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Steinberger XP-2 Issues = Broken Jaw

#21
Glad to hear on the BG Stainless Jaws @Wanker_Joe

If We ever have another break I will order four of the stainless steel Jaws/Claws for sure..
I had forgotten about the Steinberger XP-2 & need to order the Decal or have a local sign company make me up a sheet of the self adhesive decals & sell the rest on eBay/Reverb..
My Son plays that bass every day, I can hear it in His Studio & always try an pick which Guitar or Bass He's playing before I stick my head in., The Steinberger has a Tone of It's own..
He has a little over a grand in the Bass with the repair parts which is half it's current market value of $2000+, What a Great 30th Birthday Present.. Bet He hasn't even touched the Fretless Jackson JPB-7 or The Ibanez SR300 since it has arrived.. He has over a dozen really nice guitars..

I've been busy working on that Parker Fly Deluxe I bought for $30 & have close to $200 worth of parts for it now, It's another great discontinued guitar with some crazy features & tones + light weight..
Finally scored all the tremolo parts except two bearings that will be here soon + a tuner from Sperzel.
It's a $2000+ Guitar Too!!
GManMusic Parts.JPG

It was missing all these parts as when the trem spring broke it knocked a hole in the face of the guitar.
I got what was found of it in a garbage can.. The trem springs sell for almost $200 now days but I found a new one from a recording artist in Nashville & Offered Him $100 & it was SOLD.. He uses .010"s & this spring is for .009"s
Still need to rout for a repair patch & cut a piece of poplar to make it from..
Can you believe those 20 year old trem springs sell for close to $200..
 
#23
I wouldn’t stress about the Parker spring gauge #. I use 9’s with an eleven spring. Just set the bridge up to compensate but don’t over tighten it as it will bust out again. Here’s the manual in case you haven’t got one.

Invalid Link Removed
 
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#24
How was the fit on the replacement jaws? There seems to be enough variation between parts sets for the OEM and licensed versions of the bridge that it might matter. My bridge looks identical to the OP's so I assume a claw ordered from the Ebay source would be a drop-in fit? Sign O' the Times on parts pricing, I guess. I own a 96' Johnson 48HP outboard motor, and since Johnson/Evinrude went under, the cost of every part has skyrocketed. I need a little switch for the engine lift, charitably a $2.00 part to manufacture, used to be sold for around $25. Now people are asking $125+ for it on Ebay! I'm torn between "it ain't broke, so don't fix it", and "buy it at sane prices while you can" on parts for the XP-2.
 
#25
Gilmourisgod said:
How was the fit on the replacement jaws? There seems to be enough variation between parts sets for the OEM and licensed versions of the bridge that it might matter. My bridge looks identical to the OP's so I assume a claw ordered from the Ebay source would be a drop-in fit? Sign O' the Times on parts pricing, I guess. I own a 96' Johnson 48HP outboard motor, and since Johnson/Evinrude went under, the cost of every part has skyrocketed. I need a little switch for the engine lift, charitably a $2.00 part to manufacture, used to be sold for around $25. Now people are asking $125+ for it on Ebay! I'm torn between "it ain't broke, so don't fix it", and "buy it at sane prices while you can" on parts for the XP-2.
Click to expand...

The stainless jaws fit perfectly. No wiggle room or anything, just a perfect fit. They came with very clear and well done instructions as well, though on my bridge I had to unscrew the saddles to get at the jaws (according to the instructions provided the bridge can be unscrewed into two pieces: one with the saddles and one with the jaws - on mine they need a hex-like driver that I didn't have in any of my hex sets so I just unscrewed the bridge saddles; it was all pretty easy to do).

Took me about 20 minutes or so to remove and clean everything before installing the new ones. Only downside is that they aren't black, but I could always refinish them I suppose. And it's not that noticeable anyhow.

I was thankful that I decided to get 4 as when I replaced mine one was broken and didn't work (which is why I replaced it) and 2 were actually broken but in such a way that they still held the strings, but who knows for long - you could only tell when you removed them that they were busted. So I just replaced the whole set.
 
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#27
Constantine said:
I have an XP-2 and having problems turning the tuning knobs. I can almost get the D and G string in tune if I could only turn it a bit more. Do they need some type of oil and lube? I'm at a loss. Please advise and thanks in advance. Constantine
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When I took mine apart to fix the broken jaws I added some ptfe lube I bought at the hardware store to the tuners when putting it back together. Made them turn smoothly and easily after that (they were a little on the hard side before). Maybe try something similar?
 
#29
Jeff Babicz recommends putting some thick grease on the tuners threads & were the jaw slides in the bridge + on the washers behind the tuner knob, a little goes a long way
They supply some with jaws they sell @ Headless USA
I used some gun grease, but Vaseline would be just perfect too.
 
#31
Gary Sutter said:
I have been posting in the "What's on Your Workbench" Thread & thought I'd put up a thread in the Setup-Repair Area about an Upcoming Steinberger XP-2 that my Son Ordered on his 30th Birthday that has a couple of Issues..

1st Off the XP-2 needs a new Jaw or Claw for the bridge as they are common to have issues breaking from what I ascertain..

2nd It's missing the Leg Rest which is common because they work out well on Flying Vs or they get broken off.. Also will need the mounting hardware..

3rd Would be a Setup for the Bass & New Strings..

I have never worked on a Steinberger Bass but once had a Gibson U2 With a Steinberger KB-X Tremolo..

We have ordered a Single Jaw, Leg Rest & a couple sets of Labella Flat Wounds from Ed Roman's Guitar in Vegas.. Steinberger Parts
Bob @ ERG was invaluable resource in ascertaining the parts as there are several variants of Bass bridges on these Basses, I E-Mailed him a photo & He made sure We are getting the right one.. Ours is Variant 2 V2..

Headless USA was out of these parts BTW.. STEINBERGER - Buy Headless Parts for Your Steinberger - HeadlessUSA - Bridges, Headpieces, Legrests..
Don There is going to get Us a Steinberger Logo for the pickguard as it was changed by one from Chandler..

Also came across a seller on eBay that sells Stainless Steel Jaws for $35ea named ginobass.. Steinberger Bass Stainless Steel Original Replacement Bass Jaws Claws USA | eBay

1st I didn't know how to adjust the intonation on the XP-2 but was enlightened in the other thread that there is an adjustment screw at the front of each saddle after unlocking the saddles via a Hex Head Set Screw at the E Side of the bridge..
Not sure if it's a Hex or Flat headed? Everything else on this bass is Hex..
Have also found out that to replace the Jaw I will need to remove the Tuning Knob via it's small allen set screw that tightens on the flat spot on the threaded shaft..
There are three washers behind each tuning knob two brass & a nylon one that goes in between, I will have to mark the original intonation spot on the bridge either with a pencil mark or piece of tape to get it back to it's original position after the Jaw Change, There is also a spring behind the Jaw & bridge assembly..
Will need to use some penetrant oil on every part as they are cruddy or rusted from sweat corrosion.. I'm out of Kroil but have Rem Oil or WD-40 + Grease for the Jaws.

Will also need the two Hex Head Screws to attach the Leg Rest & after looking on Headless USA I found a picture with info that says 6-32 X 3/8" which I'm sure I can find @ Home Depot or Ace Hardware.. If the heads are too large I can spin them in a drill & turn them down with a file..

Won't have the XP-2 Bass till the middle of the week which might even be tomorrow but with Hurricane Ida pouring rain on the lower states we'll just have to wait and see
The Bass is coming from Nashville Tennessee & I live in Southern Indiana two Miles from Louisville Kentucky..

Any additional information on Setup or Repair of these early Steinberger Basses would be greatly appreciated.. There is no truss rod on these Basses & has a Graphite Neck..

Gary Sutter

Steinberger Logo For Pickguard
View attachment 4389777
New Jaw with M3.5 x 0.6 threaded shaft & washers & spacer
View attachment 4389758
The Bass in Question Broken Jaw on D String, E is Questionable Too
View attachment 4389759
Photo of Upcoming Steinberger XP-2
View attachment 4389763
Photo I Found showing the bridge apart
View attachment 4389765
Photo of some Broken Jaws & a New One
View attachment 4389767
Screws on Steinberger Insruments
View attachment 4389790
Click to expand...
Hello Gary;
May I trouble you for some info on the XP2 reassembly? How were the tuning knobs inserted; that is, how far are they (the shaft) threaded into the new jaws, and in what position and order are the metal and nylon washers inserted on the shaft and into the bridge? Thank you very much.
 
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