body was, it was very difficult to play above the 14th fret. And, since I play up to the 24th fret on my Ibby, that made 10 frets on each string that I couldn't play if I wanted to play the same song on my acoustic (I don't really have to mention that it also made a whole string I couldn't play since it was a 6-string acoustic). I wonder if that's just because most average people and folk singers only play mostly open chords up to the 4th fret. Then, there are those guys who will play up to the 12th fret but no higher... Always irritated me.

Yeah, though acoustic makers seem to be even more 'traditional' than electric builders. IIRC Acoustics are a shorter scale, which might make the 24th fret a bitch to play no matter the access, plus there's the soundhole to worry about.

Maybe get a Stratacoustic and a 24 fret warmoth neck for it?

It's rather annoying when you have frets you can't get to.

The Hellraiser has a great access to the highest frets. There is no problems going to 24. It's, in my opinion, easier than it was on my RG1527, since the Hellraiser doesen't have a bolt on neck.

So a conclusion: the access to the high frets is phenomenal, it really is. I have noticed that I have used the highest frets a lot more than I did with my Ibanez RG1527. It just feels natural to go up there with this guitar.

Of course, it's a matter of taste, but my point is, that there's no problems playing the highest frets.

I will post my review one of these days.

Hmm. Your hands must be smaller than mine, Tomi, the back of my hand always intersects the lower bout when I go up to the 24th. It's not bad, just not perfect. And I doubt it's the bolt-on that's a factor, unless we use RADICALLY different hand positioning, as my PWH with the old-style neck joint offers slightly better access than the C7, I feel.

Interesting, Toshiro. I'll have to take another look at the Hellraiser tonight and compare. For acoustics, it depends on the maker - 25.5" is common, but Gibson also builds most of their acoustics at 24 3/4 I believe (and makes some phenominal sounding instruments too, might I add).

I gather (way off topic) that a cutaway does impact the tone of an acoustic guitar. For me, the tradeoff for the ability to play voicings/melodies above the 14th fret is more than worth it, but for your average strummer/fingerpicker, it's probably not. I suspect this has a lot to do with it.

I see. I personally would much much rather be able to play above the 14th fret and sacrifice whatever minor sacrifices in sounds are necessary. Aren't classical guitar's pretty small scale?

Yeah, it's just a matter of taste.

I loved the AANJ on my RG1527, but I just like the Hellraiser more. But I can't really say which one is better really. I just prefer the Hellraiser's neck and the access.

I have medium sized fingers, so I don't think it has to do with that either, but like I said, it's just a matter of taste really.

Oh and btw, nice guitar you got there

Thanks, ditto to you.

It's probably hand posture- my fingers have no problem, but it's the side of my hand I have to watch out for when I'm playing right up at the top of the neck. Either way, since I spend most of my time between the 3rd and the 15th, it's really kind of a non-point for me.

Well there's a definite difference between the cut aways, I still love my Blackjack, but 24th fret access is not that good at all. I have zero trouble grabbing the 24th with my pinky on my old heel RGs, also. The Schecter I have to use my ring to reach it, and that throws off the fingerings I normally use.

Oh well, I'll treat it like my 22 fret S, and just bend up to that high note instead.