Signature guitars raise a fair question: are you paying for the instrument or for the name on the headstock? And if you're looking at a B-Stock one, you're probably also wondering whether the discount is hiding a problem.

On the Schecter Sullivan King Banshee-7 FR-S, the discount is easy to state: $1,559.20 in B-Stock versus $1,949.00 new, about $390 off, or 20 percent. The more useful question is whether the guitar underneath justifies either price. We think it does, with a few caveats.

View the Schecter Sullivan King Banshee-7 FR-S guitar in Obsidian Blood Product Page

What You're Actually Paying For

Strip away the artist branding and this is a neck-through, Floyd Rose-equipped 7-string with a spec list you'd expect to cost this much.

• Construction: neck-through, with a swamp ash body and a maple neck
• Fretboard: ebony, 12-16" compound radius, 24 X-Jumbo stainless steel frets
• Scale length: 26.5" (673mm)
• Bridge: Floyd Rose 1500 tremolo with a Floyd Rose locking nut (47.6mm, about 1.87")
• Pickups: Schecter USA Apocalypse humbucker in the bridge, Sustainiac in the neck
• Tuners: Grover Rotomatics
• Finish and trim: Obsidian Blood, red 1-ply binding, black hardware
• Weight: around 8.5 lbs (3.9 kg)

How It Plays

The ultra-thin C profile is the first thing you'll notice. On a 7-string that's the difference between a guitar you can play for a three-hour set and one that wears out your hand. The compound radius starts flatter toward the upper frets, which helps with bends and fast lead work. Stainless frets stay smooth and wear slowly, which matters if you play hard.

The 26.5" scale is longer than the 25.5" you'll find on many 6-strings. That extra length keeps the low string tighter and clearer when you tune down. It also means slightly wider fret spacing, so if you're coming from a shorter scale, give your hand a few days.

The neck-through build runs the maple neck the full length of the body, with swamp ash wings. In practice that gives you easy upper-fret access and a solid, sustaining feel, which suits low, heavy rhythm parts.

The Sustainiac Neck Pickup

The neck position is a Sustainiac, and two mini-toggles control it, alongside a volume knob and a 3-way pickup switch. For players who want held notes and feedback-style sustain without cranking an amp, that's a real tool. If you don't think you'd use it, you're still paying for it, so it's worth knowing before you buy.

What B-Stock Means for a Signature Guitar

B-Stock covers open-box and cosmetically imperfect instruments. It means the guitar isn't in brand-new, factory-sealed condition. It doesn't mean it's broken. Because every B-Stock unit is different, the specifics live in the listing itself, so read the notes and photos for the exact guitar you're buying.

On a dark finish like Obsidian Blood, small cosmetic marks are generally easier to live with than on a light finish, but you should check the photos for yourself. Here's what we'd look at:

• Where the blemish is. A mark on the back of the body or headstock is a different thing from one on the front where your forearm rests.
• What the listing says about hardware. Check the Floyd Rose 1500 and the black hardware for any noted wear.
• Whether the guitar is set up to your taste. More on that below.

The Catch

This isn't a plug-and-play guitar for everyone. A floating Floyd Rose is more work than a fixed bridge: string changes take longer, and changing tunings or string gauges means readjusting the trem. If you swap tunings often, or you've never owned a locking trem, expect a learning curve. Also, 8.5 lbs (3.9 kg) is reasonable for a neck-through 7-string, but you'll feel it on a strap after a long night.

And if you're a collector, or resale in mint condition matters to you, a B-Stock guitar is the wrong pick. Pay the extra $390 for new. A signature model tends to be bought for the name, and condition matters more to that kind of buyer.

Our Take

If you want a 7-string with a Floyd Rose, stainless frets, an ebony board and a Sustainiac, and you plan to play and gig it, the B-Stock price is a sensible way in. You get the same specified instrument for about $390 less. Check the listing photos, confirm the blemish is somewhere you won't see while playing, and buy it.

If you want a pristine collector's piece, buy new. If you don't want to deal with a floating trem, look at a fixed-bridge 7-string instead.

View the Schecter Sullivan King Banshee-7 FR-S guitar in Obsidian Blood Product Page

Frequently Asked Questions

How much is the B-Stock Schecter Sullivan King Banshee-7 FR-S?

It's $1,559.20 in B-Stock, compared with $1,949.00 new. That's about $390 less, or roughly 20 percent.

Is this guitar neck-through, and what is the scale length?

Yes. It has a neck-through construction with a maple neck and swamp ash body, and a 26.5" (673mm) scale length.

What pickups does the Banshee-7 FR-S have?

It has a Schecter USA Apocalypse humbucker in the bridge and a Sustainiac in the neck. Controls are a volume knob, a 3-way pickup switch and two mini-toggles for the Sustainiac.

Should I buy B-Stock or new if this is a signature model?

If you want to play it, B-Stock is the better value because the instrument is the same. If mint condition or collectibility matters to you, buy new.