Cool Gear Alert: Schecter Wes Hauch PT-7 FR

One super cool upcoming model that’s new for this year from Schecter is Wes Hauch’s signature 7 string! While Wes has a lot of experience getting brutal, (having played with The Faceless, Thy Art Is Murder, and currently working on a release with Keith Merrow) he’s well known for his hyper-melodic playing and intense legato chops! Extended range modern-styled teles have become increasingly popular lately, and Schecter and Wes’ creation is definitely geared towards lead players looking for a classy 7 string.

Why Are The Specs Cool?

From a lead guitarists’ perspective, a 25.5” 7 string is definitely ideal, allowing wide shapes and fast playing without any added strain. I normally personally prefer baritone 7s, but especially with a good rig or in a mix, 25.5” 7s are just as tight as you need them to be. Wes actually did a live stream with us last month and one of the questions he answered is why he prefers alnico pickups (like are in this guitar). The short version is that speaking in broad strokes they’re more open and organic sounding, with sweeter highs, when compared to ceramics. This is obviously good for lead players, and when combined with the normal scale length, ensures this guitar will never icepick even on the bridge pickup.

Swamp Ash and a bolt on maple neck are a great choice for a 25.5” 7 to ensure as much clarity as possible. The bolt on construction adds additional punch, and sustain isn’t compromised at all because this is a classic telecaster-style flat top guitar with as much wood left on the body as possible.

Playability-wise, this has Schecter’s thin C shape neck, a 12”-16” compound radius fretboard, and extra-jumbo stainless frets. All of these features combine to make for effortless shredding and bending, without compromising chording.

The hardware on this guitar is really cool too, especially the 1500 series Floyd Rose. This is similar to the inexpensive yet high quality Floyd Rose 1000, but with additional stainless steel parts for durability and stability. The knob and switch placement is simple and effective, with a 3 way, volume, and push/pull tone.

Why Does It Look Cool?

A lot of modern teles vary too wildly from the original design and wind up as a completely different entity. That isn’t really a problem here. A full-sized flat top body and bolt on neck were definitely the way to go. The unpainted headstock with vintage logo really sets of the aesthetic as well. The abalone dots work really well with the pickguard as well.

As far as the more modern appointments go, the reverse offset dots look really clean, the satin white finish definitely has a utilitarian look to it that I love, and it’s always nice to see ebony on a production guitar.

It’s worth noting that the original prototype was seafoam green, had a neck single coil, and lacked a tone knob. While I personally thought it looked awesome, I think it was a cool move on Schecter and Wes’ part to move specs in a more general interest direction for release.

Definitely keep an eye out for this model launching soon!

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