Schecter put out the AM-6 as the initial signature model for Aaron Marshall. It excelled in multiple categories because it leveraged the great manufacturing quality from Indonesia at a good price while offering things that are normally found on American-made guitars:
What make this unique are the American and Japanese high-quality hardware and the Wenge neck with a tilt-back headstock and compound radius. You see this only on very high-end boutique guitars. For example, the Wenge neck is also found on the Nick Johnston Schecter USA Signature which is >$3K USD. Though that is a 1-piece neck while the AM-6 is 3-piece, and an argument could be made that the 3-piece is actually more stable.
So the issue is -- since this guitar is already as good as something from the USA shop, what do you do with the USA-made sig version? Well, that's the marketing problem on differentiation. The USA signature has:
This makes NO SENSE! The USA signature model in my opinion has features which do not make it more desirable. The Alder body and Roasted Maple neck and the custom tuners -- make it an upcharge of $2100 USD? Note that an Alder body is likely more costly than Basswood, but when it comes to a high-gain guitar, Basswood is actually much more common (see Ibanez) vs Alder which is used more on a vintage Strat-style. And a roasted Maple neck is not superior (or as costly) to a Wenge neck. Finally, the normal items which make American guitars much more expensive (and contribute to the tone) are the hardware and the pickups. But they are the basically the SAME. I also think the Indonesian model looks better with the color theme and the ring inlays. They really missed the mark on the marketing here. I don't blame them though. The Indonesian model was already so good -- what could the USA shop do? Not much. I guess to some folks, the Made-In-USA label is worth $2100 USD extra? No way in my book.
- Unique woods (Wenge for the neck, though it is 3-piece)
- Ebony fingerboard with a compound radius 12-16"
- Basswood body (nothing special)
- High-end hardware throughout (Hipshot tuners, Gotoh 510 trem, nice knobs, electronics)
- USA pickups
- Tilt-back headstock
- At a price of $1399 USD !
- This basically has features that competes with Suhr guitars which cost 3X the price!
What make this unique are the American and Japanese high-quality hardware and the Wenge neck with a tilt-back headstock and compound radius. You see this only on very high-end boutique guitars. For example, the Wenge neck is also found on the Nick Johnston Schecter USA Signature which is >$3K USD. Though that is a 1-piece neck while the AM-6 is 3-piece, and an argument could be made that the 3-piece is actually more stable.
So the issue is -- since this guitar is already as good as something from the USA shop, what do you do with the USA-made sig version? Well, that's the marketing problem on differentiation. The USA signature has:
- Quartersawn Roasted Maple neck (nothing special)
- Quartersawn Roasted Maple fretboard with fixed 16" radius fretboard
- Body of Alder (not Basswood on the AM-6)
- Same trem as AM-6, but custom Hipshot locking tuners and knobs
- Same pickups as the AM-6
- No tilt-back headstock
- $3500 USD
This makes NO SENSE! The USA signature model in my opinion has features which do not make it more desirable. The Alder body and Roasted Maple neck and the custom tuners -- make it an upcharge of $2100 USD? Note that an Alder body is likely more costly than Basswood, but when it comes to a high-gain guitar, Basswood is actually much more common (see Ibanez) vs Alder which is used more on a vintage Strat-style. And a roasted Maple neck is not superior (or as costly) to a Wenge neck. Finally, the normal items which make American guitars much more expensive (and contribute to the tone) are the hardware and the pickups. But they are the basically the SAME. I also think the Indonesian model looks better with the color theme and the ring inlays. They really missed the mark on the marketing here. I don't blame them though. The Indonesian model was already so good -- what could the USA shop do? Not much. I guess to some folks, the Made-In-USA label is worth $2100 USD extra? No way in my book.
