Schecter Nick Johnston Signature PT Review & Prices

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Schecter Nick Johnston Signature PT Review
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  • From Schecter's 2021 Artist series
  • Nick Johnston Signature
  • Made in Indonesia
  • 6 strings
  • 25.5"'' scale
  • 14" Fretboard Radius
  • Alder body
  • Roasted Hard Rock Maple neck
  • Roasted Maple fretboard
  • Bridge pickup: Schecter Diamond Nick Johnston Single Coil (Single Coil/Passive)
  • Neck pickup: Schecter Diamond 78 (Humbucker/Passive)
  • 1 volume and 1 tone Dome knobs
  • 3-way Switch
  • Diamond PT-S bridge
  • Vintage C Bolt-On neck
  • 22 Jumbo frets
  • Schecter Locking tuners
  • Weight between 8.05lbs (3.7kgs) and 8.9lbs (4kgs)
  • Compare Specs >

Our Scores and Tone Evaluation

Playability 75
Sound 72
Build quality 64
Value for money 75
Overall Score 70
Tone Evaluation
  • Heavy Metal
  • Hard Rock
  • Jazz
  • Blues
  • Funk
  • Country
Strengths & Weaknesses
Schecter Nick Johnston Signature PT
  • Locking Tuners
  • Black Tusq XL Nut
  • Coil Split Pickups
  • Cheap Fret Wire (NS)
  • Made in Indonesia
  • No Expensive Woods
  • No Top Brand Pickups
  • No Neck-Through Build
  • No Weight Relief
  • No Luminescent Inlay
  • No Tremolo
  • No Compound Radius Fretboard
  • No 21:1 Tuner Ratio
  • No Strap Lock

Price Overview

Its average competitor's price is $850, which means that the Schecter Nick Johnston Signature PT is within the average price asked for this kind of guitar. This takes into account all instruments of the same category in our database with 6 strings and Fixed bridge that are made in Indonesia.

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Videos

No Talking...Just Tones | Schecter Nick Johnston PT | Atomic Snow
Nick Johnston Diamond Series PT Play-through Demo
The Captain Meets Nick Johnston - We LOVE the Schecter Nick Johnston Signature Electric Guitars!
No Talking...Just Tones | Schecter Nick Johnston PT | Atomic Green
Schecter Nick Johnston PT in Atomic Snow
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Your feedback

Not all instruments are created equally. That's why it's important to have different opinions. Here's what our users who have played this instrument say. If you've played it before, help others by voting below!

Weight

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Tuning stability

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Neck access to high frets

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Neck profile shape

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Fret edges

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Is it Easy to Play?

The Schecter Nick Johnston Signature PT meets 6 out of our 8 criteria items for beginner friendliness, which means that it's a good guitar to start with as a complete beginner. This takes into account the type of frets, scale length, nut width, bridge type, fretboard radius, and neck profile to determine the easiest combination for new players to get used to.

New Player Friendliness

Schecter Nick Johnston Signature PT
  • Comfortable shape
  • Easy-to-use bridge
  • Locking tuners
  • Tall frets
  • Narrow nut
  • Comfortable neck
  • Comfortable fretboard
  • Short scale

Hand Size Comfortability

After taking into account the neck profile, scale size, fretboard radius, and nut width, we can conclude that the Schecter Nick Johnston Signature PT's construction favors people with relatively small hands.

Nevertheless, this comes down in the end to personal preference. Make sure you test this guitar—or another one with similar characteristics—before buying.

Big Hands
Small Hands

How Lightweight is it?

We found that the Schecter Nick Johnston Signature PT weighs between 8.05lbs (3.7kgs) and 8.9lbs (4kgs). This was recorded from some online retailers that publish the weight of the instruments they sell.

Scale Length

Scale length is the distance the strings will span between the bridge and the nut. It can tell you a lot about the overall playability and tone of the instrument. A longer scale length means longer distance between frets, brighter tone and more string tension—which means lower action, but more difficult bending of the strings.

Here's the Schecter Nick Johnston Signature PT's 25.5" scale length compared to other common sizes:

Schecter Nick Johnston Signature PT Scale Length Comparison
Schecter Nick Johnston Signature PT's scale length (at the top) compared to other popular sizes

This is the same scale length used in Stratocaster guitars, and it's one of the main reasons they have such a bright sound. It's considered a long scale when compared to most non-baritone guitars.

Since the distance between bridge and nut is relatively long, you'll need to give the strings more tension to get them in tune. This higher tension will allow for a couple of things. First, you can get a lower action (get the strings closer to the fretboard) because the strings won't 'wiggle' too much when pluck and won't cause fret buzz. This can allow you to use lower tunings without increasing your string gauge, and it will make it easier to press down the strings fast.

However, the frets will also have a wider separation between each other, which can make it harder to play, especially if you got small hands. The higher tension will also make the strings feel stiffer, so bending will require more strength.

More with the same scale length:

Neck Profile

Schecter Nick Johnston Signature PT Neck Profile
Schecter Nick Johnston Signature PT's neck profile

The neck profile tells you the thickness (neck depth) and shape in cross section. Every difference will completely change the feeling and comfortability of the neck. This is a highly subjective thing, but most players indeed prefer certain types of necks (like Cs and Ds) because they feel nice in most hands.

The Schecter Nick Johnston Signature PT's neck thickness is approximately 0.787'' (20mm) at the first fret, and 0.866'' (22mm) at the twelfth.

These measurements were taken either from the official Schecter website, or, in case this information wasn't provided, by researching multiple online marketplaces and forums where owners of this model have posted their measurements.

It has a C type neck. C-shaped necks like this have been the most popular for the last years. The reason is that they feel good in most hands. It's generally a thin neck that doesn't get in your way when playing fast, but that also has enough mass to give your hands a comfortable grip for chords if they aren't too big.

Thin necks like this make it easier to move your hand across the neck and it helps when playing fast solos, especially if you like to leave your thumb free while playing high on the fretboard. However, thinner necks are also weaker and will need adjustment more often than a thicker neck.

More for different hand sizes

Fretboard Radius

When it comes to fingerboard radius, personal preference will dictate which one is better for you. However, most people seem to agree that a more curved (lower) radius will make it easier to play chords while a less curved (higher) radius is better for soloing and bending.

The Schecter Nick Johnston Signature PT has a 14" fingerboard radius.

Here's an image comparing this fretboard radius to other popular choices:

Schecter Nick Johnston Signature PT Fretboard Radius Comparison with Fender Stratocaster and Gibson Les Paul
Schecter Nick Johnston Signature PT's fretboard radius compared to others

This makes it more similar to Gibson guitars (12'') than Fender (9.5''). It's slightly flatter than most modern Gibson fretboards though, which makes it more comfortable for single notes, bendings and vibratos, but less comfortable for chords. If you like the playability of a Gibson, which can be described as ''balanced for chords and solos'', and don't care about having slightly less curve for more comfortable solos, you'll like this radius.

Compound radius fingerboards give the best of both worlds. Unfortunately, the Schecter Nick Johnston Signature PT has the same radius across the board.

More with the same fretboard radius:

Playability compared to main competitors

25.5'' Scale Length
C Neck Profile
1.643'' Nut Width
14'' Fretboard Radius
24.75'' Scale Length
U Neck Profile
1.654'' Nut Width
13.78'' Fretboard Radius
25.5'' Scale Length
C Neck Profile
1.693'' Nut Width
13.78'' Fretboard Radius
25.5'' Scale Length
U Neck Profile
1.654'' Nut Width
13.78'' Fretboard Radius
24.75'' Scale Length
U Neck Profile
1.654'' Nut Width
13.78'' Fretboard Radius

Nut Width

Schecter Nick Johnston Signature PT Nut Width
Schecter Nick Johnston Signature PT Nut Width

The Schecter Nick Johnston Signature PT has a nut width of 41.7mm (1.643''). This is considered a narrow width for a 6-string guitar. This means that this guitar will have a narrower string separation at the nut, which will affect your fretting hand.

If you are a player with big hands, you might find it difficult to play chords without muting strings. However, this is good for players who have smaller hands, as it will allow them to reach each string more easily at the nut.

Frets

The Schecter Nick Johnston Signature PT has 22 frets. Even though 24 frets has become really popular, there's still a good reason to get fewer frets; the pickup at the neck position will be further away from the bridge. This makes the neck pickup achieve a warmer tone. You might want this if you're playing Jazz or similar genres.

However, if you don't care about the warmer neck pickup, more frets will always be better. It's always nice to have the option to play higher notes if you want to.

It comes with nickel silver frets, so they won't last as long as stainless steel frets. If you use your instrument a lot, you might need to replace the frets after a few years. But this is unlikely as most people change instruments before this happens.

More with the same amount of frets:

Fret Size

Schecter Nick Johnston Signature PT Fret Size Comparison
Schecter Nick Johnston Signature PT's fret size (in orange) compared to other popular sizes

Finally, let's talk about fret size. Some people prefer tall frets because it's easier to press the strings and perform bends since there's less friction against the fretboard. On the other hand, some people like shorter frets because they like to touch the fretboard when playing, or because they got heavy hands and tend to press too much on the string and alter the of the note pitch accidently.

The Schecter Nick Johnston Signature PT's frets are Jumbo size. This is a tall fret size that is becoming increasingly popular because it makes it easier to press down the strings cleanly. With this fret size, you won't feel the fretboard when playing, so if you press down too hard, you will get the notes out of pitch. However, this is something you can overcome by getting used to the taller size.

More with the same type of frets:

Playability Score

Bending & Vibrato Ease 85
Chord Playability 60
Solo Playability 80
Playability 75

Tone Analysis

Wood will have little influence in the final tone of an electric guitar or bass. Instead, the hardware, especially the pickups, will be the most important thing to look at. Bur first, let's see the quality of the wood.

Wood

Alder wood pattern used for guitar building
Alder Body
Roasted Maple wood pattern used for guitar building
Roasted Maple Neck, Fretboard

Alder Body: This is a lightweight type of wood that was popularized by Fender. According to them, it's a wood that offers a balanced tone but that favors the upper midrange slightly.

Roasted Maple Neck and Fretboard: Similar to simple Maple, but even stronger, darker, and more stable to temperature changes. This is thanks to the treatment process that consists in using high temperatures to drain the water, sugar, and resins from the wood.

More made with the same wood:

Pickups

Unfortunately, it doesn't come with pickups from one of the top brands. This doesn't mean you will get bad pickups, but you might want to consider a pickup upgrade after some time.

These are passive pickups, so you can expect a rounder sound and a moderade level of output.

The Schecter Nick Johnston Signature PT's configuration is SH. If you like the bright tone of a Tele or Strat, but would also like to use warmer tones for different styles, a single-coil at the bridge and a Humbucker at the neck will give you the versatility you want.

More with the same pickups

22 Frets
Fixed Bridge
Schecter Diamond Nick Johnston Single Coil Bridge Pickup
Schecter Diamond 78 Neck Pickup
24 Frets
Fixed Bridge
Schecter Diamond 78 Special Bridge Pickup
Schecter Diamond 78 Neck Pickup
24 Frets
Tremolo Bridge
Schecter Diamond 78 Special Bridge Pickup
Schecter Diamond 78 Neck Pickup
24 Frets
Tremolo Bridge
Schecter Diamond 78 Special Bridge Pickup
Schecter Diamond 78 Neck Pickup
22 Frets
Bigsby Tremolo Bridge
Schecter Diamond 78 Bridge Pickup
Schecter Diamond 78 Neck Pickup

Versatility

It comes with the popular 3-way switch that is present in most guitars. For more versatility, players tend to prefer a 5-way switch, although it all depends on what you want to use your guitar for.

It has a Coil Split option. It allows you to 'split' or turn off pickup coils to get even more tones in combination with the pickup selector. When used with humbucker pickups, it'll reduce the output and increase their clarity, turning them essentially into single-coil pickups.

Diagram

Schecter Nick Johnston Signature PT pickups switch and push knobs diagram
Schecter Nick Johnston Signature PT's switch options

What music genre is it good for?

As a 6 strings, Solid Body guitar with SH configuration and Passive pickups, we'd recommend it for genres like Blues or similar. However, you can use almost any guitar for any genre. This is just the typical type of music for this particular one.

Sound Score

Pickups 60
Sustain 85
Versatility 64
Tuning Stability 80
Sound 72

Build Quality Analysis

Country of Origin

Knowing where the instrument is produced is a good way to know how well it's built. Some manufacturing countries are known for having higher quality standards. For example, most expensive instruments are made in the US or Japan, but there are some exceptionally great countries—like South Korea—that are building a good reputation.

The Schecter Nick Johnston Signature PT is made in Indonesia. Many people prefer the quality of an Indonesian guitar over a Chinese. Respectable brands like Epiphone, Ibanez and Schecter are building in this country because of the great quality and lower price. Some people like to compare them to the ones built in Japan during the 80s, when Japanese guitar makers made a name for themselves.

Still, remember that we're taking about Schecter here, which is a brand with good renown. They know how to use cheap labor in this country without sacrificing too much quality. So you shouldn't end up receiving a useless or ugly instrument.

Bridge

Diamond PT-S: The advantage of fixed bridges is that they don't require any kind of set-up. This makes it extremely easy when changing strings because you don't need to adjust anything besides tuning the guitar. Also, the fact that the bridge is directly attached to the body will help to increase sustain. The disadvantage is the lack of versatility since you can't create the same vibrato effects as with tremolo bridges.

More with the same type of bridge:

Tuners

The Schecter Nick Johnston Signature PT comes with locking tuners, which helps with tuning stability and makes changing strings a lot faster and easier. As long as they're high quality, these are the best tuning machines you can have. The only disadvantage is that they are a bit heavier than normal tuners.

Nut Material

Another important thing to analyze is the nut material, as it's one of the most important aspects that can affect the sound and playability of your guitar. A well-cut nut will make sure it stays in tune and will make it more comfortable to play.

In this case, the Schecter Nick Johnston Signature PT has a Black Tusq XL nut. It's not made of plastic or low-quality materials. They're made to resemble the sound you get from bone and ivory nuts, but with slippery materials so the intonation and tuning are stable. Also, each nut is carefully cut to ensure you won't have tune stabilization problems.

More with the same nut material:

Neck Joint

The neck joint is the part where the neck of the guitar meets the body. There are three main techniques to attach both parts together: Set-In, Bolt-On and Neck-Through. The latter two provide different advantages, although neck-throughs are the most expensive.

This guitar has a Bolt-On neck joint. Even though this type of neck was looked down upon for a long time, nowadays bolt-on necks are well built and provide just as much sustain as any other join method. First of all, it's cheap to make because it consists of simply 4 bolts that attach the neck to the body. And you can travel with the guitar more easily, swap out the neck if you damage it, or upgrade to a more comfortable neck later on.

More with the same build:

Build Quality Score

Quality of materials 56
Features 65
Quality Control 70
Build Quality 64

All Specs

Schecter Nick Johnston Signature PT
General
Brand: Schecter
Year: 2021
Configuration: SH
Strings: 6
Made in: Indonesia
Series: Artist
Colors: Black
Left-Handed Version: No
Body
Type: Solid Body
Body Material: Alder
Bridge: Diamond PT-S
Neck
Neck Joint: Bolt-On
Tuners: Schecter Locking
Fretboard: Roasted Maple
Neck Material: Roasted Hard Rock Maple
Decoration: Brass Circles
Scale Size: 25.5"
Shape: Vintage C
Thickness: 1st Fret: 0.787'' (20mm) - 12th Fret: 0.866'' (22mm)
Frets: 22 Jumbo
Fretboard Radius: 14"
Nut: Black Tusq XL
Nut Width: 41.7mm (1.643'')
Electronics
Switch: 3 Way
Knobs: Dome
Pickup Mods: Coil Split
Volume Controls: 1
Tone Controls: 1
Bridge Pickup: Schecter Diamond Nick Johnston Single Coil (Single Coil / Passive)
Neck Pickup: Schecter Diamond 78 (Humbucker / Passive)

More Comparisons

User Reviews

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Your Rating:

1 user reviews:

idgitman profile picture
idgitman
07/11/23 15:18:19

I recently picked up a B-Stock NJ PT. Unfortunately, my on comparison is my current guitar which is an Fender American Ultra HSS Strat. The Fender is my reentry after taking a almost 30yr break from playing. The NJ PT is no Fender Ultra, and as such is not a for comparison.

Not sure if the reason it was B-Stock or not, but several of the frets have some wicked sharp ends. Staying in tune is not a thing, but that could be contributed to the dead Strings that are on it, (may or may not be original), and clearly someone fiddled with the saddles as they are all at the highest height, though the action is still quite playable and they are aligned the same in a straight line. Other things like the tone pot is loose could just be a symptom of it being B-Stock.

It sounds good, even in it's current state, fat clean sounds from the humbucker at the neck and classic rock tones from the bridge.

I've ordered a few parts to customize and hopefully improve the tones: Mainly some new strings, brass saddles(2 1/8 spacing), and a few cosmetic parts to customize the look; New pickguard, knobs, and control plate.

Also ordered a fret file to address those sharp edges. Hopefully this project turns out successfully