Schecter Blackjack ATX Solo-II review

With its blood-red finish, the Schecter Blackjack ATX Solo-II is a deadly single-cut has looks that kill - not to mention playability to die for.

The rear of the ebony 'boarded neck isn't lacquered like you might expect on a single-cut; it features a light matt finish that doesn't impede your playing, while a scoop around the rear of the lower cutaway offers comfortable upper-fret access.

On the whole, our review model's construction was immaculate, aside from a slightly untidy join between the end of the fingerboard and the rear scoop.

However, considering the other neat touches, there's still great value for money here: for one, the side of the fingerboard features glow-in-the-dark inlays for easy onstage fret recognition, while Schecter locking tuners aid string changes.

Seymour Duncan may not be the most established name in the active pickup arena, but it's making a serious claim to the throne.

Its Blackout humbuckers offer a similarly high output to the Hellraiser Hybrid's EMGs, but with a brighter, more transparent quality to the clean tones, while the extra high-end helps them to cut through layers of dirt for metal chug and screaming pinches.

In combination with the mahogany body, they deliver beefy lower-mid-heavy LP-style tone, not to mention sustain for days, courtesy of the set neck construction.