In a rush? Here are the five main things you need to know about the Schecter Nick Johnston Traditional HH:
- Mastodon guitarist Nick Johnston has unveiled a heavier new version of his Schecter signature guitar ahead of his one-year anniversary with the band.
- The updated model is called the Nick Johnston Traditional HH, marking a shift away from his usual Strat-style designs.
- It swaps traditional pickup setups for dual humbuckers, featuring Johnston’s new Signature Atom-Bucker models.
- The build now includes a Wenge neck (replacing roasted maple), plus 22 jumbo stainless steel frets and modern metal ring inlays.
- Finished in a Mastodon-inspired Silver Burst, the guitar also comes loaded with premium hardware and is available now for $1,299
The Schecter Nick Johnston Traditional HH
Mastodon guitarist Nick Johnston has officially taken his once-traditional Schecter signature guitar into much heavier territory, unveiling a revamped model just as his first anniversary with the band approaches.
The Canadian maestro played his first shows with the Atlanta prog metallers last March, stepping in after the departure of original guitarist Brent Hinds and a brief one-show stint from Ben Eller. Since then, Johnston’s signature instruments have been central to his Mastodon live rig — and now, he’s fully embraced his new role with the latest evolution of his namesake electric: the Nick Johnston Traditional HH.
As the name suggests, this new version pulls away from the orthodox Strat-inspired recipe Johnston is known for. Instead of the familiar SSS and HSS pickup layouts, the Traditional HH goes all-in on heavier firepower, loading up with twin humbuckers powered by Johnston’s new Signature Atom-Bucker models.
There’s also been a notable tweak to the guitar’s tonewood trio. The Alder Body and Ebony Fingerboard remain, but for the first time they’re paired with a Wenge Neck, replacing the previous Roasted Maple option. The fingerboard is capped with 22 Jumbo Stainless Steel Frets, introduced here for the first time, alongside striking Metal Ring inlays that further push the instrument’s modern edge.
Part of the transformation comes down to Johnston’s shifting aesthetic. Long known for vintage-inspired colorways, he’s now stepping into something far more contemporary — and far more Mastodon.
“This is the first instrument that I’d be playing heavier music on, and I wanted something that reflects this new era of my career and who I’m playing with now,” Johnston explains.
The standout finish is Silver Burst, a color closely tied to Mastodon’s identity thanks to Bill Kelliher’s fan-favorite ESP LTD signature model.
“The Silver Burst is a color synonymous with the band,” Johnston adds. “We were talking one day about how cool it would be to continue that tradition. This will be my main guitar for the foreseeable future.”
Beyond pickups and aesthetics, the Traditional HH comes packed with premium performance appointments, including Schecter-Branded Locking Tuners, a GraphTech Nut, a truss rod adjustment wheel at the base of the neck, and a Schecter Nouveau Hardtail Bridge.
“It’s important, as a musician, to keep evolving,” Johnston continues. “This guitar is the next step for me; it’s the great unknown in a lot of ways, and there’s a reason this guitar has stood the test of time for over a decade.”
The Schecter Nick Johnston Traditional HH is available now for $1,299, and you can keep up with all our Schecter coverage right here!
