I have two Nick Johnston Custom shops. This is my go to guitar. This is better and cheaper by a long shot than any fender custom strat. They absolutely nailed it in every way. I am forever grateful for this wonderful creation.
Always find it odd that people go to video reviews of guitars they already own, and say how much they love it. Why watch a review of a product you already have lol? Very strange
There really is no reason to buy a new fender guitar these days other than the aesthetics. Every major company/serious builder offers a strat that is better appointed, with better playability, for less money. At every level
What a great and useful video, amazing guitars and beautiful playing!! I was thinking about getting that diamond series and this was all i need, thanks!!
I have one, and this seems to be an issue, although I think, easily rectified by trying different spring configs on the trem. My other issue is that the strings are slightly out of alignment, being more biased to the higher strings and this sometimes causes the top E to slip off the board which is annoying!
Hey man! What does the neck feel like? Is it like a slim-ish C shape MIM Strat or does it have more of a D shape, like the newer Ibanez or Cort guitars? Or does it have more of a rounder C shape like a PRS?
Great video! Schecter is nailing it. It's good to see their Strat err, I mean, S-type guitars getting some attention with the Nick Johnston Strat. The custom shop did sound a little better, but the entire Diamond series is just killer gear for the money.
Oh man, not just „for the money“. I have a hellraiser solo-II and I‘m impressed everytime, I pick it up to play. I got it freakishly cheap and that guitar is, if just by luck, one of the best guitars I ever got my hands on. It‘s not clicking with me like it should, so I‘m getting another Les Paul but I will damn sure miss this guitar dearly one day.
The Schecter Diamond series is stellar. I went shopping for a throw around, beat to crap Guitar for rehearsal...I came along a Solo-II Hellraiser. It was dirt cheap but dear god, that guitar is amazing. Everytime I pick it up, it just leaves that wow feeling. I still can‘t believe how cheap it was for that amount of quality. It honestly wipes the floor with a lot of pricier guitars.
I agree with you. I just purchased a PT Fastback (gold top) with the filtertron style pups and its a really quality piece. Best $600.00 guitar out there !
A friend has 2 Schecter Fender clones from the 70s. Both are better than their equivalent Fenders, both in workmanship and tone. Its nice they're staying good.
As always..:.thorough and honest demos. I just bought the HSS diamond series in orange and I can’t put it down. Just a bit more than the fender player series but blows it away IMO
Just bought this from Righteous Guitars in Atlanta…. It is way better that any strat I have picked up anywhere….. could be a deserted island guitar… the tone control actually works to shift mids and highs only…. No bassy mush!! Perfect guitar right out of the box!! I loved mine the moment I picked it up!
I played the diamond one yesterday. It's a decent guitar. Looks great. Pots and switch feel pretty cheap. The single coils are very bright and thin. The neck is great though.
Fantastic guitar, I loved my Diamond series but couldn't deal with the neck profile. It's thin and flat, which is actually more effective in playing, but I enjoy thicker and a bit curvier (9.5-12) more for my Neo-Soul, Hendrix playing style.
Really sweet guitar work here! I just bought a Diamond Series in the white color from Pit Bull Audio in CA. Great price, great shop! Can’t wait to get it next week.
I bought the Diamond Series model and it plays perfectly. I changed all the electronics and threw in a Duncan Custom in the bridge and a Little 59 in the neck and Duckbucker in the middle and added coil splitting. Bought the guitar as a new demo (saved a bit) and even with the electronics I wasn't over $1500 total into the guitar and have exactly what I wanted. To be fair I do this often as Schecter makes such great playing guitars and the only thing that is really missing in lower models are proper electronics (wiring, jacks, pups, pots, etc). I would put this guitar up against any $3k guitar and I have a custom built Suhr (5k) and a custom built Warmoth (3k) and I 100% play this guitar more. Also from Shecter I have the PT Pro, C-1 FR-S SLS Elite and the Sun Valley Super Shredder Exotic (put Duncan JB and 59 in it). They are just making really good stuff these days. Schecter from my experience has good QC as most guitars are just ready to go out of the box. Great video! Fun to watch!
Awesome comparison and rundown of each - I think the custom stands out with the neck pickup especially. You can just hear more of the natural dynamic bite from that - the pink Diamond sounds a little more rounder to my ear with less of the definition and clarity. Both are really cool guitars in their own right though and it's cool that Schecter made both price points.
Wenge ok I was thinking walnut. Oooh so many pretty trees they use to make these. Guitar research 🧐 Cause R & D ain’t free but it’s totally worth the price, unlike my wire brush speed relicing services.
have hard time choosing either go for the diamond nick johnston or ibanez az or a fender strat the only thing holding me back is that 900 and everything is house brand parts i found steep when an ibanez az has higher specs but in the end i cant test any of them since covid and hope u could tell me what u enjoyed the most
How does the diamond series HSS compare to the higher end Yamaha Pacifica? On reverb I can get one or the other for about the same price, but the Yamaha has some suhr pickups and a hard case for maybe 100 dollars cheaper
Recently picked up the atomic orange Diamond SSS and the only thing I want to change is an NJ pickup set if they ever release them. The roasted neck is so nice for the price range. Curious if the body shape is any thicker on the US customs? Haven’t had a chance to play one yet.
Great review!! I think the Fender Player is comparable to the Schecter Diamond (both HSS) because they are around the same price tag. I would love to hear your opinion on those and anyone who owns them both, any preferences??
I was choosing between the NJ diamond and the Fender player, and I eventually went for the NJ! Although the NJ is slightly expensive than the player, you get roasted maple neck and locking tuner. In my opinion, the NJ sounds better to my ear and play better in my hand. However, I do believe that people have different opinions and tastes, so please try them in person before buying any of them!
Henning: with all the Satch love you show in your demo playing, I'm surprised you haven't reviewed more JS models. We know you have a couple JS series axes on your awesome-walls, but come on! I mean there's a MUSCLE CAR PURPLE JS axe out there for a few years now! XD
I just got the Diamond series NJ in Atomic Green h\s\s and I love the guitar. I play this guitar more than any other, my only complaint is it is a little heavy at around 8-8.5lbs. It seems to weigh about the same as my MIM 2006 Fender Deluxe Stratocaster, which is ash, heavy, but plays and sounds great. I had narrowed it down between the NJ and a Yamaha Pacifica 612VIIX in teal, but those guitars won't be in stock until later in the year. I am totally happy with the NJ right now and love to play it everyday.
Maybe it was me, but did the lower end sound bigger and more open? This is a stunning guitar and I’ve wanted a strat style guitar that sounds big an open, but not a Fender
I love the traditional and PT models, I own both, but the Custom USA model is just too expensive here in Australia, that model is more than a USA Strat buy quite a bit. Also I dont like the aged crackle lines on it.
My guitar's original color was pink. I got it because it was a lot cheaper than the other colors of the same model - nobody wanted to buy it, so they put a big discount on it eventually. I obviously painted it black, because the 18-year old me obviously wanted a black guitar like the ones his guitar idol played. These days, I kinda regret doing that. I had no idea that years later, I would become someone who would greatly enjoy being someone who plays a pink guitar :D I would consider refinishing it back to its original tbh, but the body is generally in a pretty bad shape, so probably not worth it. So yeah, definitely get the pink one if you're buying it :)
@@teknomanning If I will do anything with that guitar's body, it will be the opposite of relicing, because it's enough of a relic as it is ;) And not the valuable kind of relic, sadly, it's just an old cheap guitar that's kinda falling apart. (And I'm not a fan of "fake" relicing anyway.)
One of my dream guitars! Yours look awesome! Is there a difference between "Nick Johnston Custom Shop" and "Nick Johnston USA Signature" that is the most expensive one I can find on the Schecter site? I don't see the HSS on the site. As a tiny complaint, I'm surprised they used a screw-in bar rather than a pop-in. :(
I have the Diamond Series in silver. Good guitar. For whatever reason I can't mesh with the neck, but the guitar itself is fantastically made and the tone is great.
Hey man! What does the neck feel like? Is it like a slim-ish C shape MIM Strat or does it have more of a D shape, like the newer Ibanez or Cort guitars? Or does it have more of a rounder C shape like a PRS?
@@sasmitha8446 it doesnt feel anything like a C-shape Fender. The schecter neck is thinner, but because of the flatter radius and wide fretboard it doesnt feel thinner or smaller compared to the Fender C neck.
@@sasmitha8446 I know I'm 8 months late to this comment, but what Danny Cia said its pretty spot on. I still own the guitar and the neck has actually somewhat grown on me. It's a thin neck that feels very wide at the 12th fret. The size of my fingers makes cowboy chords a bit of an annoyance because it feels like the nut size is smaller than what I'm used to but from 5th fret up it widens out and flattens out and becomes much easier to play. The closest thing to it I've tried is an Ibanez or a very thin Jackson, the neck isn't chunky at all. I'm actually about to buy a USA Schecter having played this one as one of my main 3 guitars for the past 5 or so months. The Schecter just has a tone to it that I've never really experienced out of most other guitars and I just have to assume that boils down to the pickups. They really emphasize the pick attack so the guitar has a pop to it that mellows out into a really smooth tone. It's somewhat difficult to explain without feeling it. The best thing I could recommend is listen to Nick Johnstons solo in Remarkably Human and his tone once the solo kicks in is almost to a tee what this guitar sounds like when driven. Its a very, very front forward aggression that becomes smooth, which is a neat and usable tone.
Bought a diamond series HSS about a year ago and was considering returning it at first as neck felt so different to a strat (the x-jumbo frets also take getting used to if you’ve never played on them). But the neck has definitely grown on me over time, and the sound/tone of the guitar is excellent!
Schecter: Why is the tension adjustment screw at a 90 degree angle on the Diamond, when the custom shop has it correct on the custom shop (in line with the strings supporting from the back). It annoys me a little that you will have to take the tremolo of to turn the arm holder for it to work best. Pressure from the side doesn't do much in the long run... It can't be that hard.
They should really compare it to the AZ premium. Also thinking of buying either of the two. Leaning towards Ibanez (because I own Ibanez guitars), but given the price difference...
@@eeervin3 Man I actually ended buying the AZ don’t remember the exact model number but it’s the black and white one. Not so strat looking and sounds amazing with those Hyperion pickups
@@BrazosportRoofing nice! Do you know if you got a premium (~£1000) or a prestige (+£1500)? Also think the Ibanez AZ shape is nicer than the classic strat btw..
@@BrazosportRoofing also prestige has better neck and bridge, but it's above my budget, so probs premium for me. Really like the look of the az224bcg anyway..
"If you get a roasted maple neck for 899, then they don't have locking tuners." Not correct Henning, the Larry Carlton S7(FM) does have a roasted maple neck and locking tuners and cost less than 899. Though apart from that you're right, 899 is a nice price for these specs. Though I'd buy the version with a roasted maple fretboard instead of ebony, has a nicer color imo as well :)
I got the pink one. It's more fun to play than my MIA Strat, and maybe just a touch darker (not as bright), but I love it. It's interesting cos people are surprised that a non-Fender can sound so much like a Fender.
Reverend guitars - roasted maple neck and locking tuners and for the money reverend are superb guitars, I reckon that comment may have been a bit off but you can get both and my reverends are between £779-£879 so around the same 😎
Fabulous jumper (sweater) in the playing part of the video… then what happened? 😂 Nice guitars… get to point how did they feel while playing… was there really any difference to feel of necks in hand? It’s all in the neck. EVERYTHING ELSE is optional
One thing I couldn’t find online anywhere or in a review. The custom shop is a nitro finish so it will age/relic over time. Is the diamond series nitro or is it a poly?
@@EytschPi42 oohh. guess they trust they dont have to convince no one of buying the new line.... and probably they dont, buying an aftermarket roasted maple neck is at least 250... of course they know their market for those ones are : newbies with taste, and modders :) (also, they want to get $ back from all the acoustasonic jazzmasters and AmProII they sent)
The feel of fret ends are easily improved upon as are rolled fingerboard edges. Levelling frets is a whole different thing though. From what I’ve heard from a number of people the NJ Diamond series is a strat that you need to test out before buying a strat.
My wife bought me this guitar for our wedding. It sounded great, and looked great. Had some blemishes but I didn't mind. Nothing to write home about. But, the frets were really scratchy. I mean like teeth grinding. So I brought it in to the shop where I bought it for a fret polish and general setup. Turned out it had a cracked neck. Whoever screwed on the neck overtightened it and te wood spilt. I am waiting for the replacement now. :(
That’s sucks, I hope you are talking about the cheaper one. I recently had a bad guitar purchase myself and returned it, minus the shipping cost of $200, that was a bad day.
Usually I don't like Alder bodies, but w the Wenge neck it doesn't sound sterile. Wenge is described as articulate, and it certainly seems to be here. Is it one piece or a neck board w a fingerboard ? Great demo as always.
I just bought a Diamond series NJ- for the price and compared to Fenders in the same price range- no comparison! The Schecter trounces anything Fender puts out in that price range. Part of the reason I think is the absence of the 2nd tone dial. The guitar starts to tread on Telecaster output and range.
I hope the US custom Nick Johnson stays in better tuned than the traditional one still having issues with the high e and b string staying in tune no matter how many times I've sent it to a luthier. Overall it's a spectacular guitar
Love your playing and inserted humor ... makes it fun to hang on the sounds and the "what is Henning going to say next". Atomic Coral (ahem Pink) is nice, though Atomic Snow attracts me more. Though I am never sure what that actually looks like, since all the pictures I have seen show something else tonally.
@@TheSolfilm My guitar looks slightly lighter and less colorful than the photo on the Schecter website. Frankly, I wasn't in love with any of this model's colors, but the guitar meets my needs in all other respects and was inexpensive, and the other Schecter I own is an amazing, beautiful guitar and a great value, so I went for it. Atomic Frost was basically the only acceptable color for me. I can send you a photo if you want. But if you like the color, don't let my view dissuade you - I've only had it for 24 hrs and I'm still getting acquainted with it, but so far I am seriously loving its tone and playability. Also, out of the box it didn't need a setup or anything - I just had to tune it and put in the tremelo arm and it was good to go. I am going to put new strings on it in a bit bc I prefer DAddarios to the Ernie Balls it comes with, so I am guessing I am going to like it even more after that...
@@EytschPi42 thanks for the reply I got my custom shop with no float to it flush to body and 2 springs Called they said that’s normal ???? Not what I would expect I’ve seen a trillion guitars and never seen one sent out new with just 2 .
If I were to pull the trigger on one of these, it would be the Pink Diamond series. I would then change the nut to bone and switch out the pots and input jack, along with the pickups. It would become one helluva Strat and still be WAYYYYY less than the custom shop.
@@EytschPi42 I wouldn't be able to contain myself bro. I'm a mad tinkerer and I wouldn't be happy until I upgraded the parts that the lower budget models are forced to save $$$ on. Do I think the guitar sounds good stock? Yea, I do......but I could make it slightly better by spending a few more bucks and it would be worth it.
I have found similar differences between budget vs custom models. My D'Angelico premier Bob Weir had cheap hardware (lesser than squier quality for sure, for $999 no less) compared to the Deluxe model; and cheaper simulations of the pickups of the more expensive model. Things like cheaper bridge, screws that strip out etc, especially tuner quality as shown here. Also workmanship is a big component, sloppy wiring, cheap paint etc. I believe some makers are better than others in this regard though.
Yeah the ones i tried felt heavier then my PRS S2 Singlecut Standard Satin, which weighs ~3.5 kg (7.7 lbs) And thats an all Mahogany guitar with a thick body
Thanks for doing this video, since it has helped me make a decision. Not between the Custom Shop and the Diamond Series, but between the Diamond Series and nothing. I'm a lifelong Lester player and don't suffer much heartburn peeling $6 or $7K for an extra-sweet R9, but not being a Strat player ( despite the dozen that have come and gone over the years), the Schecter USA version isn't even a consideration. Hearing the versatility of the Diamond Series NJ has convinced me to give the S-Type one last go.
@@MrDream-zm1pw At this point, I can say with all certainty that nothing will ever supplant the Les Paul as my guitar of first choice. But in all honesty, I love my Diamond Series Nick Johnson. Even before it arrived, I was certain I was going to have to set it up with 9s and lower the action. If you're a Lester player, you know how they spoil you with their playability. Nope, after playing if for a while, it felt perfect. I've restrung it with 10s and have not touched the action at all. All my Les Pauls except one are strung with 10s. After becoming accustomed to the NJ and really liking the slight increase in tension, I'm thinking I might start stringing the Lesters with 11s. This guitar stays with me 'til the end.
Have both, The '21 Ibanez AZ satisfied me immensely, love the SS frets, beautiful tone, plays like butter. Later got a new '22 Schecter USA NJ Custom Shop SSS, Wenge Neck is otherworldly, sustains forever, best S style guitar I've ever played, tones/harmonics etc are ethereal, whole different level of craftsmanship.
@@Bedroomrips I said I don't think there's anything wrong with the guitars but when it comes to Strats I just prefer SSS configuration. It's a personal thing.
@@Rouwiinator yeah I feel you on that. I have a fender Strat sss and the Nick johnston hss. Just so I can have both. I just like how it has a coil split so I can have both sounds instead of limited to the Humbucker sound.
I have two Nick Johnston Custom shops. This is my go to guitar. This is better and cheaper by a long shot than any fender custom strat. They absolutely nailed it in every way. I am forever grateful for this wonderful creation.
How are they cheaper by a long shot? 3.5k versus 3.5-4.5k for a CS Fender.
3.3 k so cheaper by a grand+ so cheaper maybe not by long shot. no disrespect to either of you. it is much easier to get one
personally i’d get a custom schecter or custom g & l over fender.
Always find it odd that people go to video reviews of guitars they already own, and say how much they love it. Why watch a review of a product you already have lol? Very strange
There really is no reason to buy a new fender guitar these days other than the aesthetics. Every major company/serious builder offers a strat that is better appointed, with better playability, for less money. At every level
What a great and useful video, amazing guitars and beautiful playing!! I was thinking about getting that diamond series and this was all i need, thanks!!
It’s a nice guitar
I just bought it. You won't regret it
You'll regret it
The legend says that the pink diamond version is the only one that sounds close to the expensive version #tonecolor
First of all the your little doggos cameo was awesome! :) Secondly those both sound amazing. Quality stuff!
I got the Diamond series and I lovedd it. Thanks for the video!
I'd like to be a fly and transform back to a human being while you're out of your house in order to play all your guitars and amps!
Brilliant video my friend. Thanks, and I love your humour!😂
How well does the tremolo on the Diamond hold on tuning?
I have one, and this seems to be an issue, although I think, easily rectified by trying different spring configs on the trem. My other issue is that the strings are slightly out of alignment, being more biased to the higher strings and this sometimes causes the top E to slip off the board which is annoying!
Brother, your playing is just so damn sweet!!
Seeing all these vids since I got my indo nj thank you
Hey Henning cheers from NY! They both sound great to my ears and i love the necks. Thanks for the vid my man! :-)
Hey man! What does the neck feel like? Is it like a slim-ish C shape MIM Strat or does it have more of a D shape, like the newer Ibanez or Cort guitars? Or does it have more of a rounder C shape like a PRS?
@@sasmitha8446 It is a thin "C", slightly thinner than a MIM. Very comfy neck to play and it is what i call a
"fast neck". :-)
Hi Frankie
Great video! Schecter is nailing it. It's good to see their Strat err, I mean, S-type guitars getting some attention with the Nick Johnston Strat. The custom shop did sound a little better, but the entire Diamond series is just killer gear for the money.
Oh man, not just „for the money“. I have a hellraiser solo-II and I‘m impressed everytime, I pick it up to play. I got it freakishly cheap and that guitar is, if just by luck, one of the best guitars I ever got my hands on. It‘s not clicking with me like it should, so I‘m getting another Les Paul but I will damn sure miss this guitar dearly one day.
I have the PT Special and it's just amazing. $600 of greatness!!
The Schecter Diamond series is stellar. I went shopping for a throw around, beat to crap Guitar for rehearsal...I came along a Solo-II Hellraiser. It was dirt cheap but dear god, that guitar is amazing. Everytime I pick it up, it just leaves that wow feeling. I still can‘t believe how cheap it was for that amount of quality. It honestly wipes the floor with a lot of pricier guitars.
I agree with you. I just purchased a PT Fastback (gold top) with the filtertron style pups and
its a really quality piece. Best $600.00 guitar out there !
A friend has 2 Schecter Fender clones from the 70s. Both are better than their equivalent Fenders, both in workmanship and tone. Its nice they're staying good.
As always..:.thorough and honest demos. I just bought the HSS diamond series in orange and I can’t put it down. Just a bit more than the fender player series but blows it away IMO
Just bought this from Righteous Guitars in Atlanta…. It is way better that any strat I have picked up anywhere….. could be a deserted island guitar… the tone control actually works to shift mids and highs only…. No bassy mush!! Perfect guitar right out of the box!! I loved mine the moment I picked it up!
Got damn I'm so wet reading this. I'm gonna buy this guitar as well.
Your playing has improved a lot I think!
I thank you for this review, I luv my NJ Dimond guitar 🎸
I played the diamond one yesterday. It's a decent guitar. Looks great. Pots and switch feel pretty cheap. The single coils are very bright and thin. The neck is great though.
Thank You! I've been trying to decide whether to buy the Diamond series or the Custom Shop.
28:13 that sick tone!!
Fantastic guitar, I loved my Diamond series but couldn't deal with the neck profile. It's thin and flat, which is actually more effective in playing, but I enjoy thicker and a bit curvier (9.5-12) more for my Neo-Soul, Hendrix playing style.
I came for the guitars,stayed for the hands.Beautiful best I ever heard you play ,sir.👍🏿
Really sweet guitar work here! I just bought a Diamond Series in the white color from Pit Bull Audio in CA. Great price, great shop! Can’t wait to get it next week.
Love Pitbull Audio!
@@misteress3840 Bought my PitBull HSS last eve...lefty...can't wait.
I bought the Diamond Series model and it plays perfectly. I changed all the electronics and threw in a Duncan Custom in the bridge and a Little 59 in the neck and Duckbucker in the middle and added coil splitting. Bought the guitar as a new demo (saved a bit) and even with the electronics I wasn't over $1500 total into the guitar and have exactly what I wanted. To be fair I do this often as Schecter makes such great playing guitars and the only thing that is really missing in lower models are proper electronics (wiring, jacks, pups, pots, etc). I would put this guitar up against any $3k guitar and I have a custom built Suhr (5k) and a custom built Warmoth (3k) and I 100% play this guitar more. Also from Shecter I have the PT Pro, C-1 FR-S SLS Elite and the Sun Valley Super Shredder Exotic (put Duncan JB and 59 in it). They are just making really good stuff these days. Schecter from my experience has good QC as most guitars are just ready to go out of the box. Great video! Fun to watch!
IMO, Diamond sounds more strattier. 🙂
I have no idea what you said about the fretboard radius? Is it 9 and 1/2? Is it 12? Is it compound?
I’m glad you did the A/B. I found the diamond less thick and a little more brittle
Why do I love pink guitars? The nj was beautiful too.
Ha same here !
Awesome comparison and rundown of each - I think the custom stands out with the neck pickup especially. You can just hear more of the natural dynamic bite from that - the pink Diamond sounds a little more rounder to my ear with less of the definition and clarity. Both are really cool guitars in their own right though and it's cool that Schecter made both price points.
Cool comparison, Henning. Also, I give you props for sliding that Satch tune in there. ;-)
The Forgotten :)
Cheap version sounds better for me. Am I alone? :O
And looks better ;)
They both sounded really good, but the custom seemed fuller and the diamond more trebbly. Nitpicking, though...
sir, so this means that if I buy this guitar, I can use wiggle stick right? No issue string staying in tune?
They put the input on the side! Brilliant! Hello, Fender? You there?
Wenge ok I was thinking walnut. Oooh so many pretty trees they use to make these.
Guitar research 🧐
Cause R & D ain’t free but it’s totally worth the price, unlike my wire brush speed relicing services.
have hard time choosing either go for the diamond nick johnston or ibanez az or a fender strat the only thing holding me back is that 900 and everything is house brand parts i found steep when an ibanez az has higher specs but in the end i cant test any of them since covid and hope u could tell me what u enjoyed the most
How does the diamond series HSS compare to the higher end Yamaha Pacifica? On reverb I can get one or the other for about the same price, but the Yamaha has some suhr pickups and a hard case for maybe 100 dollars cheaper
How about the wiring and pots? Will a pickup upgrade cover the gap?
Recently picked up the atomic orange Diamond SSS and the only thing I want to change is an NJ pickup set if they ever release them. The roasted neck is so nice for the price range. Curious if the body shape is any thicker on the US customs? Haven’t had a chance to play one yet.
Spec for spec, that Diamond Series cooks!
Great review!! I think the Fender Player is comparable to the Schecter Diamond (both HSS) because they are around the same price tag. I would love to hear your opinion on those and anyone who owns them both, any preferences??
I was choosing between the NJ diamond and the Fender player, and I eventually went for the NJ! Although the NJ is slightly expensive than the player, you get roasted maple neck and locking tuner. In my opinion, the NJ sounds better to my ear and play better in my hand. However, I do believe that people have different opinions and tastes, so please try them in person before buying any of them!
@@johnsonchan8917 Thank you for the feedback, appreciate it! :)
Henning: with all the Satch love you show in your demo playing, I'm surprised you haven't reviewed more JS models. We know you have a couple JS series axes on your awesome-walls, but come on! I mean there's a MUSCLE CAR PURPLE JS axe out there for a few years now! XD
Got my custom nick johnston hss im happy with my buy
I just got the Diamond series NJ in Atomic Green h\s\s and I love the guitar. I play this guitar more than any other, my only complaint is it is a little heavy at around 8-8.5lbs. It seems to weigh about the same as my MIM 2006 Fender Deluxe Stratocaster, which is ash, heavy, but plays and sounds great. I had narrowed it down between the NJ and a Yamaha Pacifica 612VIIX in teal, but those guitars won't be in stock until later in the year. I am totally happy with the NJ right now and love to play it everyday.
How is playability, guality, feel etc. between this, the Schecter Super Shred and Charvel pro mod you reviewed not long ago?
Oops... I see that was four years ago. Watched those videos just a few months ago...
Maybe it was me, but did the lower end sound bigger and more open? This is a stunning guitar and I’ve wanted a strat style guitar that sounds big an open, but not a Fender
It always boils down to how deep your pockets are. Is it what you need, or what you want. Enjoy your day
that makes no sense. my pockets are soooo deep, but they're just filled with dust and lint.
I love the traditional and PT models, I own both, but the Custom USA model is just too expensive here in Australia, that model is more than a USA Strat buy quite a bit. Also I dont like the aged crackle lines on it.
Absolutely love the color on that custom shop. Atomic frost I think you said. Tremendous!
My guitar's original color was pink. I got it because it was a lot cheaper than the other colors of the same model - nobody wanted to buy it, so they put a big discount on it eventually. I obviously painted it black, because the 18-year old me obviously wanted a black guitar like the ones his guitar idol played. These days, I kinda regret doing that. I had no idea that years later, I would become someone who would greatly enjoy being someone who plays a pink guitar :D I would consider refinishing it back to its original tbh, but the body is generally in a pretty bad shape, so probably not worth it.
So yeah, definitely get the pink one if you're buying it :)
Relic it
@@teknomanning If I will do anything with that guitar's body, it will be the opposite of relicing, because it's enough of a relic as it is ;) And not the valuable kind of relic, sadly, it's just an old cheap guitar that's kinda falling apart.
(And I'm not a fan of "fake" relicing anyway.)
One of my dream guitars! Yours look awesome! Is there a difference between "Nick Johnston Custom Shop" and "Nick Johnston USA Signature" that is the most expensive one I can find on the Schecter site? I don't see the HSS on the site.
As a tiny complaint, I'm surprised they used a screw-in bar rather than a pop-in. :(
How is it the Diamond compared to Ibanez AZ? which is a guitar with similar concept
I have the Diamond Series in silver. Good guitar. For whatever reason I can't mesh with the neck, but the guitar itself is fantastically made and the tone is great.
Hey man! What does the neck feel like? Is it like a slim-ish C shape MIM Strat or does it have more of a D shape, like the newer Ibanez or Cort guitars? Or does it have more of a rounder C shape like a PRS?
@@sasmitha8446 it doesnt feel anything like a C-shape Fender.
The schecter neck is thinner, but because of the flatter radius and wide fretboard it doesnt feel thinner or smaller compared to the Fender C neck.
@@sasmitha8446 I know I'm 8 months late to this comment, but what Danny Cia said its pretty spot on. I still own the guitar and the neck has actually somewhat grown on me. It's a thin neck that feels very wide at the 12th fret. The size of my fingers makes cowboy chords a bit of an annoyance because it feels like the nut size is smaller than what I'm used to but from 5th fret up it widens out and flattens out and becomes much easier to play. The closest thing to it I've tried is an Ibanez or a very thin Jackson, the neck isn't chunky at all. I'm actually about to buy a USA Schecter having played this one as one of my main 3 guitars for the past 5 or so months. The Schecter just has a tone to it that I've never really experienced out of most other guitars and I just have to assume that boils down to the pickups. They really emphasize the pick attack so the guitar has a pop to it that mellows out into a really smooth tone. It's somewhat difficult to explain without feeling it. The best thing I could recommend is listen to Nick Johnstons solo in Remarkably Human and his tone once the solo kicks in is almost to a tee what this guitar sounds like when driven. Its a very, very front forward aggression that becomes smooth, which is a neat and usable tone.
Bought a diamond series HSS about a year ago and was considering returning it at first as neck felt so different to a strat (the x-jumbo frets also take getting used to if you’ve never played on them). But the neck has definitely grown on me over time, and the sound/tone of the guitar is excellent!
Schecter: Why is the tension adjustment screw at a 90 degree angle on the Diamond, when the custom shop has it correct on the custom shop (in line with the strings supporting from the back). It annoys me a little that you will have to take the tremolo of to turn the arm holder for it to work best. Pressure from the side doesn't do much in the long run... It can't be that hard.
What do you think is better: schecter nick johnston (€899) or cort g300 pro?
never played the Cort
I wanted an Ibanez AZ Prestige but hearing this I want the 799 Schecter. I maybe partial to Schecter a bit I own over 10 of them…😎🤟
They should really compare it to the AZ premium. Also thinking of buying either of the two. Leaning towards Ibanez (because I own Ibanez guitars), but given the price difference...
@@eeervin3 Man I actually ended buying the AZ don’t remember the exact model number but it’s the black and white one. Not so strat looking and sounds amazing with those Hyperion pickups
@@BrazosportRoofing nice! Do you know if you got a premium (~£1000) or a prestige (+£1500)? Also think the Ibanez AZ shape is nicer than the classic strat btw..
@@eeervin3 I got the Prestige w/ alder body model AZ2204B In my opinion Alder body sounds better than the Premium with Basswood.
@@BrazosportRoofing also prestige has better neck and bridge, but it's above my budget, so probs premium for me. Really like the look of the az224bcg anyway..
"If you get a roasted maple neck for 899, then they don't have locking tuners."
Not correct Henning, the Larry Carlton S7(FM) does have a roasted maple neck and locking tuners and cost less than 899. Though apart from that you're right, 899 is a nice price for these specs. Though I'd buy the version with a roasted maple fretboard instead of ebony, has a nicer color imo as well :)
I got the pink one. It's more fun to play than my MIA Strat, and maybe just a touch darker (not as bright), but I love it. It's interesting cos people are surprised that a non-Fender can sound so much like a Fender.
I'd like to buy something with this classic shape from Schecter if they use stainless steel frets. Nick Johnston, Jack Fowler, Van Nuys and nothing :(
I was in the market for either tbh was looking to see if it’s worth the money tho
Love how they sound and feel but hate the colors available. Wish they just made a black one or natural one for sale.
Reverend guitars - roasted maple neck and locking tuners and for the money reverend are superb guitars, I reckon that comment may have been a bit off but you can get both and my reverends are between £779-£879 so around the same 😎
Fabulous jumper (sweater) in the playing part of the video…
then what happened? 😂
Nice guitars… get to point how did they feel while playing… was there really any difference to feel of necks in hand?
It’s all in the neck. EVERYTHING ELSE is optional
That's not piggy pink, that's granny knickers pink! Pretty♡ but I prefer silver and very pale pastels.
Great composition around the 3 - 4min mark
One thing I couldn’t find online anywhere or in a review. The custom shop is a nitro finish so it will age/relic over time. Is the diamond series nitro or is it a poly?
I would assume poly
What is the neck radius in inches of the sketcher.
it would be nice if fender let you try their new roasted maple neck squiers... for 450 bucks, they seem "interesting"
I asked... and asked... and asked... but Fender isn’t putting any marketing in Squier
@@EytschPi42 oohh. guess they trust they dont have to convince no one of buying the new line.... and probably they dont, buying an aftermarket roasted maple neck is at least 250... of course they know their market for those ones are : newbies with taste, and modders :)
(also, they want to get $ back from all the acoustasonic jazzmasters and AmProII they sent)
The feel of fret ends are easily improved upon as are rolled fingerboard edges. Levelling frets is a whole different thing though.
From what I’ve heard from a number of people the NJ Diamond series is a strat that you need to test out before buying a strat.
Is the intro song available on Spotify ?
If yes whats the name.
I remember hearing it when Martin Miller came.
no, I don’t put any music on spotify, sorry
My wife bought me this guitar for our wedding.
It sounded great, and looked great.
Had some blemishes but I didn't mind. Nothing to write home about.
But, the frets were really scratchy. I mean like teeth grinding.
So I brought it in to the shop where I bought it for a fret polish and general setup. Turned out it had a cracked neck. Whoever screwed on the neck overtightened it and te wood spilt.
I am waiting for the replacement now.
:(
That’s sucks, I hope you are talking about the cheaper one. I recently had a bad guitar purchase myself and returned it, minus the shipping cost of $200, that was a bad day.
Nice playing!
Usually I don't like Alder bodies, but w the Wenge neck it doesn't sound sterile. Wenge is described as articulate, and it certainly seems to be here. Is it one piece or a neck board w a fingerboard ? Great demo as always.
It's a wenge neck with an ebony fretboard. Cheers!
Mr Eye Paych actually can shred. He is good person :-)
I just bought a Diamond series NJ- for the price and compared to Fenders in the same price range- no comparison! The Schecter trounces anything Fender puts out in that price range. Part of the reason I think is the absence of the 2nd tone dial. The guitar starts to tread on Telecaster output and range.
I hope the US custom Nick Johnson stays in better tuned than the traditional one still having issues with the high e and b string staying in tune no matter how many times I've sent it to a luthier. Overall it's a spectacular guitar
Wieder mal ein tolles Video vielen Dank....denke mal du würdest sie einer mexiko Fender vorziehen? :)
jap
€3500 I have a guitar. Wolftone occurs from the 12th fret in the G string.
Love your playing and inserted humor ... makes it fun to hang on the sounds and the "what is Henning going to say next".
Atomic Coral (ahem Pink) is nice, though Atomic Snow attracts me more. Though I am never sure what that actually looks like, since all the pictures I have seen show something else tonally.
My Diamond HSS in Atomic Frost just arrived today. It's nice - I got it for just $660. The color is underwhelming but it plays great and sounds good.
How is the color underwhelming ? I ask because I find the atomic frost very beautiful and I plan to buy one in this color.
@@TheSolfilm My guitar looks slightly lighter and less colorful than the photo on the Schecter website. Frankly, I wasn't in love with any of this model's colors, but the guitar meets my needs in all other respects and was inexpensive, and the other Schecter I own is an amazing, beautiful guitar and a great value, so I went for it. Atomic Frost was basically the only acceptable color for me. I can send you a photo if you want. But if you like the color, don't let my view dissuade you - I've only had it for 24 hrs and I'm still getting acquainted with it, but so far I am seriously loving its tone and playability. Also, out of the box it didn't need a setup or anything - I just had to tune it and put in the tremelo arm and it was good to go. I am going to put new strings on it in a bit bc I prefer DAddarios to the Ernie Balls it comes with, so I am guessing I am going to like it even more after that...
@@humanbeing2420 600.00 great price, was it used? Thanks
@@andrelp9596 It was $660 new.
@@humanbeing2420 thank you! where did you buy it from if you don’t mind me asking?
Different woods and hardware are fine, but different neck dimensions and pickups I don't understand. ;(
How many springs are in your custom shop guitars compared to diamond series?
3 in both
@@EytschPi42 thanks for the reply
I got my custom shop with no float to it flush to body and 2 springs
Called they said that’s normal
???? Not what I would expect I’ve seen a trillion guitars and never seen one sent out new with just 2 .
Thumbnail: €900 vs €3500
Me with the broke ass, simping for the PAC 311H: 👁️👄👁️
If I were to pull the trigger on one of these, it would be the Pink Diamond series. I would then change the nut to bone and switch out the pots and input jack, along with the pickups. It would become one helluva Strat and still be WAYYYYY less than the custom shop.
I don’t think you’d have to change anything on it!
@@EytschPi42 I wouldn't be able to contain myself bro. I'm a mad tinkerer and I wouldn't be happy until I upgraded the parts that the lower budget models are forced to save $$$ on. Do I think the guitar sounds good stock? Yea, I do......but I could make it slightly better by spending a few more bucks and it would be worth it.
I would love to have either one...
Do both have the same strings on them?
This video just made this my next purchase
What I really want to know is where u get those guitar stands!?
Bulldog Music Gear
@32:18 ❤️❤️❤️
I have found similar differences between budget vs custom models. My D'Angelico premier Bob Weir had cheap hardware (lesser than squier quality for sure, for $999 no less) compared to the Deluxe model; and cheaper simulations of the pickups of the more expensive model. Things like cheaper bridge, screws that strip out etc, especially tuner quality as shown here. Also workmanship is a big component, sloppy wiring, cheap paint etc. I believe some makers are better than others in this regard though.
Pedal board OCD engage.. 😂 think you have sold me on the diamond series
I need one of these.
how is the weight of the Diamond ? I tried a couple locally, and all 3 models were heavy AF
equal to the custom shop
Mines not too heavy
I’ve tried two Diamond series and owned one. All 8 pounds or above guitars. Not light.
@@SamFreres mine feels around 7 ish. I just returned my e1 sls elite and that was a good 8-9
Yeah the ones i tried felt heavier then my PRS S2 Singlecut Standard Satin, which weighs ~3.5 kg (7.7 lbs)
And thats an all Mahogany guitar with a thick body
The Custom shop sounds way better to me. Great video.
Thanks for doing this video, since it has helped me make a decision. Not between the Custom Shop and the Diamond Series, but between the Diamond Series and nothing. I'm a lifelong Lester player and don't suffer much heartburn peeling $6 or $7K for an extra-sweet R9, but not being a Strat player ( despite the dozen that have come and gone over the years), the Schecter USA version isn't even a consideration. Hearing the versatility of the Diamond Series NJ has convinced me to give the S-Type one last go.
Did you end up keeping it?
@@MrDream-zm1pw At this point, I can say with all certainty that nothing will ever supplant the Les Paul as my guitar of first choice. But in all honesty, I love my Diamond Series Nick Johnson.
Even before it arrived, I was certain I was going to have to set it up with 9s and lower the action. If you're a Lester player, you know how they spoil you with their playability. Nope, after playing if for a while, it felt perfect. I've restrung it with 10s and have not touched the action at all. All my Les Pauls except one are strung with 10s. After becoming accustomed to the NJ and really liking the slight increase in tension, I'm thinking I might start stringing the Lesters with 11s.
This guitar stays with me 'til the end.
Should compare the Schecter nick johnston usa with the Ibby AZ prestige
Have both, The '21 Ibanez AZ satisfied me immensely, love the SS frets, beautiful tone, plays like butter. Later got a new '22 Schecter USA NJ Custom Shop SSS, Wenge Neck is otherworldly, sustains forever, best S style guitar I've ever played, tones/harmonics etc are ethereal, whole different level of craftsmanship.
I have come to greatly enjoy this channel
I think the Nick johnston models look great. Especially the import models for the money. I guess I'd still prefer the SSS versions though.
Nice to have the coil split tho
@@Bedroomrips Ist auch nichts falsch an den Gitarren aber bei Strat gefällt mir old-school immer noch am besten.
@@Rouwiinator I don’t speak German sorry
@@Bedroomrips I said I don't think there's anything wrong with the guitars but when it comes to Strats I just prefer SSS configuration. It's a personal thing.
@@Rouwiinator yeah I feel you on that. I have a fender Strat sss and the Nick johnston hss. Just so I can have both. I just like how it has a coil split so I can have both sounds instead of limited to the Humbucker sound.
8.19 you don’t get roasted maple neck or locking tuners for €899. Harley Benton ‘Hold My Beer Dudes’ …..the new 25th Anniversary Strat €298 😎
Saludos soy de Ecuador como o quuen Hablo para que me la puedan enviar
14:20 they feel a little bit stiff. Is there a joke in there somewhere? 🤔