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Steinberger Spirits

#843
At the same time Raz is selling his XZ-25, I'm once again trying to figure out how to fix the finish damage on mine. I've posted about it elsewhere on TB and gotten a variety of responses from "don't touch it" to "refinish the whole body". I probably will try to sand out the damaged paint area and buff it smooth. The XZ has sentimental value to me. It was a Christmas gift from my family in 2000. As I mentioned in the other thread, if I DIY something, I'll post pics.
 
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#844
Razman said:
For Sale - 2000 Steinberger Spirit XZ-25 "Cherry Burst"

Ad is live! There's also a video of it; no sound samples but plenty of pics. Help me find it a new home where it will be played and enjoyed!

Eric
Click to expand...
Honestly sound samples would probably been way more useful.

I have the same color and I think I paid $275 for mine new in 2000. I've since shaved the neck to remove some of the bulk and rerouted the pickup cavities for DC40 EMGs… and then just built a couple of replacement bodies. My original body hangs in my workshop :woot: the bridge and neck are excellent pieces.

Also had a custom brass headpiece built with grub screws so I can use normal strings. I now use those head pieces on my custom builds (see my avatar). :thumbsup:
 
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#845
Michael Vee said:
At the same time Raz is selling his XZ-25, I'm once again trying to figure out how to fix the finish damage on mine. I've posted about it elsewhere on TB and gotten a variety of responses from "don't touch it" to "refinish the whole body". I probably will try to sand out the damaged paint area and buff it smooth. The XZ has sentimental value to me. It was a Christmas gift from my family in 2000. As I mentioned in the other thread, if I DIY something, I'll post pics.
Click to expand...
Find a 'good' local Luthier to do the repair, this is a $150 fix. I think Pat Wilkins will do a complete refinish for about $450 (unless prices have gone up) and he's world class, $600 is ridiculous.
 
#846
Barticus said:
Sound sound samples would be more useful
Click to expand...
I was afraid of that. What I might do is bring the basses I have for sale up to my church (where my rig is) and get some audio recordings with the camera I use for recording our shows with. It has sensitive X/Y microphones that emphasize bass frequencies slightly but that would still be better than my iPhone. I just don't have a good, common reference bass to play along with them, but 'some' sound is probably better than none. Stay tuned.
 
#847
Michael Vee said:
You'll miss it, Eric! That is a nice looking cherryburst.
Click to expand...
Possibly... Eventually I'd like to get an XQ-5 one day. I know where I could get one, but I haven't collected enough GW's for one yet.
Michael Vee said:
At the same time Raz is selling his XZ-25, I'm once again trying to figure out how to fix the finish damage on mine. I've posted about it elsewhere on TB and gotten a variety of responses from "don't touch it" to "refinish the whole body". I probably will try to sand out the damaged paint area and buff it smooth. The XZ has sentimental value to me. It was a Christmas gift from my family in 2000. As I mentioned in the other thread, if I DIY something, I'll post pics.
Click to expand...
For as much as you were quoted you could just about have a second one, just sayin'... :whistle:
 
#848
Razman said:
I was afraid of that. What I might do is bring the basses I have for sale up to my church (where my rig is) and get some audio recordings with the camera I use for recording our shows with. It has sensitive X/Y microphones that emphasize bass frequencies slightly but that would still be better than my iPhone. I just don't have a good, common reference bass to play along with them, but 'some' sound is probably better than none. Stay tuned.
Click to expand...
Don't over think it. Your iPhone will do an amazing job and is good enough. :thumbsup:
 
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#849
Razman said:
For Sale - 2000 Steinberger Spirit XZ-25 "Cherry Burst"

Ad is live! There's also a video of it; no sound samples but plenty of pics. Help me find it a new home where it will be played and enjoyed!

Eric
Click to expand...
Beautiful bass. Don't worry too much about not having recordings of it, most folks don't post recordings. If I hadn't just bought an Ergo EUB, I'd be trying to take this off your hands! GLWTS
 
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#852
Just grabbed a white XT-2 of eBay. Had to get it from Japan as there's zero to be found in the US. Will be here in a few weeks hopefully. Installing an Audere 3 band into it. From what I've read the stock humbucker pups are dull, no punch. Was hoping the pre will help but am not optimistic as the Audere is designed to enhance the bass's existing tone, not create a new one.

So, the question is: Who's added a pre to this bass, which one, what was the result,? AND, what's the best pickups to swap in that'll work with the Audere?

Passive, identical size pups with some punch is the goal. All opinions appreciated.
 
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#854
pb9717 said:
Just grabbed a white XT-2 of eBay. Had to get it from Japan as there's zero to be found in the US. Will be here in a few weeks hopefully. Installing an Audere 3 band into it. From what I've read the stock humbucker pups are dull, no punch. Was hoping the pre will help but am not optimistic as the Audere is designed to enhance the bass's existing tone, not create a new one.

So, the question is: Who's added a pre to this bass, which one, what was the result,? AND, what's the best pickups to swap in that'll work with the Audere?

Passive, identical size pups with some punch is the goal. All opinions appreciated.
Click to expand...

Over the years since I started this thread, there's been quite a bit of discussion about pickups and electronics upgrades. Take a moment to work back through the thread. Sonojono, Razman, Barticus, and others have tried other brands of pickups and electronics, and each posted what they thought.

Any standard humbucker-sized pickup will fit, with your choice of 3-pot electronic harnesses, and even more if you are willing to drill more holes for pot shafts. Sky's the limit if you are willing to route for larger soapbars.

I have three Spirit XZ's, and my favorite setup is the EMG HBCS actives with a BTC electronics set. You may not want to spend that much on a relatively inexpensive bass, but if you do, it's highly recommended. It gives you much of the tone of the graphite basses.
 
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#855
Michael Vee said:
Over the years since I started this thread, there's been quite a bit of discussion about pickups and electronics upgrades. Take a moment to work back through the thread. Sonojono, Razman, and others have tried other brands of pickups and electronics, and each posted what they thought.

Any standard humbucker-sized pickup will fit, with your choice of 3-pot electronic harnesses, and even more if you are willing to drill more holes for pot shafts.

I have three Spirit XZ's, and my favorite setup is the EMG HBCS actives with a BTC electronics set. You may not want to spend that much on a relatively inexpensive bass, but if you do, it's highly recommended. It gives you much of the tone of the graphite basses.
Click to expand...
Agree on the EMG I had the BTC for a long time and then switched to the BQC and love it. I did reroute for DC45s but would have made a huge difference on the stock pups as well. This is still one of the best values around with the bridge/headpiece and neck.
 
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#856
sonojono said:
If you're not optimistic with Audere, you could look into Nordstrand preamps. As for passive pickups, there was Bartolini as an option but they're no longer in production.

Here's an alternative for passive pickups
P90 Soapbar – Dyna Bass | Mojo Pickups
Click to expand...

im confident in the audere, I've used them in other basses successfully. My lack of confidence is in the stock pups
 
#857
pb9717 said:
im confident in the audere, I've used them in other basses successfully. My lack of confidence is in the stock pups
Click to expand...
I had a white XT, I think it was a 2014, and my XZ is a 2000 - I'd say just plan right now to change them. My XZ is the closest in tone and feel to my custom fiver so it makes for a great backup bass but amazing the pickups are not. It does fine in a mix and at the end of the day that's what counts but they don't have the depth of clarity some others in my humble collection have.

The Tone Monster preamp I added did them a solid however - the bass has much more output now and it doesn't sound bad. I've had much worse, and those preamps are clear & clean - tremendous bang for your buck. If I were heading on via a plane I'd take the Spirit in a heartbeat.

I do side with Michael in that I too like EMG systems; I haven't owned many basses with them but they always sounded great to me. Surprisingly, the basses that turned me into more of a tone snob were a couple of older Washburn basses. One was a Force ABT-5; I can't remember what the other one was (have to check my history). Those unfortunately were sold - but I picked up another last year that's more of a keeper. It has a similar tone to the ones I had and is in fantastic condition. Should you run into one do try it out.

Let us know your impressions of the XT-2 when you get it.

Eric
 
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#858
Though not a Spirit, my B2V is getting some new EMG40 sized pickups; they look like they'll fit, but we'll see. If surgery is required, then so be it.
Also getting a strap pin extender when I can get to the local chain HW which is about 35mi away.
 
#860
Razman said:
You know, I take back some of my sentiments about the stock pickups - I don't think they're that bad, after playing it this morning. Could you install better? Sure, but the preamp helps.

Click to expand...

Yeah they're just passive EMGs which usually sound pretty good. I think the ginormous stack of 24 speakers and that head might have a little to do with it sounding so good too though :woot:
 
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