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Steinberger Club

#1,641
I came of age musically in the 80s when Steinberger was making its initial splash and it seemed everybody was playing them, so they were a big part of my development, although I could not remotely afford one then. A few years ago, however, I acquired a really nice XL2. I love how it plays and sounds, and I play in an 80s cover band for which it would be visually perfect, but I’m scared to gig with it because I fear breaking the decades-old plastic swivel plate that the strap attaches to. Is that a reasonable concern?
 
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#1,643
Here is a picture of my Hohner copy. In a typical iconic 80s design.
I had used it at home for a long time for practicing and when I played it for the first time in a rehearsal, I was shocked. After 10 rehearsals at the latest, it was clear that the thing is no good.

Had then another such Hohner in metallic red, which was from 95, but hardly better.
Then I had two Spirits, which had also just failed in the band.
I had no luck with copies, they were certainly not all that bad.


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#1,645
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XP2aficionado said:
Does anyone know what it is about these numbers on the neck foot?
I could make several guesses, but maybe someone knows specifically.View attachment 5081002View attachment 5081001View attachment 5081001
Click to expand...

Hi, first time I post here.
Just acquired two XP-2 one white and one black and on mine, the number is the same as on the side of the neck but the side number is followed by a N.
So I guess that's the serial number but without the N IDK why.
BTW can anyone tell what year are these made based on the SN?
 
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#1,646
Search for Steinberger serial number database. There are two one from Europe and Andy Y's site in US. Google search you can date those basses.

XP2aficionado said:
Does anyone know what it is about these numbers on the neck foot?
I could make several guesses, but maybe someone knows specifically.View attachment 5081002View attachment 5081001View attachment 5081001
Click to expand...
I have a removable neck on my XM2, it's the serial number. I dated it and it's from an older XP originally. Serial number.
bullitproof said:
View attachment 5091231 View attachment 5091232

Hi, first time I post here.
Just acquired two XP-2 one white and one black and on mine, the number is the same as on the side of the neck but the side number is followed by a N.
So I guess that's the serial number but without the N IDK why.
BTW can anyone tell what year are these made based on the SN?
Click to expand...
 
#1,650
I really think I was just unlucky with my specimens.
Around 1996, in the basement of a London pub, I had seen a rock band with a Hohner paddle modified with active EMG HBs and it sounded really good. Not exactly like a Steinberger, but similar all the same.
My criticism of the wood copies I had, by the way, is not that they didn't sound like real Steinbergers, but that they just sounded bad.
That a fretless Hohner paddle can sound very good I believe immediately. A fretless needs and has a completely different sound development.
 
#1,651
XP2aficionado said:
Basically you can say: nothing comes close to the 'real things'. No matter how much you modify. That's just the way it is, it's physics.
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Not in my experience, and I've owned my XL2 since new (Newburgh) and own/have owned a number of Hohner and Spirits, one of which has HBs in it.

XP2aficionado said:
If you want to get in the direction of a real Steinberger with an all wooden bass, you should note: a bolt on neck and active EMG HB pickups at the correct positions are important.
The neck thru wood basses have quite good sustain, but you can forget about the attack. It never sounds like a real Steinberger.
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Nope.

Chuck King said:
but I’m scared to gig with it because I fear breaking the decades-old plastic swivel plate that the strap attaches to. Is that a reasonable concern?
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I fell off a high stage once in the late 80s/ early 90s and landed face down on the bass and it survived fine. I still have the bass and PP.

XP2aficionado said:
After 10 rehearsals at the latest, it was clear that the thing is no good.
Click to expand...

XP2aficionado said:
My criticism of the wood copies I had, by the way, is not that they didn't sound like real Steinbergers, but that they just sounded bad.
Click to expand...
You have strong opinions on the subject, and I disagree strongly, but I would put very good money on you not being able to pick my HB'd Woodberger from my XL2, flat and level matched raw, let alone in a mix, especially live.
 
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#1,652
XP2aficionado said:
My criticism of the wood copies I had, by the way, is not that they didn't sound like real Steinbergers, but that they just sounded bad.
Click to expand...

I suppose that's a matter of personal taste. That or I'm just ignorant and/or tone deaf (which isn't beyond the realm of possibility I suppose... o_O). My Spirit XT-2 in stock form, while it may not sound anything like the originals is IMO a perfectly good instrument in it's own right. I get a nice punchy tone (my sound person's opinion as well as mine) and it's fun to play live. What sounds "bad" to one doesn't seem to be the majority opinion for what I've read and heard but opinions are just that - one person's opinion. We'll agree to disagree.
 
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#1,653
Snert said:
Not in my experience, and I've owned my XL2 since new (Newburgh) and own/have owned a number of Hohner and Spirits, one of which has HBs in it.

Nope.

I fell off a high stage once in the late 80s/ early 90s and landed face down on the bass and it survived fine. I still have the bass and PP.



You have strong opinions on the subject, and I disagree strongly, but I would put very good money on you not being able to pick my HB'd Woodberger from my XL2, flat and level matched raw, let alone in a mix, especially live.
Click to expand...

I didn't say that your Woodbergers didn't sound good. How should I know that, please?
I merely said that mine sounded very modest compared to my Steinies. And I also said that they could hardly all have been that bad and even gave an example.
So it may well be that yours are indistinguishable in a blind comparison, but mine were.
 

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