Who Plays Schecter Guitars: 9 Famous Schecter Players

Although it’s a relatively lesser-known name in the guitar industry, Schecter is a major guitar producer who has risen to fame in the last few decades. Schecter guitars have become quite popular in the rock and especially metal communities, since the tone, build, and overall appearance are more suitable for these genres. Are there famous guitar players who prefer Schecter over other brands?

Several artists have chosen Schecter guitars to perform on stage and to record their albums. There are several famous musicians, especially metal and rock ones, which have chosen Schecter and have remained loyal to the brand, including Prince and Pete Townshend. 

Schecter was not as well-known as giants like Gibson or Fender, but it had a reputation for high-quality customizable guitars since the 1980s. Understandably, most of these artists are rock and metal musicians, but there are plenty of other artists from other genres. Let’s take a look at who they are. 

Schecter: Some Background Info

Schecter Guitar Research was founded as a repair shop in the mid-1970s by David Schecter. For a few years, this company only offered replacement parts, but no fully finished guitars, until 1979, when Schecter started offering new electric guitars that were handmade and very high-quality. 

The company soon grew beyond its limits, which meant that it needed to change owners to stay in business. In the 1980s, the company became more well-known for its Mercury and Saturn models, quite successful guitars that were similar to Fenders. 

Even though they continued to produce high-quality pieces that were famous for their quality and craftsmanship, they remained pretty small compared to industry rivals, because they did not expand their shop.

At the beginning of the 2000s, there was a new wave of musicians who chose the guitars specifically for their great tone, especially for metal music. They became a favorite for plenty of well-known musicians, as I will explain below. As of 2013, Schecter has expanded the shop to produce guitars and basses, as well as amplifiers in several different factories.

Some of the most famous Schecter guitar models include Hellraiser, BlackJack, S-1, S-1 Elite, Tempest, and others. These guitars are known for their wide range of high-quality instruments, including 7, 8, and 9-string guitars. They are also known for their unique designs and customization options.

1. Prince

Prince is probably the most well-known artist to have used several Schecter throughout his career. Prince first collaborated with Schecter for a White Cloud guitar in 1984. This guitar has a unique shape, similar to a cloud and Prince used several different models with different colors. This is just another addition to the bizarre guitars that Prince has used during his musical career.

Another unique addition to Prince’s collection is the Auerswald/Schecter Symbol guitar, a collaboration that was made possible thanks to Prince, who had had a great experience with both companies. The result is an iconic guitar that is supposed to resemble Prince’s own symbol, available in Purple and Gold. This guitar was one of a kind and it was never commercially available.

Prince was one of the most famous and creative musicians in the world, but he was underrated as a guitarist. The electric guitar was his preferred instrument to play on stage. There are too many great projects of this legend, but some of the most famous songs include “Purple Rain”, “Controversy”, and “I Wanna Be Your Lover”. 

2. Pete Townshend

Pete Townshend is another well-known musician who developed a taste for Schecter guitars throughout his career with The Who. Townshend is one of the first musicians who noticed the high-quality instruments of what was then a small custom shop. One of his favorite guitars is the Schecter PT, a signature guitar made in collaboration with the shop, which he used in the 1980s. 

Pete Townshend is best known as the second lead vocalist of the British legendary band The Who. He was the group’s primary songwriter and is famous for his guitar-playing style, making the best guitarists of all time lists for decades. Some of the most popular The Who songs include “Behind Blue Eyes”, “My Generation”, and “Won’t Get Fooled Again”.

3. Zacky Vengeance

Zacky Vengeance is the rhythm guitarist and backing vocalist of the heavy metal band Avenged Sevenfold. Like most other musicians on this list, he also prefers Schecters and has designed his signature guitars in collaboration with the company. Some of his best signature models are the Schecter Zacky Vengeance ZV Special, Zacky Vengeance Blade, and Zacky Vengeance 6661 Signature Model.

However, Zacky Vengeance has also played several other Schecter original models throughout his career, like the famous S-1, Schecter Gynecologist, and the Royal Acoustic-Electric. Other Schecter favorites include the Schecter S-1 “RAF Spitfire” and a Solo II Custom. Zacky Vengeance is one of the most loyal Schecter musicians at the moment.

Zacky Vengeance, also known as Zachary Baker, is one of the founders of Avenged Sevenfold. He has played both rhythm and lead guitar for the band. Some of the most popular Avenged Sevenfold songs are “Burn It Down”, “Warmness On The Soul “, and “Afterlife”. 

4. Jinxx

Jinxx, or Jeremy Miles Ferguson, is the guitarist of the American rock band Black Veil Brides. He has his own signature Schecter guitar called the Jinxx Recluse-FR. He has used several different models of this guitar throughout the last couple of decades. He can be seen playing this guitar in several live performances as well as music videos.

Jinxx is a great instrumentalist, playing the guitar as well as the violin, cello, piano, and keyboards. He has been a part of Black Veil Brides since 2009 and has won several awards with the band. Some of the Black Veil Brides’ most popular songs include: “Fallen Angels”, “Wake Up”, and “Rebel Love Song”.

5. Mark Knopfler 

Mark Knopfler was the lead guitarist of the British rock band Dire Straits. He is now a solo artist, after a short reunion of the band in the 1990s. He has played numerous Schecter guitars throughout his career, starting from the early 1980s. Some of his favorite Schecter guitars include the 1980s Schecter Dream Machine in different finishes, Schecter Telecaster, and Stratocaster.

Knopfler is a guitar virtuoso, known for his particular fingerstyle playing. He is a very important and influential figure in British music. Some of the most popular songs of Knoplfer’s band, Dire Straits, are “Sultans of Swing ” and “Money For Nothing”. Solo songs of his include “Telegraph Road ” and “Border Reiver”. 

6. Zakk Wylde

Zakk Wylde is another American musician who seems to have a taste for Schecter guitars. He has collaborated with this company to create a few special models that he has played throughout his career with different bands. His favorite and probably most popular guitar is the Schecter Zakk Wylde Signature Electric Guitar. However, he has also owned several guitars from the Schecter Viking series and the Wylde Audio Odin. 

Zakk Wylde may be best known for his role as the lead guitarist for the Ozzy Osbourne band, but he has played in several other projects, including Black Label Society, Generation Axe, and Pantera. He has also played as a guest guitarist in several songs throughout the years, including “Six Guns Loaded” by Britny Fox and “Unholy” a Kiss cover by Black Veil Brides.

7. Robert Smith

Robert Smith is best known as the lead singer and guitarist of the British rock band The Cure. He has collaborated with Schecter for the Ultracure series, a very popular guitar. He has played several models of this series, including the Ultracure VI, one of his favorites. He has played these Schecters in several live performances through the years.

Smith co-founded The Cure in the late 1970s and is the only original member to have remained in the band to this day. He has released 13 studio albums with the band and several EPs. Some of the most famous The Cure songs are “Just Like Heaven”, “Lovesong”, and “Pictures of You”. 

8. Dan Donegan

Dan Donegan is a well-known American musician who became famous as the guitarist of the band Disturbed. He is a self-taught guitarist, famous for his particular riffing style. He has used several Schecter throughout his career, including one that he designed in collaboration with the brand. Some of his favorite Schecters include the Schecter Dan Donegan Ultra, the Ultra Classic, and a limited edition model of Schecter Solo-6.

Donegan has played the guitar and the keyboard with his heavy metal band Disturbed. He founded the band with his friends in 1994 and has released eight studio albums with the band. “The Sound of Silence”, “Stricken”, and “Remember” are some of the most popular songs released by the band in the last couple of decades.

9. Chris Poland

Chris Poland is famous for being the guitarist of the metal band Megadeth until the early 2000s. He discovered Schecter guitars relatively late, but soon after collaborated with them to create his signature guitar. His signature Schecter guitar is the Chris Poland Signature Solo-6 FR Poltergeist, released in 2015. Poland has used this guitar in several performances since then.

While most people know him from his time at Megadeth, Poland has participated in several other bands and projects as a guest guitarist. After leaving Megadeth, Poland started experimenting with rock/jazz fusion with his bands OHM and OHMphrey. Some of their most popular songs include “System of a Clown” and “The Girl From Chi Town”.