Schecter C-1 Apocalypse Review

In the past two years, we have done a whole bunch of Schecter C-1 reviews. Since the late 1980’s, Schecter’s C-1 line has featured some of their most popular guitars, such as the C-1 Custom. Today. we’ll be taking a look at the latest addition to the C-1 line, the C-1 Apocalypse.

Specs first!

Features:

– Swamp Ash Body w/ Arched Top

– Rusty Gray Finish

– Ebony Fretboard

– 12-16″ Compound Radius

– 24 XJ SS Frets

– Thin “C” Neck

– Maple/Bubinga Multi-ply Neck w/Carbon Fiber Reinforcement Rods

– Black Binding

–  Black Hardware

– Schecter Locking Tuners

– Hipshot Hardtail Bridge

–Volume/Volume/Tone(Push-Pull)/3-Way Switch

– Schecter USA Apocalypse Pickups

–Glow-in-the-Dark Side Dots

The Schecter C-1 Apocalypse is a super modern take on the C-1 line and is clearly aimed at extreme metal players. The aesthetic does the job well, from the Rusty Gray stained Swamp Ash to the Ebony board, this guitar is in line with a lot of the aesthetic trends in metal right now.

The guitar looks pretty basic from a distance, but when you get closer, you realize it’s jam-packed with features! Stainless Steel Frets offer ultimate fret durability, not to mention SS frets feel like butter to bend on. I was really excited to see these on such an affordable instrument from Schecter.

Be sure to check out our Nickel vs. Stainless Steel Frets Guide if you want to learn more!

Does Fretboard Radius Matter? I suppose that’s up to you, but the Compound Radius found on this guitar is something special. Fast rhythms and legato style soloing are as comfortable as ever on the C-1’s neck.

Let’s talk about the sound of this beast!

Tone:

The guitar has a solid Swamp Ash body with a Maple/Bubinga Set-Neck. This tonewood combo will generally offer a brighter tone with a nice amount of snappiness.

The Alnico-V designed Apocalypse VI pickups help to balance the Swamp Ash’s percussive highs with a warmer sound and more presence in the lower-mids.

The bridge pickup is quite warm, and it sounds huge under gain, although it does lack a bit of clarity in the extreme gain department. Big chords aren’t the strong suit. Where this pickup excels is chuggy-style riffing.

One a clean channel, there was a surprisingly low amount of breakup. These pickups certainly have some dynamic versatility.

The neck pickup is voiced similarly to the bridge, but a bit rounder and deeper. It sounds really great for shredding and soloing, but clean tones felt a bit lackluster on these.

Overall, the guitar kicks serious butt for some heavy riffing and single-note clean passages. Its weaknesses lie in its lack of clarity for big chords.

Build Quality:

In the recent past, Schecter’s quality wasn’t necessarily anything to write home about, but in the past two years, they have really proven themselves to be a top contender in terms of quality for your money.

The C-1 Apocalypse looks amazing, the finish was executed very well, the fretboard looks clean, and all the hardware was installed properly. The binding did look a bit on the cheaper side, though.

The fret job was great. I went into this nervous because SS fret jobs are not the easiest thing to accomplish, especially when the guitar has such an affordable price point. Schecter did great, though! All of the frets were smooth and sat very evenly with the fretboard.

Overall, the guitar feels really great to play, thanks to the Hipshot Bridge, and very comfortable neck. The tuning stability couldn’t be much better, and the guitar feels solid in your hands.

Final Verdict:

With the C-1 Apocalypse guitars, Schecter has released an instrument that appeals to the modern metal community aesthetically, while making sure to include high-quality hardware, as well as some other great features to add more value for your money.

The weakest point of the guitar are the pickups, which I don’t think will be for everyone. If you love the guitar and don’t love the pickups, like myself, you can always perform a quick pickup swap!

Definitely check out the Schecter C-1 Apocalypse if you are looking for high quality and tons of upgrades on a mid-range budget!

We upload new articles daily so if you liked this one, make sure to check out some more! We are authorized Schecter dealers and can get you any current Schecter you’d like at the best price possible.

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