Off the bat, let’s get one thing straight… this isn’t a Schecter C1 – a model that can set you back anywhere from $500 to $1,500. No, you aren’t going to find one of those in the cheap guitar market. However, if you’re on a budget, don’t fear!
A lot of the times people underestimate the power of handsome and go for unique. While there is nothing wrong with a unique looking guitar, even the most unique looking guitar shall always fail by the side of a truly handsome guitar.
Today we are taking a look at the entry-level Schecter C-1 SGR, which offers a huge dose of Schecter’s sexy gothic style, solid electronics, and good playability. It also comes in at under $150… Now, THAT sounds like a guitar worth taking a closer look at!
Body & Neck
Despite the budget price, the body of the guitar is one of the most handsome.
The double-cutaway thin C shape neck of the guitar further contributes to the aspect of cool and handsome. The body of the guitar is built out of basswood. This tonewood is widely known for its low tone-enhancing qualities.
The hardwood is also very lightweight, meaning that this guitar will be as easy to play and as comfortable to hold as it can get, but the unfortunate softness of the wood means that it will have a hard time withstanding damage, so be careful with the sensitive guitar.
For looks alone, the Chinese-made C-1 SGR would receive full marks, although the fit and finish lack in some areas, so it could do with a proper setup out of the box to really bring out the best in this guitar.
Otherwise, the body design and construction are impeccable and rather handsome!
Hardware
The hardware isn’t as impressive as the design of this guitar, but for such an affordable price it’s hard to gripe.
The bridge of the guitar is the Schecter TOM through body design. This means that, while you might not attach a tremolo bar, you will get incredible string stability. The through-body design means that the stringing of the instrument can happen at a very fast pace and easily even if it is your first time.
The nut of the guitar is made of synthetic material.
The tuning machine of the guitar is a little annoying. As is often the case in this price range, the guitar tends to lose its tuning after a few days, and if you keep abusing and playing it non-stop, it might even lose tuning in a single day.
On some marketplaces, it comes with a cool Schecter zippered gig bag, which really adds to the value.
Sound
The guitar has a lot of potential in terms of sound. The pickups are versatile enough. However, after a while the tones go a little flat, so replacing the pickups might be a good idea.
The disadvantage is the string hum present in the guitar, not softened by the nut. Replacing the nut can lead to a better result. Although, the guitar sounds good most of the time.
Conclusion
Overall this is an okay guitar. For such a budget price, it’s really hard to fault. The greatest quality it has is the way it looks. Beginners would really appreciate its playability and affordability, just as much as an experienced guitarist.
The main problem is that it doesn’t use its full sonic potential due to some minor issues. This can be easily fixed by providing the guitar with updates.
It’s a guitar that offers seriously good value.
What We Don’t Like:
One of the biggest problems we can find with this guitar is that it sometimes will buzz between frets, therefore a minor setup is necessary;
There are other entry-level guitars around the same price that have much better pickups;
This is probably not the best choice for advanced musicians, as it is designed to be a beginner guitar.
What We Like:
This guitar comes in a variety of colors, including walnut satin, electric blue, and midnight satin black;
You have 24 frets to work with, so the guitar is going to be able to grow with you as you learn and want to experiment more on the higher frets;
The rosewood fretboard is attractive with the Pearloid dots and interesting 12th fret design, and it is smooth and easy to play on.
