Thinking about it, if I were on the road a lot - traveling for work & whatnot, I'd bring one with just to practice - but I don't care for them otherwise.
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Are Steinbergers still sought after?
- Thread starter FishDub
- Start date
I have always lusted after those full bodied XM-2 Steinbergers, but alas they were never made lefty (as far as I know). My continued search for a similarly featured instrument led me to Status Graphite and I have owned several of them over the years. I really enjoy the lighter weight and compact feel of the headless design, and with Status I am able to use any string I want since it can take single ball strings. They are pricey, but the quality and available options are worth it to me.
Bought my first XL2 in 1985. It suffered a horrendous fall off a third story balcony during an earthquake while I was stationed in the Philippines in 1987. It fractured the neck and was unrepairable. Steinberger would not replace it due to the Act Of God aspect of the event. Luckily I had it insured and decided to take the money and buy a different bass. From then until this day I have owned five XL2 basses and still have the one I bought here on TB last year for 2k. Have installed a HAZ two band active system in it and I will never part with this one. I also have a 1987 Status Series 2000 all composite headless I rotate with the Steinie. The best thing I like about these bases is their stability, ergonomics and consistency of tone. I have used these basses to play all genres of music and they deliver the goods with many compliments about my tone. Plus me being of small stature with smallish hands the narrow neck works well for me. Are they in demand? For the people that want one maybe, but the basses are just like any other brand situation. It all depends on the musician, is it a good fit for them?
I want one so bad, played a lefty strung right at work a while back and loved that even though the fact that it was backwards felt ridiculous, also played a Hohner copy and loved it. Can't imagine how much fun it would be to own a real Steinberger, judgment from other players notwithstanding. Thanks to this thread, I am about to hit the classifieds.
yup,.. only slightly, though. i took a large flat screw driver and gently opened the gap barely enough for the .130 B string. surprisingly, the gaps were fine for the following guages!
(notice the very slight bend)
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My early 90s XM2A didn't require any mods when I strung it BEAD. I miss that bass...
I don't understand why more basses don't use a headless design. The balance of a headless instrument can be unbelievably good. I currently play and NS/Stick (NS=Ned Steinberger) It is headless and the balance is incredible. Move it to any position you want and it just stays there and that is with a regular guitar strap system (unlike the custom strap system on the original Steinberger basses.)
I play reggae so that may be why it's my ultimate weapon
It's perfect for reggae, you can roll the tone knob totally off but there is still definition to the notes, not just a lot of mud.
I still have my L2, sold my fretless L2 and XM2 though.
I used to downtune to DGCF in a celtic band with bagpipes pitched in D and G. I loved how I didn't have to change strings or adjust anything.
The late, great John Kahn who played in the Jerry Garcia Band regularly used an LX2 for about a decade alongside Jerry (from roughly '85 to the end in '95.)
Someone else mentioned Jim Tebow of the Schwag. For years he played in the resurrected JGB band alongside Melvin Seals and Stu Allen, playing the repertoire of Jerry Garcia using a Steinberger. Regrettably for Jimmy - he got screwed by the DEA and tossed into prison for "permitting illicit narcotic sales" on his own property during a festival in Missouri. I think he's out of the hell hole now and playing music again and he was great on that bass.
Someone else mentioned Jim Tebow of the Schwag. For years he played in the resurrected JGB band alongside Melvin Seals and Stu Allen, playing the repertoire of Jerry Garcia using a Steinberger. Regrettably for Jimmy - he got screwed by the DEA and tossed into prison for "permitting illicit narcotic sales" on his own property during a festival in Missouri. I think he's out of the hell hole now and playing music again and he was great on that bass.
It's a very untraditional look. A headless bass with a conventional body looks very odd to me. And the smaller bodies are even further from the normal look, though at least more self-consistent.
I rather like the look of some of the Kubicki instruments, where the body is substantial but with unconventional styling, the tuners are down by the bridge but there is still a streamlined bit of a headstock for the string fastening hardware. That's a look I would be very comfortable with and it retains the technical advantages of headless.
It will probably remain relatively obscure for a while though. There is a lot of inertia in instrument fashion.
Otto
I still have an Ibby Axstar. Very nice bass, a bit dull sounding now to my ears. Served me well in the past though.Hey guys, I actually wanted to get myself a Steinberger and then I saw the prices on eBay....the fact they all use special strings actually really rubs me the wrong way too. But the idea of a lightweight headless bass with two humbuckers rubs me the very right way, so I searched for other options, one of them being the Ibanez Axstar bass:
Supposedly it can use standard strings which I really like and they go for cheap on Ebay, does anyone have any experience with these basses? I really like Ibanez anyway so getting another Ibanez would actually be nice.
And yes, able to use regular strings.
Sought after by those who loved them back then. Like myself. I always wanted one, ever since I saw Pete Briquette playing one on Top of the Pops back in the early '80s
Got my XL2A back in 1990 (sold it in '95 and got it back ten years later!) and picked up an '84 L2 last year. In common with what most players say, I found it to be 'warmer' than my XL2A in terms of sound: sometimes, the circuit on the latter can seem a bit edgy. The L2 got sold to finance something else. But this year I managed to pick up a rare transitional L/XL lined fretless (hi, Mick!). It has the XL headpiece, bolts from the back but has the plug-in leg-rest (missing, of course) and the V2 bridge.
They always sell reasonably priced, IMO, though I have seen some rather optimistic asking prices and some of those figures being asked by HUSA are ridic. I had heard, a few years ago, about a geezer in the 'States who was buying up as many Steinys as he could and now I know who he is.
I'm still hunting, lazily, for an unlined fretless L or XL.
Got my XL2A back in 1990 (sold it in '95 and got it back ten years later!) and picked up an '84 L2 last year. In common with what most players say, I found it to be 'warmer' than my XL2A in terms of sound: sometimes, the circuit on the latter can seem a bit edgy. The L2 got sold to finance something else. But this year I managed to pick up a rare transitional L/XL lined fretless (hi, Mick!). It has the XL headpiece, bolts from the back but has the plug-in leg-rest (missing, of course) and the V2 bridge.
They always sell reasonably priced, IMO, though I have seen some rather optimistic asking prices and some of those figures being asked by HUSA are ridic. I had heard, a few years ago, about a geezer in the 'States who was buying up as many Steinys as he could and now I know who he is.
I'm still hunting, lazily, for an unlined fretless L or XL.
the new Bassplayer has a cover story with Cliff Williams (ac/dc) he had one but never liked the look of it - so he "took the guts out" and placed them inside a Fender Precision. who knows why but that's what he said.
I recently saw an XQ here in the classifieds and it really intrigued me. I may keep my eye open for another one since that one sold. I do agree Im not sure why more designers dont use the headless system, they balance so much better. I would love a headless Ric (like someone here on TB built) or a headless Wal (a Walberger!) THAT would be awesome!
