Steinbergers

[Bergerdude]

You bring the hat, I'll bring the bass.

I remember back in '98 using my 1987 XL2 in a band and getting sneered at because it was an "eighties bass."

I wish I could still get those roundwound 606's for the bass though.
I found a used XQ-25...I wanted a 5 string, a steinberger and a more normal shape.

My XL2 never goes out of tune, the XQ-25 does need tuning about once every 3 months (due to the bolt on neck?).

Anyway...the sound is better on the XL2, my XQ came with Seymour-Duncan pickups (there were factory options for SMD, Barts and EMG's).

I have thought about putting in the EMG's, but that would require routing out some wood from the bass, and that scares the crapola out of me.

I am also too scared to take my XL2 traveling with me....so I WISH MusicYo would start selling the Spirits again!

But I digress....
I too got my XL2 in highschool and it served me well through-out college. I snagged the XQ a few years later and it is my gig bass.
The XL2 sits in the closet with the 606 roundwounds.
I don't play it too much because it'll remind me of how much better it sounds than the full-bodied XQ!

 

[N. Kentucky Bass]

I wrote an article on how to do it. It includes photos, diagrams and sound files demoing the sound of active EMG-HB and EMG-HBCS pickups, and the BTC System control pots.

There is NO routing required to do this. It's a simple upgrade any luthier can perform if you are uncomfortable with wiring and a soldering iron.

The new sound is GREAT, the bass is much lighter than a graphite model, much less expensive, and more carefree to travel with.

This article is on WikiMusician. The site works like Wikipedia so anyone can add their wisdom or contribute other articles. Enjoy!

http://www.wikimusician.org/Steinberger_Spirit_Bass

 

[Rossman59]

I own a Steinberger Spirit XP and would like to upgrade the EMG selects to better passive pickups. My research came up with EMG HBZ but I'm not sure if these are correct. Anyone have any ideas or recommondations? I'm open to any suggestions.

Thanks for the help everyone.

 

[Bergerdude]

I wrote an article on how to do it. It includes photos, diagrams and sound files demoing the sound of active EMG-HB and EMG-HBCS pickups, and the BTC System control pots.

There is NO routing required to do this. It's a simple upgrade any luthier can perform if you are uncomfortable with wiring and a soldering iron.

The new sound is GREAT, the bass is much lighter than a graphite model, much less expensive, and more carefree to travel with.

This article is on WikiMusician. The site works like Wikipedia so anyone can add their wisdom or contribute other articles. Enjoy!

http://www.wikimusician.org/Steinberger_Spirit_Bass

I want a spirit as a cheap travel bass....my main gigging bass is a conventional bodied XQ with SD pickups....to put EMG's in that bass I would need a router :-(

The Seymor Duncan's have a different footprint than the EMG's.

 

[A9X]

I own a Steinberger Spirit XP and would like to upgrade the EMG selects to better passive pickups. My research came up with EMG HBZ but I'm not sure if these are correct. Anyone have any ideas or recommondations? I'm open to any suggestions.

Thanks for the help everyone.

I have a set of Bill Lawrence EB50 in my Hohner. These are basically his XL500 guitar pickups with slightly wider poles. Sometimes available secondhand or email Bill and he'll build a set for you.

The Dimarzio X2N guitar pickup also works well in them.

Both of these are 4 wire for more configuratin options.

I want a spirit as a cheap travel bass....my main gigging bass is a conventional bodied XQ with SD pickups....to put EMG's in that bass I would need a router :-(

The Seymor Duncan's have a different footprint than the EMG's.

Which model SD's? Some are EMG35/40 sized so that opens up a number of options. Search the pickup forum under Steinberger.

 

[Marcury]

Nobody reading or posting in this thread has any experience with the Synapses?

 

[musicman7722]

I had a black "stick" bass in the late 80's as well. Very nice but I traded it for a PA board later. Dumb. From there I went onto a Hohner Jack bass 4 string. Then converted to 5 string. Tried the jacks but didn't like them for 5. Now I have a Hohner 5 string, B2V I think. I just removed the PUPS and replaced them with EMG 35DC I think. I had to just nick the cavity to square them to place the PUPS in. Now this is main bass. I've retired my 92 Fender Jazz Deluxe V bass with EMG's. I've also owned the Synapse 5 string. Yuck is all I can say. Sent it right back. Then I got in the new model released a few years ago with the traditional body. Sent that back as well.

Chris P.

 

[Benjamin Strange]

I own a Steinberger Spirit XP and would like to upgrade the EMG selects to better passive pickups. My research came up with EMG HBZ but I'm not sure if these are correct. Anyone have any ideas or recommondations? I'm open to any suggestions.

Thanks for the help everyone.

I have put Rio Grande Pitbulls in mine - best passive pickups I've found that fit into Steinbergers.

Clips:

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