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NBD: Steinberger XL2

#21
Is it just me, or when you folks get a new bass, you cant make a determination on the tone until you play it with a band? The Steinberger sounds great solo but Im holding off on final judgement until I can take it to practice and hear how it sounds in the mix. Same happened with my Ric for example, I loved it solo but didnt focus on it played alone. I think the XL2 will sound great as I can get good deep, or biting tones out of it, and it will work well in my band. Did you guys find that the Steiny's worked well with a live band situation?
 
#23
jgroh said:
Did you guys find that the Steiny's worked well with a live band situation?
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Mine works great for me. I get some funny looks until I start playing, then it's pretty much all smiles. A lot is going to depend on your amp/volume/EQ, of course. I think my EBS rig is more flattering to it than my SVT.
 
#24
jgroh said:
Is it just me, or when you folks get a new bass, you cant make a determination on the tone until you play it with a band? The Steinberger sounds great solo but Im holding off on final judgement until I can take it to practice and hear how it sounds in the mix. Same happened with my Ric for example, I loved it solo but didnt focus on it played alone. I think the XL2 will sound great as I can get good deep, or biting tones out of it, and it will work well in my band. Did you guys find that the Steiny's worked well with a live band situation?
Click to expand...

You'll love it live, once you dial in the tone you want. Congrats!

You know about Link Removed ?
 
#25
I have the Steinberger Spirit version of that bass. I love it. other than my Ric it is the most comfortable bass i have ever played. I was thinking of trying the Synapse but an original from the 80's would be cool to get my hands on. one that was either made in Brooklyn or Newburgh NY.

I am sure yours is better as mine is basically a copy but it has tons of usable tones.
 
#26
Congrats on your XLII. I own many fine basses, and honestly my Steinberger XLII is still a gem. These are really well made instruments. I got mine in 1989, it's still with me and I wouldn't trade it for anything. Enjoy your bass!
 
#27
jgroh said:
Is it just me, or when you folks get a new bass, you cant make a determination on the tone until you play it with a band? The Steinberger sounds great or biting tones out of it, and it will work well in my band. Did you guys find that the Steiny's worked well with a live band situation?
Click to expand...

A live band is one of the things a bass is for, so I ALWAYS wait until I play it live to make a determinaton...and then return to my Steinbergers!


I am always experimenting with different basses, and the lads in the band never waste much time in getting me back on to my L2.

One thing you should do is play nothing else til you get used to the ergomnomics. Then you may find playing a regular bass extremely illogical, like I did.

Let us know how you get on.
 
#28
pkstone said:
You know about Link Removed ?
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Yes, I do know about that, thank you. I did alot of research before pulling the trigger and bookmarked just about every useful site I could find.

I am, of course, a huge Rush fan, and I was listening to Grace Under Pressure last night and I always loved the tone he got on that album with the Steinberger. I know alot of people dont love his tone with it, but I do. I like his live tone from the GuP tour much better than what he has had for the last 15 years or so with the Jazz.
 
#29
number11 said:
One thing you should do is play nothing else til you get used to the ergomnomics. Then you may find playing a regular bass extremely illogical, like I did.

Let us know how you get on.
Click to expand...

Yes, that is what I have been doing. I was playing it all day yesterday then decided to pick up my Ric and it felt odd at first. Still love my Ric and will never get rid of that one (God willing) but I am really digging the Steiny!
 
#31
I haven't been doing the band thing for a while but last fall I participated in a High School Alumni Jazz Band project. I don't play Upright so for one of the rehearsals, I brought my XL-2. It sounded awesome with the ensemble. I dialed back the neck pickup and tone and went full out on the bridge pickup. The tone was super cool. One of the tunes we did was the Miles Davis standard, "All Blues". I was very happy with the results.

Have tons of fun with your new bass.

Bones
 
#32
jgroh said:
Quick question for you folks...can you adjust string height on Steinberger XL2's? I havent looked at it too closely yet but thought I would ask.
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Yup. Once you get a good look at the bridge, you'll appreciate the Steinberger even more...

One suggestion is to get a set of claws for the tuners, as the original claws were made of some kind of cast white-metal that doesn't hold up too well over time. I had some brass ones made about 20 years ago and they are holding up quite nicely.
Like these from Jeff Babicz, former Steinberger employee
Also, check out [Invalid or Expired Link Removed]
 
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#33
I'm jealous! Awesome bass!

Got to play one some years back. At first glance, I was all "That's 80s and weird." Then I plugged it in and my mind was blown! I wish I bought that darn bass...
I had a '90 XQ5 and it was amazing, but not the same as those XL2s.
 
#36
A few more things about my beloved XL-2, related to above posts.

I'd like to throw another plug out there for Jeff Babicz, maker of the string-claw thingys mentioned above. He was the shop foreman at the Newbugh, NY factory when my '88 was made, and he recently refurbished mine, doing a clean-up, check-up, set-up, fret level, and buff-out of dings and scratches. My bass now looks like new and plays like butter. I got hooked up with him through my man Don at Invalid Link Removed.

In answer to the OP's question about the XL-2 in a band situation, while I am by no means a pro, in the many bands I've been in over the years the XL-2 has always sounded awesome. I also lent the bass out to a good friend in the Boston music scene for a while who used it on a fairly successful rock project, and he had a hard time giving it back to me. He still talks about its unbeatable, solid-as-bedrock tone.

Have fun with yours!
 
#37
subtlestew said:
A few more things about my beloved XL-2, related to above posts.

I'd like to throw another plug out there for Jeff Babicz, maker of the string-claw thingys mentioned above. He was the shop foreman at the Newbugh, NY factory when my '88 was made, and he recently refurbished mine, doing a clean-up, check-up, set-up, fret level, and buff-out of dings and scratches. My bass now looks like new and plays like butter. I got hooked up with him through my man Don at Invalid Link Removed.

In answer to the OP's question about the XL-2 in a band situation, while I am by no means a pro, in the many bands I've been in over the years the XL-2 has always sounded awesome. I also lent the bass out to a good friend in the Boston music scene for a while who used it on a fairly successful rock project, and he had a hard time giving it back to me. He still talks about its unbeatable, solid-as-bedrock tone.

Have fun with yours!
Click to expand...

Thanks!

Took it to band practice tonight and it KILLED! Sounded awesome. The guitar player in my band used to be a bass player and when I told him I was buying one, he scoffed at it. He is a huge Ric/Geddy fan. When I showed up with it tonight, he cracked some jokes (good natured jokes mind you) but in the end had to admit it sounded really good. Really am loving it.

One other question since I have alot of you more experienced Steinberger users...does anyone have that string adapter that is out there to use regular strings? I just ordered some double ball stings from Status but I usually use DR HiBeams.
 
#38
So I have had the Steinberger for a couple of weeks now and I have to say, I am really loving this bass! It is so comfortable (for me) to play and it sounds so good with my rig. Now when I switch back to my Ric, Jazz, or G&L L2500, they feel like there is too much body mass lol Just got some new strings in from Status Graphite and overall this bass is so much better than I thought it would be. Those EMGs are really powerful and "clean", you cant slouch on your technique with these at all or you will hear it!
 
#40
Immigrant said:
Congrats on the beautiful new bass!

FYI, if the Status strings don't suit your fancy, D'Addario XLs are available double ball ended for Steinbergers.
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Thanks!

I did some research on double ball strings before I bought and I did see the D'Addario's, but generally I use DR Hi Beams on all my other basses so I went with the Status stainless steels. They sound really good so far and changing strings is a snap. That Steinberger bridge was pretty ingenious.
 

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