Schecter Stealth C-1 review

With its Satin Black finish and black hardware, Schecter's Stealth C-1 certainly lives up to its name. You'll be well aware of it when you strap it on, though, thanks to the slim yet weighty slab of mahogany that makes up the flawlessly finished body. Combine that with the mahogany set neck, and even unplugged, sustain is impressive.

Playability is great, too - the Stealth has one of the smoothest satin-finished necks we've played on a guitar in this price range, with a 355mm (14-inch) fretboard radius that encourages you to speed, especially in conjunction with the dusty end-enhancing Ultra Access neck joint.

Admittedly, the flat radius doesn't make for the most comfortable open chords, but a compound radius is rare at this price.

Plugged in, Schecter's SuperRock-II pickups have a smooth, fat output and while they're not active, but they do offer extra versatility via their Dual Mode coil-split function, accessed by tugging on the tone knob.

Unusually, there's no drop in volume when you split the coils; if anything, the split setting almost sounds louder, thanks to the increased high-end sizzle. These fat tones are hardly traditional, but they're hugely useful, and with a bit of drive, they're pretty convincing.