Description
Schecter Synyster Gates Custom-S – Satin Gold Burst (1743)
The Schecter Synyster Gates Custom-S in Satin Gold Burst is the full-spec signature guitar built around the playing style and sound of Synyster Gates of Avenged Sevenfold.
And there's a lot more going on here than the unmistakable body shape.
Model 1743 combines a mahogany body and set mahogany neck with an ebony fingerboard, Schecter USA Synyster Gates Signature bridge humbucker, Sustainiac neck system and Floyd Rose 1500 Series locking tremolo. It's a guitar designed for high-gain rhythm work, fast lead playing, extreme tremolo use and the controlled feedback and seemingly endless sustain that the Sustainiac makes possible.
The Satin Gold Burst version is particularly striking, pairing the satin burst finish with black binding, gold hardware and Synyster's distinctive gold fingerboard inlays.
Schecter USA Synyster Gates Signature Humbucker
At the bridge is the Schecter USA Synyster Gates Signature humbucker, designed specifically for Synyster Gates.
It's a powerful bridge pickup built for the sort of high-gain tones this guitar is associated with, but Schecter's design is also intended to retain definition and dynamic response rather than simply producing as much output as possible.
For heavy rhythm playing, palm-muted riffs, harmonics and lead work, there's plenty of output available to push an amp.
Sustainiac Neck Pickup
This is the Custom-S, and that "S" is important.
The neck position features a Sustainiac system, allowing you to create controlled, extended sustain and feedback without relying purely on amplifier volume.
A dedicated on/off switch activates the Sustainiac, while a second three-way switch selects between:
Fundamental for sustaining the fundamental note, Mix for a combination of fundamental and harmonic behaviour, and Harmonic for generating higher harmonic sustain.
It's capable of some fairly wild sounds, particularly when combined with bends, vibrato and the Floyd Rose.
Floyd Rose 1500 Series
The Floyd Rose 1500 Series tremolo and locking nut give the Custom-S the pitch control you'd expect from a guitar designed around Synyster Gates' playing.
Dive bombs, pull-ups, vibrato effects and more subtle tremolo work are all on the table, with the double-locking system designed to maintain tuning stability through much more aggressive tremolo use than a conventional bridge.
Ultra Thin C Neck
Despite its aggressive appearance, the Custom-S is very much designed around playability.
The three-piece mahogany neck is reinforced with carbon fibre rods and uses Schecter's Ultra Thin C profile, measuring approximately 19mm at the first fret and 20mm at the 12th.
That's combined with a 16-inch radius ebony fingerboard, 24 X-Jumbo frets and 25.5-inch scale length.
The flatter radius and large frets make it particularly comfortable for fast lead work, wide bends and lower-action setups.
Set-Neck with Ultra Access
Rather than a bolt-on construction, the Custom-S uses a set mahogany neck with Schecter's Ultra Access heel.
That gives the neck joint a much smoother transition into the body, making those upper frets considerably easier to reach, which makes plenty of sense on a guitar with 24 frets and this sort of lead-playing focus.
Gold 'SYN' & Deathbat Inlays
There aren't many guitars you'd mistake for a Synyster Gates model.
The ebony fingerboard features Gold Pearloid 'SYN' inlays with the Deathbat at the 12th fret, while glow-in-the-dark side dots provide some practical visibility on darker stages.
Combined with the Satin Gold Burst finish, black binding and gold hardware, this is certainly not a guitar designed to disappear into the background.
Key Features
- Schecter Synyster Gates Custom-S
- Item/model number: 1743
- Satin Gold Burst (SGB)
- Made in South Korea
- Mahogany body
- Flat-top construction
- Black 1-ply binding
- Set-neck construction with Ultra Access
- 3-piece mahogany neck
- Carbon fibre neck reinforcement rods
- Ultra Thin C neck profile
- Ebony fingerboard
- 25.5" scale length
- 16" fingerboard radius
- 24 X-Jumbo frets
- 41.3mm nut width
- Gold Pearloid SYN and Deathbat inlays
- Glow-in-the-dark side dots
- Schecter USA Synyster Gates Signature bridge humbucker
- Sustainiac neck pickup/system
- Sustainiac on/off switch
- 3-way Sustainiac mode switch
- Fundamental / Mix / Harmonic sustain modes
- Master Volume
- Master Tone
- 3-way pickup selector
- Floyd Rose 1500 Series tremolo
- Floyd Rose 1500 Series locking nut
- Grover tuners
- Gold hardware
- 9V clip-in battery compartment
- Factory strings: Ernie Ball Regular Slinky .010–.046
- Schecter SGR-2A case available separately
Who Is It For?
The obvious answer is the Avenged Sevenfold or Synyster Gates fan, but limiting it to that misses what this guitar actually offers.
It's a serious option for players looking for a modern high-performance guitar with a fast neck, high-output bridge pickup, 24 frets and a proper double-locking tremolo.
The Sustainiac also takes it into territory that most conventional HH guitars simply can't access. If you're into controlled feedback, sustained lead lines, harmonics and more experimental sounds, it can become a genuinely creative tool rather than simply another pickup.
Metal and hard rock are the natural territory, but technically minded players who use high gain, effects and aggressive tremolo techniques will find plenty to work with here.
Frequently Asked Questions
What does the Sustainiac do?
The Sustainiac uses an active driver system to keep the strings vibrating, producing extended or effectively infinite sustain. The Custom-S allows you to choose between Fundamental, Mix and Harmonic modes, which changes how the sustained note develops.
Is the Sustainiac the neck pickup as well?
Yes. The Sustainiac occupies the neck pickup position and forms part of the guitar's pickup and sustain system.
Does the Sustainiac require a battery?
Yes. The guitar has a dedicated 9-volt clip-in battery compartment to power the Sustainiac system.
What bridge pickup does model 1743 have?
Model 1743 uses the Schecter USA Synyster Gates Signature humbucker, rather than a generic Schecter pickup.
Is the bridge a genuine Floyd Rose?
It's fitted with a Floyd Rose 1500 Series double-locking tremolo and matching 1500 Series locking nut.
Where is the Schecter Synyster Gates Custom-S 1743 made?
The 1743 Satin Gold Burst model is made in South Korea.
Does it come with a case?
Schecter lists the SGR-2A case separately, so a case is not included as standard with model 1743.
Our Take
The Synyster Gates Custom-S is obviously a visually distinctive signature guitar, but underneath that styling is a seriously capable modern instrument.
The Ultra Thin C neck, 16-inch ebony board and 24 X-Jumbo frets give it the fast playing platform you'd expect, while the USA-made signature bridge pickup and Sustainiac provide a genuinely interesting electronics package. Add the Floyd Rose 1500 and you've got a guitar that's built for everything from tight heavy rhythm work to some pretty outrageous lead playing.
And in Satin Gold Burst with gold hardware, model 1743 is arguably one of the more unusual looking versions of the Synyster Custom-S.
Available from Colemans Music in South Melbourne or shop online Australia-wide. A place for players — new, used, traded, upgraded.
