NBD: Schecter SLS Elite-5 LH (Left-Handed)

[JanusZarate]

Long time no see, TalkBass! I used to frequent the forums a LOT more often, but lately I’ve been… preoccupied. From moving to a new state, to starting a new job, to a wide range of other pandemic-related challenges… it’s been an interesting year and a half or so. In the course of all that, I sold most of my gear (even my precious Firemist Purple EBMM StingRay 5), with the intent of picking back up as soon as the timing was right.

Well, the timing still isn’t exactly right, seeing as how playing gigs is an unrealistic proposition right now - but I decided to start amassing some new gear anyway!

My first new bass since 2019 is arriving this Friday: a left-handed Schecter SLS Elite-5 in a “Black Fade Burst” finish. This is one of Schecter’s more unusual premium offerings, in that it sports a pair of Fishman Fluence bass soapbar pickups. I’m more accustomed to the variety of EMG pickups found on most Schecter basses, along with the tones of Music Man’s oversized humbuckers on the StingRay and StingRay 5. However, the SLS Elite demos on YouTube have been incredibly promising, so I decided to take the plunge and add this potentially highly versatile bass to my collection.

The bass is coming from Sweetwater, and they were kind enough to send me the photo gallery they used to show off the specific serial I purchased:



I won’t get much of a chance to try it out this weekend, but I will report back on my initial impressions when I get a chance, take some fresh photos, and possibly record a few demo clips too!

 

[Riff Ranger]

Love that finish way to return in style!

 

[andruca]

You won't be disapointed. I'm a Stingray5 guy myself and for literally decades I've searched for a "Fender killer" that'd match my SR5s' playability. I've settled on a Schecter CV-5 (passive, 2 J-buckers with individual coil taps) that, even tho' being 35" scale I really can't tell, it's THAT comfortable (same kind of skinny profile neck as the SR5). Spacing is usually 17mm, which isn't much of a jump from a SR5's 17.5mm (so used to it I usually am not that comfortable over 18mm spacing). Also comes with some features you'd not expect in this price range (~500-600$/€), such as the ultralite tuners and the carbon reinforced neck (super stable BTW). Finish and attention to detail are GREAT. My MII Schecter doesn't feel, sound of play a cent cheaper than my USA Rays really. The SLS kinda' tone reminds me of some Tobias.

 

[JanusZarate]

Just following up with some fresh photos of the bass after I received it about a week and a half ago, along with my initial impressions overall:




The SLS Elite-5 looks as good as it sounds and feels. The flame maple veneer looks amazing (enough to forget it’s a veneer and not a full top), and I dig the matching headstock. The Sweetwater photos didn’t accurately capture the matching finishes, IMO. Speaking of which - the Black Fade Burst finish is an unusually bold choice for Schecter but I think it makes this stand out in a crowded market. The back has a transparent satin finish that really shows off the wood grain and the multi-laminate neck, and is a durable and practical choice for a bass that will see live gig action. After playing 34” scale basses for most of the last 14 years, I found it was fairly easy to adapt to the 35” scale length. Fret access is solid; it’s still a bit of a stretch to get to the 23rd and 24th frets, but I’ve found that to be true for most 5-string basses (at least, the ones under $2500). The satin finish back lets my hands glide up and down the neck with ease. With both my Levy’s leather strap and my Kliq AirCell strap, there are no issues with neck dive and the bass doesn’t feel heavy. The narrower string spacing will take some getting used to with my larger hands, but it’s still comfortable to play.

Soundwise, this lives up to the versatility hype. The Fishman Fluence pickups have a distinct tonal personality that sounds different from the typical EMGs sported on Schecter basses, and different than most other basses I’ve tried as well. But with the 2-band EQ, 3 pickup modes, a blend control, and a master volume that doubles as a single coil tap when pulled, they deliver as promised and sonically would be right at home in a wide range of genres. The “Classic” mode has a great vintage midrange growl with subdued highs. The “Modern” mode has the clarity, definition, and bottom end I’ve come to expect from EMG - but without sounding like EMG. The “Funk” mode is a more scooped take on the “Modern”; it’s a bit too scooped for my liking but seems like it would suit modern slap styles quite well (I’m not a slap player, so take that with a grain of salt). Pulling the master volume knob engages the single-coil tap on both pickups and allows you to get Jazz bass style versions of each of the three modes (“Classic” mode is especially fun here). The pickups balance well, and the bridge pickup has enough heft to hold up soloed (with some bass boosted on the onboard EQ).

I did make a few initial changes off the bat, swapping out the strap buttons for Dunlop Dual Design Straploks and changing the strings from the stock Ernie Ball Super Long Scale set to D’Addario NYXLs. To take full advantage of the string-thru bridge design on a 35” scale bass, you are limited to super long scale strings - but thankfully most brands have at least a few solid options at this scale length. Top-loading is an option as well, but I’m not sure which long-scale strings would be suitable if you opted for this approach instead. The NYXLs really complement the tonal characteristics of the Fluence pickups.

Overall, this bass is worth every penny IMO. This is definitely the best Schecter bass I’ve ever played, and I say that after having owned several of them (Stiletto Elite-4, Stiletto Custom-4, Stiletto Studio-5, Sixx, C4 Blackjack, Scorpion). My favorite 5-string bass for playability is still the Ernie Ball Music Man StingRay 5, but this is a close second, and the versatility is outstanding. It can’t emulate a StingRay, though - so I will still need to re-acquire one eventually, if only for the times that call for a ‘Ray sound.

 

[JanusZarate]

Minor update - With a pick, that middle switch position (modern scooped, the slap-friendly one) sounds fantastic. It scoops the right part of the midrange for an aggressive metal pick tone, which is a nice surprise!

 

[Max7]

Minor update - With a pick, that middle switch position (modern scooped, the slap-friendly one) sounds fantastic. It scoops the right part of the midrange for an aggressive metal pick tone, which is a nice surprise!

I picked up the same bass several months ago in RH, and find the bass has awesome tone and playability!