Steinberger

The Steinberger GM7TA is not for everyone. I realize this, and have dealt with snide comments about it from almost the day I bought it. Guitarists as a group do not like change, and Steinberger is the embodiment of change. It is also a spectacular instrument with very few flaws. The Neck There is much to cover so let’s start with the neck. The neck is made of carbon-graphite, and is the scale length of a Fender. It is headless which amazingly only disorientated me once while playing it. I don’t buy into the whole notion that neck wood effects the sound, but it is the most tangible part of the guitar. It is our greatest connection to the instrument, and the neck on the Steinberger feels fantastic. It is undisturbed by weather and sweat. It doesn’t even have a truss rod, because it doesn’t need it. All twenty-four frets are easily accessible due to the body shape and the carved heel. The Body The body is contoured for comfort whether standing or sitting, and is made of mahogany. It takes visual cues from a strat shape, but with an indent to allow access to the bridge. The instrument is well balanced with absolutely no neck dive. The guitar does not need a stand due to the body shape, and can rest easily against a wall. Electronics The pickups are EMG 89/SA/89R with a five-way selector, coil tap switch, volume knob, and two stacked tone knobs that are for bass and treble. The electronics can capture both a Gibson Les Paul growl or a Stratocastor quack all depending how you set them. I had no idea that EMG was considered a heavy metal pickup, because I can get very beautiful clean sounds out of the guitar. Trans-Trem The Trans-Trem bridge is the Cadillac of whammy bars. You can do dive-bomb after dive-bomb and still stay in tune. It can be locked to get a fixed bridge aesthetic to your playing. Also, if you break a string just lock the bridge and you can keep going in tune. The Trans-Trem can be used like a capo to change the open tuning up a whole step or a minor third. It can also be down tuned either a whole step or two whole steps. It is a very comfortable whammy bar to use and over-use. I cannot over emphasize the tuning stability of this instrument enough. The double-ball system also makes string changes a snap. The Downside My complaints are few with this guitar. It is very heavy, and will fatigue your shoulder at a long practice or gig. The double ball strings are hard to find, and are more expensive than standard strings. There is an adaptor that can be added that will allow the use of standard strings, but the Trans-Trem is tough on strings and I wonder if a standard string can take the strain. The only other problem is the frowns you incur from other guitarists when you pull this instrument out of its case. Conclusion The Steinberger is very versatile instrument and can transcend genres. It has been my workhorse since 1994, and I don’t foresee a change in that anytime soon. The only repairs have been the volume pot and input jack needing to be replaced. The only modification is the addition of straplocks. I love this instrument. I think it is beautiful, but I understand if others don’t share my opinion. Every guitarist that I have given an opportunity to play my guitar all come away with the very least a begrudging respect for it. I am disappointed that after Gibson bought up Steinberger that they cheapened the brand, and reduced the selection. I would love to buy another Steinberger, but the older ones are getting too expensive. I highly suggest (if you have the means) to pick up one of these guitars, you won’t be disappointed.

Neck Material: CybroSonic patented Graphite U-channel with adjustable trussrod integrated with 3-piece Hard Maple Neck Joint: Bolt-on Fingerboard: Phenolic Fingerboard Radius: 14" Frets: 24, Medium jumbo Scale Length: 25.5" Body Wings: Hard Maple Body Top: Flame Maple Pickups: USA 90R neck and USA 91T bridge humbuckers External Controls: Master Volume (push/pull series/parallel neck PU), Master Tone (push/pull series/parallel bridge PU), 3 way selector Bridge: Patent Applied For TrensTrem-3 Transposing Tremolo System Saddle Material: Steel Weight: 6.5 lb Length: 33.5" Zero Nut Width: 1.62" 12-Fret Width: 2.05" Bridge Spacing: 0.42" Case: Heavy-duty Gigbag Included UTILIZATION Wow is this guitar fantastic. I might have even found one I like more than Parker guitars. I'm a big fan of modern guitar technology, even futuristic technologies, and this guitar offers it in spades. At a glance, the ZT3 Custom features a headless neck, which allows for great balance. Also, it has the TransTrem-3 transposing tremolo system, which allows all strings to bend up or down the same interval amount when using the bar, and features 5 positions that the trem system can be locked into, allowing the full guitar to change key. The positions are E standard(home), and downward gets Eb and D standard tunings. Upward gets F and F# standard tunings. Without locking the tremolo in new keys, just using it as a regular bar, one can achieve fantastic faux-slide and faux-pedal steel effects. SOUNDS The guitar sounds amazing as well. It features 2 humbuckers from Gibson (Steinberger's parent corp), and the humbuckers can be selected in series or in parallel via push-pull volume and tone pots. The combinations can get nearly any tone imaginable, from big hard rock tones, fusion, country spank, jazz...anything. I only marked off because I can tell the pots and wiring are not great - that's the one flaw on this marvelous instrument. OVERALL OPINION I love this guitar. Bar none, it is an amazing instrument. I'd not give it a full 10, more a 9.9 total. The only marks I'm taking off are for the cheap wiring - that's easily fixable, and I'd recommend it. The included deluxe gig bag is even very nice! One caveat. If you are not a person than knows how to set up their own instrument, intonation, neck relief, etc, AND you've never set up a floating locking tremolo, DO NOT BUY THIS GUITAR. This is for mechanically inclined individuals - the part tolerances are so tight, that any small adjustment in the wrong direction can throw the whole mechanism out of whack. If you can't set up your guitars, or you don't want to pay someone else to do it for you, don't buy this.

Music Yo, on sale for $299 USD. The body and neck are top-notch construction. The figured maple top is about what you would expect for this price - It looks nice, but it is not a deeply reflective peice of flame maple. The finish is very nice, and the neck plays great. The tremelo is trouble-free and stays in tune. Nice trem unit! EMG selects are not so great. In my opinion, they sound flat and thin. I replaced these with some DiMarzios, and the guitar sounds very, very good now. The switching scheme for the pick-ups was not to my liking either - no split coil sounds, but, hey, this is a lot of guitar for $300 anyway. Very well made, much better than the price suggests. This is a professional quality instrument except for the EMG select pick-ups. For most people, the EMG selects will be fine. Please note that I do not like EMG pickups very well no matter what model, so this is a personal preference. For the money, this is a great buy, and is perfect for travel. Easy to recommend to anyone! This review was originally published on http://www.musicgearreview.com

I bought this one on MusicYo (349.99$).I like headless model ( you can see some of my headless at www.copbass.com). This is so awesome. XP2 looks very sexy and modern. The sound is so great , the strings are so light, EZ to play.EMG select Pickup works very well. XP2 gives me a heavy and solid sound! This XP2 requires special string set. This one made by Korea. The neck is very comfortable for me to play. I can slap , slide,...every style i want. Dont wait! Buy it now..before XP2 sold out! This review was originally published on http://www.musicgearreview.com

Purchase online at MusicYo for 329.99 on December 2003 Great modern sound for the price. I own an American Precision and an American Jazz. The XT 25 gives me a new range of sound. Huge bottom and slight metallic rigning high (due to the metal head I think). There is also a huge punch in the low end that I like a lot. It doesn't have the creamy mid of an American Fender or a Stingray, but the Thru-Neck gives a nice integration at the bottom of the neck. The 24 frets give a full octave on all strings and the whole neck is usable. The high's are clean, and hum free (unlike the Jazz base). Pickups are of good quality for my own taste and the B string is not only usable, it actually sounds good. The sound from the neck pickup is awesome, but the sound from the bridge pickup is a little dry. Low action from factory. Myne came with a rigning D string on the 8th fret, but I got rid of it without lifting the action too much. Action and pitch adjustment not fancy but simple. Most of all, it's small, very light and there is a hard shell case available. (There is no hard shell case available for the XP serie) The leg rest is very convenient, and the instrument is perfectely balanced when resting on the leg. There is a metallic rigning comming from the combination of the metal head and the neck. Don't get me wrong, it's a great instrument for the price, but the fact that that bass stays tuned seems like a myth for me. This is not a graphite neck from the L serie, this is a 3-piece Hard Maple neck. It doesn't stay tune as well as my Fenders. The tunning machine is accessible but not very precise. The nuts are always locked and when it finally spins, it goes 1/4 cycle. You need a screw driver for fine tuning. Pitch sustaining is not very good. While tuning it, after you pluck any string, you see the needle going left and right. Makes it hard to tune. Hey, this thing is made in Corea. The overal construction quality is excellent, even underrated. All moving parts are of excellent quality, the knobs, the bridge and tunning system, pickup mounting, the leg rest, verything gives an impression os solidity. Strings are tight to one another with the 5 strings (not with the 4 strings), so it's a bass to play hard OR fast, not both of them if you are a biginner. The top strap lock, located in the back, makes the instrument lay forward. That's annoying. I had to move it to the shoulder. It works better this way. However, it's not nistalled in the factory, (only the hole is there), so you can install it wherever you like. I've tried several bass lately, and I'm not very much into cheap instruments. But I haven't heard a better bass under $600. And way before I started playing bass, I was dreaming of owning a Steinberger, just because it looks and sounds cool. I would recommand it as a first bass as well. It's a very good deal! Jump on it before they stop production. This review was originally published on http://www.musicgearreview.com

Bought from MusicYo.com for $249 on special. This is the (sing-sing-hum configuration) The ability to lock the tremolo is a major bonus. Tuning is very accurate and sensitive thanks to the headless design, and the tremolo holds tune well (though don't expect it to perform like a Floyd Rose; I wasn't able to get more than a half-step bend on the trem before the mechanism begins to feel strained). And this guitar is feather-light. As aforementioned, the tremolo can't perform wide bends. The fingerboard doesn't invite digging in -- playing at upper frets feels forced and rough, and bending is not easy. The EMG pickups don't offer as much sensitivity to your pick attack as most guitars I've played. The tremolo bridge doesn't necessarily hold tuning when you flick between trem and locked modes. And if you're used to regular guitars, it can be awkward to have almost no neck weight whatsoever. No complaints. This design makes for a great travel guitar, not so nearly warped in shape as the Fernandes Nomad or the Fender-owned Traveler guitar series. It doesn't have much of a unique character sonically, and because of its vastly different feel it will not likely replace your favourite guitar, but it's a good option to have. This review was originally published on http://www.musicgearreview.com

AFter waiting for MusicYo.com to get these back in stock, I finally snagged one for $255 through an Ebay auction. The first time I saw this headless "broom", I knew it would be a companion to my Strat and Tele. The unit was brand new with no nicks or scratches. The size and looks are first noticed until you pick it up and start playing. The neck is smooth and easy to run up all 24 frets. It's fairly easy to tune with the 40:1 ratio tuners in the bridge as long as you have slender fingers. I keep the trem locked (for a reason), but it stays in tune well after bends. The design of the body allows the guitar to stand up against any wall, couch, etc. without falling over. I've taken it with me on a company plane and it traveled well. It's easy to pick up when you get the urge. The bridge is not centered in the body cavity, probably since assembly in Korea. This causes the trem, when unlocked, to have difficulty finding it's resting position due to rubbing against the body cavity. This should be fixable, when I have time, but for now I keep the trem locked. The small body design also puts the volume control in the strum path. I've hit the control while exercising some spirited strumming, inadvertantly changing volume. This is not an American made product so don't expect Gibson (parent company) or USA Fender quality. The problem with the bridge is foremost. There is a little residue at the edge of two frets on the fretboard, which will be cleaned up when I take the bridge apart. The white finish is great with no flaws evident. The flip out leg rest is pretty slick, as well. I bought this as a fun guitar, which is exactly what it is. If Gibson would make a USA model of it with a hardtail option, I'd buy one for serious gigging. I contacted MusicYo via email with questions on disassembly of the trem, but never heard from them probably because I didn't buy it directly from them. But I'd buy another just like it, if I had to do it again. This review was originally published on http://www.musicgearreview.com

I saw an ad in a magazine for this guitar - really liked the look so I bought it on-line at Music Yo. I think I paid $360 or around there for this guitar The guitar is nice and light and the strings are easy to change. It looks great - I bought the orange one (not really orange - kind of a rust yellow). Anyway, it looks pretty cool. For a "cheap" guitar it sounds pretty good. I was worried buying it without playing it first, but I think it is a good buy for the money. The tuning pegs at the bottom are so close together that it is a little difficult to tune without messing up the other strings you've already tuned. You get used to it, but it is nothing like tuning a guitar with a head. The tremlo system is really touchy - resting your hand around the bridge will set it off. But, the one nice thing is that you can lock it, so that is how I use it. I could never see using the tremlo at a gig with this guitar. Although the finish is nice, there was a little "do-dad" on mine towards the bottom. Nothing that would make me send it back, but that is what you get for a Korean guitar. Seems pretty solid. The finish is really nice and would probably gig pretty well. Look, this isn't a Les Paul but you know that going into it. So, for the price this is a pretty good guitar. Most people, like myself, buy it for the looks and are probably happy with the sound once they get it. This is a great beginner guitar or one that would be good for gigging since you could beat it up and not care too much. This review was originally published on http://www.musicgearreview.com

Number of Strings: 5 Body Material: Maple (solid colors) or Swamp Ash (translucent colors) Neck Material: 3-piece Hard Maple Neck Joint: Bolt Fingerboard: Rosewood Fingerboard Radius: 14" Scale Length: 34" Frets: 24 Neck Width at Zero Fret: 1.625" Pickups (passive): Bridge - EMG Select Humbucker Neck - EMG Select Humbucker Controls: 1 - Neck Pickup Volume 1 - Bridge Pickup Volume 1 - Master Tone Bridge: Patented Steinberger Bass Bridge with direct-pull 40:1 fine tuners Tuning System: Patented, Steinberger Double-Ball System Additional Strings: - Light Overall Length: 38.75" Finishes: White, Black Accessories: Deluxe Gigbag included UTILIZATION The XZ-25 is very easy to play. The high frets are easily accessed, and the action can be set very low. The neck carve and fretboard radius make for an incredibly comfortable playability factor, and the lack of a headstock provides for great balance. The tuning machines are very stable, and the bridge hardware has been expertly machined. It's a touch on the heavy side, but no more so than an old P-bass. SOUNDS The pickups are surprisingly good. I was expecting to need to change them out upon purchase, but they actually put out a good variety of tones for fingerstyle, slap and pop, tapping, and pick-style. The electronics are a touch weird, in my opinion - two volumes and a tone? I'd rather have a volume, blend, and tone - the resultant sound would be nearly identical, but upon turning down (for song endings, etc), there would only by one volume knob needed to use. OVERALL OPINION For the price, this bass is way better than anything else out there. The low B has no flab, the string spacing is wide enough to slap yet tight enough to play fingerstyle comfortably, and the pickups are nice. The neck is the real jem on this, but then again, that tuning system is fantastic... I have a lot of positive things to say about the Steinberger XZ-25 Spirit series bass, and I'd highly recommend it to anyone.

(Originally written by lybrain/translated from Audiofanzine FR) Hybrid headless bass guitar (graphite and wood mix). Very rare in Europe, very good manufacturing quality with Steinberger bridge and tuning machines. UTILIZATION 5-string bass guitar with a rather thick neck, very easy upper frets access, ergonomic design... You'll find the right tone without a sweat... SOUNDS This bass has two EMG pickups, one mounted on the bridge... It's designed for heavy metal and progressive rock (it sounds "metallic", if you know what I mean)... Enormous sound, very high output level... OVERALL OPINION I bought this superb bass guitar secondhand in the USA... I wouldn't hesitate to buy it again...