Schecter Stargazer-4 - Overview and Best Prices
- 3 Prices - New from $999 >
- From Schecter's 2011 Stargazer series
- Made in Indonesia
- 4 strings
- 34"'' scale
- 16" Fretboard Radius
- Mahogany top
- Mahogany back
- Mahogany sides
- Maple 3-pc neck
- Ebony fretboard
- Bridge pickup: Schecter USA M-25 (Humbucker/Passive)
- Neck pickup: Schecter USA J-25 (Single Coil/Passive)
- 1 volume and 2 tone Dome knobs
- Diamond Custom Bass bridge
- Bass Thin "C" Neck-Through neck
- 22 Jumbo frets
- TonePros "M Series" tuners
- Side-By-Side Comparison
Show Specs
| Schecter Stargazer-4 | ||
|---|---|---|
| General | ||
| Brand: | Schecter | |
| Year: | 2011 | |
| Configuration: | HS | |
| Strings: | 4 | |
| Made in: | Indonesia | |
| Series: | Stargazer | |
| Colors: | Black | |
| Left-Handed Version: | Yes | |
| Body | ||
| Type: | Solid Body | |
| Body Material: | Mahogany | |
| Bridge: | Diamond Custom Bass | |
| Neck | ||
| Neck Joint: | Neck-Through | |
| Tuners: | TonePros "M Series" | |
| Fretboard: | Ebony | |
| Neck Material: | Maple 3-pc | |
| Decoration: | Blocks | |
| Scale Size: | 34" | |
| Shape: | Bass Thin "C" | |
| Thickness: | 1st Fret: 0.787'' (20mm) - 12th Fret: 0.905'' (23mm) | |
| Frets: | 22 Jumbo | |
| Fretboard Radius: | 16" | |
| Nut: | Black Tusq XL | |
| Nut Width: | 38mm (1.496'') | |
| Electronics | ||
| Bridge Pickups: | Schecter USA M-25 (Humbucker / Passive) | |
| Neck Pickup: | Schecter USA J-25 (Single Coil / Passive) | |
| Switch: | 0 | |
| Knobs: | Dome | |
| Pickup Mods: | Coil Split, Parallel Split, Series Split | |
| Volume Controls: | 1 | |
| Tone Controls: | 2 | |
| Hardware | ||
| Strap Lock: | No | |
| Hardware Color: | Chrome | |
Our Scores and Tone Evaluation
- Heavy Metal
- Hard Rock
- Jazz
- Blues
- Funk
- Country
Schecter Stargazer-4
- Expensive Wood
- Black Tusq XL Nut
- Top Brand Pickups
- Neck-Through Build
- Coil Split, Parallel Split, Series Split Pickups
- Cheap Fret Wire (NS)
- No Locking Tuners
- Made in Indonesia
- No Weight Relief
- No Luminescent Inlay
- No Active Preamp
- No Compound Radius Fretboard
- No 21:1 Tuner Ratio
- No Retainer Bar
- No Strap Lock
Price Overview
Its average competitor's price is $550, which means that the Schecter Stargazer-4 costs around 82% more than the competition. It might be due to it having additional features, but know that you can find cheaper similar alternatives. This takes into account all instruments of the same category in our database with 4 strings and Fixed bridge that are made in Indonesia.
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User Reviews & Feedback
Not all instruments are created equally. That's why it's important to have different opinions. Here's what our users who have played this instrument say. If you've played it before, help others by voting below!
Weight
VoteTuning stability
VoteNeck speed (thickness)
VoteNeck access to high frets
VoteNeck profile shape
VoteFret edges
VotePickups noise
VotePickups power
VoteOften Compared With
Hand Size Comfortability
After taking into account the neck profile, scale size, fretboard radius, and nut width, we can conclude that the Schecter Stargazer-4's construction favors people with relatively small hands.
Nevertheless, this comes down in the end to personal preference. Make sure you test this bass—or another one with similar characteristics—before buying.
Beginner Friendliness
The Schecter Stargazer-4 meets 3 out of our 6 criteria items for beginner friendliness, which means that it's not bad for beginners, but it could be better. This takes into account the type of frets, scale length, nut width, bridge type, fretboard radius, and neck profile to determine the easiest combination for new players to get used to.
New Player Friendliness
Schecter Stargazer-4- Comfortable shape
- Tall frets
- Comfortable neck
- Comfortable fretboard
- Narrow nut
- Short scale
Videos
Playability
Scale Length
Scale length is the distance the strings will span between the bridge and the nut. It can tell you a lot about the overall playability and tone of the instrument. A longer scale length means longer distance between frets, brighter tone and more string tension—which means lower action, but more difficult bending of the strings.
Here's the Schecter Stargazer-4's 34" scale length compared to other common sizes:
This is considered a long scale bass, and it's the most popular choice for several reasons. Even though it might be more difficult to play than short scale basses due to their increased string tension, their punchier low-end results in a clear and defined bass tone that can cut through in a mix, making them well-suited for genres like rock, metal, and funk.
Neck Profile
The neck profile tells you the thickness (neck depth) and shape in cross section. Every difference will completely change the feeling and comfortability of the neck. This is a highly subjective thing, but most players indeed prefer certain types of necks (like Cs and Ds) because they feel nice in most hands.
The Schecter Stargazer-4's neck thickness is approximately 0.787'' (20mm) at the first fret, and 0.905'' (23mm) at the twelfth.
These measurements were taken either from the official Schecter website, or, in case this information wasn't provided, by researching multiple online marketplaces and forums where owners of this model have posted their measurements.
It has a C type neck. C-shaped necks like this have been the most popular for the last years. The reason is that they feel good in most hands. It's generally a thin neck that doesn't get in your way when playing fast, but that also has enough mass to give your hands a comfortable grip for chords if they aren't too big.
Thin necks like this make it easier to move your hand across the neck and it helps when playing fast solos, especially if you like to leave your thumb free while playing high on the fretboard. However, thinner necks are also weaker and will need adjustment more often than a thicker neck.
Fretboard Radius
When it comes to fingerboard radius, personal preference will dictate which one is better for you. However, most people seem to agree that a more curved (lower) radius will make it easier to play chords while a less curved (higher) radius is better for soloing and bending.
The Schecter Stargazer-4 has a 16" fingerboard radius.
Here's an image comparing this fretboard radius to other popular choices:
This fretboard radius is really different than Stratocasters, but it's also a lot flatter than Les Paul fingerboards. It'll heavily favor soloing over playing chords. This doesn't mean you can't use it for chords, but it will be more comfortable to play chords without muting strings in a more curved fretboard. Bending and sliding without losing sustain will also be more likely in a flat fretboard like this one.
Compound radius fingerboards give the best of both worlds. Unfortunately, the Schecter Stargazer-4 has the same radius across the board.
Nut Width
The Schecter Stargazer-4 has a nut width of 38mm (1.496''). This is within the most common range of nut widths for a 4-string bass. This is what most players find as a balanced width for both playing chords and single notes across different strings. If you have an "average" hand size, or you're not sure what nut width you'd like, this is a safe bet.
Frets
The Schecter Stargazer-4 has 22 frets. Even though 24 frets has become really popular, there's still a good reason to get fewer frets; the pickup at the neck position will be further away from the bridge. This makes the neck pickup achieve a warmer tone. You might want this if you're playing Jazz or similar genres.
However, if you don't care about the warmer neck pickup, more frets will always be better. It's always nice to have the option to play higher notes if you want to.
It comes with nickel silver frets, so they won't last as long as stainless steel frets. If you use your instrument a lot, you might need to replace the frets after a few years. But this is unlikely as most people change instruments before this happens.
Fret Size
Finally, let's talk about fret size. Some people prefer tall frets because it's easier to press the strings and perform bends since there's less friction against the fretboard. On the other hand, some people like shorter frets because they like to touch the fretboard when playing, or because they got heavy hands and tend to press too much on the string and alter the of the note pitch accidently.
The Schecter Stargazer-4's frets are Jumbo size. This is a tall fret size that is becoming increasingly popular because it makes it easier to press down the strings cleanly. With this fret size, you won't feel the fretboard when playing, so if you press down too hard, you will get the notes out of pitch. However, this is something you can overcome by getting used to the taller size.
Playability Score
Tone
Wood will have little influence in the final tone of an electric guitar or bass. Instead, the hardware, especially the pickups, will be the most important thing to look at. Bur first, let's see the quality of the wood.
Wood
Mahogany Body: This is the type of wood found in many top-of-the-line guitars, so that's a positive point for the build quality. This red-looking wood Mahogany is found in Africa and Central America and has great sustain and a warm tone due to its high density. The downside about this type of wood is that it's relatively heavy.
Maple Neck: This is one of the most popular types of wood used in all kinds of guitars. It's heavy, strong and compact, which makes it great for necks. However, it's also used for fretboards, bodies and tops due to its light color, resistance and beautiful patterns. When it comes to tone, it highlights the mid and high frequencies.
Ebony Fretboard: This is one of the most expensive woods there is, which is why it's mostly used for fretboards. It is dense, heavy, highly resistant and comes in a really dark color that gives any guitar a classy touch. Tone wise, it helps the high side of the spectrum and provides good sustain.
Pickups
This bass comes with pickups from one of the top brands: Schecter USA. So you can expect well built pickups with great sound that shouldn't need an upgrade anytime soon.
These are passive pickups, so you can expect a rounder sound and a moderade level of output.
Preamp
The preamp is an electronic circuit that serves as an intermediary between the bass's pickups and the amplifier. Its primary function is to boost and shape the bass's raw signal before it reaches the amplifier. This allows for greater control over the bass's tone, volume, and other sound characteristics. Preamps often include tone controls, equalization settings, and sometimes even onboard effects, enabling bassists to tailor their sound to their preferences and the musical context.
This bass has a Passive preamp. A bass with a passive preamp lacks an onboard electronic circuit for tone shaping and signal boosting. Instead, it relies solely on passive pickups and basic tone controls, typically consisting of volume and tone knobs. Passive preamps don't require an external power source like batteries, making them low-maintenance and dependable. While they offer a simpler and more straightforward tonal character, passive basses are appreciated for their warm and vintage sound, often favored in genres like classic rock, blues, and funk. They are an excellent choice for musicians who value the simplicity and timeless appeal of their instrument's tone without the need for active electronic components.
The Schecter Stargazer-4's configuration is HS. One humbucker at the bridge will give you a lot of output, but you'll also have the bright sound of a Tele or Strat neck pickup for your clean tones.
More with the same pickups
Versatility
It has Multiple switch option. The first one is Coil Split. It allows you to 'split' or turn off pickup coils to get even more tones in combination with the pickup selector. When used with humbucker pickups, it'll reduce the output and increase their clarity, turning them essentially into single-coil pickups.
It also has a Parallel Split option. Some pickups will be wired in parallel (the input and output are wired together). This is how the typical Stratocaster pickups are usually connected, so you can expect a very bright sound when activated.
It also has a Series Split option. Some pickups will be wired in series (the ground wire of one is connected to the hot wire of the other). This is how Humbuckers are usually connected, so you can expect a fuller sound with more output than two single-coils connected in parallel.
What music genre is it good for?
As a 4 strings, Solid Body bass with HS configuration and Passive pickups, we'd recommend it for genres like Hard Rock or similar. However, you can use almost any bass for any genre. This is just the typical type of music for this particular one.
Sound Score
Build Quality
Country of Origin
Knowing where the instrument is produced is a good way to know how well it's built. Some manufacturing countries are known for having higher quality standards. For example, most expensive instruments are made in the US or Japan, but there are some exceptionally great countries—like South Korea—that are building a good reputation.
The Schecter Stargazer-4 is made in Indonesia. Many people prefer the quality of an Indonesian guitar over a Chinese. Respectable brands like Epiphone, Ibanez and Schecter are building in this country because of the great quality and lower price. Some people like to compare them to the ones built in Japan during the 80s, when Japanese guitar makers made a name for themselves.
Still, remember that we're taking about Schecter here, which is a brand with good renown. They know how to use cheap labor in this country without sacrificing too much quality. So you shouldn't end up receiving a useless or ugly instrument.
Bridge
Diamond Custom Bass: The advantage of fixed bridges is that they don't require any kind of set-up. This makes it extremely easy when changing strings because you don't need to adjust anything besides tuning the guitar. Also, the fact that the bridge is directly attached to the body will help to increase sustain. The disadvantage is the lack of versatility since you can't create the same vibrato effects as with tremolo bridges.
Nut Material
Another important thing to analyze is the nut material, as it's one of the most important aspects that can affect the sound and playability of your bass. A well-cut nut will make sure it stays in tune and will make it more comfortable to play.
In this case, the Schecter Stargazer-4 has a Black Tusq XL nut. It's not made of plastic or low-quality materials. They're made to resemble the sound you get from bone and ivory nuts, but with slippery materials so the intonation and tuning are stable. Also, each nut is carefully cut to ensure you won't have tune stabilization problems.
Neck Joint
The neck joint is the part where the neck of the bass meets the body. There are three main techniques to attach both parts together: Set-In, Bolt-On and Neck-Through. The latter two provide different advantages, although neck-throughs are the most expensive.
This bass has a Neck-Through neck joint. Many people believe a neck-through build delivers the best sustain because some of the vibrations from the neck aren't lost like with other neck joints. However, no one has been able to prove this. What we know is that a neck-through build is usually the most comfortable when playing the upper frets because there's nothing on your way at the neck-body joint.
