Getting a Schecter to sound like a Spector

[Faultline]

I have 2 Schecter Stiletto studio basses that I gig with. Love the action and construction but they lack a growl that I'm looking for. I want the growl (or something close to it) of a Spector.

These basses currently have EMG HZ pickups in them and I think a 3 band EMG 18v pre. I'm thinking of swapping the factory guts for an LHZ pre and some active EMG pickups. I know I can't expect a 1:1 Spector tone but does anyone know if this combo would get as close as I'm gonna get with these basses?

With the factory pre/pickups, there is a very narrow knob combination that gets me sort of there tonally but if I can get closer to the Spector growl with upgrades, I'm down for the expense and work.

Anyone went this route with their Schecter or similar mass produced EMG routed basses?

 

[cyclealt]

With all the stingray clones coming out now that gets very close to an official stingray I'm willing to say switching electronics that are going for a classic sound you'll get like 90% there. I think this would probably apply to the Spector NS2 tone. The LHZ are great hazlab clones and the standard EMGs pair really well. I say go for it.

 

[crazycloud]

I'd say you'll be very close as from memory and the PU position drawings I've seen of the Schecters and the Spector's they align pretty well.

I'm looking to do something similar with my Cort A6, but I need to rout to make them EMG45 sized.

 

[BaltBass5]

Sell both Schecters and buy a Spector Euro.

 

[pcake]

i had a schecter stiletto for years. i never tweaked the sound to my liking, and i finally sold it. i didn't try swapping the pickups, so that might help.

 

[Bob_Ross]

Following!

I own a Stiletto Studio-8, and based on its comfort/feel and construction quality I've thought seriously about getting a Stiletto Studio-5

…but the thing that's given me pause is the stock electronics. With an 8-string I can get away with those HZ pickups and the wonky 3-band EQ because the sound of octave courses far outweighs any qualities or characteristics that the electronics might impart.

But for a 5-string bass the pickups and/or preamp will be much more critical. If I can't get a Stiletto Studio-5 to sound *at least* as good as, say, a Lakland 55-02 or an EBMM Stingray, I'd just be throwing away my money on the Schecter.

Hoping someone in this thread will offer encouraging success stories!

 

[evil1603]

I don't own a Spector but on the Schecter it looks like the pickups are further apart from each other than on a Spector so you'll have different comb filtering.

 

[Faultline]

Sell both Schecters and buy a Spector Euro.

I have given thought to this but to be honest, I'd rather mod my Schecters because i love how they play and how sturdy they are and I'm kind of rough on my basses. I don't think I'd emotionally recover from dinging up a Euro LX on tour. Maybe one day but I'm not there yet

 

[Faultline]

Following!

I own a Stiletto Studio-8, and based on its comfort/feel and construction quality I've thought seriously about getting a Stiletto Studio-5

…but the thing that's given me pause is the stock electronics. With an 8-string I can get away with those HZ pickups and the wonky 3-band EQ because the sound of octave courses far outweighs any qualities or characteristics that the electronics might impart.

But for a 5-string bass the pickups and/or preamp will be much more critical. If I can't get a Stiletto Studio-5 to sound *at least* as good as, say, a Lakland 55-02 or an EBMM Stingray, I'd just be throwing away my money on the Schecter.

Hoping someone in this thread will offer encouraging success stories!

I have a 5 string SLS Hellraiser Daniel Firth model delivering hopefully today. It has the new Fishman Fluence pickups and mid switch, so I'm holding out until I try that bass out before I make a decision on which pickups/pre to go with. One thing is for certain, the Stiletto guts gotta go. My passive J bass with Seymour Duncan quarter pounders has more growl, clarity and output than the Schecter guts. I'm still leaning toward the LHZ pre and full on active EMGs. I'll definitely keep you in the loop!

 

[Sid the Kid]

Emg PJ or JJ pickups depending on your preference and an LHZ preamp will get you there! I have done the same thing to my Ibanez Srms and it rips. If you are patient you can get the pickups cheaply from Reverb on their Emg Factory Outlet shop for about $50 each, and the preamp is solder free and simple to install. I recommend buying the blend control from LHZ as well, it works great at making the center decent as loud as the blended positions. The optional mid control did not impress me much and it just serves to fill the empty pot hole.

Good luck!

 

[Faultline]

Emg PJ or JJ pickups depending on your preference and an LHZ preamp will get you there! I have done the same thing to my Ibanez Srms and it rips. If you are patient you can get the pickups cheaply from Reverb on their Emg Factory Outlet shop for about $50 each, and the preamp is solder free and simple to install. I recommend buying the blend control from LHZ as well, it works great at making the center decent as loud as the blended positions. The optional mid control did not impress me much and it just serves to fill the empty pot hole.

Good luck!

My particular basses have EMG soapbar routes like the Euro Spectors, so that is another aspect of my hesitation on which pickups/pre to go with. I guess the easy answer is go with what a Spector Euro uses but I'm gonna see what the Fishmans do in the new bass before I make a decision. I appreciate your experience on the LHZ stuff, it;s still at the top of my list, just not sure if it will translate well to EMG soapbar pickups vs P/J setups they were designed to work with.

 

[Sid the Kid]

My bass also has the soap bar routes. EMG's are available in all coil configurations in the soap bar housing. I have used DCx and CS in addition to the PJ and JJ in my bass. I prefer the JJ because the output is lower and more in line with my other basses. I have 7 EMG pickups I can install in a matter of minutes for a tonal facelift, I have exhausted all the options and settled on the JJ. I can always change if the mood strikes.

The LHZ sounds great with the DC and CS but the tone is more modern with deep powerful lows and brilliant highs, boosting the LHZ got extreme very quickly.

The LHZ would probably work great with the HZ's, wouldn't hurt to try!

In my bass the EMG's were a replacement for the stock Fishman system. I couldn't remove them fast enough. Fishmans sound great on YouTube videos but they lack punch in a band setting. That's all in my humble opinion, of course.

 

[crazycloud]

@Sid the Kid
Which SRMS do you have the EMGs in ?
I haven't measured but I thought they were P4 sized. I have the SRMS806.

 

[Sid the Kid]

@Sid the Kid
Which SRMS do you have the EMGs in ?
I haven't measured but I thought they were P4 sized. I have the SRMS806.

I have the SRMS725 which comes stock with Fishman electronics. If I had the 806 I would absolutely buy the new EMG's that fit the rout.

One note about my bass is the pickups are 6 string sized, so the P pickup is louder on the A string due to being picked up by both halves. It's the angle of the pickups that is the culprit. The single and dual coil pickups work perfectly.

 

[crazycloud]

I forgot about the 725.

The new E6W don't work in the MS as the sensing window is too narrow according to the spec sheet.

I have Nords in the EHB1506 and I don't want more of them.

 

[BaltBass5]

I have given thought to this but to be honest, I'd rather mod my Schecters because i love how they play and how sturdy they are and I'm kind of rough on my basses. I don't think I'd emotionally recover from dinging up a Euro LX on tour. Maybe one day but I'm not there yet

Spectors are way tougher than you may think. I have over 500 shows on my 2 Euros. I am not a stand in the corner bassist. We are ALL over the stage, jumping, running and going in the crowd.

 

[Jerry Catanescu]

Schpecter.

There, I did it! Sounds closer to Spector

 

[crazycloud]

I have a 5 string SLS Hellraiser Daniel Firth model delivering hopefully today.

Did you get it? Whaddya think?

 

[Sharko]

i had a schecter stiletto for years. i never tweaked the sound to my liking, and i finally sold it. i didn't try swapping the pickups, so that might help.

Same here, in retrospect I wish I had tried it.
But also, as a short scale fan, it's crazy they don't make these in short scale

 

[Faultline]

My bass also has the soap bar routes. EMG's are available in all coil configurations in the soap bar housing. I have used DCx and CS in addition to the PJ and JJ in my bass. I prefer the JJ because the output is lower and more in line with my other basses. I have 7 EMG pickups I can install in a matter of minutes for a tonal facelift, I have exhausted all the options and settled on the JJ. I can always change if the mood strikes.

The LHZ sounds great with the DC and CS but the tone is more modern with deep powerful lows and brilliant highs, boosting the LHZ got extreme very quickly.

The LHZ would probably work great with the HZ's, wouldn't hurt to try!

In my bass the EMG's were a replacement for the stock Fishman system. I couldn't remove them fast enough. Fishmans sound great on YouTube videos but they lack punch in a band setting. That's all in my humble opinion, of course.

I am on the fence now. I got in my new Schecter with the Fishman/EMG pre amp ( Fishman pickups and frequency switch, Active 3 band emg pre) and I am 100% happy with the tone. I suspect the EMG pre is the same one that's in my Stiletto Studio basses, which I attribute to a very lukewarm tone. The Fishman Pickups and frequency switch definitely introduce a growl that isn't present in my Stilettos. I am not sure now if I want to go with an LHZ pre and keep my EMG HZs, a Darkglass pre and HZs or go full Fishman. All that Said, I am super happy with the tone of the SLS Hellraiser 5 and now I want my other two Schecters to sound this good. The EMG active pre in this new bass I am able to run mostly flat with a tiny mid boost and the frequency switch does the rest.