Most guitarist have G.A.S (Gear – Acquisition – Syndrome) and love buying new musical gear for their gigs and rock ‘n roll addictions. But when it comes to purchasing the right guitar for your taste, it might become a bit overwhelming; there are just so many varieties of instruments to choose from. To make things easier for you, Gear Vault is here to help!
Have you been looking around for a well-toned, well-styled and well-priced electric guitar? Let me introduce you to one of the sexiest axes I’ve had the honor to play this week, the Schecter Tempest in Vintage White. The body of this guitar is made out of mahogany with a maple top for a more resonant and richer tone, though a bit on the bright side, which will helps it cut through the mix really well. For an incredible punch, the guitar is equipped with a pair of Duncan Designed HB-102 humbuckers which really carry the load. The axe has a nice play-able neck. The mahogany neck which is three-pieced with a rosewood fretboard really forms to my hand nicely. For the tuning to stay dead-on, the axe is equipped with quality Grover tuners — my personal favorite.
In its over-all elegant make-up, it consists of a multi-ply binding, inlays that are split crown, pickups that are Duncan design, larger frets. At first glance you might think this is an expensive git-fiddle and costs a ton, but actually it only costs around $500 big ones.
Schecter Tempest is absolutely beautiful and can handle many different types of music, from blues, rock, hard rock, to metal. Go play one, I am sure you’ll be amazed.
Schecter Tempest Video Overview
Schecter Hellraiser Tempest Guitar Review
Rock guitars are usually pretty simple. Sure, there are those who insist on axes with scalloped fingerboards, seven strings, and so forth, but, at the end of the day, a good piece of wood, a couple hot and tone-filled pickups, and a fast neck will get most rockers over the finish line. Schecter knows this and has based much of their line around this concept. One of their offerings that fits this bill is the Hellraiser Tempest.
The Tempest features a mahogany body with a maple top, a three-piece mahogany neck with 24 extra-jumbo frets and gothic cross position markers, and a scale length of 24 ¾ inches, which gives the Tempest a true old-school feel. Most rock players will feel pretty much at home with this set of appointments and will be able to use the Tempest to rock any house in the world.
Electronics on the Tempest continue on the rock-approved path with two EMG 81-TW and 89 active humbuckers, volume and tone controls for each, and a three-way selector switch. The hardware on this Hellraiser is all black chrome and includes a TonePros bridge, Schecter locking tuners, and a string-thru-body design rather than a traditional tailpiece. Savvy guitar buyers will see the Tempest as Schecter’s take on the venerable Les Paul design with updates that are popular with today’s players and a body shape that is a bit more rock and roll.
Those inspired by the great rock tones of days gone by as well as this years’ crop of heaviness would do well to check out a Tempest before making their next guitar buy, as this Schecter might be their new best friend.
Schecter Tempest Video Overview
I came across this while doing some research on the Tempest and found a few things confussing and misleading.
This guitar is the “Schecter Tempest Custom” in Vintage White.
It has a maple cap and costs around $700
There is a “Schecter Tempest Standard” version that has slightly lower quality p/u’s and no maple cap. Which sells for $500-550
The guitar in this review does not sell for $500
Other than the out of sequence name and misquoted price it’s a decent review.
You have to take in consideration that this was posted over a year ago. Prices on the Schecter Tempest Custom guitars have increased since then. Worldmusicsupply.com is currently blowing out The Tempest Custom (in vintage white) for $599. This time last year they were selling for $499.
The reason why it is more is because the old version (the one in this review) actually had duncan designed pickups just like the standard, but the new tempest custom’s have real seymour duncan pickups. That’s why the new version is $700. I just bought a standard though, can’t wait for it to get here 😀