MYTHS & FACTS
The REAL story behind what you may have heard. . .
Part of the reason for the creation of this site was to correct certain stories we've heard. Some are true; others are not. The inaccuracies and misconceptions about Steinbergers are sometime just out in the general public with others actually posted out here on the web. The last ones are the kinds of stories that make us scratch our heads. Other times they get our blood boiling. Here's the real deal. . .
LEGEND #1 - Steinberger is dead
VALIDITY: DEPENDS ON YOUR DEFINITION
This one has good basis in fact. Steinberger Sound was sold to Gibson in 1987 and continued to make guitars through the 90's. Faced with slumping sales, Gibson decided to mothball the Steinberger line in 1998.
In 2000 MusicYo entered into an agreement with Gibson to produce the lower cost Spirit line and sell them directly to buyers though the web. This cut out the music store retailer (and it's related markups) allowing a substantial cost savings to consumers.
Pleasantly pleased by the sales MusicYo got the go ahead to begin production of the wood bodied / graphite neck models in 2001. Not having graphite building expertise, the necks this time around are made by Moses Graphite. Options include: EMG & Seymour Duncan pickups; TransTrems, S-Trems & R-Trems (GR); custom figured tops; and HAZ Labs active electronics.
There are no concrete plans to bring back the all graphite L series at this time. If sales of the wood body / graphite neck models gain strength there's always a possibility. We wouldn't anticipate this happening before late 2003 / early 2004.
LEGEND #2 - Steinberger never paid artists for their endorsements
VALIDITY: TRUE
For most of its early press-worthy years Steinberger Sound was a small operation by most standards. It was born out of lofty ideas, not deep pockets. There were several reasons that Steinberger never paid for endorsements.
First off they didn't have to. There were plenty of artists who would willingly buy these instruments and be seen playing them on stages all over the world. At that point Steinberger wasn't able to keep up with demand, so it wasn't a matter of needing to sell more guitars. They couldn't make them fast enough.
It also came down to dollars. Endorsements can cost big bucks. Without the type of big company backing management felt that money was better spent on R&D or expanding production than going into bidding wars for the most popular players. It can be argued that this hurt the company, but very few other upstarts from that time made the type of splash that Steinberger did, so it's additional benefits could be argued.
LEGEND #3 - Steinberger models have corresponding names
VALIDITY: FALSE
No, they never really did. There was an attempt to put names on the models after Gibson bought the company. It was supposed to bolster sales but failed miserably. The names only showed up in some European and Japanese advertising; never here in the U.S. This idea was abandoned shortly (less than 6 months) after it was launched, with legal disputes over the names being the common cited reason.
We've spoken with others who were in the meeting where this "plan" was hatched. From all accounts it was merely a small announcement with no discussion (more of a "by the way" thing) that was of no real consequence or historical mention really.
Remember that this naming scheme was started AFTER the letter designations had been in use for over 10 YEARS! The names were chosen to fit the letters, not the other way around. There's a reason you've never heard of the names before - THEY WERE NEVER REALLY USED!
This myth continues to be spread by one old Steinberger dealer who was a "consultant" to the company at the time and hatched the flawed naming plan. For some reason he continues to confuse people by using these "names" today, over a decade after Gibson abandoned it.
LEGEND #4 - "The GL and XL models are the LEAST costly models to manufacture!!!"
VALIDITY: FALSE
This one amuses us. Though the arguments we've seen seem logical on the surface, they show a complete ignorance about composite instrument construction and the specific techniques Steinberger utilized. Although the reason this statement is not true can get somewhat complicated, we'll try to summarize it like this:
There are two components to any manufacturing: material and labor. For the L's there is considerably more material involved than on just a neck. The graphite fibers in particular can be costly, and the L's have more and longer ones (which increase cost). You've also got more epoxy, gel coat and resins. Overall we'd guess there's over 3 times more material in an L series body/neck combo than just a neck.
Likewise the labor involved in precisely measuring and arranging the materials is greater, and require greater precision and more time - both of which reflect in the production costs. Though it was a measured process with tight tolerances it was always done by hand - there was never enough production to justify the hundreds of thousands of dollars it would cost to automate it.
Also the instrument was not finished when it came out of the mold. Without getting into finishing details here understand that there was a considerable amount of sanding and buffing required - equal to what a wood guitar body and neck would need. And if a mistake is made on any one part (either in production or finishing) the whole instrument might have to be pitched, resulting in greater potential loss.
You've also got specific costs that are unique for composite construction - molding, tooling, molding maintenance, etc. These facts have all been confirmed by former workers we've talked to from the Newburgh plant. For a more information on how Steinberger built their guitars click here.
For a general primer on composite construction we've found an excellent online resource here. It's the site for Valspar Composites, an industrial supplier of composite building materials. Specifically read the 'Mold Making' and 'Gel Coat Application' how-to's. Note that this was not the company that supplied the materials to Steinberger Sound, but the manufacturing techniques are generally the same.
Did Steinberger charge a premium for L's being as were the top of the line ? Yes. Were they the cheapest to make? Not really. Why would someone claim this? Well, if you wanted to make Steinberger clones and could only produce the wood body / graphite neck versions, you might be inclined to position those as superior to make sure more money goes in your pocket. That's our conclusion anyway.
LEGEND #5 - The M series instrument was designed by Mike Rutherford of Genesis.
VALIDITY: TRUE
Rutherford, along with his guitar tech Geoff Banks and English luthier Roger Giffin, developed Steinberger's first full bodied instrument.
Click here to read the official Gibson press release.
Click here to go the 'M' series page.
LEGEND #6 - Pre-Gibson instruments are better
VALIDITY: FALSE
I guess it's human nature to think the things were always better in the good ol' days. In this instance, it's just not necessarily true.
First off the term "pre-Gibson" gets thrown around rather loosely, usually by sellers trying to get top dollar for their instruments. We'd like to go on record as saying the whole "pre-Gibson" tag is very misleading. It somehow implies that anything made from the moment Gibson took over is less than ideal. The fact is the entire team at Newburgh stayed on through the buyout and most were on staff until the move to Nashville. Ned himself also stayed on as a technical consultant for several years after they sold the company. So all instruments shipped in the years directly after the buyout were designed and built by most of the same hands as before. If anything, reports are that Gibson's deep pockets allowed them to augment the staff and finally get the additional skilled help they needed in the various departments. All of the key production team members & management stayed in place right up until the Newburgh plant closed.
On the other hand using the term "Newburgh" carries some weight. Much of the staff in Nashville had to be trained as they had no prior composite building skill. To my knowledge no key production folks ever permanently relocated to TN. Gibson also moved Steinberger production in with Tobias in Huntington Beach, CA only to be relocated again to Nashville about 9 months later. Any time you move around like that things are bound to suffer. We don't know the exact dates on this leap-frogging, but was probably around 1995 or 1996.
There were known quality issues early on with the graphite construction in Nashville, specifically construction and molding issues. It's one of the reasons Klein Electric Guitars went to Moses Graphite for their necks in the mid 90's - the quality of the stuff coming out of Nashville wasn't up to snuff. But production was very slow at that point so the number of instruments this could impact would be relatively small.
Does this mean all the Nashville stuff is bad? No way. We've talked to many players who have L's or bolt-on's from there that play and sound fabulous - equal to or exceeding Newburgh instruments. Yes there was a time where the staff was learning how to do this fabrication properly, and that led to errors. However by the time production ended in 1998 the staff had gotten the consistency back up and was turning out high quality product. Gibson added some nice touches too, including the figured tops on the GM's. Ned was personally involved in all of the redesigns & improvements (the v2 XQ body, the angled heels, etc.) and all of the original suppliers (HAZ Labs, Zen-On, EMG, Seymour Duncan) were doing the same things they always did.
The early Nashville production issues obviously resulted in more defects, but they weren't present in every single instrument. And many of these problem instruments were identified before they were sold (either at the plant or by dealers). We'd bet most of the bad ones have been weeded out by now. Remember: there are some who claim the Brooklyn L basses have the best tone. This was before the XL migration, and before any production GL's were ever made. Almost all the L's were made before the general public was readily familiar with Steinberger. So it's all a matter of perspective.
LEGEND #6 - "The Moses Graphite necks sound warmer because there's less stiffener in the mix."
VALIDITY: FALSE
Yet another patently false statement from one notorious website.
First understand the rigidly of the original Steinberger necks is due to a highly engineered use of graphite and fiberglass fibers in a matrix of polyester resin. Technically this is not an epoxy. If Steinberger did use any epoxies it was cyanoacrylate - commonly known by the name "Super Glue". It was used specifically to glue the threaded inserts into the bolt-on necks.
A stiffener is added to certain composites to act as a catalyst and begin the curing process. More or less stiffener will usually only cause the material to harden quicker/more slowly. This usually does not dramatically affect it's structure and can be good or bad depending on the application. In this instance either way really doesn't have any effect on the tone of the neck. And it's not how Moses Graphite achieves sonic differences.
Moses necks were designed from the beginning to sound more "woody". If you were to cut one up you'd notice that it's construction is not uniform - it's different up and down the neck. The specific placement of these variations allow the neck to in effect be "tuned". A traditional wood neck has a very pronounced up curve in the midrange frequencies. This is what our ears normally equate to a "warm" sound. Moses uses construction variations to retain more mid-range frequency response and hence sound more wood-like. Ned Steinberger designed the original blend necks to have a very even frequency response. By comparison a stock Moses neck has a decidedly "warmer" tone with those beef up mids.
When Moses was designing the new Steinberger necks Ned suggested flattening the frequency response. This was done a little, but they still have a bit more of a mid curve than the original blend. As stated before this was done by manipulating the internal structure of the neck, not adding less stiffener. These new blend necks are now officially known as the Steinberger M/S blend and are exclusive to Steinberger guitars and basses.
Tuesday, December 16, 2008
Thursday, December 4, 2008
Steinberger GL4T
Steinberger GL4T Electric guitar, Rare white used; in excellent condition
This amazing Guitar is available here at GuitarSend.com only for a limited amount of time. The condition of this guitar is truly amazing; making it a truly rare find. With only approximately 5% of these being built in white this guitar can truly be called the rarest of the rare.
Please contact director of sales:
timpletcher@hotmail.com
Approximate value $7 to 9 K
Our asking price:
$5,950.00
A word from the owner of the instrument:
Steinberger GL4T, Rare white in excellent condition. TransTrem in excellent playing and operating condition. All electronics
work. No issues with the exception of 2 tiny dings as shown in the pics.
Neck is straight, very minimal fret wear, I'd say 98% remaining
Approximately 5% of the Steinberger production were done in white, making it a rare color, plus the fact that its in very excellent
condition make it an excellent collectors piece.
The Steinberger gig bag is included and is in great condition.
This amazing Guitar is available here at GuitarSend.com only for a limited amount of time. The condition of this guitar is truly amazing; making it a truly rare find. With only approximately 5% of these being built in white this guitar can truly be called the rarest of the rare.
Please contact director of sales:
timpletcher@hotmail.com
Approximate value $7 to 9 K
Our asking price:
$5,950.00
A word from the owner of the instrument:
Steinberger GL4T, Rare white in excellent condition. TransTrem in excellent playing and operating condition. All electronics
work. No issues with the exception of 2 tiny dings as shown in the pics.
Neck is straight, very minimal fret wear, I'd say 98% remaining
Approximately 5% of the Steinberger production were done in white, making it a rare color, plus the fact that its in very excellent
condition make it an excellent collectors piece.
The Steinberger gig bag is included and is in great condition.
Tuesday, December 2, 2008
Steinberger GL4T Electric guitar, Rare white used; in excellent condition
Steinberger GL4T Electric guitar, Rare white used; in excellent condition
This amazing Guitar is available here at GuitarSend.com only for a limited amount of time. Please contact director of sales at: timpletcher@hotmail.com
$5,950.00
A word from the owner of the instrument:
Steinberger GL4T, Rare white in excellent condition. TransTrem in excellent playing and operating condition. All electronics
work. No issues with the exception of 2 tiny dings as shown in the pics.
Neck is straight, very minimal fret wear, I'd say 98% remaining
Approximately 5% of the Steinberger production were done in white, making it a rare color, plus the fact that its in very excellent
condition make it an excellent collectors piece.
The Steinberger gig bag is included and is in great condition.
2008 Guitar Send
Monday, December 1, 2008
Rare Steinberger XL2 for sale; Pre-Gibson Bass Guitar available on GuitarSend.com
Amazing Steinberger L-2 in Mint Condition!
This Steinberger L-2 is in pristine condition and the current owner (Two owner guitar!) is a motivated seller. We are proud to have access to this guitar for only a limited amount of time!
"The day I purchased thiThe day I purchased this bass from its original owner, I never imagined the time would come when I would sell it, but unfortunately, that time has arrived. The slowing US economy requires that I give up one of my prized possesions. This is an original Steinberger L-2 bass, built in the Brooklyn, N.Y. factory where Ned Steinberger began his amazing career."
"These basses are rare and scarce, as most are held by collectors and bass fanatics. Many players feel that these original first production basses are the best built and finest sounding of all of the many versions of Steinberger basses. I acquired this bass from it's original owner and it is fully intact except for the 'always missing' legrest. Reproduction legrests are available. This bass is unusual in that it still retains its original Steinberger stick-on logo, which are almost always lost or damaged."
"This bass is in excellent original condition, showing little wear on the body, neck or frets. As it was an original owner bass, it was well cared for. It has the original smooth swivel strap holder, battery cover, and even the 4 screws for the headpiece that allow one to use single ball-end strings. Remember, double ball-end strings were not readily available when this bass was built. Includes the original Steinberger logo soft canvas bag. It sounds amazing and plays beautifully, has the tone to die for and sustains for days. These basses are highly sought after and become scarcer each passing year. An amazing players instrument, and a solid long term investment instrument. For more detailed information"
s bass from its original owner, I never imagined the time would come when I a solid long term investment instrument. For more detailed information"
Like all the rest of our guitars here at GuitarSend.com this instrument
Please email me for information: timpletcher@hotmail.com
Sound good? Take a look!!!
Thought you'd like that! This amazing (and hard to find) guitar is available for only a limited amount of time (...'til It sells), however there are other similar guitars available so if your interested please email me at timpletcher@hotmail.com
This Guitar Ships Internationally
2008 Guitar Send
Steinberger L@ "Very RARE!!!"
The day I purchased this bass from its original owner, I never imagined the time would come when I would sell it, but unfortunately, that time has arrived. The slowing US economy requires that I give up one of my prized possesions. This is an original Steinberger L-2 bass, built in the Brooklyn, N.Y. factory where Ned Steinberger began his amazing career."
"These basses are rare and scarce, as most are held by collectors and bass fanatics. Many players feel that these original first production basses are the best built and finest sounding of all of the many versions of Steinberger basses. I acquired this bass from it's original owner and it is fully intact except for the 'always missing' legrest. Reproduction legrests are available. This bass is unusual in that it still retains its original Steinberger stick-on logo, which are almost always lost or damaged."
"This bass is in excellent original condition, showing little wear on the body, neck or frets. As it was an original owner bass, it was well cared for. It has the original smooth swivel strap holder, battery cover, and even the 4 screws for the headpiece that allow one to use single ball-end strings. Remember, double ball-end strings were not readily available when this bass was built. Includes the original Steinberger logo soft canvas bag. It sounds amazing and plays beautifully, has the tone to die for and sustains for days. These basses are highly sought after and become scarcer each passing year. An amazing players instrument, and a solid long term investment instrument. For more detailed information"
"These basses are rare and scarce, as most are held by collectors and bass fanatics. Many players feel that these original first production basses are the best built and finest sounding of all of the many versions of Steinberger basses. I acquired this bass from it's original owner and it is fully intact except for the 'always missing' legrest. Reproduction legrests are available. This bass is unusual in that it still retains its original Steinberger stick-on logo, which are almost always lost or damaged."
"This bass is in excellent original condition, showing little wear on the body, neck or frets. As it was an original owner bass, it was well cared for. It has the original smooth swivel strap holder, battery cover, and even the 4 screws for the headpiece that allow one to use single ball-end strings. Remember, double ball-end strings were not readily available when this bass was built. Includes the original Steinberger logo soft canvas bag. It sounds amazing and plays beautifully, has the tone to die for and sustains for days. These basses are highly sought after and become scarcer each passing year. An amazing players instrument, and a solid long term investment instrument. For more detailed information"
Thursday, October 16, 2008
GuitarSend.com your one Stop Steinberger Shop.
You've been looking for them. We have been finding them.
Looking for the perfect STEINBERGER guitar? Hard to find aren't they??? Your search has ended.
GuitarSend.com has access to hundreds of used collectors condition STEINBERGER guitars as well as late model STEINBERGERS.
End your search. Here GuitarSend.com we specialize in finding and sending STEINBERGER guitars worldwide. Looking for a XL-2 from the 1980's? We can get that.
Looking for a new STEINBERGER ZT-3? We can get that.
Whatever your quest let it end at GuitarSend.com and let the music find you... no matter where you are!
Looking for the perfect STEINBERGER guitar? Hard to find aren't they??? Your search has ended.
GuitarSend.com has access to hundreds of used collectors condition STEINBERGER guitars as well as late model STEINBERGERS.
End your search. Here GuitarSend.com we specialize in finding and sending STEINBERGER guitars worldwide. Looking for a XL-2 from the 1980's? We can get that.
Looking for a new STEINBERGER ZT-3? We can get that.
Whatever your quest let it end at GuitarSend.com and let the music find you... no matter where you are!
Tuesday, October 14, 2008
THE STEINBERGER HISTORY GuitarSend.com
1975
Ned Steinberger, a graduate of the Maryland Institute of Art with a BFA in sculpture, begins working for Thronet Industries designing industrial furniture sharing space with bass luthier Stuart Spector in a Brooklyn, NY woodworking co-op.
1976
Ned Steinberger designs NS models for Stuart Spector.
1977
Several prototypes made of graphite reinforced epoxy are manufactured.
1979
Ned designs the L2 in Brooklyn, NY. The L2 is introduced at the summer show of the National Association of Music Merchants. Three prototypes are sold at The Guitarman to John Entwistle (The Who), Tony Levin (King Crimson) and Andy West (The Dregs).
1980
Steinberger Sound Corporation is founded. Ned Steinberger is granted patent on the design of his L2 bass.
1981
At the Frankfurt Musik Messe, the L2 leaves the music world amazed over its design. The L2 is awarded the coveted Industrial Designers Excellence Award from the Industrial Designers Society of America (ISDA). Time Magazine declares the L2 one of the Five Best Designs of 1981.
1982
Steinberger wins the Reinforced Plastics/Composite Award from The Society of The Plastics Industry Inc. Demand for the L2 exceeds supply by 300%. The GL Prototype Guitar is introduced. Steinberger wins Award of Excellence from Materials Engineering.
1983
Steinberger Sound relocates to Newburgh, NY. The larger facility allows Steinberger to increase production.
1984
PBS' "Enterprise" airs its On Key episode featuring Ned Steinberger and his guitars. The feature refined XL-2 and GL-2 are completed. The updated versions replace the L2 and GL-P. The TransTrem is introduced at the Winter show of the National Association of Music Merchants. The TransTrem is the first "pitch-bending" mechanism which permits an individual controllable change rate so that all strings can be set to maintain pitch relationships throughout tremolo travel.
1985
New electronics manufactured by Henry Zajac of HAZ Labs in Washington, New Jersey are introduced to the line. Ned Steinberger introduces the S-Trem. With the S-Trem, both tremolo and fixed bridge operation are available in one guitar. Roland Controller circuitry is first offered in the L Series. This circuitry (made exclusively for Steinberger) incorporates the latest in pitch to signal processing technology. The U.S. Information Agency chooses the XL2 bass to exemplify the "Best in Contemporary American Design". The agency's Product of Design show will tour Eastern Europe for three years.
1986
The GL3T, an EMG SA three pickup version of the GL with TransTrem, is introduced. The GL4T, with EMG SA, SA, 89 pickups and TransTrem, is introduced.
1987
The GM Series is created with the inspiration of Mike Rutherford, Roger Griffin and Geoff Banks. The classically styled maple body features a double cutaway and contrasting binding. The Bass TransTrem is introduced. The first bridge enabling chords and intervals to remain perfectly in tune during tremolo operation. Steinberger Sound is purchased by Gibson Guitar Corp.
1988
The DB Bridge is introduced. The TransTrem is now available in a left-handed version. Ned agreed to design this version at the request of Elliot Easton (The Cars). The collaboration between Steinberger and luthier Steve Klein creates the GK Series guitar. The ergonomic bodies by Klein are matched with Steinberger hardware and electronics.
1990
The XQ Bass is introduced. The XQ features an ergonomically designed maple body. The first model is the Q4.
1991
New GM and XM bodies with sleeker profile and redesigned heel section are introduced. The neck on the XM is changed to a "thinner" version as is used on the XQ bass. The '7' configuration (humbucker-single-humbucker) is made available on the GL and GM guitars.
1992
Steinberger relocates to Nashville, TN, where Steinberger designs are still made today. The exacting standards of excellence that Ned applied to his first instruments go into every Steinberger. The individuals at the Steinberger facility are a talented team of craftspeople, artisans and technicians dedicated to making superb instruments for demanding musicians, both professional and amateur. We take pride in creating the world's most innovative stringed instruments. Steinberger introduces the “Spirit by Steinberger” line. The Spirit line features most of the same basic features as the graphite Steinbergers including the double-ball tuning system, 40:1 ratio fine tuners, R-Trem locking tremolo system, headless construction, Steinberger hardware and ergonomic design. However, while the Steinbergers featured a graphite neck, Spirit by Steinbergers feature 3-piece hard maple, through-neck construction (GT and XT series) or hard maple, bolt-neck construction (GU and XZ series) making them much more affordable.
1999
After suspending Steinberger production for over 1 year, Steinberger re-introduces the “Spirit by Steinberger” line through Internet wholesaler MusicYo.com.
2002
Steinberger re-introduces Steinberger USA graphite production including GM and GR production.
2004
Since the introduction of the first Steinberger instruments in 1980, the Steinberger name has become synonymous with evolution, innovation, ergonomics and performance. The new Synapse line continues that tradition.
2006
Steinberger introduces the Synapse collection with the revolutionary CybroSonic Patented Graphite U-channel combining the "warmth" of wood tone with the unwavering stability of composite materials. Included in this line is the Transcale models with rolling capo. With the patented TranScale Capo in the "resting" position, the Synapse is a 28.5" scale guitar with thundering bass and complex baritone voicings. Roll the Capo up and you can change scale length "on the fly" creating completely new and unique voicings and tonal qualities.
2008
Steinberger unveils the ZT3 model. At the heart of the ZT3 guitar is the latest version of the TransTrem transposing tremolo system. Like the original TransTrem, this newest version (known as the TransTrem-3 or TT3) allows the guitarist to change keys “on the fly” by simply moving the tremolo arm. However, that’s where most of the similarities stop. With the new TT3, guitarists can now transpose to 5 different keys in half-step increments. When locked, the TT3 acts similar to a fixed bridge with advantages such as increased sustain and tuning stability. For example, if you break a string the other strings will remain in pitch. Conversely like a traditional tremolo, when the TT3 is in the unlocked position it allows the user to also perform extreme pitch bending both down and up. But unlike all other tremolos, the TT3 bends each string in perfect relative pitch to each other. Therefore, chords can be raised or lowered in perfect pitch using the tremolo arm allowing for pedal steel or slide guitar type effects..
Ned Steinberger, a graduate of the Maryland Institute of Art with a BFA in sculpture, begins working for Thronet Industries designing industrial furniture sharing space with bass luthier Stuart Spector in a Brooklyn, NY woodworking co-op.
1976
Ned Steinberger designs NS models for Stuart Spector.
1977
Several prototypes made of graphite reinforced epoxy are manufactured.
1979
Ned designs the L2 in Brooklyn, NY. The L2 is introduced at the summer show of the National Association of Music Merchants. Three prototypes are sold at The Guitarman to John Entwistle (The Who), Tony Levin (King Crimson) and Andy West (The Dregs).
1980
Steinberger Sound Corporation is founded. Ned Steinberger is granted patent on the design of his L2 bass.
1981
At the Frankfurt Musik Messe, the L2 leaves the music world amazed over its design. The L2 is awarded the coveted Industrial Designers Excellence Award from the Industrial Designers Society of America (ISDA). Time Magazine declares the L2 one of the Five Best Designs of 1981.
1982
Steinberger wins the Reinforced Plastics/Composite Award from The Society of The Plastics Industry Inc. Demand for the L2 exceeds supply by 300%. The GL Prototype Guitar is introduced. Steinberger wins Award of Excellence from Materials Engineering.
1983
Steinberger Sound relocates to Newburgh, NY. The larger facility allows Steinberger to increase production.
1984
PBS' "Enterprise" airs its On Key episode featuring Ned Steinberger and his guitars. The feature refined XL-2 and GL-2 are completed. The updated versions replace the L2 and GL-P. The TransTrem is introduced at the Winter show of the National Association of Music Merchants. The TransTrem is the first "pitch-bending" mechanism which permits an individual controllable change rate so that all strings can be set to maintain pitch relationships throughout tremolo travel.
1985
New electronics manufactured by Henry Zajac of HAZ Labs in Washington, New Jersey are introduced to the line. Ned Steinberger introduces the S-Trem. With the S-Trem, both tremolo and fixed bridge operation are available in one guitar. Roland Controller circuitry is first offered in the L Series. This circuitry (made exclusively for Steinberger) incorporates the latest in pitch to signal processing technology. The U.S. Information Agency chooses the XL2 bass to exemplify the "Best in Contemporary American Design". The agency's Product of Design show will tour Eastern Europe for three years.
1986
The GL3T, an EMG SA three pickup version of the GL with TransTrem, is introduced. The GL4T, with EMG SA, SA, 89 pickups and TransTrem, is introduced.
1987
The GM Series is created with the inspiration of Mike Rutherford, Roger Griffin and Geoff Banks. The classically styled maple body features a double cutaway and contrasting binding. The Bass TransTrem is introduced. The first bridge enabling chords and intervals to remain perfectly in tune during tremolo operation. Steinberger Sound is purchased by Gibson Guitar Corp.
1988
The DB Bridge is introduced. The TransTrem is now available in a left-handed version. Ned agreed to design this version at the request of Elliot Easton (The Cars). The collaboration between Steinberger and luthier Steve Klein creates the GK Series guitar. The ergonomic bodies by Klein are matched with Steinberger hardware and electronics.
1990
The XQ Bass is introduced. The XQ features an ergonomically designed maple body. The first model is the Q4.
1991
New GM and XM bodies with sleeker profile and redesigned heel section are introduced. The neck on the XM is changed to a "thinner" version as is used on the XQ bass. The '7' configuration (humbucker-single-humbucker) is made available on the GL and GM guitars.
1992
Steinberger relocates to Nashville, TN, where Steinberger designs are still made today. The exacting standards of excellence that Ned applied to his first instruments go into every Steinberger. The individuals at the Steinberger facility are a talented team of craftspeople, artisans and technicians dedicated to making superb instruments for demanding musicians, both professional and amateur. We take pride in creating the world's most innovative stringed instruments. Steinberger introduces the “Spirit by Steinberger” line. The Spirit line features most of the same basic features as the graphite Steinbergers including the double-ball tuning system, 40:1 ratio fine tuners, R-Trem locking tremolo system, headless construction, Steinberger hardware and ergonomic design. However, while the Steinbergers featured a graphite neck, Spirit by Steinbergers feature 3-piece hard maple, through-neck construction (GT and XT series) or hard maple, bolt-neck construction (GU and XZ series) making them much more affordable.
1999
After suspending Steinberger production for over 1 year, Steinberger re-introduces the “Spirit by Steinberger” line through Internet wholesaler MusicYo.com.
2002
Steinberger re-introduces Steinberger USA graphite production including GM and GR production.
2004
Since the introduction of the first Steinberger instruments in 1980, the Steinberger name has become synonymous with evolution, innovation, ergonomics and performance. The new Synapse line continues that tradition.
2006
Steinberger introduces the Synapse collection with the revolutionary CybroSonic Patented Graphite U-channel combining the "warmth" of wood tone with the unwavering stability of composite materials. Included in this line is the Transcale models with rolling capo. With the patented TranScale Capo in the "resting" position, the Synapse is a 28.5" scale guitar with thundering bass and complex baritone voicings. Roll the Capo up and you can change scale length "on the fly" creating completely new and unique voicings and tonal qualities.
2008
Steinberger unveils the ZT3 model. At the heart of the ZT3 guitar is the latest version of the TransTrem transposing tremolo system. Like the original TransTrem, this newest version (known as the TransTrem-3 or TT3) allows the guitarist to change keys “on the fly” by simply moving the tremolo arm. However, that’s where most of the similarities stop. With the new TT3, guitarists can now transpose to 5 different keys in half-step increments. When locked, the TT3 acts similar to a fixed bridge with advantages such as increased sustain and tuning stability. For example, if you break a string the other strings will remain in pitch. Conversely like a traditional tremolo, when the TT3 is in the unlocked position it allows the user to also perform extreme pitch bending both down and up. But unlike all other tremolos, the TT3 bends each string in perfect relative pitch to each other. Therefore, chords can be raised or lowered in perfect pitch using the tremolo arm allowing for pedal steel or slide guitar type effects..
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