What's Wrong With Schecter Basses?

[Joedog]

They've never had a good reputation, and have always been considered entry level basses, regardless of the price point IME.

Ymmv.

Total BS. Back in the early 90's the store I worked at carried Schecter. There was an amazing Schecter American Jazz bass that was nicer than the American Fender we had in every way. It was MORE expensive (almost $1800), and worth every penny. I almost bought it for myself. I did end up years later w/a Studio 5 that was an excellent bass, especially for the price. Easily as good as any other companies offshore offerings, and better than many at the same price point. You're not the guy the OP was talking about by any chance? LOL

 

[pholli00]

Are Squiers above Schecters or are they equal,I play mainly Squier just wondering??

OMG, a new twist to the Squier debate. Attention Squier people: Hold your head up and hold it high!

 

[TonyP-]

Are Squiers above Schecters or are they equal,I play mainly Squier just wondering??

That's the problem

Some folks view a hierarchy.

That's not really the mantility I would use with instruments.

It's like this some basses might use a higher grade component or might use a more methodical building technique, ect...

A standard MIA Fender costs more then a Schecter. I would rather play a Schecter over a MIA Fender (on average), because it offers more of what I would want.

Forget this hierarchy.

 

[hands5]

They've never had a good reputation, and have always been considered entry level basses, regardless of the price point IME.

Ymmv.

Well I can't recall ever playing a bad one ( the 3 that I've played had great setups......goes a long way to playability ) and my entry level bass was a Fender Jazz bass that was horrible that eventually I got a good setup on it but that was years later because back in my day most bass players didn't know anything about setps, intonation etc. but I kept it. So if your bass doesn't have a good setup it may well be labeled a "dog rocket regardless of price IMO.

 

[strictlybass_ic]

I've liked the Schecters I've tried out. My only real gripe against them was same as you... a little heavier than I would like. Other than that they all seemed like fine instruments to me.

 

[LowEndOperative]

Though they have more models than Vogue magazine, I do like their rendition of J-basses.

 

[tbz]

Total BS. Back in the early 90's the store I worked at carried Schecter. There was an amazing Schecter American Jazz bass that was nicer than the American Fender we had in every way. It was MORE expensive (almost $1800), and worth every penny. I almost bought it for myself. I did end up years later w/a Studio 5 that was an excellent bass, especially for the price. Easily as good as any other companies offshore offerings, and better than many at the same price point. You're not the guy the OP was talking about by any chance? LOL

Well I can't recall ever playing a bad one ( the 3 that I've played had great setups......goes a long way to playability ) and my entry level bass was a Fender Jazz bass that was horrible that eventually I got a good setup on it but that was years later because back in my day most bass players didn't know anything about setps, intonation etc. but I kept it. So if your bass doesn't have a good setup it may well be labeled a "dog rocket regardless of price IMO.

Let me repost my own quote *really* quickly.

"They've never had a good reputation, and have always been considered entry level basses, regardless of the price point IME.

Ymmv."

See that giant disclaimer at the end. IME. That means In My Experience.

My Experience.

I personally have never run into a person in over 20 years of playing bass and guitar that was super excited about their awesome new high end Schecter.

Spector, yes, Schecter, no.

Stores in my area stocked them last, except as starter guitars. I live in the Los Angeles/San Diego area, so these aren't podunk mom and pop shops. Kids here have a choice between a Schecter and a MIM Fender. Most kids take the Fender, or Epiphone, or Ibby, or or or, over the Schecter.

Most of my experiences with Schecter, as someone else mentioned before me, left me with the impression that they seemed similar to a lot of guitars that were made at the Samick factory. Not sure if there was an affiliation between the two companies, but those guitars had the same, semi-off, MiK feel when I tried them in the 90s and early 00s.

I rarely give folks a hard time in person, and to be honest I did not in the thread above really either. I just related that the experience of the person that scoffed at his bass, was not an isolated one. If that guy is an older player (45+) then that reaction is almost a given, unless he's played one regularly and has a reason to think otherwise.

 

[DredFetus]

The question should be whats wrong with people and why do they feel the need to make them selves feels superior?

Nothings wrong with your bass if it fulfills your needs.

 

[thebassguy86]

I had a studio-5 that the tone was absolutely terrible - very mid-rangey, and I could not for the life of me EQ it out. The B string would not intonate precisely, and the neck was terrible - felt like playing a 2x4. I had a buddy that had the little sister (a custom-5) that had the same issues.

Keeping hope in the brand, I purchased an Elite-4 that had similar problems with tone. I loved everything else about that bass though. I ended up putting aggys in it, and it was AWESOME. Had to sell it for financial reasons, back in the day.

Sales guys usually push Ibanez, LTD, Yamaha, and other established brands before they push Schecter, unless a customer specifically asks for it. To be honest, I've had better consistency with Ibanez basses than Schecter - from a Gio, up to a 885. I would pick up an Ibanez before a Schecter any day. But then again, I'm a Leo Fender fan boy. ;]

 

[thebassguy86]

I had a studio-5 that the tone was absolutely terrible - very mid-rangey, and I could not for the life of me EQ it out. The B string would not intonate precisely, and the neck was terrible - felt like playing a 2x4. I had a buddy that had the little sister (a custom-5) that had the same issues.

Keeping hope in the brand, I purchased an Elite-4 that had similar problems with tone. I loved everything else about that bass though. I ended up putting aggys in it, and it was AWESOME. Had to sell it for financial reasons, back in the day.

Sales guys usually push Ibanez, LTD, Yamaha, and other established brands before they push Schecter, unless a customer specifically asks for it. To be honest, I've had better consistency with Ibanez basses than Schecter - from a Gio, up to a 885. I would pick up an Ibanez before a Schecter any day. But then again, I'm a Leo Fender fan boy. ;]

 

[Mystic Michael]

A while back I was talking to a seasoned bassist about my instruments and I told him I have a Schecter Studio 5 fretless. He kinda wrinkled his nose at that like I'd just farted or something. I asked him what he thought was so awful about it and he said something like "I dunno... Just... Schecter??" To which I responded by enumerating the things I liked about the bass, such as the tone, the appearance and playability. He just shrugged it off with "I guess..."

So I've had this bass for about three or four years now and I still like it. Still have only one real complaint about it, and that it the weight-- it's a bit on the chunky side. But since it's fretless I only play it on the occasional acoustic gig, where I'm sitting down.

So I'm curious to see if this guy is just being a bit snobby or if they have somehow gotten a bad reputation for some reason that I'm unaware of...?

There is really no point to allowing someone's douchiness to sow unwarranted doubts & insecurities about your gear choices. If the instrument works for you, then that's all that matters.

Not many years ago, whenever you'd mention that you play Carvin instruments, as I do, you'd often get the same kind of snotty, snobby reaction. Not so much anymore. Apparently the brand now has street cred. Happened again just yesterday when a guitard spoke approvingly of my LB70. I once was stopped in an airport while carrying one of my Carvin basses, by a fellow bassist who had caught the buzz about Carvin, but had never seen one up close. I actually opened up the case, so he could have a look.

Douchebags will always be with us. That doesn't mean we need to heed them.

MM

 

[JollySpudd]

While briefly working in a metal band, since the songs required a 5 string, the drummer owned a 2012 Schecter that I used. What a great bass. Great sound, balance, nice build quality, super nice deep, deep trans cherry finish - changed color under stage lights from black to brighter reds. I really liked it.

NOTHING WRONG WITH A SCHECTER if it serves the cause. But, agreed, there is something wrong with any musician who's a snob and puts his valuation of things over people to the point of making a fellow artist question anything about their own place and tools of joy. ***? (what the fripp?)

How, in this oceanic cosmos of music, which none of us can ever own, but only mutually partake in, can anyone strike a pose of arrogance by being critical of what or how another human speaks their heart through the great language of music?

I know this is about "what's wrong with Schecter basses" (nothing - there are pros and cons with every model and brand) - but the context begs me to add something philosophical that I heard from British jazz pianist and King Crimson associate, Keith Tippet:

"I'm a firm believer that a musician shouldn't make music unless they have kindness and humility because the morality of the music is really, really important".

Maybe not an absolute, but a worthy ideal imo.

 

[Brendan]

What's "wrong" with Schecter is, mostly, bad luck. When they really aggressively started growing and getting noticed, it was mid-late 90s/early 00s, which was an... unfortunate time, full of nu-metal and abalone. I know a *lot* of people who entirely equate Schecter with excessive, tasteless amounts of abalone bling and questionable acts, like Powerman 5000 and Papa Roach. ESP/LTD got a lot of that same heat (Ill Nino signature guitars? C'mon, guise...), but unlike Schecter, they managed to get past the abalone era with a "it was the times," shrug. Schecter never got out from under that conception.

I don't like the looks of 90% of them, and never played one I cared for, but that's personal; absolutely nothing "wrong" with Schecter.

 

[JPkstms]

Just asking cause this is a schecter forum is my omen e4 suppoesed to sound metallic with the neck pickup turned on?

 

[Buzz E]

What's "wrong" with Schecter is, mostly, bad luck. When they really aggressively started growing and getting noticed, it was mid-late 90s/early 00s, which was an... unfortunate time, full of nu-metal and abalone. I know a *lot* of people who entirely equate Schecter with excessive, tasteless amounts of abalone bling and questionable acts, like Powerman 5000 and Papa Roach. ESP/LTD got a lot of that same heat (Ill Nino signature guitars? C'mon, guise...), but unlike Schecter, they managed to get past the abalone era with a "it was the times," shrug. Schecter never got out from under that conception.

I don't like the looks of 90% of them, and never played one I cared for, but that's personal; absolutely nothing "wrong" with Schecter.

POWERMAN 5000 ROCKS!!!!!

 

[Burwabit]

It a branding problem. To be blunt, I generally dislike their name and I'm not fond of their headstocks. A little voice always said to me Schecter is like a S1!++y Spector, even though that probably doesn't make much sense. I just used this as I was learning about "good" and "bad" bass brands. Seem common to find new and used at GC.

I'm sure many play and sound good. If you like them, rock them. Don't worry about what others think.

 

[JPkstms]

Whats wrong with the head stock?

 

[JSandbloom]

I put them on par with Dean guitars. They are not crappy basses, but they dont really have anything that stands out to me. I've only owned a few of them in the past and the bodies were way too light to have any balls to the tone. They were completely relying on the electronics for beef which they fell short in my ears.

But then again all about perspective. If your playing a Affinity and you get a Schecter, it's a way bitchin bass. If your playing a Musicman or anything in the higher end, it'll come off as a pile.

 

[[skyraider]]

I'm not particularly worried about what the guy in the OP thought about them. I'm more curious about if they had a spate of quality control issues or some kind of bad PR that caused this reaction. And also the fact that they seem to be somewhat unpopular in general.

Every bass manufacturer turns out a bad instrument on occasion. I know mine isn't a bad instrument and except for the weight I'm very happy with it.

I agree with Burwabit and Brendan, bad branding and bad timing.

 

[[skyraider]]

I put them on par with Dean guitars. They are not crappy basses, but they dont really have anything that stands out to me. I've only owned a few of them in the past and the bodies were way too light to have any balls to the tone. They were completely relying on the electronics for beef which they fell short in my ears.

But then again all about perspective. If your playing a Affinity and you get a Schecter, it's a way bitchin bass. If your playing a Musicman or anything in the higher end, it'll come off as a pile.

Well, mine is a 10lb bass. And I own and have owned a lot of high end basses in addition to the Schecter, yet it doesn't come off as a pile.