Schecter 5 strings

HeylookitsElio · #1 08-14-2010, 08:41 AM

I am planning on getting a 5 string soon. I was thinking about going with a Schecter stiletto custom 5. To anyone who owns or has played this bass, can you give me some feedback on what you like/dislike about it?

TolerancEJ · #2 08-14-2010, 09:00 AM

I haven't played any, but I've been interested in the Schecter Stiletto Studio 5 Fretless. From many posts here, people have good things to say about Schecters. They're supposed to be a good value for the price.

Ric5 · #3 08-14-2010, 09:05 AM

I owned a schecter C5. It was a beautiful instrument. It was light. It had a nice neck. It was 35" scale. But I did not like the sound with a band. It sounded good played alone in my basement, but in a band situation the emg pickups and the 2 band active electronics did not cut through the mix. If I still had that bass I would swapout the preamp for a 3 or 4 band. The Schecter models with the 3 band preamps sound better.

dirkdabass · #4 08-14-2010, 09:16 AM

I bought a Schecter 5 Elite in the beginning of July. I'm not a guitar geek - mores the pity - but construction, fit and finish are all I could ask for in an instrument in this price range. Tone is decidedly modern with the roundwounds it came with. I'll probably get TI flats in the near future. In the meantime, I've had a lot of fun fireing this big gun. Nut width is a little wider than a five string Ibanez I had borrowed. The 35" scale makes the string tension a little higher than my Precision. It is, technically, harder to play. That said, I love the sting and tone. I love the possibilities that the tone controls provide. I'm still trying to figure it out - maybe in a decade or two I'll have it down. It's a solid bass, beautiful in looks and tone at a pretty good price ($650 or so. Look around).

DWBass · #5 08-14-2010, 09:23 AM

Well I just came into a California Custom 5 Diamond Series jazz style bass (no longer produced) and it is a seriously top quality instrument. Quality hardware, pickups and preamp (EMG's)! A little heavy at 10.4lbs but a manageable weight. 35" scale and the B is solid. 18mm string spacing. I can't speak for the newer non jazz style models but a lot of gospel bass players like them.

schecter5string · #6 08-14-2010, 01:07 PM

I have a Studio 5. I played the custom 5 on the day I bought the Studio. The Custom played really nice, I loved the neck it felt better than the studio but it didn't have the tone that the studio had so I went with the studio.

The Custom is a nice bass I think you would be happy with it.

My only bitch about Schecters(at least mine) is the gold hardware. It starts to pit after awhile and looks bad and I have seen many used studio's with this problem. I'm going to replace the gold hardware with chrome soon.

Bongolation · #7 08-14-2010, 02:25 PM

Yeah, gold hardware is idiotic on anything. It looks nasty to start with and rubs off in no time, regardless of instrument price. Avoid.

I have a C5 Custom, my only five. Like this:

I've played it about twenty minutes since I bought it.

It's heavy, it's a five and the color is a sort of nauseating beige. I'll never play it.

Lots of Schecters, including this one, have EMG HZ pickups, by far the most hated pickup on TalkBass.

John Bigboote · #8 08-14-2010, 02:42 PM

I got my Elite 5 used more than three years ago, for $300. Swapped the preamp for a Bart NTMB, and put on DR Longnecks (about the only strings that will actually fit it, for some reason), and it's played every gig since. It's heavy, but immaculately built, and with the new pre it sounds awesome (and is dead quiet). The string spacing is perfect for my fingerstyle playing, and the B string is great. Quilted deck, neck-through, bound neck, one fingerboard inlay on the 12th fret... what's not to love?

I'm perfectly fine with the EMG-HZs (don't give a rat's a$$ if they're the "most hated" pickups on TB

). Sat in the audience at a jam last week while someone else played her, and she sounded great.

I recently purchased a Yamaha RBX5-A2 for a new project, for the only reason that it fits the "look" of the project better; I might get a Fender, Lull or Lakland 5 if I needed a vintage look for another project. Otherwise, I'd probably play the Schecter 'til I hang it up for good.

-jb

Bongolation · #9 08-14-2010, 03:04 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by John Bigboote

I'm perfectly fine with the EMG-HZs (don't give a rat's a$$ if they're the "most hated" pickups on TB

).

I didn't say I thought the animus was rational or meaningful. Or not. Or that you should care in any case.

But it is the truth.

I've never played this bass enough to care and probably never will. I got it because I thought I might need a five (turns out I don't and I not sure anyone else does either) and it was cheap.

Schecters are ultimately just another Cor-Tek (or worse) consumer-grade contract import. That's pretty much the whole story right there. Find one you like and rock out.

metallicafan18 · #10 08-14-2010, 03:07 PM

I have the Custom-5. It is a solid bass. I rely on it heavily. The neck is a great size, and is very fast.

I did change out all of the electronics and pickups, because it sounded very sterile to me. I now have to EMG 40J's in it, and I couldn't be happier. I also changed all the hardware to black. I love the bass! It is a great choice. Go for it!

Jayhawk · #11 08-14-2010, 03:54 PM

Wasn't a big fan of the string spacing or the 35" scale. Seemed like a decent enough bass for rock or metal

... just never clicked with it so I sold it.

StuartV · #12 08-14-2010, 04:14 PM

I like my Stiletto Elite 4 and 5. But, I did just post both of 'em for sale in the Classifieds. They're really good basses (in my opinion). But, I know I'll never play either of them now that I have the G&Ls, Fenders, and Peaveys that I have.

Muaguana · #13 08-14-2010, 04:24 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Bongolation

I've never played this bass enough to care and probably never will. I got it because I thought I might need a five (turns out I don't and I not sure anyone else does either) and it was cheap.

Heeeeere we go again... 4-stringer assuming he knows more about what other players need/want than they do...

Bongolation · #14 08-14-2010, 05:19 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Muaguana

Heeeeere we go again... 4-stringer assuming he knows more about what other players need/want than they do...

No, I just remain more unconvinced after hearing all the arguments, and know I don't. That's all I'm saying. I don't care what you play, do or think. That's your problem, not mine.

Genericbassname · #15 08-14-2010, 09:42 PM

I rocked the Schecter Stiletto Custom V for a while. I liked it a lot, and it's probably the best value you're going to find for that price. The low B is as good as you're going to get it on a bass of that price. Overall, I'd say it's worth it; you can get some decent sounds out of it, whether you like your bass to growl or are looking for a solid thump.

Blues Bass 2 · #16 08-14-2010, 11:49 PM

I had an Elite 5 and it was a great bass period ! I don't generally like EMG pickups but the Elite with the Hz pickups and the standard EMG 2 band preamp sounded great with my band . One of the few basses I really feel I should have held on to .

lokikallas · #17 08-15-2010, 12:06 AM

I just got the stilleto studio 5 fretless this week, and after tweeking the setup, I'm totally in love with it. Yeah, I had another 700 bucks to spend I might have gone with a warwick, but it is the most bang for your buck in it's price range. I can't say that honey satin/ gold hardware was my first choice of colors but I didn't have any luck finding the black finish in fretless.

Aspidites · #18 08-15-2010, 02:22 AM

They seem to be fairly well made but I just can't get past the neck and the anemic electronics.

rustindeth · #19 08-15-2010, 03:03 AM

I've owned a Custom 4 and own a Custom 5 at the moment, I really like the sound and feel of these basses.
I can understand that not everyone likes the sound of the EMG's as tone is a really personal thing.
If you're not an EMG fan, the pickups are easily replaced and you could probably sell the EMG's to help with the cost.
I did own about four Warwicks (Corvette Rockbass, Corvette Standard, Corvette $$ 4 string and Corvette $$ 5 string) which I was happy with but I always found myself going back to my Schecter.

woo10 · #20 08-15-2010, 03:24 PM

I have owned the Schecter Studio 6-string for about 2~3 months now and I like it a lot. The sound w/ the Pro-Steel strings is just great. The body is light, pickups are fine, the neck profile is excellent.....but...

- The neck is too heavy for the body so there is quite a bit of neck dive. I thought I wouldn't have any problems practicing sitting down but this issue strains my left hand after a while.
I easily fixed it by buying a leather strap w/ suede on bottom. Now, it's not an issue any more.

- The electronics is noisy, and there are a few clicks and pops when i play at full volume, it seems to me that it's a clipping issue. In any case, I intend to change them as soon as I have enough cash.