Schecter - Do we care?

[Sean]

From what I see Schecter design, contract manufacture and sell some really good instruments (basses). There are signature models that are very impressive and some through-neck models from that Korean factory that does that particular thing so well that Spector trusts that factory. Schecter even has a selection of 12 and 8 string basses.

 

I've had a Schecter, it was magical. A Stiletto 8-string. I gigged it quite a bit but when that band folded I sold it to buy pet food, toothpaste and underwear.  It was MIK, through-neck and as good as anything I've played, I suppose. I put Nord Big Blades in it and even Carey messaged to ask about it.

 

Why do Schecter basses not get much love? Why do they depreciate so much? Why are they hard to sell?

 

The Elite SLS with Fishman pickups and preampidas glowing reviews but these basses seem to go under the radar.

 

Schecter depreciation is horrific, probably more than Yamaha. There are some amazing Schecter bargains to be had but the brand being very associated with metal seems to be plagued by low second hand pricing and very little desirability.

 

So, why do we see so little love for this brand in both the UK and in the world of bass???

 

Edited Wednesday at 04:08 by Sean

[Maude]

Meh 🤷

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Sorry 😁

[bloke_zero]

Same with G&L. I know there is some love on here for them, but in the rest of the world people are a bit like @Maude - So many basses! So little time!

[Beedster]

For me, the models I notice look a bit derivative and cheap, but tend to be quite expensive, for example (first one I came across).....

 

 

It's a competitive market, Fender have most of it sewn up, and there are players such as Sire coming in with some very high quality and low cost instruments. 

[Beedster]

7 minutes ago, bloke_zero said:

Same with G&L. I know there is some love on here for them, but in the rest of the world people are a bit like @Maude - So many basses! So little time!

Yep, G&L suffer a little from the same syndrome I suspect, we respect their quality, but would prefer not to have to own one 🤔

[Gank Bass]

They have some beautiful instruments but they don't have that defining usp I guess? They're good enough for Dug so they must be doing something right!

[Sean]

15 minutes ago, Gank Bass said:

They have some beautiful instruments but they don't have that defining usp I guess? They're good enough for Dug so they must be doing something right!

Is he on the pay roll?

[80Hz]

They just don't seem to be that well known in the UK. Where would you go to put hands on one or get a sense for the range? I think you'd be on a bit of a mission.

 

I played a 7 string Schecter guitar once which was really excellent, it gave any Ibanez or ESP/LTD a run for its money.

 

I dig the FreeZesicle by the way. Am I the only one?

[Gank Bass]

7 minutes ago, Sean said:

Is he on the pay roll?

 

They release a new sig for him every couple of years but I've never seen one in the wild to try

[80Hz]

23 minutes ago, Beedster said:

G&L suffer a little from the same syndrome I suspect, we respect their quality, but would prefer not to have to own one 🤔

 

Is that because of depreciation? Or there's just more exciting things out there?

[2elliot]

I have a Schecter Simon Gallup Ultra Bass, the EMG TBHZ pickups sound excellent, the build quality is great and it's a nice weight. 

 

I wouldn't hesitate to recommend this bass to anyone looking for a Thunderbird type bass. I much prefer it to the Epiphone Thunderbird I had previously.

 

You will need a very long strap if you want maximum cool, though. 

 

 

 

[bigsmokebass]

Price.
Great designs, specs and seem to be constructed well but the price tags are hefty in an age of increasing prices and people’s pay grades remaining still. 

As per mentioned, with the likes of Sire churning out crazy good instruments and such competitive prices, they’re now becoming the status quo of what you can buy for good quality and a decent price. Harley Benton behind that, despite what initial quality control was like, are still producing crazy good instruments next to nothing. 
 

[PaulThePlug]

 

Headstock Shape?

Shallow but, what's with G&L?

The Schecter P is more 'Encore'

Harley B (Aria) look way way better.

 

[Russ]

1 hour ago, 80Hz said:

 

Is that because of depreciation? Or there's just more exciting things out there?

G&L make excellent basses, even the inexpensive ones are great, with a sound of their own. 

 

I think their problem is visibility - there's very few pros that you see playing them out there. It's a bit like the issues Yamaha has, but more so. Those who know, know, but you've mostly not heard of them.

 

When you buy into a brand, you feel like you're going to be joining a club of likeminded players, and there really aren't that many big names you could say you're in that club with when you play the likes of G&L, and most of the players on their endorsers page are probably better known for playing other brands. 

[Sean]

6 hours ago, Beedster said:

Yep, G&L suffer a little from the same syndrome I suspect, we respect their quality, but would prefer not to have to own one 🤔

 

I've never had a G&L sell quickly. I've had a cheap one on sale since Xmas. Not even a sniff.

 

Saying that, the Schecter I had was on eBay for about 18 months before it sold. No enquiries, not even a cheeky offer and then one day someone did a BIN.

 

I was looking at Spector Dimension basses with the Fishman system and the search engine brought up a used 5 string Schecter SLS Elite on eBay, very pretty, it's like new and they cost ~£1450 retail (no case or gigbag). It's on for £899 and offers are coming out at £800 and it's still there. It got me thinking about why they're so unloved and hence this thread

 

I guess that by the time that sells it'll be seeing >50% depreciation on an immaculate instrument. The seller's pics and listing don't do it any favours either.

 

Now, let's say you bought that for £700, played it for a year, looked after it and then decided to sell on. Even though it's a high spec bass with rave reviews on YT at a relatively low price, it's going to be tough to sell on.

 

Moving back to the Spector Dimension 5 (that I've been looking at) or the Ethos 5 as a close comparison to the Schecter (neck-thru, Korea etc), from what I see they don't seem to take such a big depreciation hit and don't hang around as long.

 

 

 

 

[neepheid]

I sold my G&L Tribute LB-100 in 4 days...

[neepheid]

12 hours ago, Beedster said:

Yep, G&L suffer a little from the same syndrome I suspect, we respect their quality, but would prefer not to have to own one 🤔

 

Who is "we"?  Do you mean "I"?  Who put you in charge?

[Beedster]

1 minute ago, neepheid said:

 

Who is "we"?  Do you mean "I"?  Who put you in charge?

There’s more than one of me mate 😆

[Beedster]

4 minutes ago, neepheid said:

I sold my G&L Tribute LB-100 in 4 days...

Celeb factor 👍

[neepheid]

Just now, Beedster said:

There’s more than one of me mate 😆

 

Your separate personalities don't get a vote each, that's not how it works

 

[patrikmarky]

I had this for a while ..looked stunning in my opinion but beauty’s in the eye of the beholder 😉..the quality was exceptional and those fishman pups are awesome …must own up that the truss rod was seized so it had to go back schecter & guitarhuitar were good offered me an equivalent as it was discontinued ..I did have a couple of model T exotics for a while ..quality was top notch still a lot of money when you have sire doing an equivalent for half the price 

[neepheid]

After indulging this G&L flavoured sidebar, back on topic - Schecter.  A vendor I'm well aware of but not much of their stuff matches up with my taste radar.  The FSOs they do seem competent enough, with fancy woods and an extra fret or two.  When it comes to their own designs, I always thought the Stilletto was a handsome bass, but always admired from afar.  There is one (sadly discontinued) bass of theirs I would love to make the acquaintance of at some point - the 4 string Hellcat...

 

I'm a sucker for a triple pickup bass, can't help it

 

[80Hz]

11 hours ago, Russ said:

When you buy into a brand, you feel like you're going to be joining a club of likeminded players, and there really aren't that many big names you could say you're in that club with when you play the likes of G&L, and most of the players on their endorsers page are probably better known for playing other brands. 

 

Yeah this is a salient point. I think the "club" idea is also part of wider brand recognition irrespective of artist roster, which is always churning. And with apologies to Sean for the derail onto G&L, I'd say this applies to Schecter. Not being embedded in metal much these days, there's plenty of names I recognise on their artist page, but not so much that (currently) aligns with my tastes (which are always changing!), or more importantly what I like to play.

 

It's interesting to put that in contrast with Sire's strategy of getting two widely recognised names on board right at the start. Well, not sure how well known Larry Carlton is to the kids, but you get my point - it brought them instant eyeballs from a wide range of players, even if they are really a copycat brand, albeit doing it well.

 

Interesting thread though, perceptions are important because we seem to agree that the instruments themselves are technically excellent. I will now add Schecter back in to my "basses to check out if the opportunity presents" list!

 

[Sean]

4 minutes ago, 80Hz said:

I will now add Schecter back in to my "basses to check out if the opportunity presents" list!

 

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/286283976640?mkcid=16&mkevt=1&mkrid=711-127632-2357-0&ssspo=SslWKgHaRUK&sssrc=4429486&ssuid=6MnoMIQiQQC&var=&widget_ver=artemis&media=COPY

 

There's one to put on the list.

 

For me it falls into the category where I would have to play it and feel comfortable with it before buying. Whereas something like an Ibanez SR, Fender Jazz, Yamaha, Spector would be much more of a bass that I'd buy from just photos. Too many unknowns for me including resale.

[80Hz]

4 minutes ago, Sean said:

Too many unknowns for me including resale.

 

I think there's a general call here for Schecter owners to bring them to bass bashes! We need to put hands on them!

 

I see Peach Guitars have a handful in stock. As do Rich Tone. The Exotics are pretty for sure.