Schecter's Solo-II has long served as the company's singlecut flagship, offering the kind of workmanship and value players have come to expect from the Sun Valley, California brand. Schecter launched its Damien Platinum collection in late 2012, and the Korean-made Solo-II Damien Platinum carries that same satin black and bat-inlay personality into the classic singlecut shape. The Damien is more than skin deep, though. For a very approachable price, it delivers a multi-ply bound, carved-top mahogany body, a bound rosewood fretboard, Grover tuners and an EMG 81/85 active pickup set.

Photos are the actual guitar.

A 14" radius rosewood fretboard, 22 jumbo frets and a slim 3-piece maple neck with a Thin C profile make for fast, comfortable playing, while the EMG 81/85 pairing forms the backbone of the Damien's sound. This is the combination that put active pickups on the map, and it remains one of the most versatile pickup pairings around. The EMG 85 in the neck position uses Alnico V magnets for a warmer, more vintage-leaning voice with excellent clarity and note definition. It isn't as "hot" as many active designs and sounds great clean or with a little gain. The ceramic-magnet EMG 81 in the bridge is voiced for high gain and cuts through dense mixes and heavy distortion while staying tight and punchy. It can be a little too bright on clean settings, but that isn't its main job, and blending it with the neck pickup opens up rounder cleans and crunchy rhythm tones.

Bat inlays aside, the Damien's stealth look fits a wide range of genres, and its tonal range handles classic rock, hard rock and metal with ease. The Solo-II Damien Platinum needs no upgrades to serve as a top-quality gigging guitar, and it represents an excellent value for players of all levels.

Schecter Solo-II Damien Platinum Features:

• Model: Solo-II Damien Platinum, #1194
• Finish: Satin Black
• Body: Mahogany with carved top, 8.4 pounds
• Binding: Silver/white/black multi-ply
• Construction: Set neck
• Neck: 3-piece maple, Thin C profile
• Neck Thickness: .780" at 1st fret, .860" at 12th fret
• Fretboard: Rosewood, 14" radius
• Inlays: Bat inlays with black side dots
• Frets: 22 Jumbo nickel silver
• Scale Length: 24.75"
• Nut: Graph Tech XL Black Tusq
• Nut Width: 1.653" (42mm)
• Truss Rod: 2-way adjustable, 5/32" (4mm) Allen nut
• Bridge Pickup: EMG 81 active humbucker
• Neck Pickup: EMG 85 active humbucker
• Controls: Bridge volume, neck volume, master tone, 3-way toggle switch
• Knobs: Metal dome with set screw
• Power: 9-volt battery for active electronics
• Bridge: Tune-O-Matic with stopbar tailpiece
• Tuners: Grover
• Hardware: Satin chrome
• Made in Korea
• No bag or case included