Schecter Stiletto Extreme-4 BCH Bass Guitar Review
The market for intermediate electric bass guitar is large and there are many good options. I learned this recently when I was doing some research of my own to find the ideal intermediate bass. I decided that the Schecter Stiletto Extreme-4 BCH was the perfect fit.
Things to Consider Before Buying an Intermediate Electric Bass
An intermediate bass has a few important characteristics to check before buying. First of all, the pickups and other electronics make a big difference to the sound, so get a feel for how they work. The body shape and wood also affect sound and comfort. The build quality determines ease of use and durability. The other elements like the bridge, action, and tuners also affect play.
The Schecter Stiletto Extreme-4 BCH
The Stiletto comes from Schecter, one of the more well-known metal guitar companies. That said, the Stiletto will perform well in any role. It has a beautiful design and a great tone. The handiwork is of high quality. The Stiletto isn't perfect, but it has great value for this middle zone in the electric bass market.
Features and Benefits
Design
It is not often that you can describe an electric bass as beautiful, but Schecter pulled it off. Both the Black Cherry and the See-Through Black have an intricate surface pattern under the laminate that changes how it looks based on the light. The squat body is comfortable both standing and sitting. The neck plays fast due to its thin profile. The Stiletto is attractive, easy to play, and well-balanced.
Tone
The biggest feature on the Stiletto related to tone is not the pickups, but the included active EQ. That gives you great control over the sound you produce. Not many guitars in this price range have this feature, both standard and bass. The preamp permits for shaping the sound before it hits anything else in the signal chain. The pickups themselves are Schecter humbuckers. It would be good to see an outside company make them, because that way is better than in-house design, but that would also drive up the price.
Value
At $450, the Stiletto is at the lowest end of the intermediate market. For that money, it can put out professional quality sound and the design is significantly better than the rest of this market segment. That is the key to finding good value in a bass: identifying a model that outperforms its category. The Stiletto does that on multiple fronts. The bolt-on neck and house pickups are the biggest flaws, but even those are comparatively minor. The pickups are easy to upgrade if necessary and the neck joint affects only the sustain. Schecter invested their money carefully to accentuate the bass's strengths and minimize its weaknesses.
Rating
Design
5
Performance
4
Construction
4
Value for the Money
3
User Satisfaction
4
Alternatives
Schecter Guitar Research Omen Extreme-4 Bass
The Omen line from Schecter is very similar to the Stiletto line. The body design is slightly more elongated and less curvy than the Stiletto's. This changes how it feels to play while sitting down and alters the balance slightly. The other major change is the pickups. They are still Schecter-designed, but they are of Schecter's Diamond line, which is a little warmer. It has the same woods, manufacturing, neck joint, and EQ.
Comparison
Schecter Omen Extreme-4
Price: $450
Pickups: Schecter Diamond
Schecter Stiletto Extreme-4 BCH
Price: $450
Pickups: Schecter
Ibanez SR250 Electric Bass
The SR250 from Ibanez is a budget option at $300. The body is made of nato wood. The neck is bolted on with a cutaway in the body at the base of the neck to access the higher frets, of which there are 24 in total. The pickups are CAP EXF-N2 and it comes with a 3-band EQ.
Comparison
Ibanez SR250 Electric Bass
Price: $300
Pickups: CAP EXF-N2
Schecter Stiletto Extreme-4 BCH
Price: $450
Pickups: Schecter
Epiphone Goth Thunderbird IV Bass
The Goth Thunderbird from Epiphone is a great example of the Explorer-style body shape, with softer modern curves, a Celtic cross on the body, and a gothic "XII" inlay. It's a different aesthetic but it has its own style. The tone is quite good thanks to the house Thunderbird Plus pickups. It's a good fit for people coming from standard guitar because it uses the same mahogany and rosewood that most guitars use.
Comparison
Epiphone Goth Rhunderbird
Price: $350
Pickups: Thunderbird Plus
Schecter Stiletto Extreme-4 BCH
Price: $450
Pickups: Schecter
Final thought
The world of intermediate bass guitars is large. The price range is from about $300 up to about $600. The best values are in the lower half of that range, and that's just about where the Schecter Stiletto Extreme-4 resides. With its excellent EQ and eye-catching finish, the Stiletto draws attention without breaking the bank. The tone is flexible and versatile enough to fit any band's needs. The drawbacks include some pickups that could be better and the neck joint. Anyone who enjoys this bass will still get good value out of it if they spend a hundred or two on getting and installing a new set of pickups, and it will still be cheaper than a pro-level bass. If you want to see the criteria we are selecting these guitars, make sure you follow our best bass guitar guide. There are some alternative options but none can deliver this combination of price, sound, and appearance. For other guitar guides check it here.