Schecter PT Fastback II B DEG

Review: Schecter PT Fastback II B DEG

The Schecter PT Fastback II B DEG takes a familiar single-cut, Telecaster-style outline and adds two humbuckers and a Bigsby-style vibrato. Its Dark Emerald Green finish gives it a distinctive look, while the cream binding and nickel hardware add contrast. At a listed price of $949, it offers a feature set aimed at players who want classic single-cut styling with a wider range of pickup sounds.

Player reports highlight its appearance and versatility, but also describe uneven quality control on at least one instrument. That difference matters: the guitar can be an appealing, capable performer, yet buyers should inspect the bridge, switching, nut, and pickup mounting rather than assume every example arrives perfectly set up.

Body, neck, and hardware

The body is alder, with no separate top, and the bolt-on maple neck has a rosewood fingerboard. The neck uses a Thin C profile, measuring 20 mm thick at the first fret and 22 mm at the twelfth. Its 42 mm nut width, 356 mm fingerboard radius, 648 mm scale length, and 22 X-Jumbo frets describe a modern, relatively slim playing surface. One owner describes the neck as especially easy to play.

The instrument is finished in Dark Emerald Green, with cream binding and nickel hardware. A reviewer praised the clean color transitions and the natural-looking finish on the back of the neck and headstock. Another practical point from the reports is weight: one owner found the guitar notably heavy for a Telecaster-style instrument. There is no weight figure in the supplied specifications, so players seeking a light guitar should try one in person if possible.

The vibrato is a Bigsby Flat Top B50 paired with a roller Tune-O-Matic-style bridge. The B50 sits relatively neatly on the body, according to one owner, and gives the guitar a clear visual identity without dominating its outline. Grover tuning machines are fitted. The guitar ships with Ernie Ball Regular Slinky 2221 strings in.010 to.046 gauge. Neither a case nor a gig bag is included.

Pickup options and controls

Two Schecter Diamond SuperRock Custom Alnico humbuckers provide the main voice. Each pickup has its own volume control, and both tone controls have push-pull switching for coil splitting. A three-way pickup selector chooses the neck pickup, bridge pickup, or a combination of the two. This layout gives the player access to fuller humbucker sounds as well as brighter, more single-coil-like options.

Owners describe the neck pickup as smooth and rounded, while the bridge pickup has a stronger, more forceful character. The coil-splitting feature is a central part of the guitar's appeal: one reviewer found that it broadened the available sounds across different styles. Coil-split humbuckers do not make this guitar identical to a dedicated single-coil model, but they provide useful contrast without requiring a second instrument.

Setup and reliability concerns

The reports are divided on workmanship. One owner praised the finish and overall build, while another documented several problems on their particular guitar. The roller bridge was positioned too far back to achieve correct intonation using its adjustment range, and its rollers were stuck. The selector switch had an intermittent fault, the nut slots were unevenly cut, and both pickups moved down during playing. The bridge was repositioned and replaced, the switch was changed, and the nut required additional slot work.

That same owner said the guitar sounded excellent after corrective work, but also reported spending considerably more on repairs. Another player said the Bigsby-style system was not especially stable in tuning, although that player noted that this can be an issue with Bigsby systems generally. A separate owner found that the pickup selector repeatedly loosened and needed to be secured. These are individual reports, not proof that every PT Fastback II B DEG has the same faults. They do, however, justify a careful inspection and a playing test before the return period expires.

Verdict

The Schecter PT Fastback II B DEG has a compelling combination of distinctive green styling, a comfortable-feeling slim neck, dual coil-splittable humbuckers, and a Bigsby-style vibrato. Its tonal options and appearance earned strong praise from owners, including a longtime Telecaster player who considered it a convincing alternative. At $949, the specification is attractive, especially for players who want humbucker weight and brighter split-coil sounds in one guitar.

Quality control is the main reservation. Reports of a faulty roller bridge, uneven nut slots, a loose or unreliable selector, and shifting pickups are serious enough to check rather than dismiss. If the individual guitar is properly assembled and set up, owner feedback suggests it can be a striking, versatile instrument with a satisfying playing feel. Check intonation, tuning behavior, pickup stability, selector operation, and nut height before committing.