Synyster Gates Of Avenged Sevenfold Partners With Guitar Center And Schecter Guitars To Launch Master Class With Synyster Gates

WESTLAKE VILLAGE, Calif., July 1, 2013 /PRNewswire/ --  One of rock's most influential guitarists, Synyster Gates of Avenged Sevenfold,  joins forces with Guitar Center, the world's largest retailer of musical instruments, and Schecter Guitar Research to launch Master Class with Synyster Gates. The talent-discovery program was co-developed by Gates, Guitar Center and Schecter to provide a dynamic group of musicians the chance to have their skills recognized and rewarded with the incredibly rare opportunity to learn from a famed guitarist in an intimate and engaging setting.  Master Class with Synyster Gates of Avenged Sevenfold offers a chance for young and emerging artists to learn directly from one of the best in the business and aims to inspire a new generation of rock guitarists.

(Photo: http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20130701/LA40778)

"Avenged Sevenfold has always been a band that champions musicality," said Synyster Gates. "I'm passionate about the art of guitar, and this Master Class is the perfect opportunity to help further the skills and careers of like-minded musicians."

From his sound to his style, you'd be hard pressed to find a more distinctive musician in rock than Synyster Gates. As lead guitarist for Huntington Beach, California's Avenged Sevenfold, Gates' riff and rhythms have helped to power some of this millennium's most inventive, invigorating, and forceful heavy music. And his work as a soloist, crafting leads that combine gut-level aggression and blinding speed with advanced melodic and harmonic concepts and techniques, has resulted in his being bestowed with numerous honors, including Guitar World's Best Metal Guitarist, Total Guitar's Guitarist of the Year, and, with his A7X band mate Zacky Vengeance, a Revolver Golden God for Best Guitarists.  Gates recently launched the Hellwin line of amplifiers with the Hellwin USA 100, a 100-watt, three-channel, all-tube unit that he developed in conjunction with renowned amp designer James Brown. This signature series was used in the recording of the upcoming Avenged Sevenfold album due out later this year.

Starting today, seven signature Avenged Sevenfold tracks will be available for download, allowing guitarists to add their best original lead guitar performance to the backing track. Submissions run July 15 to September 15 and will be ranked through artist fan growth across top social networks and music portals. Synyster Gates will then review the top ranked artists and personally select 10 winners who will be flown out to Los Angeles to attend an intimate master class led by the Avenged Sevenfold guitarist himself. All ten winning musicians will also take home a fully-loaded music package including Synyster Gates' signature-special Schecter guitar, Ernie Ball accessories and more.

To Enter Master Class with Synyster Gates of Avenged Sevenfold visit guitarcenter.com/a7x

Guitar Center Master Class with Synyster Gates of Avenged Sevenfold Winners will Receive:

• VIP Trip to Los Angeles to attend a master class with Synyster Gates in the historic Guitar Center Hollywood Vintage Room
• Schecter Synyster Gates Special electric guitar
• A behind-the-scenes tour of the Schecter factory and custom shop
• Ernie Ball accessory prize pack

Watch more about the program here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JmV_nnxT1qU

About Schecter Guitars
Since their birth in 1976, Schecter Guitar Research has been known and sought after for its high quality instruments by those with a discerning eye. Over the last decade the brand and its reputation continues to grow as does the demand for a hand-built US made product. Schecter recently announced the addition of a new 14,000 SQF exclusive Custom Shop facility. Featuring the latest in CNC technology from Haas for pinpoint manufacturing precision, a return to their roots with Schecter's own line of hand wound pickups and finally a completely environmentally compliant 1,500 SQF sealed spray booth and drying room.  Allowing the highest-grade ultra thin and durable automotive finishes along with the ability to offer highly sought after vintage finishing techniques such as nitrocellulose lacquer and conversion varnishes.

As Schecter Guitars moves into its 37^th year in business, they have solidified the elite status, as one of the world's premier guitar companies.  Its continually evolving and expanding line of guitars and basses appeals to a broad spectrum of players and diverse musical styles and now features a full line of hand built tube amplifiers and cabinets. Its core business practice offers high-quality products with professional components at an affordable price.  One of the company's strongest assets is its growing roster of high-profile artists, including Disturbed, members of Avenged Sevenfold, Motley Crüe, The Cure, Papa Roach, Seether, Prince, Cheap Trick, Stone Temple Pilots, Nevermore and Black Label Society.

About Guitar Center
Guitar Center is the world's largest retailer of guitars, amplifiers, drums, keyboards and pro-audio and recording equipment. Our retail store subsidiary presently operates 224 Guitar Center stores across the U.S. We are also the largest direct response retailer of musical instruments in the United States through our wholly owned subsidiary, Musician's Friend, Inc., and its catalog and Web site, www.musiciansfriend.com. In addition, our Music & Arts division operates more than 100 stores specializing in band instruments for sale and rental, serving teachers, band directors, college professors and students. More information on Guitar Center can be found by visiting the Company's Web site at www.guitarcenter.com.

SOURCE Guitar Center