Guitar help?

[allisander]

I've found a guitar i liked at a Guitar Center near me...the problem is i can't seem to find the guitar anywhere on any website (not the schecter website, ebay...nothing!)
its a Schecter Hellraiser Dlx(deluxe, i guess?) and is almost the same as the Hellraiser C-1, except the fretboard/inlays have moons on them instead of the crosses.

Do you think there would be anything wrong with this guitar, or would the quality be worse, or what?
Of all the guitars i've tried out, the feel of this was the best, and i wanted to be sure of it before i bought it.
thanks (:

[sinktylersink]

I would say that if you tried it and liked it then go for it. I doubt the quality would be any lower than a normal Hellraiser (I've never tried one, but I'm guessing they aren't bad). But yeah, your preference should really be what matters as you're the one playing it.

[patrickhowell]

Apparently Schecter makes some guitars that it only sells through Guitar Center and doesn't even advertise on the website. I think I found a picture of that guitar though:

http://c2.ac-images.myspacecdn.com/images02/10/l_56bb1b36ee134ecc85887a396e44c279. jpg

[allisander]

Apparently Schecter makes some guitars that it only sells through Guitar Center and doesn't even advertise on the website. I think I found a picture of that guitar though:

http://c2.ac-images.myspacecdn.com/images02/10/l_56bb1b36ee134ecc85887a396e44c279. jpg
it looks almost the same but it didn't have that big diamond thing in the middle, thanks though (:

[The Boathouse]

Just buy it at GC. The likelihood that you'll find another that plays the same is slim to none. Don't expect to get the same guitar anywhere but where you found it, every guitar is different. It won't be cheaper online anyway, at least not enough to take a chance on losing something that really speaks to you!

[allisander]

yeah but almost every guitar i've tried is pretty good, but every guitar is (good) compared to mine.
the action is so high, its hard to play and some people are amazed that i can play it...so thats probably the main reason for that schecter, low to the neck and easy to play. know of any other good brands/guitars like that?

[patrickhowell]

yeah but almost every guitar i've tried is pretty good, but every guitar is (good) compared to mine.
the action is so high, its hard to play and some people are amazed that i can play it...so thats probably the main reason for that schecter, low to the neck and easy to play. know of any other good brands/guitars like that?

What kind of guitar is it? The action should be pretty easy to fix...

[allisander]

its just a basic fender strat, im pretty sick of it, and i've already tried fixing it.
four years is enough, and i've already started saving for a new one.

[patrickhowell]

There's nothing wrong with upgrading, but this might help you for the time being:

1) Truss Rod

This is a metal pole inside the neck of your guitar that holds the neck straight. The adjustment is at the end of the neck and it takes an Allen wrench to adjust. Here's how to check and adjust:

Hold down the low E string on the first and last frets. There should be a slight gap between the string and the 8th fret. If it needs adjusted, loosen the strings first so that you don't have a lot of tension on the truss rod. If there's a large gap, you need to turn the truss rod clockwise. If there's no gap, you need to turn it counter-clockwise. Don't go more than 1/4 turn at a time. Tune back up and check again.

2) The Nut

This is the white (usually) plastic piece that your strings rest on at the top of the neck. Here's how you check that:

Put a capo between the second and third frets (or just hold down each string) and check the clearance between the first fret and the string. It should be a very small gap. If it's too big, the nut has to be filed down and this is permanent. You could try it yourself but if you go too low you'll have to replace the nut. I'd recommend getting this done by a pro unless you feel really comfortable doing it.

3) Bridge Saddles:

These are the sliding metal pieces that your string sits on at the other end of the guitar. Once the truss rod and nut are good, then the bridge saddles will be all that's left to adjust for your action. Move them as low as you like, but be careful to check for string buzz before moving on.

4) Intonation:

The distance between your bridge saddles and nut is a small adjustment to fine-tune your guitar but it is very important to make sure your guitar is in tune on all the frets. Tune up with a tuner. Check the tuning of the 12th fret. If it's sharp, move the bridge saddles away from the fret. If it's flat, move the bridge saddles toward the fret.


And that's it. If you follow those simple steps your guitar should be in MUCH better playing condition. If you don't feel comfortable doing it yourself, maybe your parents will help you do it.

[allisander]

(: thank you veryyy much!!!
i'll be sure to try this myself as i don't trust my parents with my guitar...
i've tried the allen wrench before and it helped slightly but after a day or so, it seemed like it went right back
wow, i really cannot thank you enough, its torture having to wait until i get enough money to get a new guitar and having to play mine. so thanks!

[patrickhowell]

Yeah, the neck bends under the tension of the strings - which, all together, is about 100lbs - so you have to adjust the truss rod to keep it straight. Set it straight, then check it every couple of days for a week or two... sometimes it will go back over time. Once you get it right, it should stay straight permanently unless you expose it to extreme temperatures or change what gauge of string you're using.

Be careful adjusting the truss rod, though... if it breaks you'll need a whole new neck.

Good luck !