Synsonics headless

[cornfarmer]

I like weird, borderline garbage and making it better. This thing is 31” scale and other than the bridge, seems fine. The bolt on neck feels like a modern C and the frets look newish. The bridge seems to have brass saddles/retainers, but the bottom plate is a pile of pot metal looking trash. I couldn't even tune the D string because it was either binding bad, or maxed out, I kinda think the bridge was just not placed far back enough to begin with. What a POS. But I see the potential for fun.

Having zero knowledge about Steinbergers, etc. I will contemplate the next move. I am leaning towards making a headless shortscale p-bass. Does anyone even make double-ball SS strings? The heel is ~ 2 & 5/8 width. The pickup sounded healthy, but was nothing special. I can probably make the bridge work....or could get a Hipshot and save myself some headaches. Another Frankenstein is coming....?

 

[pingvuiini]

If you decide to go short scale I believe most of the headless hardware manufacturers like Hipshot, ABM and Riviera all have headpieces that can take either double ball strings or regular strings. So scale length of the string may not be an issue.

 

[cornfarmer]

For the sake of making string supply easier, I could always mount the bridge for long scale (on a different body).

 

[Ritter667]

For the sake of making string supply easier, I could always mount the bridge for long scale (on a different body).

With a different neck too?

So just use the crappy bridge?

Cause I assume you know the 31" scale neck won't work.

 

[Iristone]

Rotosound makes the RDB66 double-ball strings. I doubt they'll fit the short scale, though.

 

[Matt Liebenau]

Interesting. I had one of those a long time ago. Still have the matching guitar. I remember the headpiece on mine clamping the strings so double ball strings weren’t an issue but I could be wrong. I do recall the body was some kind of MDF so I made a walnut body for it. I might still have the outline template in the garage.

 

[newfuture]

I have vague memories of the Synsonics trademark being owned by Mattel. I know the drum pads sold in toy/department stores were. Can you see if mattel is stamped on the bass somewhere? Just curious.

I love that you're doing this.

 

[cornfarmer]

Rotosound makes the RDB66 double-ball strings. I doubt they'll fit the short scale, though.

Rotosound says these work for 32″ - 34″ scale. Maybe?

 

[Dave TB Killer]

I have a Spirit and use a string adaptor to make Chromes fit the Bass. The Spirit has some quirks too and I'm slowly working through and around them.

 

[cornfarmer]

With a different neck too?

So just use the crappy bridge?

Cause I assume you know the 31" scale neck won't work.

Does this have something to do with the fret spacing? On a few old Gibsons, they had long scale versions of SS basses, but it looked like the bridge was only moved further back....I assumed the necks were the same. Can somebody enlighten me (I should know better based on my age/experience).

 

[cornfarmer]

I do recall the body was some kind of MDF

Confirmed

 

[Gilmourisgod]

Wow, that is an odd duck. I remember when Steinberger first hit, a bunch of strange attempts at clones surfaced, most of them wood necks. That one kinda mimics the XP-2 "flying vee" bass. Is that one wood or carbon fiber? The bridge looks more like the L2 first generation than the later ones. AFAIK, nobody makes a short scale double-ball string, so you'd have to have a clamping headstock. Avoid the "Overlords of Music" parts like the plague: junk.

 

[Ritter667]

Does this have something to do with the fret spacing? On a few old Gibsons, they had long scale versions of SS basses, but it looked like the bridge was only moved further back....I assumed the necks were the same. Can somebody enlighten me (I should know better based on my age/experience).

Yes, it has everything to do with the fret spacing, and might had been the same body with the bridge moved, but with 100% certainty wasn't the same neck, not doable!, not with the frets placed in the same spots, not without one having significantly fewer frets than the other.

Or well it is, but all the fretted notes would be randomly out of tune, by how much changing from fret to fret.

 

[cornfarmer]

R&D continues. I'm going to wager that the strings on this were the originals. It also seems that standard strings should work as long as the hardware holds up.

So, time to find a donor body. The heel is about 58mm or a hair over 2.3 in. Anyone remember if anybody made basses out there that would have a neck pocket in that ballpark? I think Peaveys were around there.

 

[cornfarmer]

I'm bailing on this project. No time and brain power is in low supply. If anyone wants to take over PM me and I'll give you a deal.