Steinberger headless basses

[ivanthetrble]

I have been thinking about picking up a Steinberger headless bass for a travel bass. Much smaller and lighter than a standard bass. I checked the Steinberger website and these list for about $400 with a gigbag. Specs show a neck thru construction. I always thought they were carbon necks and bodies? Was that the older ones? I saw a used Steinberger on the BassCentral website for $2,000. What gives?

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Here is a link to the specs
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[brianrost]

The ones you saw are called Steinberger Spirits, low cost imports made in the Orient and 100% wood construction. The Spirits were introduced after Gibson bought the company.

The carbon graphite models are no longer in production although Gibson has stated a few times US production will start up again.

 

[Eric Moesle]

A few years ago I purchased one of the all-wooden Spirit series 5 strings. It was great for a travel bass, fit in the overhead compartment of even the smaller commuter planes. Cheap, and I never had to worry that anything would happen to it. Sound was decent, playability was good as well.

That being said, it had a terrible balance problem with using a strap, the top of the bass (E string side) would angle downward towards the floor, making it hard to see what you were fretting. The original steinbergers had a "horn" shaped attachment that kept the strap balance where it should be. The Spirit series has strap buttons directly on the body.

 

[Benjamin Strange]

The Spirit series are inferior by far to the original graphite neck USA models (which isn't saying they are bad). I have an old XM2, which has a body, and it balances perfectly and still fits in an overhead compartment. It's THE bass!