That's also why i'm into:skates, bike, car or plane, they're so commode to handle ... and the carbonitas deliver an incredible punch, i'm very happy with.
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Steinberger Club
- Thread starter king_xanadu
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BurningSkies
CRAZY BALDHEAD
- Feb 20, 2005
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- Endorsing artist: Dingwall Guitars
The bigger problem is the way the new spirits without the pivot plate 'hang' v. a standard bass. I found that it ended up being 2-3 frets to the left in comparison to most basses. In a seated position this is easier, but the ergonomics are still a bit wonky. If that's the ONLY bass you're playing obviously adjusting back and forth is less of a challenge. My solution was to use that bass for a specific gig and learn the material only on that bass...so that I had that muscle memory set in stone. Although I did purchase a pivot plate here and will have it installed in the next few months.
Fixed that on my Spirit XT. Homemade copy of the Steinberger Strap Hook. I have a couple of the factory made versions, had a friend with some metalworking skills knock off some copies for me. I use them on my Thunderbirds too, moves the neck more to the right making the reach more natural and the balance way better. For the life of me I can't understand why they aren't standard issue with any Spirit XT models, takes them from uncomfortable and awkward to play to awesome. The du(i)ck heads at Gibson ought to figure that out if they really wanna sell any of these basses. Damn shame.
it's $160-$400 for an original pickguard.. WD was the supplier for OEM Steinberger XP pickguards, they have the original templates and are the price for the material you choose.. I'm most likely going to order the shiny, single ply, black guard.. Like my original.. But I would like to get the later multi-ply pickguard for it, but I would have to find a source for the textured pickguard material, or use textured formica laminated to multi-ply material.. As for the "Steinberger" logo, a friend of mine is going to silk screen the logo on my guard for me.. He is a graphic artist and works in a print shop and said it would be pretty easy to do it..
I did find an original leg rest, another friend of mine has a Gibson V-90 guitar and is selling me the original leg rest..
I ordered the OEM type knobs off eBay, but they are press fit instead of set screws and have an additional small skirt around the bottom of the knob itself.. Another good friend of mine is going to mod these knobs, placing a correct sized metal insert into them with the two set screws and trim the bottom skirt off the knob.. These original knobs are the same exact knobs used on the Stuart Spector basses.. If I had realized that, I would have just looked for the Spector knobs, instead of going this route.. Roger Fearing at THG knobs is going to do the mods to my knobs.. Roger is a great guy and if you need custom knobs, look up THG knobs on FB..
I'm deciding on if I will replace the headpiece and string claws with BG Stainless parts.. My string claws seem to be ok, the low E claw has a slight deformation, but it is slight.. I want to replace the headpiece to be able to use single end strings..
Once I have these things done, I think it will look pretty good.. I really don't intend on reselling it, as I've waited this long to get one and now that I do, I don't want to let it go..
it looks like an XL2, you can't see the L-2's face plate bolts in the first few seconds of the video..
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This reverb listing I came across on the owner had swapped the original neck of the XM2 with an Ed Roman LSR neck. Any idea if this hinders it’s retail value? I’m not much of a collector as I am more of a player but at least knowing that I have an original for whenever I need to resell it down the line would be cool if it comes down to that.
I asked if he could provide me a serial number but realized that the neck was replaced where the serial number is located so it’s really hard to wrap my head around the price and if it’s for sure an original and not a Chinese copy that some people get tricked with listings on the net.
Steinberger XM-2 1980's Bass | Personal seller
I asked if he could provide me a serial number but realized that the neck was replaced where the serial number is located so it’s really hard to wrap my head around the price and if it’s for sure an original and not a Chinese copy that some people get tricked with listings on the net.
Steinberger XM-2 1980's Bass | Personal seller
This one is neither an original nor a Chinese copy. It's most likely one of the (infamous) Ed Roman DIY kits which had been available for many years, with "XM basses" and "GM guitars" being the available options. These kits are made from bodies of questionable quality (most likely factory 2nds, often with crooked logos), an Ed Roman (made by Moses) neck, and the cheaper Spirit bridge, not the original USA line bridge. Just compare how the Bridge in the Reverb ad goes to the back at the full width of the bridge (which also means the routing has been modified), while the Invalid Link Removed where the tuner housing is. These full width bridges belong to the Spirit line.
Ed Roman has also done this with guitars, butchering the cheaper R-Trem into the TransTrem routing of GM bodies. The bodies are irreversibly damaged this way, have cheaper bridges, and the Ed Roman/Moses neck isn't exactly an "upgrade" to the original Newburgh neck either.
So I'd stay away. At least at this price, you'll lose money when trying to sell it later.
Bernd
Thank you very much, guess my hunt for an original XM Bass is still on the prowl.
The Ed Roman ad seems aiming to taunt originals like Steinberger and Modulus (excellent axes btw), only to shimmer up his mediocre tinkering. Talking scientific research on composite is to consider a lie, for the company surely wouldn't spend a dime on such, and talking less stiffness (despite the rod) is undergoing the principle of Steinberger's genius insight on string's energy onto the pups instead on the porter (1996+ XQs do have legit Moses necks, Ms never had). I also d'say: hands off!
Btw, the blacked out tuning unit in the pics speaks for itself ...
Btw, the blacked out tuning unit in the pics speaks for itself ...
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So glad this thread exists otherwise I would’ve been suckered into that bass!
Found another XM2 on the market also on reverb. This time it has a serial number.
Steinberger TransTrem XM-2 Headless 4 string bass 1988 / Rare
Found another XM2 on the market also on reverb. This time it has a serial number.
Steinberger TransTrem XM-2 Headless 4 string bass 1988 / Rare
Yes, this bass seems to be precisely what is described in the ad. Not sure about the 24th fret inlay (just because I've never seen such an inlay before), but all the rest is definitely original (including the bass TransTrem, which is definitely rare) and the active HazLabs EQ. There was a body modification in the area around the tone knob which is described as such.
Wazong, what a superb find, muchos congratz! Neither me seeing an inlay of the kind, a nice add to my collection. ;-)
Jamaaladeen Tacuma on stage with what looks like an L2. I saw him with James Carter in 2000 and his sound was incredible. Met him back stage too, very nice guy.
So many different kinds of knobs. Mine seems to be the rarest (bottom left).
A heads up for all with similar issue(s).
Took out the XL2 for a string change (LaBella flats = Yum!). Gave it a quick play first and the A string was way flat!!
Very puzzling and unlikely...until I took a closer look and saw the front of the jaw had failed = broke out.
This is the number one failure point on Steinberger, so Headless makes their own high quality replacements.
Went to Reverb and found new jaws from Headless, USA @ $35 per + $5 shipping.
The write up said that Reverb will charge $5 shipping per jaw, but regardless of how many you get, the shipping is only
$5 and Headless will refund the balance. Cool.
Since one jaw finally failed I went with replacing all 4. This worked out to $160 total.
The next day I get a refund of $30. The math was a bit puzzling based on the info in hand so I asked about it.
Here's the deal: Buy 4 jaws and you get the discounted price which is $125 + $5 shipping = $130. There's the refund!
These guys are great and their stuff is first class. Now I'll have no more jaw worries till death do us part.
Took out the XL2 for a string change (LaBella flats = Yum!). Gave it a quick play first and the A string was way flat!!
Very puzzling and unlikely...until I took a closer look and saw the front of the jaw had failed = broke out.
This is the number one failure point on Steinberger, so Headless makes their own high quality replacements.
Went to Reverb and found new jaws from Headless, USA @ $35 per + $5 shipping.
The write up said that Reverb will charge $5 shipping per jaw, but regardless of how many you get, the shipping is only
$5 and Headless will refund the balance. Cool.
Since one jaw finally failed I went with replacing all 4. This worked out to $160 total.
The next day I get a refund of $30. The math was a bit puzzling based on the info in hand so I asked about it.
Here's the deal: Buy 4 jaws and you get the discounted price which is $125 + $5 shipping = $130. There's the refund!
These guys are great and their stuff is first class. Now I'll have no more jaw worries till death do us part.
The HAZLab (on the XL5WA) is not switchable and imo kinda capricious compared to the passive controls.
Already slight turns can go dramatic so the live handling of can turn out in unwanted results: way too much bass (and there's very much of) or unfavorable thinning out tone ... this is why i prefer the passive L over the XLA.
All in all i do not consider the HAZLab as a + over the passive controls; the L's never let me down ...
Already slight turns can go dramatic so the live handling of can turn out in unwanted results: way too much bass (and there's very much of) or unfavorable thinning out tone ... this is why i prefer the passive L over the XLA.
All in all i do not consider the HAZLab as a + over the passive controls; the L's never let me down ...
