Then again Gibson could buy Moses and make graphite necks in house?
Oh God no. Please. God forbid. Don't even say stuff like that out loud. Buy another company that makes quality stuff, and ruin it? Ugh. No other company deserves that fate.
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STEINBERGER....
- Thread starter ric stave
- Start date
Oh God no. Please. God forbid. Don't even say stuff like that out loud. Buy another company that makes quality stuff, and ruin it? Ugh. No other company deserves that fate.
Funny.
Do you think I'd get in trouble if I started a "Why does Gibson Suck So Bad" thread? [They do buy ad space here you know.] Since I'm kinda new around here, I really don't know what it takes to be banned.
Gibson is a disgrace, from their crappy headstocks popping off all the time to their ultra-gay "Robot Guitar". And I can't F'n stand "Slash" either.
How I wish I could buy a quality XQ-25A someday [I need a body to rest my right forearm on].
/HateRant
I recently acquired a 5 string Steinberger Spirit bass that someone had already defretted. I have owned several Steinbergers, including a 4-string XL-2, a 5-string Synapse, and a 4-string Spirit. I like Spirit best because they have a more natural tone being made of wood, they're lighter, and there is more space between strings--almost like a Fender jazz, which is my main bass so muscle memory is familiar. My goal was to give the 5-string Spirit a woody, upright-like tone.
To compliment the fretless, I installed new passive pickups: a Bartolini 72M45C-B on the neck and a Bartolini 72M45C-T on the bridge. These pickups have an EMG 40 shape so only minor routing was required to slightly lengthen both ends of each pickup cavity. The Bartolini pickups are dual coil humbuckers that provide a deep tone, adding warmth to the naturally bright tone of an all-maple body/neck.
I also installed an active Bartolini 3.4 Preamp. A single 9-volt battery compartment was routed into the back to power the preamp. The preamp provides sweepable mid-range adjustments for substantial flexibilty in dialing in tone.
Finally, I installed Status Graphite black nylon tapewound strings.
I got my wood tone with this configuration. I was surprised to find the bass can also sound like Jaco. Startled me when that sound jumped out!
Moral of this story: think outside the box with Steinberger Spirits. In addition to their useful form factor, you can really stretch their tone in a lot of directions depending on electronics and strings. Here are some pics:
To compliment the fretless, I installed new passive pickups: a Bartolini 72M45C-B on the neck and a Bartolini 72M45C-T on the bridge. These pickups have an EMG 40 shape so only minor routing was required to slightly lengthen both ends of each pickup cavity. The Bartolini pickups are dual coil humbuckers that provide a deep tone, adding warmth to the naturally bright tone of an all-maple body/neck.
I also installed an active Bartolini 3.4 Preamp. A single 9-volt battery compartment was routed into the back to power the preamp. The preamp provides sweepable mid-range adjustments for substantial flexibilty in dialing in tone.
Finally, I installed Status Graphite black nylon tapewound strings.
I got my wood tone with this configuration. I was surprised to find the bass can also sound like Jaco. Startled me when that sound jumped out!
Moral of this story: think outside the box with Steinberger Spirits. In addition to their useful form factor, you can really stretch their tone in a lot of directions depending on electronics and strings. Here are some pics:
What are the body/neck woods? How's the neck set? Truss rod access above the zero fret?
Are you happy with the bridge?
That looks like the typical "tight" Stenie string spacing [I like that]. You are sayingt that your string spacing there is wider than the typical Stenie 5er?
Are you happy with the bridge?
That looks like the typical "tight" Stenie string spacing [I like that]. You are sayingt that your string spacing there is wider than the typical Stenie 5er?
one of mine:
I haven't had a chance to play a MY berger, but kinda sad to see the brand go to poop.
I haven't had a chance to play a MY berger, but kinda sad to see the brand go to poop.
Totally agree. I love the old Steiny's. I really don't understand why Gibson bought them in the first place. Maybe they thought that Ned's innovation might transfer to the Gibson folks, but that never happened. I wish that Fender would have bought them instead. It would have been interesting seeing how that would have panned out. Sure could not have been worse that what Gibson did to the brand.
Don't forget. Gibson pretty much killed Tobias basses.
Gibson hasn't been real nice to us bass folk. Done kinda kilt two of our best.
Gibson hasn't been real nice to us bass folk. Done kinda kilt two of our best.
The Hohners are great for what they are... maple Steinberger copies. I started with a Steinberger Spirit, but it had too many QC issues: bubbles in paint, rattling truss rod, mediocre fretwork etc. I replaced it with a Hohner B2ADB, and I'm very pleased. The fretwork is among the best I've felt, the paint doesn't have any bubbles, and the sound is head and shoulders above the Spirit, even in passive mode. Supposedly the pickups are the similar, but not to my ears!
Yes. Hohners are quite nice. Hohners and Spirits were built in the same factory for years. Don't know if that is still the case. Hohner briefly discontinued their headless instruments, but that lasted for only a couple months. That was 2 or so years ago.
Shortly after they announced that they would continue making headless basses, the Steinberger Spirit line selection started to dwindle on Music Yo's site. Just take a look at the Music Yo site at all the out of stock models. I give Gibson 2 more years before they kill the line.
I’ve spend some time with the wood XL models from both Spirit and the Hohners.
I bought an older Spirit XL off ebay and was a little disappointed in the sound and the neck: narrow string spacing and chunky neck. It didn't require an extensive set up, just a neck relief, intonation, string and pick up settings adjustments to played out real nice.
It was made pretty well and no fit and finish issues. Ergonomically, it was a nightmare to play standing up and you needed to use an angled jack when sitting to prevent bumping the jack. It is in a terrible location. After a week I thought this thing was ill conceived and was going to flip it but I really liked the size and portability and decided to work some bugs out.
The two biggest changes that made a profound impact was installing a pivot plate and moving the input jack to the upper back position. I installed high quality pots and wired Volume/Blend/Tone.
The balance and comfort with the pivot plate is incredible… it might be an acquired taste but for a long time I didn’t even consider strapping on another bass. The input jack and cord disappears, it is easy to plug in and it is always out of the way. I have yet to step on the cable and pull the jack out.
I always think the bass is a little naturally bright and a little honky but strangely the tone works great for solo practicing and it always sits great in the mix.
It is pictured below.
Stay with me while I yak away.
I bought a Hohner off ebay for a second bass and was expecting it to have the same characterizes as the Spirit. It was lifeless. After doing the same mods, it still sounded terrible. To add insult, the neck was like a 2x4.
Since the mods that made the Spirit a real nice bass didn’t work, I took it to the next step and gave it a new body and new neck profile. It is light at 7 lbs, small contoured body and balances perfectly.
Here’s the mod before and after: Invalid Link Removed
I bought an older Spirit XL off ebay and was a little disappointed in the sound and the neck: narrow string spacing and chunky neck. It didn't require an extensive set up, just a neck relief, intonation, string and pick up settings adjustments to played out real nice.
It was made pretty well and no fit and finish issues. Ergonomically, it was a nightmare to play standing up and you needed to use an angled jack when sitting to prevent bumping the jack. It is in a terrible location. After a week I thought this thing was ill conceived and was going to flip it but I really liked the size and portability and decided to work some bugs out.
The two biggest changes that made a profound impact was installing a pivot plate and moving the input jack to the upper back position. I installed high quality pots and wired Volume/Blend/Tone.
The balance and comfort with the pivot plate is incredible… it might be an acquired taste but for a long time I didn’t even consider strapping on another bass. The input jack and cord disappears, it is easy to plug in and it is always out of the way. I have yet to step on the cable and pull the jack out.
I always think the bass is a little naturally bright and a little honky but strangely the tone works great for solo practicing and it always sits great in the mix.
It is pictured below.
Stay with me while I yak away.
I bought a Hohner off ebay for a second bass and was expecting it to have the same characterizes as the Spirit. It was lifeless. After doing the same mods, it still sounded terrible. To add insult, the neck was like a 2x4.
Since the mods that made the Spirit a real nice bass didn’t work, I took it to the next step and gave it a new body and new neck profile. It is light at 7 lbs, small contoured body and balances perfectly.
Here’s the mod before and after: Invalid Link Removed
Attachments
Probably, but they definitely have not utilized the patents to their fullest. It was a poor business decision and horrible fit for Gibson.
Good question. It did but not as much or as radical as I hoped for. I chambered the body to keep it light and it has a little hint of that quality but really it sounds similar to the other one just not as growly.
It could be a bigger difference in trying different pick ups.
Wow, I'm surprised. I have a newer model Steinberger Synapse fretless, and I just think it's awesome. The neck is very rigid, and I really like it's "hollow graphite" vibe, plus the unique grittiness it has. I can't get a good nasally Jaco-ish tone out of it though (EMG DC pup in the sweet spot and piezo bridge), but everything except that is excellent IMO. I don't particularly like it's one-piece bridge saddle deal, but I can live with that on a fretless.
Dave
Dave
Hilarious post. Genius.....
Dude, you should just get an awesome Status Graphite bass and call it a day.
+1 I loved my Status, it was an awesome bass!
Andy Brown
Commercial User
- Jul 23, 2004
- 5,675
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- Founder/Owner: Wing Instruments
I saw some molds on ebay not too too long ago. Though I recall reading that the molds wore out over time. I don't think the molds are a reason that they wouldn't continue making em. You would just use a blank to make another mold as easy as anything I suppose.
