Open Box Schecter Guitar Research Nick Johnston Traditional S/S/S 6-String Electric Guitar Level 2 Atomic Orange 197881335014

I bought a Fender American Deluxe HSS Stratocaster almost ten years ago. It's absolutely gorgeous with its glossy, 3-color sunburst finish, aged white pickguard/controls and shiny chrome hardware and it plays like butter. The only problem? The Noiseless N3 single coils don't have that traditional Strat tone. I know I could swap pickups, but I wanted to keep it stock in order to maintain its value. I recently started looking for something that captured the sound I had in my head, but either didn't like the neck shape or fretboard radius of anything current or felt they sounded too much like what I already had. Enter the Nick Johnston Traditional SSS. This sweet baby IS the Strat sound, at 1/2 to 1/3 of the price of any of the made in USA Fender models. The tones range from low and throaty to high and scratchy, and the neck is one of the fastest I've ever played. Seriously, it's like my fingers just know where to go when I'm fumbling through scales or noodling unplugged in front of the TV. The roasted maple fretboard gives the guitar an aged appearance, like it has hundreds of stories from the road to tell, without the rest of the guitar looking beat up and rusty like a relic model. Too bad Atomic Orange is the only finish to offer that fretboard, but the combination of the two still looks sweet. Factor in the locking tuners, low action, a floating tremelo bridge that works well with palm muting, the Schecter reputation for quality at a reasonable price and you have yourself a winner. Tone is subjective, but with or without a Tubescreamer in front of my Twin Reverb, Deluxe Reverb and DSL40C, I am in sonic heaven. I rarely write reviews, but noticed this model didn't have any yet and am too excited about it not to recommend it to others. My Fender will soon be up for grabs on all the online sites, if anyone's interested...