Schecter is known for making incredible shred machines. But in recent years, the brand has been focusing on reliable instruments that players can depend on- and without spending a lot of money.
Me? I find the Fender Player series quite nice.
They’re well-made, comfortable to play, and hold tune nicely. I was looking to see if there was any other guitar that packed in such value in the same price range and boy, was I surprised!
The Schecter PT Special is less expensive than its competitors in the mid-range category and it even has a lot of features that no other brand has!
Ready to know why? Let’s get right into it.
Table of Contents
Overview of Schecter PT Special
Schecter 6 String PT Special, 3-Tone Sunburst Pearl (665)
Specification
- 22-fret maple neck with C-shape profile
- Satin finish
- V-90 and Tele pickups
- Push pull feature
Our Verdict
The Schecter PT Special is an ideal mid-range electric guitar suitable for both beginners and advanced players alike. The range of tones, beautiful finish, and comparatively low pricing places it as a valuable instrument perfect for both practice and performance.
Schecter- The Brand
Quite popular among the metal community for making stunning instruments, Schecter is a proud brand with a long list of amazing guitars that will amaze even professional players in terms of playability and performance.
Schecter has consistently provided more value than its competitors in the same price range. It also packs more features than expected, and that can be seen in the Schecter PT Special as well.
My personal favorite is the Schecter Omen 6 which is an amazing-looking beast and is quite cheap too. However, it isn’t really as versatile as Schecter PT Special. The Schecter PT Special is a Tele-style electric guitar with amazing features.
Design
The South Korean-made Schecter PT Special looks beautiful. And don’t take my word for it!
Everything from the pearl inlays on the gorgeous maple neck to the contours on the satin body looks stunning. The finish on the body shows the exposed grain, which is a nice aesthetic touch for a vintage look.
The syle is distinctive of a Tele, but in terms of specs and versatility, the Schecter PT Special is really second to none.
Tuning
The tuning on Schecter PT Special is handled by a set of Grover Deluxe Vintage-style tuners. These are quality ones and there are no issues like the guitar losing tune easily.
The nut with a fancy name- GraphTech XL Ivory Tusq nut, looks just like ivory but since harvesting ivory from elephants doesn’t sound quite like a moral thing to do- the artificial ivory does its job!
It’s nice that they didn’t go for plastic as those look really crappy. The ivory tusq nut is finished well and is smooth to touch.
Anyway, a nut also has its role in the tuning stability of a guitar, and the one used here helps. The intonation is spot-on and can be adjusted from the bridge side as well.
If you are a sucker for a bone nut like me, you can do a quick swap too!
The strings on Schecter PT Special are nice Ernie ball strings. The guitar seems ready for you to shred on, straight out of the box!
Neck
The Schecter PT Special has a C-shape neck profile. The slim design and a 12″ fingerboard radius help a player glide across the fingerboard effortlessly.
It looks as if the maple neck has a roasted finish but Schecter says they’re tinted. Either way, all that matters is it looks beautiful.
As with most modern guitars, the neck has an adjustable truss rod that you can adjust with an Allen key.
There are 22 jumbo frets that are all very accessible and properly set up.
Body
The beautiful body on Schecter PT Special is made out of ash wood. The lightweight body is really convenient when practicing with a strap on your neck.
The thin satin finish on the body brings out the beautiful wood grains. There are many contours on the body. The forearm contours make holding the instrument very comfortable. The heel joint also has a slight contour for easy access of higher frets on the maple neck.
There is a classic ashtray bridge with compensated brass saddles which can also be used to adjust the intonation of strings. Schecter bridges have always been very high-quality ones. These are very very durable.
The vintage-looking body comes to life with a black and white finish. The pickguard is a typical Tele-style.
Though we speak in black and white, there is a lot of variety in the color choices of Schecter PT Special. I checked, and there is also a purple one! You can see what you like and get one in your favorite color!
There is an elegant white binding on the body.
Pickups and Controls
There are two pickups on the Schecter PT Special. The Schecter Diamond series single-coil near the bridge has a cool sound suitable for rock and blues. There is also a Schecter Diamon V-90 pickup that has a nice fat sound.
The V-90s are Schecter’s take on Gibson’s iconic P-90s and are very high quality. At this point, everything Schecter makes just screams quality. The V-90s sound distinct from a humbucker, and you may just love it. I do!
The Schecter PT Special has flipped controls. There are tone controls and volume controls and a 3-way pickup selector switch.
The electronics on this budget electric guitar are also well-done. If you know what to look for, a quick look at the wiring and shielded cavities will tell you that the work is flawless.
There is also the push-pull feature unique to the Schecter PT Special.
In the push-state, it works pretty much like any Tele and you can switch between the tones with a 3-way pickup selector switch. Neck pickup for a warm sound for playing chords, Bridge for a sound that has enough punch to cut through, and the mid for funk or anything else.
In the pull-state, the 3-way pickup selector does nothing, and the resulting sound of the pickups is a sound somewhere in-between the P-90 and single coil. It sounds great for rock and blues but there is some noise due to the single coil.
How it Sounds
The P90-like warm sound from the V-90 is beautiful. It has nice sustains and a full tone for cool jazzy voicings
There is also the twang from the Tele pickup perfect for blues or bluegrass.
Even without any effects or pedals, the open strings sound great. For quiet practice or travel, exploring the best mini amp options can complement its versatile tones.
The thick humbucker tone vs bright bridge pickup provides a versatile sound for many genres. With a little gain and a bit of practice, you could hold your own at shred-offs if you combine the Schecter PT Special with a decent overdrive pedal.
Who it’s For
The Schecter PT Special is a little over the beginner’s budget, but it makes an amazing guitar to learn on. A Fender Squier would be a cheap starter guitar to begin learning but you would need an upgrade pretty soon.
If you start out on a Schecter PT Special, you won’t need to upgrade to a better one as a Schecter PT Special is quite good even for professionals.
It makes a great beginner guitar and a performance guitar for players of the intermediate-advanced category as well. For those considering diverse options, an Epiphone AJ-220SCE acoustic-electric guitar offers another excellent and versatile starting point for new musicians.
Score
Bottom Line
The Schecter PT Special is a versatile mid-range electric guitar with awesome tones. The warm P90 sound and the classic twang from the Tele pickup sound great for almost anything.
Moreover, it’s comfortable to play with and quite affordable. For those seeking other mid-range electric guitars, the Epiphone Wildkat presents a compelling alternative worth exploring.
FAQ
How is it different from the Fender Player series?
The Fender Player Series is known to be of excellent value.
The Schecter PT Special packs the goodness of a Tele and P90s into one and is cheaper than its competitors in the same price range. If you compare the specs, the Schecter PT Special comes out on top thanks to its tone variety and tuning stability.
Is it good for metal?
Schecter guitars are excellent for metal. They are well made, look great on-stage, have spot-on intonation, and are set up to be played fast. The Schecter PT Special is a great choice for playing metal.
Exploring Other Metal Guitar Options
While the Schecter PT Special offers impressive capabilities for rock and metal music, many players enjoy exploring a variety of instruments tailored for heavier genres. The market is rich with options that combine aggressive aesthetics, powerful pickups, and robust construction, all crucial for delivering a strong performance. For instance, the Ibanez S670QM is a highly-rated **budget-friendly metal guitar** known for its sleek design and excellent playability, making it another fantastic choice for shredders and heavy rhythm players.