Schecter Stiletto Elite-5 5-String

ok i was playing a fender squier P-bass that sucked but i have been playing for 1 1/2 to 2 years. i needed a new bass i wanted a five- string so i played Ibanez, OLP, yamaha, fernandes,and fender. Nothing seemed right but the warwicks but it was out of the question. so i picked up this schecter with honey burst finsih it is beatiful. gold hard ware. it has a neck thru body s4 jumbo frets to soap bar emg HZ an active preamp 2 band hi and low volume for each pick up, 2-tek saddle bridge a string gets its own saddle. bit heavey at 9 -10 punods i payed $630 for it and comes with a warrenty it fits my need for rock, blues jazz, slap.

i have to give it a 10 i cant seem to geta bad tone but it would be cool to have mid tone control fast neck its not wide either it has a smooth crisp sound and the B string shakes everything. sounds great d-tuned. great for soloing the pre amp is quiet it doesnt make noise all the way up.

i gave it a nine cuz the knobs were loose but that i fixed and also cuz its a bitch to get to the battery. but the string set up was great and the pick up hieght to. i wish it had a thicker sting gauge low it high (45/65/85/105/125) it came with GHS but ill put daddarios on or DR's the truss rod needs no adjust ment

i play everyday on my own once a week at jazz practice twice a week in my rock band. it hold out good i played it indoors for jazz there was no problems and i played outdoor too and no problems. i have a rock gig in july and it should do me well no need for a back up. never had my strap bottums fall off but on my next trip to guitarcenter im getting dunlop strap locks.

i emailed schecter with a shit load of questions and they answered them all in a day!!!!! thats service when i need my squier fixed i waitied and waited for answers schecter really cares

i have been playing for almost 2 yeArs and i have not played anything better (except vintage fenders and warwicks) it is a great bass for the money and if this bass was stolen i would do anything i could do to get it back plus kick myself for getting it lost or stolen it sounds great for anything effects sound great on it it beats ibanez's hands down//

2002 Elite-5. Bought it in Sept 2002. I've learned from other owners that the bridge screws have been changed from round head to flat head...obviously an improvement. Honey Sunburst - beautiful finish and nice workmanship. EMG-HZ Passive pickups with preamp. All other details are as described by former reviewers. Bought it from Guitar Center (West Palm Beach) for $590.

The sound is full, clear and Piano-Like. Definitely different than my MM Stingray, but that's what I was looking for. Great sustain, great fundamentals.

Action, fit and finish were good, though I might have some adjustment done as far as neck relief goes - personal preference.

Still early yet, but I'm not concerned with longevity. Replaced the Strap buttons with Dunlops, but I do that with all my basses. I don't see a need to have a backup with the music I'm playing right now, and my MM Stingray would add a totally different sound.

I'm using a Carvin head with any or all of the following: 2 single 15" Bag End cabs, and 1 2X10 w/piezo Peavey cab..depending on what's needed. The Elite 5 sounds best with the 10" cab. I have to roll out some low end if I'm using the 15"'s...a little boomey on the B string.

My major concern (and I haven't seen this addressed yet) is the fact that intonation adjustments will be a bear. There is no adjustment screw, and the saddle has to be loosened AFTER loosening the string, retightened, and checked. If the adjustment isn't right, the process has to be re-done (similar to an acoustic guitar). I will likely replace the bridge if intonation becomes a problem....and maybe, throw in a set of Bart's, only because I really like them. Otherwise, it looks great, it fits me well, the 24 fret neck is great, through-body neck, solid...an exceptional buy for under $600.

I bought this bass from musiciansfriend.com for $600 including shipping. It is made in Korea (excellent quality though) I got it in black cherry finish. It has a 35" scale maple and walnut neck through body, a 4 piece maple body, a rosewood 24 fret fingerboard, and a beautiful flame/ quilt maple top (kind of halfway in between the two). It has EMG active soapbar pickups, two volume/ two active tone knobs, an S-Tek bridge, and all gold hardware (including screws and strap buttons). Tools and a cable were included. The only things I wish it had were an ebony fingerboard and a string through body bridge.

I play rock, worship songs, punk rock and metal, and it is perfect for pretty much anything out there. It has beautiful sustain that lasts forever and ever. I use it with an old Yamaha amp (I don't know what type). The B string is very tight and full. It is not noisy at all on any settings. With my usual settings it has a deep bass sound with some nice treble but not much midrange. It can cover pretty much any sound out there, and it has a full sound when slapping. The only bad things are that the A string sounds a little quieter than the others and that it lack a midrange knob.

The first bass I recieved from them had a badly warped neck (and as a result terrible buzzing). The second "bass" I recieved was an S-1 Elite guitar (musiciansfriend's fault). When I finally got my bass it had perfect action. All the rest was fine and the finish is perfect.

I have to play without a backup due to low monetary supplies, but it is rock- solid. By the day this thing falls apart, heck will have already frozen over. Even if I had another bass I still would not be afraid to play without a backup. The strap buttons are very solid as well. Still, take care of it! It's too beautiful too hurt.

Musiciansfriend.com was very nice about the whole thing with the returns and they paid for the shipping, but it was a big hassle (and whoever sent me a guitar from the shipping department is an idiot). I think the neck was warped because it probably stayed in a hot warehouse too long. Schecter has a warranty for it, but I'm not sure how long it's for. I still recommend musicinsfriend.com due to their prices, however.

If this bass was stolen, I would first cry for a long time, suffer from depression, eventually save my money, and buy a new one. I wouldn't get anything else (except maybe a Stiletto Studio 5). I love its beauty, tone, and sustain. I chose this one after months of looking on the internet and at stores for the right one, and this was it. The only things it needs to be perfect are a midrange control, a string through body bridge and an ebony fingerboard. For $600 (and even if it costed $1000), this is as good as it gets.

2002 made in Korea, setup in USA. 5 String Fretted. Black Cherry AAA Flamed Maple finish...just plain GORGEOUS. All other features have been stated in other reviews. I do want to add that the neck is not thin...it doesn't feel like a little toy in your hands, like my old Ibanez 895 and 885 5-strings did. It feels like you can grab a hold of it, and really play hard! The weight is almost perfect and the balance is very good, although with a nylon type strap, it slides down like it is a little neck heavy, but a nice leather strap...and it stays put with little effort.

I play metal, and it fits just fine....Sound is variable, so it fits every style known to the modern musician. Nice fat sound for ballads, and a great punchy one for heavy metal....WITHOUT A PICK!!!!! I play through a Hartke 3500 head and 410BXL cab...a perfect match...the eq on the head adds color to the already great tone out of the bass. Plays great in the studio...looks even better on stage with the lights hitting the black cherry finish. The balance is perfect for studio work...when you sit in a chair or on a stool, you seem to forget you have a big ole bass on or between your thighs. The bass is VERY quiet...except when the tone knob is turned ALL THE WAY UP...crank it back a hair, and any noise is eliminated. In the studio, I go direct...no amp...and the tone is so perfect, that I don't even have to EQ it through the board....just adjusting the control knobs, pan or volume knobs gets me any sound I need.

This bass was bought at Guitar Center of Cherry Hill, NJ, but was ordered straight from the factory and was picked up before it was even taken out of the box from the warehouse...to my surprise, the action was perfect, have not had to adjust it yet. I read on one of the other reviews about the nut being bulky or something like that, I find it to be wonderful, non-obtrusive, and I play a lot of low stuff on the neck....the reason why I needed the 5 string! The pickups were adjusted correctly, and sound very bright when needed. The only flaw I noticed was the finish had slight swirl marks from polishing it at the factory before shipping....that was easily removed by polishing it with GHS guitar polish, the good kind! The tuners are rock solid, and have not once gone out of tune...even when the bass sits for a couple days!

As far as durability, this bass has not seen many gigs, since it was only purchased about 2 months ago, but it is the only bass I play live, with an old Ibanez RoadStar 4 string as a back up, although I have not pulled the Ibanez out on stage. Like I mentioned before, this bass does not feel like a toy...as do many basses for under $600. The hardware finish is good and looks like it will last as long as the finish of the bass....although it is gold, and I would prefer black with this finish. The Black Cherry Flamed Maple finish is so deep, you could get lost looking into it. No comment on strap buttons, as I replaced them with Dunlop Strap Locks, as I recommend anyone does, if you don't want to drop your bass...EVER! All my basses have 'em...can't live without 'em. This is one dependable bass, I looked long and hard for an affordable 5 string , trying anything and everything, not really paying too much attention to cost, but to overall quality, and reading other reviews such as this one...this will be in my arsenal for a VERY long time to come. The neck is straight as an arrow, and has not needed to be adjusted in it's short life.

Never had to deal with them about this particular bass, but have emailed them with questions prior to purchasing, and they responded within 24 hours.

Schecter has a lifetime limited warrantee, and as long as nothing is really wrong with it from abuse, they will fix and return. Guitar Center will also fix anything on the bass for the entire time the original owner has it.

BEST BASS UNDER $1000.....A QUALITY NECK THROUGH FOR UNDER A GRAND....UNBELIEVABLE. I have been playing bass for 14 years, and have owned BC Riches, Fenders, Ibanezes, Rickenbackers and have found this to be THE BEST I have owned. Some people have to own many guitars/basses at the same time...this is the only bass you will ever need. If it was stolen, I'd be in jail for beating the crap outta the guy....if it was lost...I would run out and buy another, no doubt. The only thing I would want to add on the whole bass, is I would have a separate compartment for the 9 volt battery, because it is a pain to have to unscrew the whole back plate just to replace the battery.

Purchased new from Guitar Center in 2002, this was made in Korea. For a Korean made bass, this thing is pure butter, I love it. It's a 35" scale with a 2 octave neck (24 frets). This is a 5 string bass that came with a low B, but I go rid of that and strung it up with a high C, or you can consider it a "tenor" 5 string, normal EADG tuning only with the higher string a C (EADGC). For those of you who are searching for a bass to tune with a high C and you're limited to 6-900 dollars this is the bass for you. Maple body and neck with (i believe) a 3 piece laminated neck. It is a neck through containing to humbucking EMG-HZ active pickups. 2 volume controls control the volume of each pickup and then there are another 2 controls with control the treble and bass for both pickups. Rosewood fingerboard.

I am mainly a jazz player, hence my high C; I prefer soloing in the upper registers. This bass has an INCREDIBLE upper register, but as wih ANY bass, this will need some work done on it. The frets are uneven and I get rattling on the open E string and fret buzz on the first 5 frets. This can be cured hopefully by getting a nut with greater elevation, and that would get rid of the fret uzz without having to fork out another $100 for a fret job (if this company spentmore time on there fret work on each instrument, the isntrument would be $300 dollars more, and this buzz is not even a big deal). To compromise for the higher nut, I would just need to lower the bridge saddles and it would feel the same. As far as fret buzz goes, it is little compared to the buzz and dead spots you'd find on a Fender. This bass is great for funk, slapping sounds great, this bass would basically replace my Fender Jazz, 20x better, 2x the price. Strings dont die on this thing, there is never a DULL sound as youd get with shorter scale basses, and I think tension of the strings have to do with it. The Neck-through construction and scale length plays a great role on keeping these strings alive. I've had this bas for 2 months now changed strings 3 days after I got it and put a high C on it. The strings are cheap D'Addario strings and they last longer andsound better than exensive DR's did on my Fender Jazz.
I would prefer this bass for the stage as it's got superb looks AND sounds over my Fender Jazz and fretless Fender P. I'd save the fenders for Direct input into the sound board for the studio as moststudio guys are used to dealing with "the Fender sound". If I were to be Mic'd in the studio, Id use the schecter. The only problem is is the fret buzz, again, its no big deal compared to any Fender I've played. Harmonics register nicely with this bass. I've never heard a bass that had such good harmonics.

I was impressed with the playability when I playedthis in the shop. I got home and did a setup myself and the sound and playability improved 5x. I suggest having someone set this bass up for you before you leave the shop if you have no experiencewith setups. Finish is excellent. Smooth easy neck, my thumb glides across the back of the neck. Action is pretty low and it's got kick as response.

This bass is reliable. PERIOD. The hardware will last, so will the neck, keep in mind, this is a neck through, so if you &*#&^ something up, you can't just replace the neck. This is my first bass that actually looks nice, so I wouldn't jump around with it unless I had an expenive ass strap. ANY bass dropped on hard floor will develop pocket's in the wood that progressively get WORSE with the weather, so take good care of it. But the bass is reliable. Thick finishm study hardware sturdy strap buttons that dont come loose and very dependable. I would use it without a "backup" at a gig. But basically the only backup you need is a 9 volt battery that will go dead once or twice a year considering its active electronics. (You will know when it's dead when you ear farting noise from youramp if you have a reliable amp. Don't blam the amp before you blame the battery!)

Haven't delt with them, but I found a Mail-in Warranty in my gig bag 3 weeks after I purchased the bass. Problem is is you have 10 days t get it in, so that kind of sucks. But I suppose the warranty is still useful if you have a reciept of when you bought it.

This bass is great. As soon as I get afew more buck Im gnna get a new nut put in because its too low. That should improve the already great sound. For $600 dollars, this is a steal. Literally, A NECK-THROUGH 35" scale bass length for that price, AND it sounds good you cant go wrong. I was a FENDER FREAK for the longest time, now own this bss I can't play fenders anymore. And it kicks Ibanez behind too as well as everything else undr $1,000.

Okay, this is an update post... exactly one lunar year after I got the bass (I'm not kidding...) My first review is right before this one...

Still a great bass... I reshielded the bass, and the buzz is gone (it should be noted that I probably didn't even need to do this: apparently my house only has one or two truly grounded outlets, and I don't usually use them...)

Let's see... what else... All the problems I mentioned in my first review, I fixed relatively easily. I fixed the fretbuzz, fixed the nut problem, I also put the action MUCH lower my filing down the actual bridge pieces (the carbon composite pieces).

Just make sure to keep it clean...

A pretty sweet bass, a great value, and I'm looking forward to getting my new Schecter Stiletto Studio six-string!

Setup in California, but made in Korea (don't let the tags fool you), this bass is awesome. 24 frets, 5 strings, quilted maple top with mahogony body wings. It's got two volumes, a decent bass & treble boost/cut, wired through 2 humbuckers (EMG-HZ) that sound great, the neck one has a great jazzy tone for deep down, almost upright sound. The bridge pickup has a tone that really cuts too, great for that Stu Hamm style slap that I love oh so much.
It's got a great bridge design, the setup for the bridge would have been great, but there was some ugly fret buzzing on the E and B (I mean a lot!) that I just couldn't stand. After a few easily made adjustments with the included tools, the action was perfect for me. Intonation is another story though... The bridge doesn't seem to allow for enough room to make the necessary changes.
Oh yeah, forgot to say, it's neck through.
Anyway, as for the tuners, they're OK, gold finished, but they looked like (for some reason every Elite-5 I've tried had this same problem) someone at the factory god their sweaty paws all over my new bass and didn't clean up. That can lead to some corrosion on the tuners (yes, the tuners have corroded a little), so clean it up quick when you get it.

This bass's sound is great. It's very versatile, but I don't like the EQ too much. It's decent, I'll probably keep it, but I'm gonna get a panning pot to replace the second volume control.

Well, the setup as far as bridge stuff goes was great. The frets seemed to be horribly uneven or something on the E and B though, you just don't get that kind of buzz when frets are level even if the action is too low.
The bass came to me in good shape, but the nut seems a little clunky, whenever I sweep my hand fast towards the headstock, that pointy little edge on the nut pokes into me. Just file/sand it down though, that'll do fine.
Also, the control knobs on every Elite I've tried were uneven, but that doesn't require much to fix.
Remember though, don't ding Schecter too much for the contruction stuff like that, that was not done by them. If you want, order a custom US-made one.

Once it's setup, it'll do fine for everything, the only worry I have is how long it'll last after I do something stupid to it on accident...

Dealt with the compnay a few times, nothing big, just asking about what type of strings they use on the bass... They were generally helpful and knew what they were talking about most of the time. I only give a 6 because I shouldn't have had to email them to find out what strings were on it, there should have been a manual or at least something online.

I've been playing for quite a while, and I've been around with quite a few basses. This one is right near the top of the list. Great for any level, any playing style. However, if you're a more advanced player and have plenty of money, I'd suggest either getting Schecter to make it themselves or get something else. This bass holds its own with every other bass in the price range, but once you start getting into $900 and up, quality of craftsmanship might be noticeably different.

It has a 35" scale, 24 frets, no markers on the fret board except on the 12th fret, however fret markers on the neck binding, rosewood fingerboard, maple neck, Mahogany body w/quilted maple top. The electronics were EMG-HZ pickups with active tone circuit, 2-band EQ, 1 volume, and 1 "blend" knob to mix the pickups or use each seperately. The finish is honey sunburst (Gorgeous!) with gold hardware, and an "S Tek" bridge.

I've been playing bass for over twenty years and this bass is my favorite of any bass I,ve player with a retail price tag under $1200.
Wonderful Deep and brilliant sound! Very versitale! Pickups have plenty of gain without getting muddy and extremely quite! Go from warm and punchy to soft to booming bottom to a great funky snap! VOTED BEST 5-string for anything under $1200 hands down by me! I owned Fenders,Carvins,Samick,Peavey, Ibanez and played countless boutique models that did not have this one's sound quality!

The action is low and easy to finger pick or slap lightly and the funk is in your face! Get up find a Schecter dealer and try one out I promise you you will not be dissapointed! S-tec Bridge eliminates overtones from neighboring strings. Finish is sweet! I believe Shecter tweeks the hell out of it before it leaves there center because the action on mine is perfect! Well built professional grade instrument!

Durable as hell! Necks is through body and is straight as an arrow!
Multi laminate gives so much more stabilty than a single piece neck! I will be surprised if I have to adjust anything for quite some time because it plays so damn easy you don't need to pound the crap of it like many basses!
I consider myself very picky and was never satisfied with any Bass until I got my hands on this one a couple month's ago!

Don't know never had to contact them because Schecter Did a great job Specing this product!

Buy one before the words out and the price is $1000 or more! If it were stolen I would hope I never found the thief! I am still stunned that I got this much for $599.00! Restored my faith that there is a company making great instruments without ripping back pocket of your Levi's. Enough Said! Happy Gigging!

I recently played a 2001 Schecter Stiletto Elite 5 string. It had a 35" scale, 24 frets, no markers except on the 12th fret, rosewood fingerboard, maple neck, Mahogany body w/quilted maple top. The electronics were EMG-HZ pickups with active tone circuit, 2-band EQ, 1 volume, and 1 "blend" knob to mix the pickups or use each seperately. The finish was black cherry with gold hardware, and an "S Tek" bridge. The tuners were ca;led "Diamond". Thats all the info I have on this bass.

This bass is simply the shit!! I looked at the price tag ($550 dollars approx.) and was weary of how this bass would measure up. My jaw hit the floor right after I hit the first note. The pickups had tons of volume and clarity without any of the typical "bottoming out" of some 5 strings. This bass is capable of producing damn near any sound you're going after. I slapped, popped, thumped, picked, and fingered this bass for about 20 minutes. IT sounded great for any style of music. I COULDN'T PUT IT DOWN!! Can go from bright and punchy to mellow and fat. Metal, Jazz, Funk, Rap, Rock, and even R&B, this bass will do the trick! Practically no noise from the pickups.

The action came super low and solid. Every note was powerful, clear and easy to hit. No dead spots, perfect intonation, stayed in tune even thru the most stressful slaps and pops. Came flawless from the factory as far as I can tell.

This bass played and felt like a dream. I don't own one yet so I can't really attribute my idea of how long it lasts to anything. But from the first note I it on it, I was in love. This bass feels like it can do no wrong. lol

The guys at the store are very reliable (I've dealt with them many times before) but I never dealt with the Schecter customer support team.

Now, I've been playing for about 6 years now and I've played and owned a LOT of equipment. I am greatly looking forward to adding this magnificent bass to my arsenal of instruments. This bass plays just as good as any Tobias or Spector or Washburn I've ever played. Schecter has gained a faithful customer in me.