What Do I Need to Know?

[glenn1281758327]

Hello everybody,

 

I'm looking at Steinberger Spirit Guitars. I've always loved the Steinbergers but as I have read around I have found very little info on the spirit guitars, other than they are made of wood as opposed to graphite and composites, and I have found reviews from a few people with good things to say.

 

I have also heard a few people say these are difficult guitars to work on, set up, keep maintained, etc. What is the truth behind this?

 

As a prospective buyer waiting to pull the trigger on this purchase I want to know what the Steinberger Owner would have to say to me about these guitars and what am I getting myself into?

 

I'm certain I want to buy one, I just want to gather some knowledge before I dive in.

 

Please chime in with anything you have to say.

 

Thanks,

 

Glenn

[headlost]

Hi Glenn!

 

Welcome. surely you can't go wrong buying a Spirit as these guitars are worth every cent (excessive prices excepted, of course).

If you'll search the Net will find lots of different prices, based on condition, type, age, kind of finish and seller's price policies too :-)

 

String changing and tuning is a snap on these guitars, tuning stability is great even under repetitive trem action (but it may be locked).

Sound wise, the EMG Select pickups are pretty versatile and do their job, anyway you can consider upgradings later, as the guitar surely deserves.

I hope this helps a little, cheers, JPB

[Eagle]

Not a bad travel guitar "BUT" the R Trem is garbage expensive and hard to get spare parts for .This is nothing to do with the design ,but everything to do with the metal it is built out of, These trems collapse in on them selves over time with nothing more than the tension of a set of 9s. Show me ANY old GR 4 and the trem rubs against the body because the posts have bent the baseplate ,and that's usually the least of the issues.

[darylj]

Hey Glenn,

 

I have owned my Spirit since 2007 and I am very happy with it. It plays like a dream and amazingly stays in tune for days and even weeks on end, even after overseas travel and temperature changes. I wish my Strats could stay in tune for just one day... I use it mainly for composing into my DAW and so push it through a lot of effects and a recording desk, and the sound coming out of the stock EMG Select pickups is as good as anything out there. I have the HSH pickup configuration but in retrospect I should have ordered the HSS configuration i.e. 2 single coils and 1 humbucker - IMHO single coils just sound cleaner (but then I am more a fan of the Strat sound than the LP sound....) This guitar plays and travels really well and when stashed in its Steinberger hard shell case (obtained from Sam Ash for $79) it fits into every type of aircraft I have been jammed onto so far, including a few turbo props with small overhead lockers. Build quality is excellent (except for one issue, detailed below) and getting the double ball strings has been no problem - around $10 for a set of GHS online. In terms of setting up and maintaining, once the guitar is set up properly, it will keep its settings just like any other, so I am not sure what the issue is here? I base this on the fact that recently I decided to set it up from scratch i.e. neck adjustment for lower action, full bridge height re-calibration, string scale length reset, tremolo tension set (more on this below), etc. and yes, it took me a good 6 hours to do this, and it is a bit tricky to figure everything out (although I found out afterwards there is online material that could have helped.....duh) but since then it has been performing flawlessly and has not needed any additional maintenance or tweaking. So I can't see why it would need more frequent maintenance and setting up than any other guitar? Even though this model is 'made of wood' it feels tougher than all my other guitars put together.

 

The only issue I have is that apparently my guitar was an early 2007 build out of the Korean factory, where production was restarted after a multi-year pause. And so my tremolo block is not aligned properly with the body and will make contact with the body if I attempt to use it i.e. scratch the paint. I did not notice this at first as I don't generally use a tremolo, but recently I decided to give it a try and saw the problem, so I have just hard-tailed it again. I think I might contact Steinberger about the problem because it is clearly a manufacturing alignment issue (in my opinion) and not something I might have messed up, or that could be called 'fair wear and tear'. I might just get lucky and get something done under warranty. Then again, I might not....

 

I can really recommend this little guitar and with a street price of around $400 you can't go wrong. It plays a treat, it is so portable you can take it anywhere, and it is built like a little tank. I would certainly get another one if this one were stolen or damaged. Hope this helps!

 

Good luck.

 

 

-Daryl

[Eagle]

It won't be misaligned it will have bent. I bet it contacts the front of the rout and the posts lean forward. The fix is remove the trem, unscrew the posts from the baseplate, bend the baseplate back flat and reattach the posts in the opposite sides so they rest in a different part on the thead. This will last until they collapse against the body again. This is a standard part of a R Trem set up together with a new spring to replace the one that won't stay in tune because of fatigue. Try and get a similar automotive spring as they are a fraction of the price and a hundred times better.

[Shmockiebaby1281758330]

I have owned two Spirit GT Pros in the past, one black and one white. I have also owned a USA Steinberger GR (just sold it).

 

After trying several other "travel" guitars, and finding myself in need of an electric guitar that I could carry on an airplane next month, I just bought another GT Pro (black) today on eBay. Price was right ($199), because a couple of parts were missing.

 

I would disagree that parts are hard to find. I found both parts needed on eBay (saddle = $14.99, trem arm = $12.99), and pulled the trigger on them both and the fixer-upper GT Pro. Can't wait for it to arrive.

 

I will not sell it this time!! I may buy and sell others, but I will always keep at least one around, no matter what! I've learned my lesson

 

I also have found them to be very easy to set up. I have switched string gauges (between .09 and .10), re-set intonation and trem spring tension for the different gauges, and if instructions are followed, it is not a problem. And as another poster states, once set up properly, it is good to go forever.

 

Fortunately, I kept my old Ritter gig bag, which is the best travel beg ever made for the GT Pro or L series. I have a Gittler also, and that's why I kept the Ritter bag. Not made anymore, the Ritter bag is worth searching for.

 

Don't be scared off, I'd recommend the Spirit GT Pro guitars.

[Eagle]

Well if you want a $200 junk pile go for it.

[mediterraneo]

So would you recommend one get a synapse or....?

 

Thanks

[Eagle]

I would pick up a synapse as a travel guitar. You could still get a GT but be aware that the trem will die ,only a matter of time. It is a pity as the wood work is nice.

[mediterraneo]

I seem to recall you saying quality control was quite sketchy on the synapse; does this mean it is simply the best of a bad bunch?

 

Thanks

[Eagle]

I seem to recall you saying quality control was quite sketchy on the synapse; does this mean it is simply the best of a bad bunch?

 

Thanks

Yes. Find a shop or be prepared to send a few back.

[phantomofalfred]

I have purchased the Spirit GT PRo Deluxe HSH configuration. I play extreme Heavy Metal and i tune way low.

This usually causes problems with Standard guitars in holding intonation and tuning. My spirit with the string adapter holds 13 / 56 guage tuned to Bb Eb Ab Db F Bb

I beat on this guitar all the time and it never goes out of tune. The sustain is better than my $700 bold on jacksons.

I was so impressed with this little guitar, i also purchased the Spirit XT 25 5 string bass. it also kicks some serious A#$

 

The only thing you have to do to these guitars is replace the pickups with something good "Passive"

I used "Bare Knuckles" pickups but you could use Lundgren or Dimarzio or Duncan as well.

 

The Bass pickups are good right out of the box.

 

With the expensive Bare Knuckles Pickups www.bareknucklepickups.co.uk the guitar sounds like a million bux and never EVER EVER Goes out of tune.

[Dub]

I have a yin yang spirit on back order, pre paid. Is it getting produced at some point and what kind of timeline might we be looking at? All I'm  getting is dead air. I'm not made of money and the 500 bucks spent with nothing to show for it, including any confidence that anything is going to happen, is taxing as well as expensive.

[TennisPsych]

Just IMHO, go for an older made in Korea model as the quality control is better and the wood is solid maple versus the newer basswood wings.  Plus $500 is too high for the new ones.