Schecter has been one of our favorite manufacturers for metal in an affordable price range for a little while. In the past few years they have done some really amazing things, such as releasing the Banshee Elite and the KM-7 MK-II. Today, we’ll be taking a look at a newer spin on an older model, the Schecter Hellraiser C-1 Passive.

Does it hold up to the other recent Schecter models?

Features:

– Mahogany Body

– Arched Quilted Maple Top

– Rosewood Fretboard

– 3-Piece Mahogany SetNeck

– Abalone Binding

– 25.5″ Scale Length

– 14 XJ Frets

– 14″ Fretboard Radius

– Black Hardware

– GraphTech XL Black Tusq Nut

– Schecter Locking Tuners

– TonePros TOM Bridge

– Schecter USA Brimstone Pickups

The obvious standout feature here is the stunning DragonBurst on the Quilted Maple. The figuring looks great and the finish is surprisingly beautiful in person. The green bits in the Abalone inlays and binding pair with the finish very well.

There will definitely be some love and hate with the neck. For starters, it’s visually awesome. Schecter actually took to finishing a burst onto the back of the neck and headstock. Really cool design there, but some people just won’t jive with the glossy neck. I will say that I don’t mind it too much here, but it’s not my favorite thing. I’ve always preferred satin necks myself. Other than the finish, the shape of the neck feels great for a rhythm player or a lead player. It’s nice and thin, but not to the level of an Ibanez neck.

Tone:

This guitar has a ton of Mahogany going on and it’s also a SetNeck design. So, you’re going to get a ton of sustain and it’s going to be on the darker side of things. The Maple top does it’s job to break it up a bit and add some sweeter highs as well, but overall it’s quite dark and low-end heavy.

(Check out on our Guide to Tonewoods to learn more about how they can affect your sound.)

The pickups used are Schecter USA’s own Brimstone set. The Brimstone set is super hot with Ceramic magnets and a DC resistance of 19k. This means they have a ridiculously high output.

Super high output sounds like they were pretty much exclusively intended for metal, and they were intended for metal, but they aren’t really a one-trick-pony.

These are definitely on the brighter end of pickups. Very tight low-end and screaming highs. The clarity is impressive even if you go a little nuts with gain. Leads stand out amazingly due to the single note clarity and punch.

Something to note is that they are actually coil-splittable, and after splitting, they clean up quite well. I also managed to achieve some sweet jazzy tones on a super low-gain crunch setting.

They are definitely not my favorite pickups ever, but are a great set for an OEM Schecter set. They probably fare best for Death Metal and Thrashy styles.

If you are looking for a tone with a bit more body I would do a pickup swap.

(Check out our guide on performing a pickup swap so you don’t screw it up!)

Build Quality:

In terms of quality, Schecter really does a great, consistent job with anything in the mid to upper price range.

This guitar came fitted with a GraphTech nut that was installed perfectly and Schecter locking tuners that I was way happier with than I thought I would be.

The biggest issue I found on this guitar was some issues with the finish on the back of the headstock. The color seemed a bit off and the burst was poorly executed. It looked really great everywhere else though!

Overall, the guitar was amazingly built in terms of playability. I had a bit of poor taste in my mouth after looking at the back of the headstock. But I can’t complain too much, because everything else was great.

Final Verdict:

The Schecter Hellraiser C-1 Passive is a solid, unique guitar that offers up quite a bit at the price of $849.

The quality is great, the sound is great, and it plays really well. Again, the sound wouldn’t be for every type of guitarist, but if you like the looks you could easily throw in another set of pickups to achieve a different sound than what is offered here.

Overall, it wouldn’t be a bad way to spend $849! Keep it coming Schecter!

7.5-7-8

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This article was written by Zac Buras, our editor located in Louisiana.

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