Schecter Synyster Gates Custom-S SBL
The Schecter Synyster Gates Custom-S SBL combines a signature humbucker, Sustainiac pickup, and Floyd Rose 1500 tremolo with a slim neck and stainless steel frets. At this price, the lack of a case and the serious problems described in the available customer review make careful inspection on delivery especially important.
★★★★☆ 4/5 · 1 buyer reviews · 6 min read · updated 2026-10-07 · Tested by Cal Whitaker
Schecter Synyster Gates Custom-S SBL review
The Schecter Synyster Gates Custom-S SBL is a signature electric guitar made for Avenged Sevenfold guitarist Synyster Gates. Its listed price is 2190, and the model has been available since July 2024. The specification sheet describes a mahogany body and neck, an ebony fingerboard, 24 stainless steel frets, a Floyd Rose 1500 Series tremolo, and a pair of distinct humbuckers. Those details make it a feature-rich instrument on paper, though one buyer's account raises a separate concern about inspection and shipping condition.
Construction and neck details
The body and three-piece neck are both mahogany. Carbon fiber reinforcement is built into the neck, while the ebony fingerboard carries gold pearloid "Syn" and "Death Bat" inlays. The satin black finish is described as distressed, and the hardware is black. The product listing gives the general color as black.
The scale length is 648 mm, or 25.5 inches, with a nut width of 41.3 mm. The neck has an Ultra Thin C profile, and the fingerboard radius is 406 mm, or 16 inches. Schecter specifies 24 jumbo stainless steel frets. These are concrete design details, but they do not establish how an individual guitar will feel in a player's hands. Setup, fretwork, and personal preference still matter.
The model has no top listed in the general specifications. A case and gig bag are also not included according to the supplied product data. Buyers should account for that when comparing the asking price or planning to transport the instrument.
Pickups, controls, and tremolo
The pickup configuration is a bridge-position Schecter USA Synyster Gates Signature humbucker with a black engraved cover, paired with a neck-position Sustainiac humbucker. The supplied specifications identify the pickups as passive overall, rather than active pickups. The Sustainiac's presence is worth noting, but the data provided does not explain its operation or describe performance tests, so no claims about sustain or tone are warranted here.
Controls consist of one volume knob, one tone knob, a three-way pickup selector, and two small switches for the Sustainiac system. The bridge is a Floyd Rose 1500 Series tremolo, matching the general listing's description of a Floyd Rose-style tremolo. Grover machine heads are specified. The guitar ships with Ernie Ball Regular Slinky strings, gauge.010 to.046.
This combination gives the guitar a clear signature identity in its hardware and electronics. The engraved bridge pickup cover and custom fingerboard inlays distinguish the model visually, while the tremolo and Sustainiac components are prominent functional choices. There is no verified hands-on tonal assessment in the material supplied, so buyers should not treat the component list as a substitute for trying the instrument through their own rig.
Buyer report: condition on arrival
One buyer reported receiving the guitar with several problems after delivery. According to that account, the guitar's carton had been placed open inside an outer box, and the instrument came out of its packaging displaced. The buyer also described a cracked battery-compartment cover, a broken battery contact, and a faulty output jack. The review characterized these as the condition of a guitar costing more than 2,000 euros, though the listing data supplied here gives a price of 2190 without specifying a currency.
The customer said the retailer's proposed remedy was to send the instrument in for repair, but chose instead to have a local guitar technician address the issues at personal expense. The account criticizes both the packaging and the response to the reported damage. It is one customer's experience, not evidence that every unit has these faults or that the guitar design itself is defective. Still, it is relevant when assessing the purchase: inspect the carton and instrument promptly, test the output jack and electronics, and document any damage before arranging service.
Verdict
The Schecter Synyster Gates Custom-S SBL has an extensive specification set, including a reinforced three-piece mahogany neck, ebony fingerboard, stainless steel frets, signature humbucker, Sustainiac neck pickup, and Floyd Rose tremolo. Its listed price and lack of an included case or bag are practical points to weigh before ordering. The reported delivery problems merit attention, but they should be understood as a single buyer's report rather than a pattern established by broader testing. For a prospective buyer, the sensible approach is to confirm the exact package contents, clarify the warranty and return process, and check the instrument carefully on arrival.
Shipping and duties
The retailer ships from its warehouse in Germany. Prices are shown in US dollars and do not include import duties. Orders under roughly $800 usually clear US customs without duty; above that, a duty of a few percent may be collected on delivery. 30-day money-back and a 3-year warranty apply.
Scores by area
Where it shines, where it stumbles
What convinced me
- Mahogany body and neck with carbon fiber reinforcement in the three-piece neck.
- Ebony fingerboard, 24 jumbo stainless steel frets, and a slim Ultra Thin C neck profile.
- Sustainiac neck pickup, signature bridge humbucker, and Floyd Rose 1500 Series tremolo offer a distinctive set of performance features.
What bugged me
- No case or gig bag is included.
- The sole supplied customer review reports serious shipping damage and electrical defects; this is one reported experience, not evidence of a general defect rate.
Is it the right one for you?
Good pick if
A good fit for players seeking a signature rock guitar with a Sustainiac pickup, a Floyd Rose tremolo, and a slim neck. Also suited to musicians who value stainless steel frets and are comfortable checking a guitar carefully on arrival.Look elsewhere if
Not a good fit for buyers who require an included case or gig bag. Consider other options if you want a simple fixed bridge or prefer to avoid the setup and maintenance demands of a locking tremolo.Suggested level: Intermediate
Specifications
- Shape
- Miscellaneous
- Color
- Black
- Body
- Mahogany
- Top
- None
- Neck
- Mahogany
- Fretboard
- Ebony
- Frets
- 24
- Scale
- 648 mm
- Pickups
- HH
- Active pickups
- No
- Tremolo
- FR-Style
- Including case
- No
- Incl. bag
- No
What other players say
The only supplied customer review is strongly negative. The reviewer reports poor packaging, damage during shipping, a cracked battery compartment, a broken battery contact, and a faulty output jack. They also say the proposed repair process did not suit them and that they paid a local guitar technician to resolve the problems.
The box containing the Schecter was placed open inside the shipping box, causing the instrument to slip out as soon as it was removed.
The battery compartment had a cracked plastic cover, one battery contact was broken, and the output jack was faulty.
I paid for a local guitar technician, who repaired everything.
Up close
Watch and listen
Before you decide
Questions players ask
Does the guitar include a case or gig bag?
No. The supplied specifications say that neither a case nor a gig bag is included.
What pickups does the Schecter Synyster Gates Custom-S SBL use?
It has a Schecter USA Synyster Gates signature humbucker at the bridge and a Sustainiac humbucker at the neck. The pickups are passive.
What kind of tremolo is fitted?
It has a Floyd Rose 1500 Series tremolo, listed in the specifications as a Floyd Rose-style tremolo.
What should I know about the neck and fingerboard?
The three-piece mahogany neck has carbon fiber reinforcement and an Ultra Thin C profile. The ebony fingerboard has a 16-inch radius and 24 jumbo stainless steel frets.
Should I be concerned about the reported shipping and electrical problems?
The one supplied customer review describes shipping damage, a cracked battery compartment, a broken battery contact, and a faulty output jack. It is a serious report, but a single review cannot show whether these problems are typical. Inspect the guitar and test its electronics as soon as it arrives.
The last word from the bench
This signature model offers a focused set of features for players who want sustained notes, tremolo effects, and a fast-feeling neck. Its mahogany construction, ebony fingerboard, stainless steel frets, and Grover tuners make a strong specification list, but no case or bag is included. The only supplied customer review describes a damaged shipment and several faults, so buyers should check the guitar and its electronics promptly after delivery. That single account warrants caution, but cannot establish how commonly such problems occur.
Hanging next to it
Schecter Synyster Gates Custom-S SBL
Today's price and delivery time are shown at the retailer.
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