Schecter basses

[Al Krow]

Came across a couple of Schecter basses recently and realised I knew very little indeed about this brand!

If you've ever owned one then please do share your thoughts for good or ill on them. Happy to get the ball rolling with this really positive comment from a fellow BCer on another thread about 5 string basses, I've managed to dig out:
 

silverfoxnik said:

I've owned the following 5 string basses in my time ( though there may be a few others I've forgotten):

Tobias Classic 5
Musicman V
Wal Custom 5
MTD Kingston Heir
Fender Roscoe Beck V (had 4 of those)
Lakeland DJ5
USA Fender Jazz 5 Standard
Schecter Diamond P Custom 5
Andre Van der end JB
KSD Proto J 5
Yamaha 1005
Yamaha TRB5

All of the were/are great in their own way. More specifically, the Roscoe Beck's were the most versatile tonally, the most comfortable neck was the DJ5, and the Tobias was the most funky sounding Bizzarely, the Wal was the one I liked least. Of them all, the best value was/is the Schecter which is astonishingly good for the money. And the Andre Van der end JB5 is by far and away the most versatile and enjoyable to play. There's many others I'd like to try and own; Pedulla, Celinder, Alembic for starters, but they'll have to wait until my next lifetime! 😊

Edited December 20, 2018 by Al Krow

[T-Bay]

I had an Omen IV for a while, the build quality and finish was far superior to any Fender or Gibson I have had and it played nicely. I moved it on because I couldn’t get a sound that suited me but that was a personal thing really.

[dannybuoy]

I can't remember which shop (definitely not Wunjos) but a few years ago one of the guitar shops in Denmark Street had dozens of Schecter basses in their basement. In fact their bass range was probably 90% Schecter! Worth a look anyhow!

Edited November 4, 2017 by dannybuoy

[Al Krow]

[quote name='dannybuoy' timestamp='1509788891' post='3401600']
I can't remember which shop (definitely not Wunjos) but a few years ago one of the guitar shops in Denmark Street had dozens of Schecter basses in their basement. In fact their bass range was probably 90% Schecter! Worth a look anyhow!
[/quote]

Cheers dB - I was kinda wondering where I might be able to get my hands on a Schecter to try out. I'm a fan of Wunjos - Tom the manager there is a really good guy, but you're right I don't recall any Schecters when I got my Ibby SR from them - they seem to be focusing primarily on Warwicks and Ibbys (which just happen to be two of my favourite basses )

Edited November 4, 2017 by Al Krow

[CameronJ]

[quote name='dannybuoy' timestamp='1509788891' post='3401600']
I can't remember which shop (definitely not Wunjos) but a few years ago one of the guitar shops in Denmark Street had dozens of Schecter basses in their basement. In fact their bass range was probably 90% Schecter! Worth a look anyhow!
[/quote]

Ah, I think that might be “Westside” or something similar, a couple of shops along from Wunjo. They’re the only shop on Denmark Street who stock pedaltrain and MXR as well I believe.

[LoneFurrow]

[quote name='CameronJ' timestamp='1509791972' post='3401651']
Ah, I think that might be "Westside" or something similar, a couple of shops along from Wunjo. They're the only shop on Denmark Street who stock pedaltrain and MXR as well I believe.
[/quote]

You're quite right - Westside Distribution. They're the UK distributor for Schecter, Martin, MXR and Mesa Boogie, amongst others. They have masses of Martin acoustics and a fair selection of Schecter guitars. I haven't checked recently to see what they have in the way of basses. I'll be passing by Denmark St this afternoon though - can take a look and report back this evening.

Michael

[Bigwan]

I had a Schecter Model T a while back. I believe it was a continuation of the Rob Deleo signature. Came standard with Seymour Duncan pickups and pretty decent hardware. It was quite a nice bass. Nothing amazing, but did most things well.

[EliasMooseblaster]

[quote name='CameronJ' timestamp='1509791972' post='3401651']
Ah, I think that might be "Westside" or something similar, a couple of shops along from Wunjo. They're the only shop on Denmark Street who stock pedaltrain and MXR as well I believe.
[/quote]
[quote name='Bigwan' timestamp='1509957351' post='3402783']
I had a Schecter Model T a while back. I believe it was a continuation of the Rob Deleo signature. Came standard with Seymour Duncan pickups and pretty decent hardware. It was quite a nice bass. Nothing amazing, but did most things well.
[/quote]

I still have a Model T - and, as coincidence would have it, I bought it from Westside. At the time, I was considering pulling the trigger on a Fender but wasn't sure I could spare the readies for a US Std P. The Model T knocked the Fender Mex Std into a cocked hat, and didn't set me back very much more. If you can get on with the idea of a P-J bass with a Jazz-like neck then I'd heartily recommend trying one.

(Sounds great through an Ashdown valve amp!)

[thegummy]

Was looking at an old receipt the other day and was shocked to see how little I had to pay for my Schecter jazz brand new - 399 - cause I'm so used to its good quality.

Makes me wonder how good their grand plus basses must be.

[Al Krow]

Cheers for the feedback guys and I'll see if I can get across to Westside at the weekend (@LoneFurrow - did you manage to pop in and are they still stocking?)

It seems 'a lot of bass' for the money is very much where these guys are pitching there wares. I'd very much put Ibanez and Yamaha in the same 'value for money' bracket then, if that is the case and I personally think they are both two great brands.

I'm also on the look out for a first fretless bass (as you may have seen from the 'fretless' thread currently) - be interested to get your views on the Schecter Stiletto range? The [url="https://www.gear4music.com/Guitar-and-Bass/Schecter-Stiletto-Studio-4-FL-Bass-GuitarHoney-Satin/1N8T#full-des"]Studio-4 neck through[/url] certainly grabbed my attention!

[ribbetingfrog]

my second bass was a Schecter Stiletto Elite 5.
I loved that bass.
Neck through, EMG hz pickups, really comfy to play curvy body.
Sounded wonderful, looked incredible.

I eventually sold it as I got a Warwick and needed to fund the new purchase.
The Schecter was not as good as the Warwick but that was £1800 when new, so i’d hope it would be better.

Really was a great bass, I miss it muchly and would have it back in an instant.

Only downside it had was that the strings were a little too close together for me back then when I was still kinda new to playing.
I’d probably be fine with that now.

I own a Schecter guitar too, which is also great.

They are fantastic instruments for the money.

Schecter have a rep for being rock and metal instruments but they do many models much more suited for jazz and other styles.

The cheaper schecter are solid but could always benefit from upgraded pickups, the more top end ones me with seymour Duncan’s and are superb straight out of the box.

Diamond series are made in China, Indonesia or Korea.
The Korean ones are the higher spec models but my guitar is Indonesian and is really well made.

American made stuff has a superb rep but does cost a good chunk more.

My guitar is an absolute keeper, never going to get rid of it.
My bass I only moved on to upgrade to the Warwick but I genuinely wish I still had it.

Gorgeous instruments, great value, sound good and play well.

I kind of am a Schecter fanboy, my brand of choice.
My bass teacher introduced me to them, he had a schecter guitar that has been his main instrument for years.

[Al Krow]

@ribbetingfrog - thanks for that detailed piece of feedback and what a great endorsement of the Stiletto range. (And as it happens I'm also a fan of Warwicks... )

my second bass was a Schecter Stiletto Elite 5.
I loved that bass.
Neck through, EMG hz pickups, really comfy to play curvy body.
Sounded wonderful, looked incredible.

...Gorgeous instruments, great value, sound good and play well.

Definitely whetted my appetite to check this brand and model out! Cheers buddy. Edited February 15, 2018 by Al Krow

[LoneFurrow]

[quote name='Al Krow' timestamp='1510000365' post='3403193']
Cheers for the feedback guys and I'll see if I can get across to Westside at the weekend (@LoneFurrow - did you manage to pop in and are they still stocking?)
[/quote]

I did, and it was pretty disappointing from a bass point of view, to be honest. They had one Schecter Omen 4 (£449), and a JB63 Lefty (£1,999). That's it. A nice Mesa D800+ head that caught my eye though :-)



They can get pretty much anything in that you want - up to ~ £500 without a deposit, but thereafter they'd prefer a deposit.

Hope that helps.

Edited November 6, 2017 by LoneFurrow

[Al Krow]

LoneFurrow said:

I did, and it was pretty disappointing from a bass point of view, to be honest. They had one Schecter Omen 4 (£449), and a JB63 Lefty (£1,999). That's it. A nice Mesa D800+ head that caught my eye though :-)

They can get pretty much anything in that you want - up to ~ £500 without a deposit, but thereafter they'd prefer a deposit.

Hope that helps.

Ok thanks that's very helpful to know and agree that's a bit disappointing. The model I'm looking to try out is a fair bit over £500 and I'm a bit loathe to get it on 30 day return from a retailer such as Gear4Music but I guess that may end up being the only option if nowhere local is physically stocking Schecters. I assume the deposit is forfeited if you don't buy? I guess if it was £20 or less forfeitable deposit I could live with that, anything more then probably not!

 

Edited February 15, 2018 by Al Krow

[LoneFurrow]

[quote name='Al Krow' timestamp='1510010186' post='3403303']
I assume the deposit is forfeited if you don't buy?
[/quote]

I certainly hope not as they're the UK distributor. I didn't specifically ask, I'm afraid, so give them a call to check. I've done similar with Guitar Guitar though on several occasions - they might take a 10% deposit to move stock from one store to another, but they'll always refund the deposit.

GAK has a fair range of Schecter basses in stock if you fancy a trip to the seaside, in November!

[Rikki_Sixx]

I've always liked Schecter, though I don't know much about them (history, where they're built, etc). My mate has a Schecter guitar of some sort and the fit and finish is superb. Don't know anything about the electronics, tuner quality, etc but it sounded fantastic, was really playable and incredible value for money (I think it was around the £500 mark). Pretty versatile too, he uses it for everything from metal, rock and blues to pop and funk.

I think I've played one of their basses in PMT and it was lovely, really well put together. I'd gone in specifically for a particular Jazz though, which is what I walked out with!

I bet if you spoke to someone at a place like PMT or Dawsons then they'd bring one in from one of their other stores for you, if they have one.

[uk_lefty]

Andertons have a YouTube video on various Schechter basses. I'm intrigued by them as they do most of their stuff in lefty but it's usually on an "available to order" basis so that puts me off if I don't like them.

[thegummy]

One thing about Schecter is that they often come with "mods" pre installed. Think this might be a nod to the fact they started out as a mod shop.

My jazz bass came with a push pull that coil taps the relatively hot pickups to give a more vintage output. Rarely see that on jazz basses.

The ones made in Korea are made in World Musical Instruments which is a very highly regarded factory. If you Google it you'll likely find it being praised widely. It's the same factory who make PRS SE and the Chapman high end range as well as Ltd and others.

Re: the mention of electronics, this may actually be a weak point as I've had a bit of an issue with the alpha pots they use.

[Horrorhiker]

On 06/11/2017 at 14:54, EliasMooseblaster said:

Ah, I think that might be "Westside" or something similar, a couple of shops along from Wunjo. They're the only shop on Denmark Street who stock pedaltrain and MXR as well I believe.

I had a Schecter Model T a while back. I believe it was a continuation of the Rob Deleo signature. Came standard with Seymour Duncan pickups and pretty decent hardware. It was quite a nice bass. Nothing amazing, but did most things well.

I still have a Model T - and, as coincidence would have it, I bought it from Westside. At the time, I was considering pulling the trigger on a Fender but wasn't sure I could spare the readies for a US Std P. The Model T knocked the Fender Mex Std into a cocked hat, and didn't set me back very much more. If you can get on with the idea of a P-J bass with a Jazz-like neck then I'd heartily recommend trying one.

(Sounds great through an Ashdown valve amp!)

I may be raising this thread from the dead but I'm looking at the model T session as a cheaper alternative to a Fender Am pro. Realise you might not have that model but was curious as to what you feel about it a few months on. Happy or wish you saved up for the Fender? Cheers. 

[Sibob]

I've always been keen to try a Baron: http://www.schecterguitars.com/bass/baron-h-vintage-detail

But never seen one in order to try, should have gone along to them at NAMM, but totally forgot.

Si

[EliasMooseblaster]

2 hours ago, Horrorhiker said:

I may be raising this thread from the dead but I'm looking at the model T session as a cheaper alternative to a Fender Am pro. Realise you might not have that model but was curious as to what you feel about it a few months on. Happy or wish you saved up for the Fender? Cheers. 

I can never remember which of the "Session" and "Studio" models is the active or passive version - I have the passive one!

I think it was about 2013 I first picked mine up, and it's still one of my favourites after all that time. Funnily enough, I did have a go on a US Std about 12 months after, and started to wonder if I should trade the Schecter in. The fact that I'm still happy with the Model T, and not really pining for the Fender that badly, makes me think it was the right decision to stick with it. They are different, no two ways about it, surprisingly so for two ostensibly similar designs, but I don't think the Fender was necessarily £500 "better" than the Schecter. I still maintain that the Model T is a wonderful instrument.

[Andytre]

i picked up a diamond Jazz bass for £200 probably the best jazz I've ever played, hipshot hardware (or very good copies) EMG pups and a great preamp. finish and build quality was amazing. but unfortunately i don't really like jazzes so i got rid. really want to try a diamond P bass or Model T. the new model T basses look amazing in my opinion.   

[Horrorhiker]

1 hour ago, EliasMooseblaster said:

I can never remember which of the "Session" and "Studio" models is the active or passive version - I have the passive one!

I think it was about 2013 I first picked mine up, and it's still one of my favourites after all that time. Funnily enough, I did have a go on a US Std about 12 months after, and started to wonder if I should trade the Schecter in. The fact that I'm still happy with the Model T, and not really pining for the Fender that badly, makes me think it was the right decision to stick with it. They are different, no two ways about it, surprisingly so for two ostensibly similar designs, but I don't think the Fender was necessarily £500 "better" than the Schecter. I still maintain that the Model T is a wonderful instrument.

Thanks for the reply. The one I'm looking at is the active one. The session series are ash, with active EMGs: 

https://www.gak.co.uk/en/schecter-model-t-session-bass/110644?gclid=Cj0KCQiA2Y_UBRCGARIsALglqQ1RUlioiY1oQi454qviFHlx52KwkiY3HbITL-Mwl-dzqy20PPHbYGYaAgl8EALw_wcB

It has really got me in a  massive quandary as I am exactly in the middle of saving for the US Pro Precision (£1500), but I LOVE the look of the Schecter. A bass hasn't grabbed me visually like that for a long time, and the more I look into it, the more 'wow' I get. I like how it sounds on Youtube videos, and they seem to get almost universal praise. I've had a look and there is nowhere remotely round here to try one out. It's around £700, and I cant help thinking that I could buy this and a Sire Marcus Miller as a back up plus a whole load of beer for the price of just the Fender.  Worst case of GAS I've ever had. 

[Horrorhiker]

51 minutes ago, Andytre said:

i picked up a diamond Jazz bass for £200 probably the best jazz I've ever played, hipshot hardware (or very good copies) EMG pups and a great preamp. finish and build quality was amazing. but unfortunately i don't really like jazzes so i got rid. really want to try a diamond P bass or Model T. the new model T basses look amazing in my opinion.   

I really just need someone to give me a little nudge and I can see myself going for the Model T. They are getting towards the price of a decent used Precision, which gives me pause, but truthfully, I prefer the looks of the Schecter, and if it's almost as versatile as a P, that would probably do me. If it was passive, or had the option, I would also be a bit more trigger happy on it probably. 

As I just said to Moose, I'm in the middle of saving for a Am Pro Precision, so it's not a light decision to take, particularly as there is no way of getting to try one out easily. Would be a gamble. And if you like to gamble, I tell you, I'm NOT your man (usually). 

[White Cloud]

The branding on an instrument often gets in the way.

Schecter are certainly not one of the "trend" marques - but they make factory manufactured basses that are at least as well designed, built, great sounding and playable as anything else on the market at a comparable price...or much more. I always think that the name playing the instrument is more important than the name on the headstock in any case.

i would certainly have no hesitation in buying one if that was my thing.