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OFFICIAL Steinberger Synapse club

#21
#9 - joenoone

I would love to find a fretless Synapse but for my first foray into bassland I thought better to start with frets. Still on the lookout although I so have a 'more conventional' fretless.

I've been looking at the Status Graphite source for strings as well - what did you not like? Are you using D'Dario now or something else? There was just a thread recently about someone having issues with 'genuine' Gibson strings not fitting...
 
#22
ArtechnikA said:
I would love to find a fretless Synapse but for my first foray into bassland I thought better to start with frets. Still on the lookout although I so have a 'more conventional' fretless.
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The Synapse does have fret dots on the side and the fretboard which helps, and not just the standard dots but a dot for where each fret would be.

ArtechnikA said:
I've been looking at the Status Graphite source for strings as well - what did you not like? Are you using D'Dario now or something else? There was just a thread recently about someone having issues with 'genuine' Gibson strings not fitting...
Click to expand...
The Status Graphite strings are excellent strings but as was commented previously the Synapse tends to be overly bright even with the treble turned all the way down so add flat-wounds to that and it just sounds dead. I thought the half-wounds would improve the tone, which it did, but not enough.

Right now I'm using "Rotosound RDB665LD Swing Bass 66 Stainless Steel Double Ball End 5 String Bass Guitar Strings" which you can get off of Amazon and elsewhere. They have a good sound to them. I would of preferred flat/half-wounds so I don't get that string slide sound when playing, but I can make due. They come from the factory with flatwounds on them and it took me forever to find anyone who made flatwound double ball (AFAIK Status Graphite is the only place to get them), so I have to wonder who supplies them to Gibson.
 
#23
joenoone said:
The Status Graphite strings are excellent strings but as was commented previously the Synapse tends to be overly bright even with the treble turned all the way down so add flat-wounds to that and it just sounds dead.
Click to expand...
I'm confused... If it sounded dead with the treble down - why not just turn some back up? Mine doesn't sound that bright to me, but this is all individual preference...

I would have preferred flat/half-wounds so I don't get that string slide sound when playing... They come from the factory with flatwounds on them...
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I find on mine that most of the slidey sound comes through the piezo, which I turn down a bit. Fretless may come with flats but mine (fretted) definitely came with rounds.
 
#24
ArtechnikA said:
I'm confused... If it sounded dead with the treble down - why not just turn some back up? Mine doesn't sound that bright to me, but this is all individual preference...
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What I meant was there isn't much in the low end of the tone, it's more mids and treble even if you turn down the treble and crank up the bass (there's only two tone knobs - bass & treble). Flats sounded even worse and were impossible to dial in any good low end sound. Many sound techs I worked with cursed out the tone of the Synapse with flat-wounds and would ask if I had another Bass I could play. I'd just bait them by saying "I thought you said you could handle anything..." ;)
 
#27
If I had money to burn, I would have a Steinberger Synapse 5-string fretless, but will have to make do with a defretted Steinberger Spirit 5-string I picked up last year. Tried ground wound strings but went back to round wound. Still dreaming of getting an unlined fretless and headless 5-string bass.
 
#28
I picked up a 4-string Synapse last month, and I like it so far. It intonates better than I expected given the bridge design, and it stays in tune. Even with single ball strings. Although I've read one or two horror stories about the adapter, mine seems to work fine. I suppose only time will tell how it holds up, however. What I like most about it though is the tone. Especially the attack when using the piezo pickup. This thing sizzles, growls, thumps, and more. It has a unique voice among my other basses.
 
#29
I have two fretted Synapses. One is a Trans Amber 4-string, the other is a Trans Blue 5-string. They are a nice adjunct to the three Spirits I own. I always liked the green and red ones, but haven't come across the right deal on one, or a trade offer.
 
#30
Talked via eBay email this week with a prominent classic Steinberger trader. Those of you out there who've dealt with him will know who I mean. This isn't new news by any means, and word has been getting out in general, but I won't mention his name. He said that the information that he's been getting is that Gibson is completely ending their association with the Steinberger brand. I have tried on a couple of occasions to get confirmation of this from Gibson's support staff, but I kept getting "We'll get back to you" and they never made the follow-up phone calls.

We had already seen the Spirit XT's vanish from the marketplace this year, the last Spirit line model to go. Now, the Synapses are no longer being produced. So for new production of the Steinberger-designed instruments, all that is left in bass guitars is the high-end-priced NS Design Radius basses.

Those of us who own the Synapse basses will have to stick together here on TB for parts sources and the like in the future.
 
#31
I had not posted in this thread before, and so have a question to pose before I wrap it for the eve.

Have any of you fellow Synapse owners ever been able to locate the alternate materials bridge saddle bars? The graphite, or aluminum ones?

Did Gibson dealers ever actually have these in stock, or have the option of ordering them from Gibson?
 
#32
ArtechnikA said:
Here's a question for you Synapse fretless guys - I thought about it and realized I do not know the answer...

Do the fretless Synapses still use a 'Zero Fret' instead of a slotted nut at the head end ?
Click to expand...

I just had a look at mine... there is no zero "fret" in the traditional sense of the word "fret"... the strings do run over a piece of something that looks like graphite as they exit the nut area but it's not fret wire.

The open strings on my Synapse 5-string do sound different from fingered notes (if that's what you're concerned about) but the same is true of my FBass and Pedulla fretlesses which both have a bone or synthetic bone (whatever that is) nut.

HTH,

Martin
 
#33
Thanks for the response !
b1644 said:
... the strings do run over a piece of something that looks like graphite as they exit the nut area but it's not fret wire.

The open strings on my Synapse 5-string do sound different from fingered notes (if that's what you're concerned about)
Click to expand...
Actually, I was responding in another couple of threads. One was asking about left-handed fretless, and another was asking about stringing EADGC. I figured something with a Zero-Fret would make both of those things easier than having to deal with a dedicated grooved nut.

But I realized I had no idea how the Zero-Fret was handled on a fretless Synapse - hence my question. So I've learned something today, for which thanks !
 
#36
lomo said:
FYI I have a used, mint, fretted blueburst Synapse 5 string

http://www.talkbass.com/forum/f126/...etted-5-string-transparent-blueburst-1044291/

and a Steinberger Spirit 5 string in exc condition FS. PM for pics of the Spirit.
Thanks.
Click to expand...

Thanks lomo,,, I'm looking for a 4 banger though.

Prefer to find a black 4 string Synapse but am I am semi open to other colors.

On a side note: The rumors of Gibson killing off Steinberger might not be true,,, a friend of mine just went to the NAMM show and I asked him to specifically find out from Gibson what the fate or status of Steinberger was/is.

Not only did Gibson tell him Steinberger would continue on,,, they also had Synapse's at the Gibson booth,, interesting I thought.

Perhaps Epiphone or Gibson will not kill off Steinberger,,,, so many conflicting stories floating around though,,,,,, and I've heard Gibson has been known to be less that truthful sometimes.

Cheers
Davyo
 

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