Schecter: What do you guys think of them?

[DavC]

whenever i looked at them , they where 35" scale ... i like 34 ..

had a MIK Schecter guitar that was very nice and well made ...

 

[raventepes]

I really like Schecter as a whole, but to be completely honest, they have some instruments that just plain didn't do it for me.

 

[superdick2112]

IMHO, their Diamond Series represent decent value, although some of their shapes are a bit odd looking.
Their USA Custom Shop basses, however, are phenominal instruments.
The USA basses I've had the pleasure of playing had great attention to detail & some of the best fretwork I've ever seen.

 

[gr8avocado]

Don't get the only for metal heads comments. Sure they have a few that are sorta kinda metal-y, but the majority are kinda normal to downright vintage. I have owned a couple and they were nice basses.

 

[micahwc]

I had a stiletto 4. I tried a 5 but the spacing was wider than I liked. The 4 was decent. It had EMGHZ pickups in it, which sound like EMGHZ pickups on every other bass I've played them in. The neck was more P bass than J bass, it was thicker than I liked. I also couldn't stand the finish on the back of the neck, it was way too grabby. It played well. Fretwork gave no complaints. It held its tuning well. It looked really nice. It was a transparent red stain over quilted maple.

 

[5alive]

You will either love em or hate em. I personally have the stiletto studio 5 and im looking to sell it.
Not a bad guitar just not for me. I didnt like the fretboard or the scooped tone it had. I prefer the single coil / split pickup sound.

 

[Tomasz s]

I did a setup on a schecter diamond series and it was a nice piece of wood. Good quality parts and really nice build quality. Dunno about the lower end gear, probably the same as most other companies, a mixed bag.

 

[Gatorboom]

I'm pretty new at playing bass (about a year), but I have a Studio Stiletto 5 and I absolutely love it. Let me say that besides jamming with friends or in headphones, I have no idea how it would sound live...or with talent. However, I do love it enough that I keep picking it up to play it and because I like it, it encourages me to pick it up again and again.

 

[GoLeafsGo]

Have one currently. Diamond Series C-4 Custom. Very nice bass, outstanding neck, great finish, looks real nice. Only bad part is I will take a bath if I sell it, but I do not see getting rid of it. Very versatile, more than just metal. If I dial up the bridge 'bucker and turn down the neck, plays country rock/Eagles stuff wonderfully. Active 3 band EQ, EMG pup's, and light too!

 

[dieseldalziel]

I've been after a 004 diamond series in cherry black for a while..fingers crossed!

 

[Michael B]

I am rather a Schecter fanboy because not only do they make great quality stuff, especially for the dollar, but they are the most lefty-friendly guitar manufacturer. Plus, they don't hold value well, so they can be had on the used market for a steal. I got my Schecter Sixx for less than $500 and the craftsmanship is outstanding.


Schecter is like a Toyota Corolla. They play great, are built solid, will do what you need, but they aren't going to turn any heads.

I would say Camery. Not turning heads either but just a touch better components then the lowest end. Had one that was built very well, setup was excellent and played well. I have a one in, one out rule or I would still have it.

 

[Felix1776]

Don't get the only for metal heads comments. Sure they have a few that are sorta kinda metal-y, but the majority are kinda normal to downright vintage. I have owned a couple and they were nice basses.

Damn. That top one is my style for sure. Nice looking.

 

[BlushResponse]

I think only one other person pointed out that they make a relatively impressive version of a Fender Bass VI. The Hellcat model, not to mention the Robert Smith version. Definitely a viable option compared to a $299 Squire model with flimsy string gauges.

 

[Thornton Davis]

I own a Hellraiser Extreme-5. Had it for 2 years now. I don't play metal or death material, just simply classic rock and classic pop. This bass works for any type of material I choose to play with it.

Quality instrument and highly under rated IMO.

TD

 

[tspallone]

I love my Schecter Stiletto Custom 4. I've had it for about 4 years. I WAS toying with idea of replacing the EMG's and preamp with Aguilar but, just really to mess around with configurations as we bass players are want to do. But, if I had to keep it stock, no problem. There are certainly better and way more expensive basses out there and certainly much worse. This is a good gigging bass and you can get just about any sound out of it that you might need. It feels right on me.

...and there's something about the word "stiletto" that does it for me. lol

 

[stringthrough]

It's kind of a shame what happened to the brand. Back in the late 70s/early 80s when David Schecter and Tom Anderson were designing/building the instruments, Schecters were seriously badass top-of-the-line professional instruments, the equivalent of today's Sadowsky or Mike Lull or Suhr. I lusted after their Jazz Bass clones because every single one I played was a bona fide Fender slayer, legit contenders for G.O.A.T. passive bass. Finally was able to buy one second-hand in the early 90s, and that's still the bass I'll be buried with.

And then I look at the instruments Schecter is making nowadays, and they're so mind-bogglingly different from what they used to be that I can barely wrap my head around the cognitive dissonance. Should've just retired the Schecter name when Shibuya bought the company back in 1987.

So true... I owned one built around 1984. Except for the vintage frets, it was the perfect PJ bass. I foolishly sold it about 10 years ago out of bordem (had several other interesting basses at the time). It still hurts when I think about it.

 

[Joedog]

Like any co. that tries to cover diff. price points, the answer is "it depends" Back in the 90's a the store I worked at had the most INCREDABLE Schecter USA Jazz copy. It was IMO much better than the USA fenders. It was also $1700, a lot of dinero for back then. Around 2005 I picked up a used Stilletto Studio 5, that was VERY nice. When they first came out, I tried a Diamond P, and expecting a lot (even though it was relatively cheap) was quite disappointed. So there ya go. It depends. Haven't tried any lately.

 

[Thornton Davis]

I upgraded the pickups and preamp in my last Elite-5 from the stock EMG HZ's to EMG 40P5's and replaced the stock preamp with an Aguilar OPB-2 preamp. These mods fit perfectly into the bass cavity's and took the bass from a mild sounding instrument to a killer Pbass. This is it after the upgrades.

Unfortunately, during a weak moment I sold that bass. It's one that I regret selling. However my Hellraiser Extreme-5 has more than filled the bill as its replacement.

TD

 

[micahwc]

I forgot to mention why I don't play mine anymore. It developed a wiring problem in the pre-amp after owning it for several years. I started getting intermittent periods of silence where there would be no signal, and if you moved it just right it would go away. One thing lead to another, yada, yada, yada, and the bass was in several pieces no longer recognizable as a guitar; the pickups where then used in a different project.

 

[strictlybass_ic]

I've almost bought a Schechter several different times. They feel good in the hand, look good, and play well. But, I've become kind of hooked on the Ibanez Sound gear line which share many of the features I liked about Schechters and feel lighter. So anymore I don't look at much else.