Ultra III Review

Ultra III was built in 2005 as one of the newest additions to the Schecter family.

Features:	10
Sound:	10
Action:	8
Reliability:	10
Impression:	10
Overall rating:	9.6
Users rating:	9.2
Comments:	15

overall: 9.6

Reviewed by: WideSpreadPanic, on june 06, 2005

Price paid: $ 589

Purchased from: C&B Music

Features: My Ultra III was made in 2005 as this is one of the newest additions to the Schecter family. It was made in Korea. The scale is fast with a 25.5 scale and comfortable jumbo frets. The guitar features a unique sculpted top with a raised center on which three Duncan Designed mini-humbuckers (FG-101, I believe) are positioned. Don't let "Duncan Designed" fool you, they sound absolutely amazing. Three three-position slider switches allow you to turn each pickup on or off or on a "low" setting to get a variety of tones. It also has a single volume and tone knob. The guitar is offered in three colors: Vintage creme, black, and Vintage wine red. I purchased the Vintage creme and the finish is smooth and luxurious. The neck is set and forms perfectly to the body with no seems at all. The body style is similar to a Fender Mustang but not as jagged. It has non-locking Grover tuners that have stayed in tune for a week. The bridge is a modified Bigsby vibrato that does not go out of tune easily like the original Bigsbies. // 10

Sound: I play blues, doo-wop, and "artsy" rock so this unique and beautiful instrument suits me perfectly. The first amp I played it through was a crate 15 watt on clean with a bad monkey overdrive pedal set to the cleanest setting. I tried different pickup combinations with the selector switches and I was able to get both humbucker and single coil sound out of it. The sound can be rich or full or bright depending on how you have the pickups turned on or off. There is a slight amount of noise when just the lead pickup is engaged but it does not pose much of a problem. Thanks to the selectors for the pickups, the tonal variety is phenomenal. // 10

Action, Fit & Finish: The guitar was in tune when I got it and the action was just right for me. I've played a Les Paul Black Beauty before, and a DXMG Dinky and the action on the Ultra III is just as good. Pickups were adjusted fine. The only error in the guitar aside from the slightly noisy lead pickup is a grain-of-sand sized red fleck on the back of the guitar. Completely unnoticable unless you carefully inspect the guitar. // 8

Reliability & Durability: I usually dont jump around as much as most people when I play live (as in around large groups of friends) but this guitar could very well stick up to it. It doesn't creak at all. The strap buttons are very solid. I haven't dropped it yet and it seems my BC Rich falls off its strap all the time. Of course I would still play a gig with a backup because all guitar players should do that, but this guitar holds its own. The finish is very solid. // 10

Impression: One day, about six months ago I was finished in History class so I pulled out a piece of paper and drew my dream guitar. It featured three humbuckers, a bigsby vibrato, and a rounded "Fender Mustang-ish" shape. I showed it to my guitarist friend and he said that they came out with a guitar like it and he showed me a coming-soon advertisement for the Ultra III. I fell in love and the rest is history. I played spanish guitar for 1 year and electric for 2. I own a BC Rich Warlock, a Boss Super Chorus, a DigiTech Bad Monkey and Death Metal, a Dunlop Crybaby, and two amps: a Crate 15 watt and an old 1980 something Roland combo. Plus a load of other accesories.

Since this guitar is brand spanking new, I had little to no information to go by except the fact it is a Schecter, and matches my fictional dream guitar. The "best" guitars I have ever played are a Les Paul Black Beauty and a DXMG Jackson. The Ultra III is just as good as both, if not better. Well for my style anyway, but it can play all styles. If it were stolen or lost I would hunt down whoever did it and kill them. Simple as that. I love everything about it. This guitar oozes "1950's" The only thing I wish it could have are the star and moon inlays found on the ultracure model. If you so much as have a whim to buy this guitar, do so. You will not regret it. It is very stylish. // 10

Comments

[andy_p_]

I totally agree with everything in this review as i have one too, I mainly play punk, so I was looking for something a little diffrent, It suits that too.

[jmaag]

i tried it out today, and really rather enjoyed it. i was using a vox combo and a fender deluxe. it sounds real good with some overdrive. all the pickups combos are potentially interesting, and the bigsby means a lot of fun. it'll work great for alt rock, but also can get some nice single-soily sounds, which is nice for country. the only potential problem was with the pickup selection the two postions for switching is difficult for quick switching, so if you wanna be able to switch on the go, you'd better figure somethin out. check out my band The Inner Room. www.myspace.com/innerroom.

[tbsff_7]

i played this guitar at guitar center yesterday, through a vox amp, the thing sounded amazing, i love the pickups, and the bigsby tremelo was amazing

[lvad48]

i really want that guitar

[7ama7775]

i play left handed upside down and i own one of these i had tried it out on a cheap vox amp and it was love at first tone i mainly play blues and and alternative and it was perfect for every song i know i love its rich tone and mine is vintage cream and the bigsby tremelo is just wonderful

[Molon_uk]

I have this guitar and it is freaking awsome. Not good for metal, but it rocks harder than any guitar I know. The more you get into the song and the harder you play, the better it sounds, and so in turn you enjoy it more and play harder and it goes in a circle. It also has sublime clean tones (Yellow Ledbetter never sounded so good).

[aidandude]

i se it as a backup guitar in my blues band (a gibson firebird VII is my main axe). it is SWEET! im not a bug fan of the pickups, but i should be replacing them with real duncans, or dimarzios. great axe, great price

[chomieMan59]

I ordered this guitar thru guitar center back in august and it just came in a few days ago. It plays like butter, dont ask what that means, and it has a gorgeous finish. unfortunately i tend to get out of hand with the bigsby and the spring has flown off more than a few times in the middle of a solo. Also, the paint chips very easily. Do not expect to keep this guitar looking new, although even with some wear and tear it beats most others in looks. Awesome guitar, i would recommend it for blues, rock, and metal. Molon_uk doesnt know what hes talking about, the tone is beggin for distortion. Heavy as hell, sound wise and literally.

[TaylorR]

I am getting this guitar very soon. Should i get the cream one, wine red one, or the black one?

[JackWhiteIsGOD]

i just played this guitar today, and i instantly fell in love with everything about it. i was playing on a epeiphone les paul standard, spooted this one, and immediatley put the les paul back. i loved it so much ive already got it on layaway. the guitar sounds phenomenal, and you can get almost any sound you want with the 3 pickups. one thing that i dont think has been mentioned before is how heavy this guitar is, and not just in sound. this is quite a heavy guitar! make sure you get strap locks!

[Toastershocked]

I own the cream model. I changed the tone and volume knobs to some old vintage styled cream colored "chicken beaks". They look so "right" for this 50's/60's style guitar. This is my #1 back up guitar. My main axe is a 1979 Gibson Les Paul deluxe 100% original and a Dillion semi hollow body natural finish. (Just like the Epiphone Casino that John Lennon plkayed but better quality overall). I play through a vintage original 1974-75 Ampeg VT-40 amp. (The one with four 10 inch Eminence speakers at 60 watts. Great super-underrated amp. For effects I only sometimes use a 70's DOD phasor 201, an Echo plex, a violin bow, a rebuilt vintage Vox Italian wah, a U.S.A. Big muff, and a custom built fuzz/creamer/tone pedal. Gibson vintage 9's or 10's for strings, and Herco medium flex gold picks. This guitar is well worth every penny. I paid just about $600 from Guitar Center in Albany/Berkeley Ca.- Davey Love

[ConfusedBirdman]

This thing looks like it would be uncomfortable playing standing up, but it kinda angles itself towards you a little bit...somehow makes for the most comfortable guitar I have ever played. Great tone, Great feel, Great neck, the only thing I don't know about is the sustain. I played it at guitar center and as you all know, it is loud as hell in there, so I couldn't really get a good idea of it. Plus the bigsby, basically every tonal possibility. Only downfall is the lack of upper fret access.

[Scarlet_Fever]

Gawd I want one of these. Top review man, really pro.

[]\/[R. EM0]

I played it at guitar center and as you all know, it is loud as hell in there, so I couldn't really get a good idea of it.

lol. yeah, i've had several bad experiences at guitar center. and it is always loud in there.....but yes, this guitar looks amazing, and i've been looking for something to be my sg's brother.....and i think i found it.

[joshgiesbrecht]

I was looking through Guitar Worlds 2009 Guitar Buyers guide and the second I saw it I fell in love with it, so far only looks wise, but... I haven't seen a bad comment yet so i'm sure it'll sound amazing. I'd love to get one eventually