Looking for a guitar to host P90 pickups

Piing

Piing

Axe-Master
I have two P90 pups:
  • Harmonic Design Z90 neck
  • Seymour Duncan SPH90 Phat Cat bridge

I bought these pickups to install on a Schecter Solo II Custom. It was a great guitar, and even better with the P90s, but I sold it because after 40 years playing only with Strats and Super-Strats I find the Les Paul shape anti-ergonomic. I was not born for single-cut

I ordered Warmoth parts for these P90s, but they stopped the production with the pandemic, so I requested the money back.

I don’t want to spend much more than $1,000. Better if it is less. I have preference for Mahogany.

I have made a selection, ordered from low to high price:

Schecter Sun Valley Super Shredder
Ibanez SZ520QM
Schecter Hellraiser C-1 Passive
Ibanez S520EX
Schecter Hellraiser Hybrid C-1
Ibanez SC420
Schecter C-1 SLS Elite

Given my positive experience with Schecter (Solo II Custom and Nick Johnston Strat) I believe that they may offer better quality for money on the low price range.

I am hypnotized by the Lambo Orange of the $640 Sun Valley Super Shredder (have you seen @Marco Fanton videos?:smiley: )
The SZ520QM looks like a solid candidate for only $700. They call it the “Ibanez PRS”
The Schecter C-1 SLS Elite is a beast, according to Darrell Braun, but $1,100 is on the higher side. I am wondering it it would be worth, given that I will get rid of these active pickups.

What are your thoughts?
 
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And the winner is...

Schecter-Hellraiser-Special-P90.jpg


Schecter Hellraiser C-1 Special. $400 used.

I have already installed the P90s and it sounds great. It is an excellent guitar. Great playability and resonance. Perfect construction and finish. It is incredible the quality that Schecter is offering for affordable prices.

The name "Hellraiser" could be intimidating for the non-metal players, but this guitar with the P90s can compete with the most expensive Gib**n on any style. The first thing it has inspired me to play, once the P90s were on place, was "Since I've been loving you" followed by "The Thrill is gone"

I have tried the PRS SE Custom 24 and I do prefer this Schecter
 
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I don't know if it is the neck P90 (Harmonic Design Z90), a mojo resonance of this Schecter's mahogany body, the neck-through body or the combination of all that together, but I cannot stop playing this guitar. Even though I bought a Ibanez JEM7V just one month ago (you can see it hanging at the pic above).

I've also found that, with a clean tone, softly picking the strings above the neck joint gives a "piano" "bell" full and round tone that I cannot get with any of my other 4 guitars (Jem7V, Am Deluxe Strat, RG550 and Schecter Nick Johnston USA)

I don't know why there is no more love for the P90s. They have more body than a standard single coil but without the nasal resonance of a humbucker. They are just perfect (noisy, though).

The only thing I am not totally happy about this guitar is the tune-o-matic raised bridge. It is going to take me a while to get used to palm-mute with it. I would have preferred a hardtail.
 
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