Anyone own a Schecter Ultra III???

[ChasR]

What do you think of it? Likes and dislikes. Pro's and Con's. :AOK
I am interested in getting one. Saw one today and now I just have to have one.

Thanks All!! Cheers Maties! Seryph7:angel

[Phil M]

I think they look REALLY cool in pictutes, but have not see one in person. I'm the guy that asked you about the Schecter 006 because I was considering seeking one out.

The other guitarist in my band bought a Schecter C1 with an f-hole last week. Sounded completely terrible--muffled, muddy. They have a decent reputation so maybe he got a dog.

[Kiwi]

Yes, I owned one for a couple months.

Pros:

- The looks. Head-turning looks. Retro cool mixture of Firebird, Tele, Teisco and whatever else. Great design. Props and kudos.
- Build quality was excellent. I really liked the neck, a wide-fat design with a big fretboard to play on. Components were good: Very solid Bigsby, very solid tuners, etc.
- It rang like a bell. One strum, and the neck would resonate and quiver for a long time. Really well put together. The body was one piece of mahogany. I repeat: One piece of nicely grained mahogany. On a $450 guitar!

Concerns:
- Weight. It's heavy, Les Paul heavy, even with the lower bouts hollowed out for the pickup switching.
- The pickup switching is as inconvenient as you'd guess. Center is off, up is full on, down is coil-cut. Very easy to slide right past where you want to be.
- You'd better like the sound, because the pickups are a unique size, and can't be changed out. Not a P-90 or humbucker or FilterTron rout.

The Sound: Unlike anything else I've ever heard. Let me throw a lot of words at it, and I want to be fair. "Unlike anything else" is half the reason you buy this axe!

- Dark tones from the solid mahogany body and the neck. No maple cap means no upper-ring harmonics. It's the SG thing, ya know?
- Pickups reminded me of Gretsch, a lot. Lots of kerrang on the bridge, and warm and still zingy at the neck. Low output humbuckers.
- The split-coil humbucking options were not really that useful to me. In single-coil mode the output is so low your volume goes way down, and with it any gain you'd dialed in on your amp.
- But you can get some interesting tones by combining the pickups in various combinations of full and split coil modes, it's true. Unlike anything else!

The guitar sounds like brash metal over dark mahogany. There is a strident metallic sound (maybe the tension-bar Bigsby, maybe the pickups, probably both) that is backed up by the organic woodiness of the mahogany. I tried to moderate the brashness by going to those Nickel Rockers (? - I think? - less trebley strings) which helped, but it wasn't the trad/ old-skool sound I was after. It's just not what it does.

The Ultra III sounded great, though, when other people played it with some distortion going on, in a slightly punk, new-wave style where the brassiness and projection really fit the music.

Lots to compliment Schecter about, on the Ultra III. Really well-put together guitar with its own unique sound. Just be sure it fits your musical style.

Kiwi

[ChasR]

Kiwi you da man! Great comments.
I'd been eye'in this guit on the web for a while now and finally saw the real thing on Thursday. I was enamoured with it to say the least.
I played it for a little while and liked what I heard. I understand your comments about the potential awkwardness with the switches and the weight as well. Weight is not too much of an issue with me but working with the switches "on the fly" may offer potential mishaps as you eluded to. Volume on the splits I can get around as I do not perform or anything but "ifin" I decide to I suppose I may want to get more powerful pickups of like design, no? And...I love the Bigsby as well.:AOK


Cheers Matie!

[Kiwi]

Originally Posted by Seryph7

...but "ifin" I decide to I suppose I may want to get more powerful pickups of like design, no? And...I love the Bigsby as well.:AOK

Well, no. I couldn't find any other pickups that would fit. They appear to be a unique size.

The Bigsby was another learning experience. I'm used to one-bar Bigsbys; this is a two-bar, and it's a different feel. Much more push involved in getting that quaver. Typical of Bigsbys with the extra tension bar.

Sounds like you're in love, though, and I'd say: Go play it a lot, and see if it fits your sound and style. Schecter did many things right with this one, starting with building it in the first place!

= K

[ChasR]

Sounds like you're in love, though, and I'd say: Go play it a lot, and see if it fits your sound and style. Schecter did many things right with this one, starting with building it in the first place!

= K[/quote]

Agreed ...building it was a good move. Play it alot...I shall. Cheers!

[Antero]

That's a pretty hot design!

[ROTHNROLL]

I have wanted one for awhile but can't find one.
Where did you buy yours at?

[pfflam]

Personally its a guitar that I would LUHV to have

There are not that many designs that I like: Gretschs, Teles, Ricks, Reverends and this model Schecter . . .. as well as some Eastwood models.

oh and a deep loving for Jags and Jazz-masters too

[Rock Johnson]

Originally Posted by Kiwi

Well, no. I couldn't find any other pickups that would fit. They appear to be a unique size.

They look kinda like filter-tron style pups... would Gretsch or maybe Guild Starfire pickups work?

[Kiwi]

Originally Posted by Rock Johnson

They look kinda like filter-tron style pups... would Gretsch or maybe Guild Starfire pickups work?

Nope. I measured the Ultra III's pups, then FilterTrons from my two Gretsches. No luck. Different sizes.

I ordered my guitar through GC. They just call up Schecter and have them send in an Ultra III with the rest of the C1's and whatnot. Took a week or two. Remarkable guitar esp. for the money.