After a long wait while it was on backorder (unfortunately the case is STILL on backorder), I finally got my new Schecter Stiletto Custom 4 bass on Monday.
Now, I love the quality of this bass. The construction, paint job, knobs, bridge, and everything else about it just screams quality. Schecter really makes phenomenal instruments. The electronics compartment was shielded as well, and the electronics themselves were just amazingly well done with perfect solder joints, wiring, and placement in the cavity.
However… (There always has to be something doesn’t there?)
When I played it, it sounded too bright and way too thin. It had no body or fullness to the sound. This can be good for like say…slap bass applications, but it’s not great for regular playing. In addition to that, the strings turned my fingers black, and after two days of playing I had major callouses on my index and pinky fingers because of the drag and roughness of the strings. Now what caused all this? Well, it seems that Schecter saw fit to use Di’Addario coated nickel strings as their stock strings on their basses. Nickel strings sound really bright, but they also sound really thin. They also have a lot of drag when you’re playing on them, which caused the callouses.
Today, after looking up the stock string gague on Schecter’s website, I had Sharon run by Guitar Center and get me a pack of my favorite DR Hi-Beams strings. They’re stainless steel strings and sound full bodied and don’t tear your fingers up like nickel strings do. I can’t say enough good things about DR strings. They’re the only strings I use on my instruments when I have the need to change them. I still have a guitar and two basses with stock strings, but my Schecter C-1, my Fender bass and now this bass all have DR strings. When the others need changing, they’ll get DR’s too.
Anyway, after changing the strings, it was like playing a whole different bass. The sound was bright and full without being overly bright. The patch I set up for the bass is really punchy and it all just sounds awesome.
The neck on this bass is something special too. It’s a bit narrower and thinner than the necks on my other basses, and is just an absolute joy to play on. Someday, when I can ever afford it, I’ll probably get myself a Schecter 5-string bass too. I already have an Ibanez Sound Gear 5-string which I absolutely love, but having adding a Schecter to the mix for a bit different sound would be really cool.
Anyway, I hadn’t checked in here in a while, so I thought I’d pop in and tell you all about my new bass. 
I’ve been playing quite a bit with my friend Darwin lately and it’s been a blast. It’s so awesome to actually have someone to play music with.
Anyway, it’s late and I think I’m going to go play it a bit more through the headphones before I go to bed. Don’t want to wake Sharon up after all.
(Current Mood: happy
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