Schecter Red Dawn: A New Arsenal for Metal Guitarists
The Schecter Red Dawn series unleashes brutal looks and razor-sharp tones for metal guitarists. Featuring Fishman Fluence pickups.
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Schecter
David Schecter, Herschel Blankenship and Shel Horlick started Schecter Guitar Research in Van Nuys, California, in 1976 as a parts-and-repair shop, building replacement necks and bodies for other manufacturers before Schecter released its own guitars in 1979. The company changed hands several times, including a period under Japanese entrepreneur Hisatake Shibuya (who separately founded ESP), before settling into its current form as a major producer of metal-focused electrics, basses and acoustics from Burbank, California. The Diamond Series covers the affordable end while a custom shop still builds higher up the range. New signature guitars for metal players make up most of our Schecter coverage. Here's what we've written.
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Founded1976
Based inBurbank, California, USA
FounderDavid Schecter, Herschel Blankenship and Shel Horlick
Articles here20
Makes
- Electric guitars
- Bass guitars
- Acoustic guitars
- Amplifiers
Known for
- Hellraiser
- C-1
- Omen
- Reaper
- Banshee
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Schecter FAQ4 questions
Where are Schecter guitars made?
It depends on the series. Schecter Guitar Research was founded in Van Nuys, California in 1976 and runs a Custom Shop in Burbank, but the volume ranges — Omen, Reaper, Banshee and most of the rest — are produced overseas. The USA Production and Custom Shop models are the domestically built ones.
What is the Schecter Hellraiser?
The model most associated with the brand: a set-neck guitar with EMG active pickups, abalone binding and a distinctly heavy specification, sold at a price that undercut the American-built competition. It is the guitar that established Schecter's modern reputation in metal.
What do the Schecter series names mean?
They map roughly to price and build. Omen sits at entry level, Reaper and Banshee in the middle, Hellraiser and SLS above them, with USA Production and Custom Shop at the top. The same body shapes appear across several of these, so the series is what tells you the specification.
Is Schecter related to ESP?
They share an owner. Schecter Guitar Research is listed as owned by Hisatake Shibuya, who also founded ESP. The two brands are run separately with their own lines and dealers, but the common ownership is a real connection rather than a rumour.