Steinberger Steinberger Spirit XT-2DB

2005 Model, 4 string bass with the Dropped tuner. It has the standard EMG Selects. I bought the standard black bass. I originally bought the 5 string bass, but it was DOA...Someone didnt loosen the strings adequately before shipping, and the string tension pulled the "headstock" from the neck, cracking the neck. I decided to replace it with the dropped tuner. It has worked out well for me, especially for songs in the key of D. Thats the lowest I tune it, since it seemed to lose its tone and tight sound below D. The tuners work nicely. I dont like the locking nut for the saddles though. I would get the intonation set, tighten the nut, and find that the tightening process pulled the string flat. I also bought the string adapter, that allows you to use standard strings. The double balled strings are so expensive, and this makes a good alternative to paying inflated prices. I also didnt care for the way the bass hung with the strap. It wants to roll forward, which keeps you from being able to see the fretboard. So I bought the strap hook that is sold for the more expensive synapse bass. I screwed in on the bass where wanted it to hang, scribed the outline, took it off and routed it out with a dremel. Now it hangs perfectly, and it looks really cool!!!
I bought this bass for its features and it gave me what I wanted.

You can make this bass sound like the growly steinbergers of the 80's, or a smooth jazz feel of a fender. The controls are simple...Volume for the Neck P/U, Volume for the Bridge P/U, and a Treble control. The Neck P/U scratches as you turn it up. The Bridge is nice and quiet. I really like the sound of this bass, and I have had many comment that they like it too. One guy said that these P/U's blew away his Bartolinis that he put on his bass.

The bass was set up pretty well, from the factory. I tried to lower/flatten the neck a little more, but it causes the strings to buzz too much, so I moved it back. Since it doesnt have a standard nut, it seems that the adjustment is fairly limited. I'm not a luthier though, so maybe they can do a better job. It has a nice paint job on it. Nice and glossy black.

This bass is built like a rock! I dont anticipate problems. I recently had my amp break loose and knock into the bass, in the back of the car. It didnt even dent anything. Instead, the string adapter shifted and cut the G string. No biggy.

Bought from MusicYo. They were very responsive to returning the bad 5 string that I got. It is a little unsettling having to rely only on email communication with them. I wanted to talk to someone, but they insisted that email was the only possiblity. A little odd, but oh well!

I have been doodling with a bass since the late 70's, but only really took it serious for the past 7 years. I started with an old Mateo P-style bass. I then bought a Cort 4 string bass, then purchased this one. I use a Behringer 450 watt head and an Avatar 2X10 cab. With this bass, I can get a wide range of sounds, from a tight punchy sound to a rich warm mellow sound. I really like this bass. I havent tried a lot of different basses, but this one does everything I want it to. I might get a different bass at some point in time. But I probably wont get rid of this one though!!!!