I’ve never tried tape wounds on my headless (have tried several sets on my old jazz and never cared for them) but certainly have played flat wounds on my headless basses. I’ve got a new headless custom being built right now that will be a fretless single cut version of the bass above and it’ll have flats on it for sure (Labella Gold’s).
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Downsides/Cons of Headless Basses?
- Thread starter halcyo
- Start date
What kind of hardware is on your bass? Have heard this mostly about the Hipshot headpiece
I played a Steinberger XL-2 when I was a full-time road dog. I was often in parts of the country that didn't have double ball end strings, so I used the adapter and cut the strings off. These were so sharp that they shredded the inside of my gig bag in no time at all. I would bump into other people on the stage and cut them.
I would still be using that bass today if it weren't so dated looking. It sounded great, I loved the instrument's balance, and the tuning gear ratio was to die for.
I would still be using that bass today if it weren't so dated looking. It sounded great, I loved the instrument's balance, and the tuning gear ratio was to die for.
I have several different mfgs… the 2-part above is by ETS and not sure who makes the monorails for Status. Also have Steinberger bridge/headpieces on others and will be using a Nova headpiece on another build I’m doing now. The Hipshot system is also very nice.
What's holding the bass up? You have a model number for that?
- Jan 26, 2014
- 768
- 1,555
- Disclosures
- Endorsing artist;DNA Amplification, GHS strings
Owned a Steinberger many years ago. Sold it off pretty quickly.
I never realized how much the weight of the headstock effected my playing. Vibratos were way off, it effected my movements a little as well.
I guess I would have gotten used to it eventually, but my main bass was a '79 p-bass and they're just so different in feel and playability, I just sold it and bought another p-bass.
I never realized how much the weight of the headstock effected my playing. Vibratos were way off, it effected my movements a little as well.
I guess I would have gotten used to it eventually, but my main bass was a '79 p-bass and they're just so different in feel and playability, I just sold it and bought another p-bass.
It's a GS405B
(You can't see the bottom parts due to the Duke recessed back of body... They are perfectly spaced for holding it. Excellent for the Status streamline too)
I played them back in the 80’s. Loved them. They are lighter, smaller, and no neck dive.
I move around on stage a lot. A Lot. And they are just better.
Having said that they just look too weird for the style of music I play now. (Metal /Hard Rock)
I move around on stage a lot. A Lot. And they are just better.
Having said that they just look too weird for the style of music I play now. (Metal /Hard Rock)
Sliding can feel a bit different.
On a related note, I'd guess that many Gibson designs could benefit from a well-designed headless variation. It will relieve the neck dive, without changing the look too much or sacrificing their awesome tone and sustain.
On a related note, I'd guess that many Gibson designs could benefit from a well-designed headless variation. It will relieve the neck dive, without changing the look too much or sacrificing their awesome tone and sustain.
Jazzdogg
Less barking, more wagging!
I sold off a beautiful candy apple red hotrodded Gibson Epiphone EB-0, which sounded super but was an ergo pain.
Heavy weight (mahogany!), giant heavy headstock, and stylish too-short 'bully' horns causing extreme neck dive.
A short scale though you'd never know it from playing it or lifting it. Sounded and looked so good I wanted to love it. But arthritic pain after ten minutes use meant I sold it on, making another bassist happy. Sigh.
DB: Wind tuners out, drop balls into holes at both ends, wind to tension/tune. After a couple of goes you'll know how far to wind the jaw out so the balls just sort of pop in. With some practice this is really fast.
SB: Wind jaw out, pop in ball. Thread through headpiece, hold tension on string, tighten locking screws. Wind in jaw to tune. Some have suggested using a bicycle cable puller to pre-tension string, but I haven't bought one to try yet.
I've been playing headless basses for 30 years. I see no real big cons in a headless bass. I own an '88 Steinberger XL-2, I've owned a 4-string and a 5-string Steinberger Synapse. I just bought an NS Design WAV4. The only headless bass I've had that has been an issue is a Steinberger Spirit XT-25. It's a cheap replica of a Steinberger built by Epiphone, and the problem with it isn't that it's headless. The problem is everything else.
The new tuning system that Ned Steinberger has developed (Check out thinkns.com.) takes any regular string, but it has to be used with the adapter that he designed for the end of the neck, which is where the single ball is inserted. I don't play headless basses exclusively, but I sure do like the ones I play. And I have no affiliation--past, present, or probably future--with Steinberger or NS Design.
The new tuning system that Ned Steinberger has developed (Check out thinkns.com.) takes any regular string, but it has to be used with the adapter that he designed for the end of the neck, which is where the single ball is inserted. I don't play headless basses exclusively, but I sure do like the ones I play. And I have no affiliation--past, present, or probably future--with Steinberger or NS Design.
It always threw me off when playing at the first fret... it felt like my hand was going to slip off.
Also on the steinberger I had I felt like I needed a pair of pliers to tune it. The little knobs were tough to turn. The good part is it stayed in tune well.
I've played others that had wing tuners, they were easier.
String selection is limited, or it was then.
Also on the steinberger I had I felt like I needed a pair of pliers to tune it. The little knobs were tough to turn. The good part is it stayed in tune well.
I've played others that had wing tuners, they were easier.
String selection is limited, or it was then.
I took the bridge/tuner mechanism apart on mine, put a thin coating of lithium grease on the threads, then put it back together. I also bought some nylon washers to put between the tuner and the knobs. Those combined to make the turning of the tuner much easier.
I really didn't even think about doing that back then. That was 30 years ago...
But I do have an old cort that I took in on trade with a bunch of other gear... It's not in very good condition but I thought about fixing it up for a beater... It has tight knobs so I'll try that on it.
Thanks!
