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New Bass Day. 1984 Steinberger XL-2


police squad
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Found this on the net for sale at Bass Direct.
I've always wanted a 'berger for my Police Tribute band (think Gateshead gig in '82)
It was quite a lot of money BUT, OMG, it's almost immaculate. Almost too good to gig, (b*gger that, I'm going to use it anyway)
Still, here's few shots for you. It's november '84 and still has the plug in leg rest.
It's quite a difficult thing to photograph seeing as there's no fancy wood, it's black!!



Edited by police squad
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I saw that Steiny when it was on the BD site and personally don't think you paid too much for it. These are excellent instruments, although the '80s tag hangs on them like a moudly rag. I'm still looking for a fretless XL or L but these are rarer than hens' teeth.

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Nice!!! A lot of dosh but still £500 less than the UB40 one on eBay! Determined to find a nice XL2a one day.

Stacker FYI, an Italian store - Hendrixguitars.com has a 5 string lined fretless XL ( and 2 XP2s!!) dont know if anyone here has had dealings with them.


BB (green with envy :happy: )

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[quote name='BarnacleBob' timestamp='1337415539' post='1659466']
Nice!!! A lot of dosh but still £500 less than the UB40 one on eBay! Determined to find a nice XL2a one day.

Stacker FYI, an Italian store - Hendrixguitars.com has a 5 string lined fretless XL ( and 2 XP2s!!) dont know if anyone here has had dealings with them.


BB (green with envy :happy: )
[/quote]

Bob, you diamond!!! Oh, it's a 5, though!

Edited by Stacker
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my bass came from hendrix in Italy, the receipt is still in the case.
My brother lives in Italy and says Hendrix are very good.
The serial number puts it to november 1984. Very much transitional as far I can make out.
Plays great, but I haven't plugged it in yet, maybe tomorrow as I'm just off to play cricket

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[quote name='RAY AGAINST THE MACHINE' timestamp='1337425304' post='1659679']
Niiice bassss! I would love one of these myself,
especially white. One tip; if you play gigs , try to leave this at home and buy a battered homer or something,) nice bass bump
[/quote]

LEAVE IT AT HOME!!!!!

you must be joking. I play my gear out, everytime. That's what it's for o:)

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[quote name='police squad' timestamp='1337450678' post='1660336']
LEAVE IT AT HOME!!!!!

you must be joking. I play my gear out, everytime. [u]That's what it's for [/u]o:)
[/quote]

Right on !!

Incidentaly, the only chance I got to see The Police was at the Birmingha NEC, 'Ghost in the Machine' tour and Sting had his arm in a sling after injuring it jumping through a window or something on a film set. His bass techie, Danny Quatrochi was on bass.

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[quote name='RAY AGAINST THE MACHINE' timestamp='1337425304' post='1659679']
Niiice bassss! I would love one of these myself,
especially white. One tip; if you play gigs , try to leave this at home and buy a battered homer or something,) nice bass bump
[/quote]

Ed Roman Guitars has TWO whitey Xls right now! One's got a [url="http://www.edroman.com/detail_sheets/steinberger-l-series-bass-trans-trem.html"]Trans Tem[/url]; the other a DB bridge!

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  • 1 month later...

I've been gigging mine over the last year or so... used to drive the band mad but I think they're used to it now, especially as we've been doing some retro-styled gigs. Most people under 30 ain't seen one before so for them it doesn't have that 80's stigma and think it's quirky but cool. I was at that Police Gateshead gig in '82 which was the 1st time I saw one 'live'. Another one of my favourite players Phil Spalding was also playing one around that time. I wish I still had my original L2 that I got in the 80s but I managed to find another one in the USA a couple of years ago and had it shipped over. I actually prefer the look of the L2, more tank-like with those screws on the front plate and bridge. With my Markbass F1 amp and Berger I can travel to rehearsals on the scooter. The Berger fits in the boot!

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[quote name='overdriver' timestamp='1341658570' post='1722337']
Twin to my XL transitional fretless...

beauty!
[/quote]

Sounds nice! lined or unlined? (never having seen an unlined one, always wondered if they did them )

Is there a steiny thread in the Porn section? must go look and yes i realise they may all "look the same" because of lack of wood <_< !

BB

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[quote name='markorbit' timestamp='1341664164' post='1722429']
I've been gigging mine over the last year or so... used to drive the band mad but I think they're used to it now, especially as we've been doing some retro-styled gigs. Most people under 30 ain't seen one before so for them it doesn't have that 80's stigma and think it's quirky but cool. I was at that Police Gateshead gig in '82 which was the 1st time I saw one 'live'. Another one of my favourite players Phil Spalding was also playing one around that time. I wish I still had my original L2 that I got in the 80s but I managed to find another one in the USA a couple of years ago and had it shipped over. I actually prefer the look of the L2, more tank-like with those screws on the front plate and bridge. With my Markbass F1 amp and Berger I can travel to rehearsals on the scooter. The Berger fits in the boot!
[/quote]

My preference is for the L2 as well, particularly the neck profile.

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A lot of guys say that the L2 is superior to the XL2; I can't say that to be the case. I remember an L2 I had on long-term loan back in the '80s and, IMO, I can't say that it's better than my XL2A. Then again, the XL2A is a different beast altogether and the '80s [i]were[/i] a long time back. Anyone want to chime in?

Also, I am in the market for a fretless L2 or XL2, so if anyone spots one, gimme the heads-up?

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Glad to!

I ahve 2 L2s and an XL2, but have owned several XLs, including a Transtrem XL2A!

I think the original L2 bridge was better - the jaws didn't break, and it had more sustain. The strings loaded in sideways, so they didn't pop out when winding like the XL Also it was milled, and not cast like later XL bridges

The headpiece on the L is better because you can use standard strings.

I prefer the neck profile on the L, because I find the edges of the XL rather severe / sharp in comparison, and the profile is shallower

Tonally I find the L2 is more low-mid heavy, and more like a traditional bass in many ways

L2s for me!

:)

having siad that, my transitonal fretless is one of the ebst Steinbergers I've had, and sounds almost identical to my L2, because it has SS pickups.

I imagine the OPs one has, too.

Edited by overdriver
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