steinberger neck bow

shwashwa · #1 06-09-2010, 04:20 PM

so i just got a steinberger XL-2, from the 80's. the neck has a pretty significant forward bow. when i hold the strings down on the first and last fret there is a good size gap under the string at the 7-9th fret. the action is much higher than i usually play on. is there anything that can be done about this?

djembe · #2 06-09-2010, 04:27 PM

Take it to your friendly, neighborhood instrument tech and have them adjust the truss rod.

vstring3 · #3 06-09-2010, 04:33 PM

Something doesn't sound right - are you sure it's an XL-2? I'm surprised it needs an adjustment. I thought the XL-2's were neck-through graphite?

shwashwa · #4 06-09-2010, 04:44 PM

thats why im asking this question. there is no truss rod in these basses as far as i know

Slowgypsy · #5 06-09-2010, 04:44 PM

XL-2's have a solid graphite neck... there is no truss rod in them or any adjustment mechanisms. Are you sure you have an XL-2? I ask because those necks are like solid steel and don't bend easily.

vstring3 · #6 06-09-2010, 04:46 PM

Yup, that's why I asked as well.

shwashwa · #7 06-09-2010, 04:48 PM

positive

Slowgypsy · #8 06-09-2010, 05:01 PM

Well... sorry to say this, but... you've got a problem that your neighborhood instrument repair shop probably can't resolve. I'd suggest contacting a repair shop that has expertise in this field. One of the largest and most respected places is: http://www.peekamoose.com

IPA · #9 06-09-2010, 05:14 PM

Did you stand on it like in the video?

shwashwa · #10 06-09-2010, 05:23 PM

well, i have 7 days to send it back. i think i might. i dont know if the neck has moved or if it was just manufactured with alot of relief in the neck, but it's much more than i usually have in my basses

markorbit · #11 06-09-2010, 05:27 PM

Yeah mine has a similar issue. Mine buzzes on all the high frets with the action set as low as I would like on the Berger. I sent it across the Atlantic to Peekamoose in NYC but to be brutally honest they did not fix the problem at all. To their credit they had a second go at it (at their expense) but in the end I wasted about 18 months and over £800 (I had new SS pickups as well). The neck is no better at all. Complete waste of money.

I got every reason under the sun why there was such little progress over the time frame with one month just drifting into another. In the end I was just pretty glad to get the bass back.

Which is a shame as I used to own an L2 in the 80s and that neck was perfect with just a tiny bit of relief.

Anyone who tells you that graphite necks don't move over 20-odd years is wrong. They can. (Not all do of course.)

I hope you get more success than I did with Peekamoose.

Oh you have 7 days? My advice would be to ask yourself would you keep it as it is.

shwashwa · #12 06-09-2010, 05:34 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by markorbit

Oh you have 7 days? My advice would be to ask yourself would you keep it as it is.

nope. ill probably send it back

alembicbones · #13 06-09-2010, 05:40 PM

Bummer deal about your XL-2. If you end up keeping it, you could try setting the bridge saddles low and use as light a gauge string to minimize the forward bow. Probably not a perfect solution but it might make the bass more playable.

Best Wishes,
Bones

s4001 · #14 06-09-2010, 05:45 PM

Does Moses have a forum where they could offer advice about graphite?

waleross · #15 06-09-2010, 07:05 PM

I have a Steinberger Spirit with neck issues. Oh, it sounds great and is fun to play up to the 10th fret after that its buzz city. I bought it as a demo from a large Music Chain( Not GC!!!) for $400, so I'm not out a lot of money. I had it set up and the2nd and third frets on the d string buzzed. The action was way too high for me, so I went to another guitar shop and they improved it a little but thats all. So, for now its sitting pretty in my living room waitng for me to start messing with it again. In addition to these adjustments, I replaced the bridge which didn't solve the problem.

Slowgypsy · #16 06-09-2010, 07:20 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by waleross

I have a Steinberger Spirit with neck issues. Oh, it sounds great and is fun to play up to the 10th fret after that its buzz city. I bought it as a demo from a large Music Chain( Not GC!!!) for $400, so I'm not out a lot of money. I had it set up and the2nd and third frets on the d string buzzed. The action was way too high for me, so I went to another guitar shop and they improved it a little but thats all. So, for now its sitting pretty in my living room waitng for me to start messing with it again. In addition to these adjustments, I replaced the bridge which didn't solve the problem.

You have a Steinberger Spirit, and you replaced the bridge?
With what??