Disadvantages to headless basses?

[Gilmourisgod]

The question is backwards: What advantage do headed basses have over headles? A headless design eliminates most of the disadvantages of traditional design, not the other way around. The body can be relatively light because it doesn't have to offset weight of tuners and headstock at the end of a long lever. Straight pull tuners are inarguably superior to any traditional tuner system. My Steinberger will stay in tune for MONTHS, and its impervious to temp or humidity changes. I'm sure it's possible for a graphite CF neck to have deadspots, but ive never played a Steinberger that had any, and never played a wood one that didnt. I don't get the knock on double ball strings, I've had ONE break in 35 years, and I've never had any trouble getting the gauges I like online.

 

[NecroticImbecil]

Every time I slide down, I miss the note, my hand goes off the end of the neck, my balance changes, I fall over and my car keys dig into my leg causing me to bleed profusely.

Headless basses are dangerous!

I know where you're coming from. The first time I slid down to the first fret on a Steinberger my left hand flew completely off, bounced off the ceiling bruising my knuckles, and landed on the snare drum. Even worse, after getting it reattached, due to the tiny Steinberger body when I slid up to the 24th fret I punched myself into singing soprano.

The only problem I have had with headless basses is that it makes me wish all of my basses were headless. I have never encountered or heard of a problem with dead spots before this thread, so I don't believe it's universal.

 

[Herrick]

My Steinberger will stay in tune for MONTHS, and its impervious to temp or humidity changes.

Doesn't the tuning stability have more to do with the graphite composition rather than being headless?

 

[Gilmourisgod]

Yeah,any bass without a volute has no tactile "end of neck" indicator until you run your hand into the headstock wings. I never touch the headstock while I'm playing. Are Fender and T-Bird players routinely whacking their hands against the headstock searching for that elusive first fret? This is a total non-problem for anybody but a complete beginner.

 

[Frank77]

Please don't let the comments about dead spots scare you.

None of my basses (traditional or headless) have blatantly obvious dead spots - the only way I can tell is when my octaver gets consistently poor tracking on a certain note that is technically well within its tracking range. Yes, for some reason with my headless the octaver can't track the open A string too well (whereas with my "traditional" bass this same weirdness occurs on the first C on the G string), but when this effect is off I absolutely can't tell there's anything weird going on...

...and that's a very minor annoyance considering all the benefits: The balance is perfect, tuning is super stable, no more big tuners that you can hit accidentally (or that can dent other stuff), it fits in a guitar case, and it sets you apart from the majority. I do love my other basses, but the ergonomy of my headless is just unbeatable.

Do it! Once you get a taste for it you'll have a hard time going back!

 

[marcwhy]

And just to be clear, the headless I'd be buying would be able to accommodate any strings. It wouldn't require double ball ends. So that wouldn't be a disadvantage.

Thanks in advance for any input.

Is there a particular one you're planning on buying, then we may be able to comment on that, rather than "in general?"

 

[Gilmourisgod]

The Steinberger and it's clones tuning stability has two sources, rigid graphite neck, and straight line pull, like drawing a bow, no twisting forces imposed on the string. Once the strings go through initial stretch, there's nothing that can slip, the neck isn't moving in response to weather, so there isn't any reason for it to lose tune. I think my record was 6 months in a case and it came out PERFECT. It probably stays in tune longer, that's just the longest I've left it. I don't think that kind of stability is possible with any wood neck except maybe a Kubicki, which has what amounts to an LVL neck.

 

[Humbled]

Couple of these posts I laughed till I cried.

Thanks for that.

 

[Tim Schnautz]

I know that the look of a headless bass is a turnoff to many people. Regardless, I am considering buying one (a very expensive one). I have owned 800 billion basses in my life, but never a headless.

The claimed advantages are many (less weight, better weight distribution, no dead spots, better tuning, etc.). But to those of you that have played them extensively, are there any disadvantages with a headless bass? Anything that drove you crazy that I might be missing?

And just to be clear, the headless I'd be buying would be able to accommodate any strings. It wouldn't require double ball ends. So that wouldn't be a disadvantage.

Thanks in advance for any input.

For me playing a Steinberger Spirit was I felt like my hand was going to slide off the end.

 

[chris_b]

I don't own one one yet, but I have no problem with headless basses if they sound good enough. I seriously thought about buying a Status Streamline some time ago. Cool basses.

 

[Herrick]

The Steinberger and it's clones tuning stability has two sources, rigid graphite neck, and straight line pull, like drawing a bow, no twisting forces imposed on the string. Once the strings go through initial stretch, there's nothing that can slip, the neck isn't moving in response to weather, so there isn't any reason for it to lose tune. I think my record was 6 months in a case and it came out PERFECT. It probably stays in tune longer, that's just the longest I've left it. I don't think that kind of stability is possible with any wood neck except maybe a Kubicki, which has what amounts to an LVL neck.

That is interesting. My Kiesel VB5 has dual-trussrods which I think are carbon fiber. It can't beat that 6-month record but I don't have to tune it that much.

What's an LVL neck?

 

[DJ Bebop]

Dead spots on wood neck headless basses?
I need to listen to my Cort bass and check for that
BTW mine also stays in tune for months with a wooden neck, as well.

 

[wraub]

I'll echo the above re: the lack of a volute causing some loss of tactile impression, but it's a short adjustment time ime.

 

[India_Sierra]

I've been playing headless basses since I was 16 years old. I have consistently found that there are myriad advantages to headless design and few, if any real disadvantages.

The biggest issue for me is string choice. If you need to use double ball ends then that does limit your choice but there are plenty of good options around. If you don't need double ball end strings then the world is your oyster.

Some headless basses require a little application of technique and know-how to get them strung. Both my Kubicki and Bogart basses required a specific technique to string them quickly and easily. Once you know how, it's quicker than changing a string on a traditional tuner.

Other than that, not much to complain about. I love the smaller shape, the balance benefits of moving the weight of the tuners inward, the sonic benefit of a rich, even sounding bass which either has no discernable dead spot or moves them so far up the neck you won't even notice them.

 

[chuck1073]

I've had a Steinberger L2 since the 80's. Toured with one back in the day. No real disadvantage when it comes to sound. That bass is pretty flexible. While it excels in bright, ringing "piano tones" you can certainly dial it down with a combination of muting and knob twisting. I've never strung one with anything by double balled-end strings so....that could be an issue, I suppose.

 

[Old P Bass Guy]

It's just...... unAmerican! Very cruel and unusual punishment to a bass!

 

[JIO]

A very versatile headless bass - Kubicki Ex-Factor - no disadvantages

 

[packhowitzer]

So my NS Design CR5s are sort of Ned Steinberger's successor to his headless basses of days gone by. Are they truly headless? In my opinion, no. There is a metal plate that lets the ball end of the strings drop in and there is a generous bump out on the back of the neck so that your hand doesn't feel like it's falling off the end of the neck as you head toward the first fret.
But, in general, I think these basses would get lumped in the headless group since the tuning mechanism is obviously on the bridge.
Regardless of the semantics, I love mine and have very few complaints. The only issue I've had with mine is that the bridge design does not do well with coated strings - they slip out of tune. I bought the fretted one first and always played regular rounds on it. Never a moment's problem. When I got the fretless a year or so later, it shipped with flats. It was my first fretless and though I wanted to play rounds on it, I (naively) thought that maybe coated strings would be easier on the fingerboard. I ordered a set of Elixirs and they wouldn't stay in tune. Switched to regular rounds and problem solved. Incidentally, the regular rounds are not harming the ebony board in any way.
I love these basses. They are truly thunderous and Ned Steinberger is a dang genius.

Below- the "headstock":

 

[logdrum]

I like them. If it's a good deal, I'll get me a Kissel.

 

[pingvuiini]

One small problem I encountered on my Status Fretless 6 string was using regular (non double-ball) strings with the allen screws. After tightening the strings down you snip off the ends which can be very sharp.

Those sharp ends will cut skin, damage furniture and shred the interior of gig bags. I solved the latter problem by buying a cheap plastic cup.