wintoid

Haha in a nutshell

Seems we're in agreement. The best thing I've seen from him is a clip of him playing Stevie Wonder's Isn't She Lovely with an echo pedal.

I agree with what he says, but I put Victor into the category of amazing players whose music I don't actually enjoy that much. It's just too clever for me. There are not many are amazing players whose music I also enjoy.

Very beautiful!

This is what's niggling away at me: https://www.bassic.de/kleinanzeigen/phikip-kubicki-exfactor-made-in-usa.10419/

I've seen the Synapse, which I think is wooden. Also the NS Designs CR4 or 5 could be a possibility, but it's getting bulky for me.

A very good question. This all started (20+ years ago) with wanting something really compact, and having always wanted a Steinberger. I'd had a Warwick Thumb NT and frankly hated it. I have kept my Hohner B2A for decades because it was cheap and compact, but I don't really like it that much. In some ways the bass I've enjoyed the most was my old Westone (?) Rail. I'm very much interested in stuff that works and keeps working. Something like a Precision would appeal on the basis that you can keep those things running forever because you can always change the parts, but the Precision doesn't really sound how I like it. The Steinberger appeals because if the neck is straight, the neck should stay straight, and if they're still working since the late 80s, they will probably keep working. The Status appeals because the company is around to help, and is in the UK. The Kubicki gives me the willies slightly because it's weird and might be hard to keep alive for decades. I only really want to do this once. I confess I am seduced by the futuristic looks of Steinberger, Status and Kubicki, and I like headless for that reason. I do still want it compact, and I really like that sustained sound, which to me seems to come from graphite. However, the Kubicki is the best sounding bass I've heard, at least based on the various youtube things I've found. So I guess headless comes first, sustainy pianoish tones comes next, and graphite in third place. Compact is a nice to have. On the Kubicki I read that the thing to look at is whether it's 9V or 18V. There's one available at the moment, pre-fender, but over 2k. I guess if a nice XL2 came along for under 2k, I'd struggle to resist.

I believe his son still makes them. I have enquired, but I'm expecting it to be out of my price range.

Do you think how unique the Kubicki is, the parts might be a bit of a problem in the future? I know the Steinbergers have this issue with the string claws, but it seems like someone has solved that. I imagine the Kubicki is less common than the Steinberger. Terrible gas here! I will only buy one bass, and would hope to keep it for a long time. I really do love the sound I've heard from the Kubicki, but a nice Steinberger feels like it might be easier to maintain. Needless to say, I've been rather put off the Status idea due to the reports of various issues.

Hey Ash, welcome along. I'm new here myself but the natives are friendly

Just back to the Kubicki for a moment, and showing my ignorance, but it's not a graphite neck is it? It still seems to have that piano-ish sound I associate with graphite.

Apart from Basschat and eBay, where would people look for a nice XL2 or Kubicki?

I'm definitely being swayed towards a Steinberger, but then I've been down the 80s rabbithole the last few days, and found some videos of people playing the Kubicki Ex Factor, which is a bass I always fancied. Wow that thing has the best sound I've heard. But yeah, probably an XL2 if one comes up at a good price.

Thanks very much. I'd be interested to hear from anyone else who has had problems with delaminating fretboards or cracking lacquer. Not just with Streamlines, I guess, but with any Status bass.

Beyond the sound, I'd be interested to hear the sorts of niggles a Streamline might have.

Thank you, that's incredibly kind of you. Thanks also for the wealth of information in your post.

Gaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaas!!!

I seem to be very consistent in conforming with whatever is out of fashion. A privilege of being an old fart I suppose Oh really! That IS interesting.

What neck shape does the Hohner have?

Ah interesting, so the streamline must be extremely light then. Time to go look up stats

I've returned to bass playing after decades away, and am using my little Hohner B2A for now. Of course, I always wanted a Steinberger. Who didn't? But proper Steinbergers aren't made any more, not from graphite, and supposedly it would be impossible for Gibson to make money from Ned's design because it's so difficult to manufacture. So how come Status can make the Streamline and make a profit? Is there something I'm missing here? I know the Streamline has a truss rod too, which I don't understand if the neck isn't pliable.

Awesome, I enjoyed that on many levels. Such a moving song too.