Anyone bonding with Schecter Solo II Custom?

ZoonDog

Member
Hi all, been playing the Solo II onstage for a while now for a few heavier tones with my FM3. Think Blackhole Sun, Rebel Yell, No More Tears type tunes. Seems to really like the Engl amps. My issue is the pickups and tone control (not much range). The Pasadenas are a little hotter than I am used to. I am having difficulty taming them, but then again, they are not supposed to sound like low power pafs. Might be my ears but most hi gain tones sound fuzzy to me which I don't appreciate. Any advice for taking advantage of these pickups? Guitar plays great and would really like to use it more for heavier tunes. Thanks!
PS. Would consider a mod if others have had success.
 
I don't have experience with those pickups but lowering them can help with the output. If you want a more modern take on the PAF, the Bareknuckle Black Dogs are a good option. Great clarity with a bit more output that a typical PAF. I also like the Dimarzio Mo'Joe (Bridge) and PAF Pro (Neck) combination for heavy tones.

Increasing the capacitor value on the tone control will result in a broader range.
 
Thanks @JoKeR III I will give the pickup height a check and also check into pickups suggested. I was just going to swap in my tried and true SD JB and '59, but would like a more modern tone. Not sure fuzzy was correct description but definitely need more clarity. These modern hi gain tones are a new rabbit hole for me.
 
That’s an interesting thought. I use really low value caps (.015 for my neck and .010 for my bridge) to get a fully usable range out of my tone controls.
I do as well in some cases, but a larger value will result in more range. Whether it's useable or not depends upon the player. Some like having a darker, warm tone ala the Woman Tone.
 
I do as well in some cases, but a larger value will result in more range. Whether it's useable or not depends upon the player. Some like having a darker, warm tone ala the Woman Tone.

I gotcha; I always think of the really dark end as something like Wes Montgomery. I never like to get that dark; even when I get down to zero, it gives an interesting wah-like effect.
 
Thanks @JoKeR III I will give the pickup height a check and also check into pickups suggested. I was just going to swap in my tried and true SD JB and '59, but would like a more modern tone. Not sure fuzzy was correct description but definitely need more clarity. These modern hi gain tones are a new rabbit hole for me.
Custom/jazz?
 
Have one. For clean tones you definitely would use the SC position, if not it almost is an impossible task.
Killer axe, good sustain and sounds though, this guitar definitely rocks, also quite light talking weight.
Mine is for sale as I wtb a more versatile guitar "Swiss knife" with piezo etc.
 
Hi all, been playing the Solo II onstage for a while now for a few heavier tones with my FM3. Think Blackhole Sun, Rebel Yell, No More Tears type tunes. Seems to really like the Engl amps. My issue is the pickups and tone control (not much range). The Pasadenas are a little hotter than I am used to. I am having difficulty taming them, but then again, they are not supposed to sound like low power pafs. Might be my ears but most hi gain tones sound fuzzy to me which I don't appreciate. Any advice for taking advantage of these pickups? Guitar plays great and would really like to use it more for heavier tunes. Thanks!
PS. Would consider a mod if others have had success.

You have a nice guitar. I have Schecter Solo Custom II GNAT and that sounds great, not fuzzy. I haven´t check hight of pickups so maybe it´s my presets and other effect chain etc. that sounds ok for me. I also here and there use guitars own volume to drop level little bit.

To adjust pickups height to lower position usually make lesser hot sound and also not so blurry fuzzy.

To compare my SIRE L7 guitar Schecter is "hotter" sounding. Both guitar´s are great ;D
 

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I gotcha; I always think of the really dark end as something like Wes Montgomery. I never like to get that dark; even when I get down to zero, it gives an interesting wah-like effect.

I was reading this post during lunch and I cracked up.
This week Monday I was installing new pots and tone cap, and rewiring a friends guitar.
My personal preference is having a tone cap that when on zero, gives me a usable tone, not dark or muddy at all.

I finished this guitar I was working on and my friend asked, How does it sound with the tone pot at Zero?
My reply to him was, when the tone pot gets near the last part of its rotation, it kinda sounds like a wah!
He said Huh, like a wah. I'll have to check that out.

So it seems we have the same taste in tone caps!! :D
 
I was reading this post during lunch and I cracked up.
This week Monday I was installing new pots and tone cap, and rewiring a friends guitar.
My personal preference is having a tone cap that when on zero, gives me a usable tone, not dark or muddy at all.

I finished this guitar I was working on and my friend asked, How does it sound with the tone pot at Zero?
My reply to him was, when the tone pot gets near the last part of its rotation, it kinda sounds like a wah!
He said Huh, like a wah. I'll have to check that out.

So it seems we have the same taste in tone caps!! :D

Dude Yes, totally! I've often wondered how many people use a .047 at zero. I know they're out there, but I just cannot imagine that is the case for many people. I really wonder, if you made .015 the standard for most production guitars, would people start using their knobs more? I don't know, but I really think about the whole range of movement. Interestingly enough, I never go to zero, but I do down to 1. Especially if I'm using a Plexi model, and I'm getting really dynamic with stuff, especially with my 50s wiring, which further allows me to stay usable, by having a wide usable range on the volume knob too!
 
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