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Steinberger L2

#61
Here's what happened to my XP-2! I still have all the original parts and Nomex gig-bag stashed away, this is actually everything but the original body and pickguard. The hex screws you see up at the nut are what holds the headpiece on, not string retainers. Wish they'd kept that feature on later models.
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#62
foal30 said:
What are some famous recordings of the L2?
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Depending on your definition of "famous" some other L-2 recordings I'm aware of include:
- Jamaaladeen Tacuma's first two solo albums (Showstopper and Renaissance Man)
- there's one cut on Peter Gabriel's Security album where Tony Levin played a fretless L-2, I think it's either "Wallflower" or "Kiss Of Life"
- Unsung Heroes by Dixie Dregs
- Baselines by Bill Laswell
- I think Freeze Frame by J.Geils Band (I may be wrong about that; but Danny Klein was definitely using an L-2 live during this time period)

foal30 said:
King of Pain
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Yeah, pretty much everything off The Police's Syncronicity and Ghost In The Machine albums is a Steinberger L-2...but it's almost always double-tracked with some other bass.
 
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#66
foal30 said:
Rights

My "head piece" don't have those screws. The ball end of the string sits in there if that makes sense?
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Those strings are installed incorrectly. Later Steinbergers had different headpieces, and that might be correct for one of those models. I know it looks correct. Don't believe me, believe the original 1982 documentation, found on http://www.steinbergerworld.com/

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The ball ends of the double ball strings should be past the holes on the headpiece.

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I've never used them, the instructions do not mention using the set screws on double ball strings. I do not know the size and thread, when I replaced mine I took one of the old ones to a hardware store and looked for a match. It looks like the Yahoo group is still active, you could join and ask there. Someone would know.

Yahoo! Groups
 
#69
I had an L2 in the 80s, bought brand new from Wurlitzers in Boston and went back to college so I sold it and I am SOOOO kicking myself for selling it. Ugh.. Horner has managed to ruin it...bad. Steinberger makes amazing basses. Handmade in NY is something one now has to pay a lot for nowadays. Steinberger designed Spector basses and, the ones that are built in NY are big $$.
 
#71
My L2 saga:
I have one that I bought new in Feb. 1982 from Nadine's Music in Hollywood (ser. #173). It was my main axe until about 1989, and there were a couple of years in there where I actually said "I'll never play a bass made of wood again." (WRONG) o_O I did bring the L2 out on a gig a few months ago, and it sounded great. I also record with it once in a while - there are certain kinds of tracks where it still works better than anything else. There is an L2 in the design collection of the Museum of Modern Art in NYC, so I guess I own a piece of art as well as a unique, revolutionary instrument.

I would occasionally check out an XL2 or subsequent Steinberger versions if I ran across one in a store or elsewhere, and I never liked them as much as the L2. I prefer the neck profile on the the L2, and it just seemed more solid and substantial.

I had mine converted to fretless sometime in the late 80's and used it that way for a while, though I had frets put back in around 1990 (Rick Turner did both of those conversions). The L2 was killer as a fretless - totally even with no dead spots and great sustain. I eventually felt that a Jazz Bass-style fretless instrument was better suited for me, so I went back in that direction.

A few negatives about the L2:
The silk screened logo on the bass started flaking off almost immediately - Steinberger eventually went with a decal logo instead, which made a lot more sense.
The original frets were crap - I first needed a refret after about a year and a half. It's a difficult instrument to refret, as there is no truss rod, but fortunately I had some very good repair guys close by (John Carruthers, Rick Turner) who did a great job.
The screw on the swivel body plate always loosened by itself after a couple of hours of playing - I would always have to keep a coin handy to tighten it to the proper degree.
The Steinberger look does unfortunately have a '80's association that is hard to escape. It is my least favorite decade for music (even though there was obviously some great music made), and I have a particular aversion to '80's nostalgia, so.. that might have had an influence as far as retiring the L2.
 
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#73
Always wanted an L2 from reading a People magazine article on Ned Steinberger, and of course, the bass of the 80's. Missed out on L2 from Sam Ash - couldn't get the financing at the time for it around late 80's. Managed to find one in the mid 90's, with a price tag not too much higher than it's original price, but strike two. Picked up a Spirit in '12 just when Gibson started producing them after Music Yo stopped making them. Was thinking of a yellow XT-2 after I saw them making more colors than black and white, but I think the classic black is where it's at.
 
#74
This is the 4th L2 that I have owned since the mid 1990's. I lucked out and got it here last summer. One of the last L2 basses before the switch to the XL2. I use the Status strings on mine. My first one I sold to fund a 5 string, the second one I bought on eBay had HB's instead of SS pickups and didn't sound the same. My third one had too much relief in the neck for me so I sold it. This one has some wear but is a keeper. I've been a fan ever since seeing The Police in 1982 and Elton John in 1985.

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#78
murph7489 said:
The Steinberger look does unfortunately have a '80's association that is hard to escape.
^^
and yet I still find myself gazing at them as if it was a centerfold model..
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Like you, I had wanted a Steinberger L2 since the 80's. My first bass was the Hohner version (obviously not the same thing) and while I had no trouble being rid of that bass when I got a better one I never actually went back for a real deal L2.

Many years and a pile of basses later, it just never came up and the prices made it seem like less of a "wouldn't that be cool" purchase. A couple of months ago I got to play not one but TWO at a small music store in New London CT. And to be honest... my impression was that I didn't really want one. They were heavier than I expected. And while I was even in an 80's band at the time, I was using a Kubicki and couldn't justify a $3k "upgrade" in 80's-ness.

Have you gotten the chance to play one? Might just be the cure!

That said, if you really must have one - save up and get one! Maybe it's something you'll treasure forever (so why didn't you get one sooner?) or maybe you'll find that's just not what you were hoping for... but you'll be able to pass it along with no trouble.

Either way, just know that I completely understand where you are coming from and I hope you are able to put it to rest one way or another!
 
#79
you may be right...I might not even like it. I actually like the sound I get from my current bass, might get an eden preamp or maybe upgrade the preamp in it. Anyway, someday I will find one and play it and go from there, I'm thinking I would want a 5 string version now that I'm used to playing a 5 string.
 

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