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thinking about getting a headless bass

#21
These days I'm really gassin' for a headless Status Graphite S-2 or Stealth 5 banger! Looking at the newly posted photos on the Status Graphite "basses in stock" page doesn't help matters either. Some really killer stuff coming out of that shop.

Someday....
 
#24
I'm building a new one which will end up looking something like this...

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#25
I have been playing and collecting basses for about two years now. I'm practically surrounded by them and have to consider selling a few, but there is something I need badly: a medium scale headless bass. Could you please give me a list of headless medium scale basses you know, rare models included? Perhaps something may show up at eBay someday.

Currently I have three headless basses: Hohner Jack, Hohner B2A Fretless and a custom made copy of Status Kingbass. My ideal headless bass would be something like the Jack bass - traditional body with long horns, decent passive pickups and a narrow neck but medium or short scale (30"-32").
 
#26
I got a headless passive Hohner Jack bass last week. The pups are EMG Select. If I was to upgrade them, which pups would you recommend?

The bass is kind of OK: I like the headless concept, it is light and well balanced, the neck is not perfect but quite comfortable anyway, and the sound... well, it is OK, too, but I'd like a sharper, more HiFi-sound.
 
#27
Flawed said:
does anyone have any experience with either the hohner or steingberger headlesses? i really dig those guitars but dont want to make a bad purchase? what do you guys think of them, those that have played them. my local guitar center has kind of a ****** bass selection unfortuantely so i dont get to try a lot of different basses before i buy.
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They're both good.
I'd try real hard to try them out if you can find a bassist or few to let you. Pick whichever brand you prefer the feel and sound of as they are a little different.

We've also decent experience with CORT(also headless/neck-thru) but BE CAREFUL with any used CORT making sure to check the action and function of the trussrod. My son's first bass was a $65 CORT(maxed out trussrod) bought for parts that I massaged enough to make very playable. His main bass is a 5 string Stein Spirit.

+1 to the comments: "They are GREAT for travel and tight places".
 
#28
I just saw this thread, or would have jumped in sooner.

I've owned four Spirit XZ's, now down to three. (JerryJ has my XZ-2DB.) All are quality, good sounding, good playing, comfortable basses. There's nothing to not like. Put quality strings on them, like Steinberger rounds, and they rock out.

They are pretty easily modded if you want something different, sound wise. The Audere passive harnesses work well with the EMG Select pickups. I've done a variety of mods; do a search on Spirit and Michaelvee and you'll find a number of threads, including a megathread.

The main thing that has changed since I started playing Spirits back in 2001 is that they are no longer available wholesale through MusicYo. You have to buy them for full retail now, and on top of that, the wonderful XZs are no longer available, just the XTs.

The XTs are solid as a rock, being one piece maple. But they have balance issues on a strap. Take a look at the Synapse basses, which come with a strap hook. To play an XT comfortably standing up, you have to come up with something similar to the hook.

The XZ basses can sometimes be found on eBay and sell for a premium these days. Even so, they are worth the price.

In the seven years I've played XZs, I kept hoping they'd catch on among Talkbass bassists. They never really did, so I, and a few other mavericks carry on nonetheless.
 
#29
COOL AND DEADLY said:
Most guys who play headless basses now play reggae.
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I dunno if you can say that. It's true that Robbie Shakespeare and a couple other reggae bassists were famous for their use of graphite Steinbergers some years ago. I don't know if those same players are still mainly using Steinies, maybe someone else can address that.

The headless bass design has a number of unique advantages. You don't have to shell out $3000 for a vintage Steinie or a Status Graphite headless to enjoy the advantages; just spring for a Spirit and be happy :)

Side note to Cool and Deadly- have you ever met Rip Hamilton? He's one of my fave NBA players, is from Coatesville, and gets back home quite a bit from what I hear.
 
#30
My Steinberger XL2A was my main squeeze for about 12 years. It's a blast to play, sounds amazing, records fantastic, is virtually indestructable, is very portable and it's super comfortable to wear in the long haul. Right off the bat I picked up the string attachment that fits on the end of the neck so that I could use my fav strings (also--just try finding double ball strings... ANYWHERE!). It's just about garanteed that somebody at some point during a gig will come up to me and say "what IS that thing you're playing?" It's a great conversation starter.

The only caveat here is that the fingerboard scale is probably different from any instrument you've played. If you're currently a P Bass or Jazz Bass guy then it will take a little getting used to... the notes won't be where you're used to them being... but it doesn't take long. I went from playing an Ibanez RB850 (a very P Bass type neck) to the Steinberger, and it felt a little strange at first, but within a few days I wasn't even thinking about it any more. Then later I bought my American Jazz Bass Deluxe (I was in a blues band, and the leader didn't want me playing this little black rectangular thing... it didn't look right to him... he had no complaints about the sound, he just didn't think it fit with his image of what a blues bassist should be playing... it was a VERY good band, so I relented) and it took me about another week to get my hands used to the longer neck on the Jazz. I still really dig the Steinberger, don't play it much, but I can't bring myself to sell it. I REALLY fell for it the first time I saw pics of Sting, Geddy and Mike Rutherford with their XL's.

If you like a clean, full, round sound, you'll dig this bass.
 
#31
COOL AND DEADLY said:
Most guys who play headless basses now play reggae.
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Funny you should say that. I have an '89 Steinberger and an '88 Hohner Jack Bass and that's exactly what I use them for. I've had them both for 20 years. The Steinberger has the fat, clean, deep, round tone that reggae players love.

The original Steinberger composite was a brilliant design. Almost indestructible, and you never have to tweek anything. They were just too expensive to make, and they switched to wood bodies. Not quite the same.

My only complaint would be that it's almost impossible to get double ball flatwounds (but I did finally find some from Status Graphite in England).
 
#32
Hohner B2A is my work bass and backup too. lightweight, build like a tank, compact, with a cool neck, very good playability.
I switched EMG to Bill Lawrens EB50, made passive routage.
I also add a metal piece to emulate a upper horn and move by this way the strapp button in order to improve comfort playability. It's now perfect and i really appreciate it.

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#35
Don't know if this is still relevent, but in my opinion, the Spirit and Hohner basses are both good quality. But, anyone who has read any of my posts knows that I'm partial to the Hohners. VERY solid basses, good sound and EXCELLENT customer service.
 
#37
My main bass is an 80's Washburn Bantam that I bought brand new. It's a Steinberger copy, only all wood. A few years ago I replaced the PUP's with active EMG's and a BTOC tone system. It kicks butt and takes no prisoners! 24 fret neck, with amazing intonation. (I can play an open D, and the third on the 23rd fret of the G, and there is no beating.) It uses standard strings - no double ball ends required. It has some real meat to the sound, too. It actually sounds like a bass guitar when I play it with no amp. I've been looking for years for a bass that makes me as happy as this one, but so far I haven't found it...
 

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