Streamline vs XL2/L2

[dmz]

A query directed at Status and Steinberger owners.

How similar is the Status Streamline to an Steinberger XL2 or L2 tonally ?

Cheers

[Chris2112]

Not really in the same ballpark IMO. The Streamline has quite a typical Status sound to it, as much a product of the electrics as the design. The Steinberger on the other hand sounds quite different. Not as different as say, a Streamline and a P bass, but enough so that most musicians would be able to tell the difference.

[Lfalex v1.1]

The Steinberger sounds [i]heavier[/i], quite simply because it is more massive. More fundamental content, less harmonic content to its sound. The Streamline is more resonant.
For the most part, there's not a lot to choose between them in most musical settings. The Steinberger would be a clear winner for dub reggae, though!
For sheer long-term comfort, the Streamline is stupidly good, and an ergonomic tour-de-force, whereas the Steiny is just minimalist.

Edited May 15, 2012 by Lfalex v1.1

[TomRichards]

I think that the Streamline clearly sounds more "modern" whereas the L2 and XL2 sound more "traditional". The L2 was Ned trying to redefine the shape and material of a bass, but still give you a bass, which in the late 70's was totally dominated by P and J basses. So, closest to P and J that he could get with carbon fiber and minimalist design.

The Streamline is like the L2 or XL2 with a healthy dose of steriods, and I mean that in a good way. Really built with artistic, almost sensual look and design, much more advanced composite material and a much more versatile electronics package. And, the Streamline and all Status basses really excel for slapping, something still relatively new to bassists when the L2 was designed and produced.

I always stare for hours at the Streamline, and I'm especially drawn to the peacock blue/green ones.

[overdriver]

Ergonomically, the Steinberger's strap pivot is hard to beat for comfort.

Also thye Streamline has the Status neck profile -wide and flat - which is great if thats your thing. Personally, I find it very tiring to play.

Edited July 7, 2012 by overdriver

[martthebass]

[quote name='overdriver' timestamp='1341657802' post='1722326']
Ergonomically, the Steinberger's strap pivot is hard to beat for comfort.

Also thye Streamline has the Status neck profile -wide and flat - which is great if thats your thing. Personally, I find it very tiring to play.
[/quote]

Strange, never really noticed that, mine feels pretty much like my Precision and Ray neck wise.

[overdriver]

The L2 has a deep U profile, I suppose anything would feel flat after that, but it was definitely flatter than any of my Stingrays

[martthebass]

Mine Streamline is an early one (number 6 I think), don't know if the profile has changed at all? Now you mention it though it is very slightly flatter up to about the 5th but after that I don't notice a difference - always found it a very easy, fast neck.

[lozbass]

My Streamline is the 32"scale with 16.5 spacing and is narrow, flat and very fast - I don't find it tiring at all (and I'm sensitive to this).

I'd concur with most posters - the Streamline has a typically focused, 'modern', present Status tone - more aggressive than a Steinberger but without the very extended bottom end (IME). The Status is extremely comfortable too - ergonomics are well thought-through, though I find it better on a strap than when seated. I'd still love a Steinberger though - groundbreaking design classic

[overdriver]

I said [i][b]I [/b][/i]found it tiring - me personally. YMMV etc. Its the flat feel I didn't like.

Bear in mind L2s are more aggressive than XL2s, also.

Edited July 8, 2012 by overdriver

[Phantomnin]

WHoooo. Something I know about.

The streamline is an ergonomic piece of genius. It sounds great, has a really wide range of tones and if you have the 16.5mm option is ridiculaously fast to play.
The Steinbergs arn't in the same ballpark, honestly.
I was so disapointed when I tried one.
My 5 string streamline with 16.55mm is more of a unique tone...much more punchy and hi fi, but that is because I got it made with a single pickup front and a coil tap at the back. This one is great for finger style funk, but doesn't hide any mistakes.

More streamline topics please.

[overdriver]

[quote name='Phantomnin' timestamp='1341778651' post='1724099']
The Steinbergs arn't in the same ballpark, honestly.

[/quote]


Interesting...Steinberg[b]ER [/b]owners would love to know why?



Also which Steinberger did you try? L, XL, XM, XP, XQ...? Or a Spirit or Hohner model?

Of course, it could just be one man's meat being another man's poison??

Edited July 8, 2012 by overdriver

[Phantomnin]

Excuse my typing.
I've tried a few, almost every one I have ever seen in a shop/ at a gig as a committed headless bass fanatic and none of them matched a status. And thanks for correcting my typo, amasingly even after having that word on a bass I owned for twenty years I still can't type it correctly.
And I wasn't going to mention my Hohners, as I wouldn't bring a washburn Status into a discussion about status basses.

Or it could be you haven't tried a streamline?

[overdriver]

Oh I have, and I'd love to own one.

But to say that the basses that were the original of the species, and that most would agree are of the highest quality and have an incredibly ergonomic, albeit different, design aren't "even in the ballpark" seems like hyperbole to me.

Lots of people think they've tried a Steinberger, particularly on this small island, and have actually tried a wooden knockoff, which were toys at best.


As for ergonomics, well, when you get used to the strap pivot ( did any you tried have that device - just curious?) having a bass hung by strap buttons feels weird, cos you get used to being able to tilt, and move the bass without lifting it so you don't disturb your clothes, that kind of thing.


So its very hard to go back to playing anything else.

While the Streamline was closer in feel and spirit than any of the other other Steinbergers I have had that have bodies etc., I didn't think it was neccessarily [i]superior[/i] to the L or XL


My preference is for L2s rather than XLs

To be honest, given how ones attitude to a bass can change having lived with it for even just a couple of gigs, "trying" basses in shops really isn't enough, and perhaps there would be someone on the board who has OWNED both for a while, and can make a better comparison for the OP than you or I?

And he actually asked what the difference TONALLY was, specifically, which neither of us answered




Lots of people type "Steinberg" instead of"Steinberger", which was great for eBay, back before it started correcting the listing for people - I used to search for "Stienberger" "Steinburgh", any misspellings I could think of - snagged an XP2A and a GM4TA for cheap that way!



Ah the good aul days!

[foal30]

[quote name='overdriver' timestamp='1341673688' post='1722601']
The L2 has a deep U profile, I suppose anything would feel flat after that, but it was definitely flatter than any of my Stingrays
[/quote]

it's more like a P than a J

the strap pivot is a brilliant idea/concept

please clarify or expand on "L2 is more aggressive than XL" please.

[overdriver]

If I can - talking about sound is like dancing about architecture!


To me, the XLs are more clean, less pokey in the low mid area. They have a milder tone, more hi-fi.

The Ls are generally louder, which can drive your amp a bit harder at the gain stage.

I put that down to the bridge and the SS pickups, maybe? Though my early L belies this a little.

The Ls are made of a different blend of graphite, and I have found far more variance from L to L than from XL to XL, particularly the later the XLs got.and the earlier the Ls got


In the beginning, they were experimenting with the blend of the graphite, and some even had kevlar in them. Not sure if they used that later or not


I have an early L2 - serial number 0011. Its louder than the others by a significant amount, even acoustically. It has an early form of HB pickup in it, but even with an identical setuup, its got a different low mid and high sound.


So to try express the idea of them being more aggressive - and it could be as simple as a gain thing - whenI play an L, its easier to get a snarly, slightly driven sound when you dig in than with an XL, which are just far more even across the spectrum or something.

Now I shall tell you about the GPO in Dublin by performing a snippet of Swan lake.

[Owen]

Tonally? No idea. However I would LOVE one of those leg rests on my Streamliner.

[overdriver]

[quote name='owen' timestamp='1341870042' post='1725539']
Tonally? No idea. However I would LOVE one of those leg rests on my Streamliner.
[/quote]

Meh! Most Steinberger people just use the strap - hence all them leg rests gettin' lost!

[Kiwi]

Foal's L2 is a little fuller and mellow in the highs than my XL25 but the differences are not significant enough to make a difference to a live gig. I would agree with the initial posts about the differences between the streamliner and an XL2 but to argue one is better than the other is futile.

[Sean]

I've had a couple of Status basses in the past and didn't get on with the necks but the Streamline I have is fine; it was the one thing putting me off but I took the plunge and it's like a Ray or modern Precision shape. The Streamline is nigh on perfect aesthetically for me; I've tried a couple of XL2s in the past but just hate the way they hang; the nut feels as though it's too far away, like on a Warwick. As far as sound goes I can't remember what the Steinbergers sounded like; the Streamline suits me, I like the sizzle although it needs an East U-Retro to replace the two band Status EQ, I like to boost my lower mids and am doing this with an outboard EQ at the moment.

Edited July 10, 2012 by Sean

[overdriver]

[quote name='Sean' timestamp='1341901796' post='1725730']
I've tried a couple of XL2s in the past but just hate the way they hang; the nut feels as though it's too far away, like on a Warwick.
[/quote]

Thats how I feel about the XM2 I have, and its why I don't play it, but on my Ls, the nut is closer than on most headed basses.

For me anyway.


One advantage to the Streamline no-one has touched on yet is availability. You can order them new, in your own configuration

[xilddx]

[quote name='overdriver' timestamp='1341823430' post='1724440']

Lots of people think they've tried a Steinberger, particularly on this small island, and have actually tried a wooden knockoff, which were toys at best.

[/quote]

Regarding the Hohners, they are excellent instruments, not toys, the Steinbergers from China are closer to toy status. The Gibson Steinberger I tried last year (a transtrem guitar) was very poor, appaling in fact, the head piece was misaligned on the neck by 2mm, awful set up, TT not calibrated properly, poor finishing.

Sorry to go OT for a sec.

[overdriver]

[quote name='silddx' timestamp='1341921146' post='1726150']
Regarding the Hohners, they are excellent instruments, not toys, the Steinbergers from China are closer to toy status. The Gibson Steinberger I tried last year (a transtrem guitar) was very poor, appaling in fact, the head piece was misaligned on the neck by 2mm, awful set up, TT not calibrated properly, poor finishing.

Sorry to go OT for a sec.
[/quote]

Thats not good, regarding the TT, very poor form. First one I've seen like that, though. And the TT you have to calibrate every string change anyway.

With regard to Hohner / Spirit,, compared to the real thing, they're just so lacking in tone, due to the lack of mass, for one.

Probably hyperbole of me to say "toy", but to a degree, is tand by the comment. i've had so many of them, and they were OK.

[xilddx]

[quote name='overdriver' timestamp='1341924295' post='1726242']
Thats not good, regarding the TT, very poor form. First one I've seen like that, though. And the TT you have to calibrate every string change anyway.

With regard to Hohner / Spirit,, compared to the real thing, they're just so lacking in tone, due to the lack of mass, for one.

Probably hyperbole of me to say "toy", but to a degree, is tand by the comment. i've had so many of them, and they were OK.
[/quote]

Spirit was sh*t, but the Hohners have great tone, both the paddles and the Jacks. I've had a bunch of them too.

[overdriver]

[quote name='silddx' timestamp='1341924973' post='1726262']
Spirit was sh*t, but the Hohners have great tone, both the paddles and the Jacks. I've had a bunch of them too.
[/quote]

The Spirits and Hohners are the same, roll off the same line in Korea and get a different badge before laquering.

The early Spirits got a phenolic fingerboard, later rosewood, while Hohners had active models

Edited July 10, 2012 by overdriver