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Headless Club???
- Thread starter Headless Llama
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I haven't found any info about N13801, but N13800 is October 1991, the directly surrounding numbers are all October 1991 - March 1992. So the most likely version is that this bass has been made end of 1991, just before the move from Newburgh to Nashville.
Nice! Tbh I was a bit saddened at first to find that out thinking my XM2 was from the 80's but since it makes it the last of it's kind before the transition. I feel a bit better now.
I'm still on the quest for an 80's Steinberger though.
Good luck with with that. I'd settle for finding my early flying-V shaped Steinberger. I *HATED* selling that back in the 90s...
I'm not too sure how much Jeff Babicz charges for restoration but I would imagine it'd cost close to a Strandberg. I sent out an email for a rate but wanted to know if anyone has ever done business with Jeff.
I had an original L2 back in the early 90's. I picked it up used at Guitar Center with the original soft case (which GC tried to charge me extra for) for $800. I sold it in the late 90's for $1200. While it was neat in its time, the tone just wasn't all that special, probably due to it's "space age" construction and active electronics. I honestly think my new Spirit 4&5 strings sound better.
No disputing that on my end either. Had played an L2 in person and was quite underwhelmed. The tone was definitely there but the string spacing wasn't for me to get use to and that's kind of a deal breaker. A couple Spirits with some added EMG Active pickups and Electronics will get you close to the real deal IME.
Roland GR 88
Commercial User
Well, the XP-2 arrived yesterday. It's in very good condition for a 35yr old bass. Looks like it sat in its case for much of that time. Unfortunately I'll be waiting 'til Nov. for the La Bella's to show up so I ordered a set of D'addario's that will only take two weeks to come. 
Until then I'll just avoid the D string as best I can 
It's currently strung with a set of GHS that just can't quite get up to pitch on the D and gets there with the G but needs to be maxed out.
So, in the meantime, can someone give me some direction as to cleaning the bridge ? i haven't found much on-line as to servicing these old ones. Does it come completely apart ? Can I back off the knobs and remove the post and claw or just expose them for cleaning ? Light grease or a drop of sewing machine oil ? Any advice or direction would be very helpful.
I'll post some pics in a bit and some close-ups of the bridge if that will help.
Thank you again..
Until then I'll just avoid the D string as best I can It's currently strung with a set of GHS that just can't quite get up to pitch on the D and gets there with the G but needs to be maxed out.
So, in the meantime, can someone give me some direction as to cleaning the bridge ? i haven't found much on-line as to servicing these old ones. Does it come completely apart ? Can I back off the knobs and remove the post and claw or just expose them for cleaning ? Light grease or a drop of sewing machine oil ? Any advice or direction would be very helpful.
I'll post some pics in a bit and some close-ups of the bridge if that will help.
Thank you again..
I always spin the tuning screws out to remove the claws, and then after cleaning I put a dab of light grease on the threads and add small Teflon washers between the bridge body and tuning knobs.Well, the XP-2 arrived yesterday. It's in very good condition for a 35yr old bass. Looks like it sat in its case for much of that time. Unfortunately I'll be waiting 'til Nov. for the La Bella's to show up so I ordered a set of D'addario's that will only take two weeks to come.
It's currently strung with a set of GHS that just can't quite get up to pitch on the D and gets there with the G but needs to be maxed out.
So, in the meantime, can someone give me some direction as to cleaning the bridge ? i haven't found much on-line as to servicing these old ones. Does it come completely apart ? Can I back off the knobs and remove the post and claw or just expose them for cleaning ? Light grease or a drop of sewing machine oil ? Any advice or direction would be very helpful.
I'll post some pics in a bit and some close-ups of the bridge if that will help.
Thank you again..
This doesn't work on all of the old original bridges. On many there's a thickened end on the threaded rod which prevents the jaw from falling out. On those you can only take off the tuning knobs on the other end, to pull out the jaws and the bolt from the front side.
Hmmm… I've seen some heavily used and worn L-types (guitars and basses), but none of them having any damage which originates from aging alone. What you see on top of the instruments is just the gel coat anyway, but neither this nor the underlying core show any problems I'd know of. This is one of my guitars, a 1983 pre-production/prototype GL-2 (no P-number)…
… and this an XL2T (1988):
They look fine for their age, don't they?
Well, the XP-2 arrived yesterday. It's in very good condition for a 35yr old bass. Looks like it sat in its case for much of that time. Unfortunately I'll be waiting 'til Nov. for the La Bella's to show up so I ordered a set of D'addario's that will only take two weeks to come.
It's currently strung with a set of GHS that just can't quite get up to pitch on the D and gets there with the G but needs to be maxed out.
So, in the meantime, can someone give me some direction as to cleaning the bridge ? i haven't found much on-line as to servicing these old ones. Does it come completely apart ? Can I back off the knobs and remove the post and claw or just expose them for cleaning ? Light grease or a drop of sewing machine oil ? Any advice or direction would be very helpful.
I'll post some pics in a bit and some close-ups of the bridge if that will help.
Thank you again..
I unscrew the bridge out of the body then unscrew the tuning pegs and apply some oil with a couple of q-tips. I scrub around the washers and metal to give it some lubrication. Makes it a lot easier when tuning.
Show us your XP2!
- Apr 18, 2008
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I did one for a friend recently. Like you, I removed the bridge, removed the tuning screws, cleaned everything, and reassembled with a light smear of axle grease. I greased the screw threads, and each side of the little (little!) thrust washers.
Roland GR 88
Commercial User
Here it is 
and the bridge
Forgive my ignorance but are the rusty hex heads the anchors ?
All I see on-line is what appears to be a sealed unit when the bridge is removed. Does the back plate come off or is access to the inside easier with it removed ?
I've been told i can expose enough thread with the bridge in place to do a decent lube job and am a little nervous to attack a set of small hex bolts that haven't moved in 35yrs.
Serial # is N0291 which puts in the first run of these as #N0308 was apparently the first official sale of an XP-2.
Thrilled to have it, certainly a different beast but looking forward to getting it up and running, thanks again for the help.
and the bridge
Forgive my ignorance but are the rusty hex heads the anchors ?
All I see on-line is what appears to be a sealed unit when the bridge is removed. Does the back plate come off or is access to the inside easier with it removed ?
I've been told i can expose enough thread with the bridge in place to do a decent lube job and am a little nervous to attack a set of small hex bolts that haven't moved in 35yrs.
Serial # is N0291 which puts in the first run of these as #N0308 was apparently the first official sale of an XP-2.
Thrilled to have it, certainly a different beast but looking forward to getting it up and running, thanks again for the help.
Roland GR 88
Commercial User
I'm guessing the binding you're seeing is the white layer of a 3ply laminate.
This is copied from Steinberger World .....
Regarding the pickguards, it should be noted that Steinberger used several suppliers throughout production. The first orders were from Invalid Link Removed (then in NY, now in FL) and later went offshore to a Japanese supplier. WD still has the original templates and though not listed on their website original dimension pickguards can be special ordered. Replacement P pickguards can also be ordered from Chandler as well.
Likewise there were also many variations in the pickguard material itself. The earliest ones have a smooth laminated pickguard with an embossed (akin to a silk-screened) logo. They then went on to a highly textured laminated pickguard with an engraved logo. The majority of the P's we've seen have these. Still other have more of a light matte finish again with an embossed logo. All of these are factory originals. The laminates were usually (but not always) a 3 ply design with the top and bottom layers the same color as the body and the middle layer a contrasting color, usually white. The edges were beveled to show sandwich edge of the laminate. The engraved logo would then prominently show in the same white color.
The tough, scratch-resistant, highly textured material was a special order. No current pickguard companies seem to offer this material for replacement pickguards.
This is copied from Steinberger World .....
Regarding the pickguards, it should be noted that Steinberger used several suppliers throughout production. The first orders were from Invalid Link Removed (then in NY, now in FL) and later went offshore to a Japanese supplier. WD still has the original templates and though not listed on their website original dimension pickguards can be special ordered. Replacement P pickguards can also be ordered from Chandler as well.
Likewise there were also many variations in the pickguard material itself. The earliest ones have a smooth laminated pickguard with an embossed (akin to a silk-screened) logo. They then went on to a highly textured laminated pickguard with an engraved logo. The majority of the P's we've seen have these. Still other have more of a light matte finish again with an embossed logo. All of these are factory originals. The laminates were usually (but not always) a 3 ply design with the top and bottom layers the same color as the body and the middle layer a contrasting color, usually white. The edges were beveled to show sandwich edge of the laminate. The engraved logo would then prominently show in the same white color.
The tough, scratch-resistant, highly textured material was a special order. No current pickguard companies seem to offer this material for replacement pickguards.
