Steinberger Spirit GU7R

This particular example was finished in a transparent blue, high-gloss finish over a nicely figured flame maple top. The body is reportedly of maple and the body shape has a nice Strat shape with no contour. The body has a cream-colored ivoroid binding that is neatly done with no color bleed-over.
The tremelo is Steinberger's patented "R" type tremelo that features the tuners on the back of the unit in lieu of a headstock with tuners mounted there. All of the hardware is flat black and pickups are EMG's Select humbucker/single coil/humbucker configuration. These are not active pickups.
One volume, one tone, and a five-way switch even out the electronics scheme. The inset quarter inch jack is nicely done as it precludes the need for a bulky external bolt plate.
The neck has 24 frets, rosewood fretboard and a satin finished maple neck. The profile is small and easily traversed all the way to the 24th fret.
This unit is a new 2007 model and came with tremelo bar and gig bag.

I am a studio musician who plays progressive metal and rock. My original music demands a lot of different timbres and textures from my guitars. My amplification in the studio is mainly Line 6 gear while my live rig features Fender RockPro 1000 heads and Fender 4x12 cabinets.
The pickups are medium output and are perfect for note clarity and tone under high gain situations. They are quiet and without microphonics. Even the single coil is quiet.
In clean settings, these pickups are transparent and are very versatile. You can dial in everything from dark jazz to crystal country spank. These pickups perform much better than I expected. They make speed picking patterns jump out with good initial clarity and emphasize the percussive characteristics of this technique. They also are great at catching the nuances of legato techniques.
What's really important is that this insturment is acoustically loud without even being plugged up. The core resonates properly without accentuation of any one tonal frequency.

Right out of the box, the Steinberger was set up pretty well. It did require some slight neck and string height adjustment, but after all settled in, it was very comfortable and effortless to play. The frets are nicely finished with that machine-finished satin look and feel that most imported guitars feature nowadays. Nice, evenly finished crowns made intonation spot on.
The neck is small and nimble-feeling. Access to the 24th fret is EXCELLENT! Fit & finish are very good considering the price range. Binding is cleanly installed and the hardware coatings are uniform.
The tremelo is a marvel of design and function. I will take this over a Floyd any day! You can lock it in place, or make it float. Spring tension is set with just a twist of the knob. Very stable under serious use and outstanding range of travel! Tuning is a cinch!

This instrument seems to be solidly built and well-finished. It is simple enough to be technician friendly and the hardware feels suitably heavy duty to last the rigors of serious playing.

Customer service is nearly instantaneous and very friendly! Real person responding! I inquired as to delivery and they responded within an hour. Delivery was warp speed as well! Ordered it on Saturday...got it on Tuesday.

I've been playing guitar for nearly 25 years. I own several guitars from Fender, Michael Kelly, and Ernie Ball. I am absolutely in love with this Steinberger, though! If it were stolen, I'd be online ordering a new one immediately. Outstanding value!

Double cutaway maple body, A or AA grade flame top (veneer?), H-S-H EMG Select pickups, R-trem (much simpler to use!!!), headless maple neck with rosewood fretboard, 25-1/2" scale.

This guitar sounds really great. I bought the guitar just hoping to get an instrument that sounded decent and would be easy to take around...but I was truly surprised at how good the guitar sounds. I call myself primarily a jazz/fusion guitarist and teacher, but I regularly play gigs in several other styles--straight-ahead jazz, rock, blues, country, praise and worship, latin, smooth jazz, etc.
I can get a variety of clean and overdriven sounds with the guitar. The pickups are medium output--which I prefer--and very quiet. The guitar has a great amount of sustain as well, which is great. A nice advantage of this guitar is the fact that it has a 24-fret neck, which in effect pushes the neck pickup back towards the bridge. This gives the neck pickup a distinct, more present sound, and you get a lot more note definition, especially in complex chords. The bridge pickup can go from Frisell-ish twang to Holdsworth-ish singing overdrive, and it gets nice rock tones as well. One gripe (and it's a minor gripe): The neck + middle position doesn't sound quite as Stratty as it could.

Guitar came set up reasonably well and in tune, with good fretwork and a nice straight neck. Rosewood fretboard was a bit dry...some lemon oil might be in order here. I adjusted the action to be somewhat lower and fixed the intonation. Pickups were set a little close to the strings so I lowered them as well. All of the routing and wiring was neat and clean. Top binding was a little uneven (hey, it's a $375 guitar), but the top itself was nicely bookmatched. Only thing that really irks me is the pickup switch wiggles from side to side even though it's firmly mounted. Again, the guitar is only $375, so you can't expect too much...and I've seen more expensive guitars with problems like this--or worse.

I've played this guitar on several gigs without a backup and it always holds its own. Everything on it (except the aforementioned switch, which will be replaced soon) feels very solid and well put together. Neck joint is very tight and secure. I'll definitely continue to use it live without need for a backup--it stays in tune and sounds great, plus because of the headless design, it's much smaller and therefore is very easy and comfortable to play on long gigs.

I haven't had to deal with the company outside of ordering the guitar, so I have no comment here, except that the guitar was very well packaged--double boxed with tons and tons of bubble wrap and foam sheets--and shipped quickly.

I originally bought this guitar simply to be able to take it on airplanes and cars such without it taking up so much space, but it has proven to be a great guitar in its own right. I also own a Godin Montreal, a mid 90's American Standard Strat, an '81 The Paul, an Alvarez steel-string and Alhambra 7P classical. This new addition to the family is fitting right in. I'd definitely buy it again if it was stolen or lost...I'm addicted to the headless, easy-traveling design!
Here's the deal: If you're looking for a good-sounding, well-made guitar that travels easy and doesn't cost much, it's a great guitar.

made in '01 from Korea
24 fret
veneer top, I think its wood
etc.

plain sound
but quiet

action ok
finish, looked used
and then when you take it apart, you will find reamed and broken screws at the "head". My end peice only had one screw that wasn't broken and it was not secure. The Rtrem dug into the surface of the body with minimal wammy movement.

nothing spectacular. the headless construction is nice, but perhaps its better on the expensive (read Original) GM's

sound like decent average joe customer service...

ben playing for 23 years.
For a knock about guitar get at least two (one for backup in case of hard knocks) but get them used. Its not worth $380

Ordered this guitar off of a review on this site and was offered a hard case for 25.00 off ordered it also. With free shipping it took only three days.

I have yet to find a fault in this guitar with the proper amp and effects it has any sound you want. Have a number of amps this sounds great through a peavey wiggy.

This guitar came playable and nearly in tune and it was beautiful binding and finish good shape would never know the cost if you walked into a music store it would not be placed with the cheap guitars and has a great feel and a fast action. Web site has photo instructions on the rtrem works and any crrections to string troubles on installation. dont see it but have heard a bad rap on string life and sound of music yo strings...? Neck rosewood looked oiled and of a better grade than the 300.00 dry rosewood necks big fret are nice also was actually surprised as to how nice this guitar actually is.

Seems ok has a good feel to the body and neck wish the string retainer on the neck was aluminun and not plastic or rubber but have no idea of its life.

So far so good would buy another guitar from then in a New York second they were correct and prompt, great price and good idea on the incentive deal on the case..

I have been playing most of my life am 54 years old and have the guitar collecting addiction. I purchased this guitar as not to put my Hamers or my Gibsons at risk playing around others. Will own another one soon,as I feel this guitar is spectacular, looks and feel are great sound through the proper equipment are as good as you need for a guitar of this price. Has the body feel and finish of a gibson blueshawk and they are about 800.00

What's up!! Been playing for 25 years.......played just about everything. I ordered the Spirit GU-7R from musicyo.com, paid $379.00 for it. I LOVE THIS THING! It is by far the easiest guitar to play. Even if you suck you can play fast on this baby! I have since ordered four more of them.......WHY? Why not! For the money you won't get more bang for your buck!

Never goes out of tune! Stock pickups EMG select...SUCK!! Drop in your favorit pickups and your good to go. I outfitted all five of mine with differant pickup combinations. EMG 89's / Carvin Single Coils.......for that quacky Srat tone / Duncans ..... One of them has some old Gibson Humbuckers from a old 335........Sounds awesome! You can make these guitars sound anyway you would like them to. I also use a GK-2A pickup on two of them for my synths..........Works great!

These little puppy's are well put together! Killer flame tops in lots of colors! Out of the five I have ordered I have only had to send one back...........It just did'nt have the same feel as the others! Musicyo sent another one right out! It was 100%

I've tak'en these guitars all over the world..........I know I can always count on them!! "0" Problems!

Musicyo.com has awesome communications! Customer service is 100%

Over all.......10!! I've been playing them for a few years now.....Got one of the first one's out! Got the other four at differant times........All are awesome!

Not positive, but I think this is a GU7R. Recent manufacture-strat shaped body with bolt-on wood neck, rosewood board, h/s/h EMG select pickups, Steinberger "s" trem, 5 way switch. As you know, Gibson bought Steinberger and licensed MusicYo to sell these Korean version. Workmanship is consistent with most Korean guitars (fret ends a little ragged, neck not as smooth as it could be, pickups a little one dimensional) but very playable in all that.

Not my favorite pickups, but in a bar band, no ones going to notice that the harmonic richness you'd love isn't there. I recently played thru a Deluxe Reverb and Barber Tone Pump against a combo with another guitar (ME10 thru a 62 Super-go figure), bass, Farfisa organ, acoustic guitar and drums. Sounded fine, middle pickup drops the volume nicely for rhythm, lead is great for leads, neck pickup sounds too thin for me to use much.

Well, it plays like margarine. It's a decent guitar, and if you can stand the jibes about where the headstock went and ill advised repairs for same, it's light and easily playable for a full nites gig. Finish is nice, kinda flashy vintage orange color, balances well (NOT neck heavy).

Can't see any problems here-my guitar is about 4 years old although it's had little playing time. No warping or problems with the neck, hardware is solid. I gig without a backup guitar...

No idea

Overall, it's not a great guitar, but for the dollar it's incredible-portable, durable, light, looks cool, oh yeah, the trem locks so you can do 3 semitone bends. Definitely keep my real STeiny at home and subject this one to the wear and tear of travel. BTW, they fit in an airline overhead compartment for travel...

Previously mentioned.

It took a little time to get used to the EMG pickups, never had EMG's. Tone is somewhat different than what I'm use to, 59 LP, 57 Strat with original pickups. After shaping my sound a little I was able to acheive a very NICE warm sound, and the more time I spent messing with it the more I began to like it. After a week of playing it, I think I'll keep. It pretty much fits into my style of playing, it's just ROCK & ROLL but I like it!!! I like evrything about the sound, except the lows, it is a little muddy, but overall sounds GOOD & VERY QUITE, I must say.

I use a Marshall TSL122, Alesis Midiverb4, Korg A3, BOSS Guitar EQ, Dunlop Cry Baby. I get all my distortion from the amp & use the processors for effects only to shape the sound.

Well, when I first layed eyes on it (Translucent Amber, very close to the displayed model at MusicYo.com) I said WOW a real flame top that actually looks very NICE, though they could have done a little better job with the finish, more DEPT, but overall it is VERY NICE!!! The first time I played it the action was somewhat high, had to adjust it & there was some lacquer finish that clogged up the 5 position switch opening, not allowing me to switch into the bridge position pickup, had to carefully clean that out. So far the R-TREM seems to be pretty sturdy, but it was a paint to adjust it for the lock down & flooting position tuning. Yes, I to wonder how long the string retainer is going to last. I like the way you can setup the whammy bar on either side! As far as I can see the neck lines up with the body very nicely, pickups were set well.

Won't know that for a while.

I just sent them an e-mail because I purchased a hardshell guitar case for the guitar but assumed the gigbag would come along with the guitar sense it was part of the pricing. I asked them if they were going to credit me the difference of the gigbag, if not, would I be compensated with some string retainers or strings, haven't heard yet, it's only been 1 day.

I've been playing for 27 yrs. played just about everything from Silvertone amps to Dumbles, from Winston guitars (my first) to PRS, etc. and I must say that at this time I would buy another GU-7R if this one was stolen, but who knows how the instrument will weather over time, I might not. I would definitily get rid of the middle pickup and YES, they should bind the neck with the creme binding!

Bad packing job, the case arrived with ripped covering.

I DO BELEIVE THAT THIS GUITAR IS EVRY PENNY WORTH $350.

Price paid: $350
From: MusicYo

Features: Passive EMG Select pickups; (H/S/H) Absolutely gorgeous flamed top; translucent red; (absolutely beautiful--Gibson, Fender--are you reading this?) High, almost mirror gloss, satin neck with rosewood fingerboard. Came in a gig bag with adjustable hex wrenches and a guitar cord. Trem arm sets in either side of the bridge using a (tiny) hex wrench. Real nice set-up, the R-trem is very impressive. It stays in tune irregardless; and the small locking mechanism under the bridge does just that. Adjust the knob that adjusts the whole bridge; (read the meager--however accurate instruction sheet )and this is one helluva guitar. This baby arrive at the house, UPS and 30 degrees outside--ABSOLUTELY in tune. AND yes I'm talking about checking intonation open and at the 24th fret straight out of the box.

I've played for 30+ years; owned everything from Hohner guitars to Fender strats, Les Pauls, a Hagstrom Swede, a SG, a Washburn Montgomery jazz box and a completely altered Aria Pro--(frankenguitar--replaced pickups--pots etc). I play jazz fusion; Jeff beck, Dixie Dregs, Mike Stern and originals. My idea of the PERFECT lead guitar tone is Steve Morse's with the Dregs. This guitar has a "colorless" tone; I agree with the previous review; my amp and effects give me my tone; the guitars pickups and neck style are tools to achive my goals.
This guitar is quiet, and I can mold my "tone" with ease. I'm playing through a Fender Hot Rod Deluxe with the original speakers. I used the Oberheim GM 400; with all the amp settings neutral; (treble, mid and bass at 5- no distortion no bright and no reverb). Combination of both is perfect; I can get what I want with DEFINITION; (what I mean for you young shredders is--yes I can appreciate that you can tear ass on Pantera and Metallica--but when I can hear EVERY note clearly (ie Steve Morse) I; (repeat MY tastes) consider that to be "Primo tone" in a club--50 feet from the stage. That's what I got.

Perfect--and I'm a real jerk when it comes to attention to detail.

Definitely--this is rock solid; and i gigged last night. (AND can tell you the soundman gave the previous review. NEVER gig without a second guitar--ever!!

Ordered the 13th--paid two day express shipping-$83 . On the 20th "we don't know where it is" "we shipped it". Arrived 23 Feb (10 days later); UPS shipped it from musicyo the 22nd. But musicyo had no problem bullshitting me by e-mail that it was sent. And you only got e-mail to deal with musicyo. Excellent product--lousy service.

Played over 30 years; best guitars I've ever played were the Music Man Steve Morse, and the Music Man Steve Lukather models. Not even CLOSE seconds--anywhere; and I've spent hours in MARS and Guitar Center playing everything. I love this guitar though--I would replace it instantly if I lost it.