Steinberger XQ-2A

Mid 90's Gibson model, TN made graphite neck. Factory installed Active Bartolini humbuckers with dual tone controls. Body is alder with sunburst of deep red at the edges flowing into warm yellow in the middle - I think they call it Fireburst. Normal Steinberger stuff - headless, 4 string tuning bridge (no DB tuner). All the dimensions for frets, neck & bridge width, etc. are factory.

This bass is much warmer than your usual Steinberger, and I should know - I own five and have played 10+ over the years. The full size solid wooden body obviously adds to the warmth, but I've played other Q's that didn't sound this good. I'd have to say the biggest factor is the Bartolini humbuckers, which allow you to dial in much more warmth to the sound. I've learned that towards the end of the Gibson production ('97-'98), they started experimenting with other pickup combinations instead of the usual stock EMG's - most notably with Bartolinis and Seymour Duncans. The dual tone controls also provide for greater degrees of EQ. I've installed these newer electronics into older Steinbergers with the same type of noticeable improvements. The company that made them for Ned and Gibson (HAZ Electronics) still makes these units and you can add them to an older bass. With that above being said, keep in mind that this is still a Steinberger. I tend to prefer their distinctinve tone and play, but others are not so forgiving of their sound. This one still sounds mostly like a Steinberger, but the combination of the new pickups and electronics allows you to dial in a mellower sound if you like. If you like Steinbergers, but find yourself picking up your Fender a little too frequently to get the sound you want, this model may be the thing for you.

I bought this bass used, but it was as close to new as you can get. No scratches anywhere and virtually no fret wear. I've seen basses listed as new in retail stores that had more wear than this. Contrary to rumours I'd heard about Gibson's attitude towards Steinberger, this instrument was expertly crafted. The original Steinberger Q basses were quite heavy and had a rather extremely angular styled body - fairly ugly to most people. Gibson improved this design, which now comes closest to probably resembling a Kubicki Factor bass. They thinned the entire body, and made all of the body angles and corners much more rounded and sculpted. The result is that the weight and balalnce are extrememly comfortable, in addition to improving the overall asthetics. The staining and lacquer on the bass were top notch - no skimping or imperfections here. All of the routing for the pickups, bridge and neck joints are flawless. The previous owner replaced the plastic pickup rings with metal ones, which definitley help. They anchor the pickups much more securely, while giving you more room to anchor your thumb on the pickups. The neck was made in the Gibson plant, and appeared to be manufactured to the same high standards that my previous original Steinbergers were held to. One other notable improvement Gibson made was on the bridge. Previous Steinberger bridges had individual strings saddles which themselves were single pieces. The only problem is that the string saddle would wear down over time with the combination of the string being tuned over it and the constant pressure of string tension. This would cut a groove into it, and I've had basses that would start buzzing when played or breaking strings while tuning because of the sharp edges of the groove (Note - these were often brand new strings). Fixing it required filing the saddle a little and then readjusting the bridge height and intonation. Gibson inserted a stainless steel cylinder with a small angled groove into the string saddle. This allows the the contact point to roll or be positioned over 360 degrees, while still keeping a fixed bridge height. No more wear grooves here. I've also had technicians tell me it keeps more of the string in contact with the bridge, allowing for better string vibration and sustain. All of my previous basses had the older bridge design, and I was very impressed with this little design improvement. It's that kind of attention to detail that exeplifies the care and patience that this instrument was made with.

Steinbergers are known for their ability to take a beating, and this one is no different. It can handle hard playing and extreme temperatures & humidity changes virtually no affect on the instrument's setup or playability. Very road worthy. If you can count on any one thing from a Steinberger, this is it.

Support from Gibson is non existent for these older graphite instruments. There are 3rd party sources, namely Ed Roman (World Class) Guitars and/or Peekamoose Guitars, who can provide expert support and service. Because these instruments are out of production, finding replacement parts can be difficult and/or expensive. Gibson still does sell what they call Steinberger basses under the entry level Spirit moniker, but these are 100% wood basses. All of the component and instrument manufacturing is completed in Southest Asia (Korea I belive). They have no parts for any of their instruments on this side of the Pacific.

If you like playing Steinbergers, try and find one of these gems. You'll be glad you did. IF I lost this puppy I don't know what I'd do. I'm hoping that the rumours are true and Gibson starts making these again in 2000; I'll definitely be picking one up.