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Another New Steinberger Owner


Rob R

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I just recently picked up a use Spirit bass and have been very happy with it since I got it. I was really happy once I found out that Rotosound makes strings for it [thumbup]

 

I was just wondering if there's a way to tell the date by the serial number? Or where it was made. I'm sure it is MIK but I was just curious.

 

Here are some picks I took after a couple mods. Changed the knobs from dome to barrel, and Dunlop strap locks. I had to recess the rear pin, just because it suck out too much for me.

027-1.jpg037-1.jpg

 

029.jpg038.jpg

 

 

I will eventually be putting in some active EMG pick ups in it. I figured it sounds really good now, it should sound amazing with better pick ups.

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Hey macman, thanks, I've used it everyday since I got it, looks like it would go good with your guitar [thumbup]

 

I guess nobody can help with where this was made, oh well, I'm still really happy with it, I was a little shocked when

I pick up one of my other basses [omg] I couldn't believe how heavy they seen now.

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  • 5 months later...
  • 2 weeks later...

Hey Rob,

 

That would work. We could do a gig and we both have our white Steinys and blow everyones mind.

I like it.

 

 

That would be fun [thumbup] I'm sure we'd here a lot of "what kind of guitar is that?"

Most of my friends think it's a toy... until they play it [smile]

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Hi Rob,

 

It depends a bit on how old the bass is, but on the following webpage you can find a lot of info on older Steinberger instruments:

 

http://www.steinbergerworld.com/

 

Let me know, as I'm curious if you have been able to find out more.

 

Kind regards,

 

Stijn

 

Thanks for the reply, I should really check here more often. I did check that page when I first got it. I couldn't find very much info on the Spirits, but it does have a lot of info, so maybe I just haven't found it yet. I'll keep checking. At this point I played it so much I don't care where it's from, it plays so great I almost bought a black one a few weeks ago... I don't really need another bass, if anything I need to unload a few, but it won't be this one [biggrin]

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Thanks for the reply, I should really check here more often. I did check that page when I first got it. I couldn't find very much info on the Spirits, but it does have a lot of info, so maybe I just haven't found it yet.

 

Steinbergerworld doesn't have much info on Spirits because there isn't much info available. Spirits are a Gibson/Epiphone product (not originally a Steinberger product), so if anybody should have info about it, I think it should be Gibson. The serial numbers don't follow any of the established (old) Steinberger schemes, but also a Gibson/Epiphone scheme, similar to what you find on the current products (Synapse, ZT3). And even within this numbering scheme there are exceptions and deviations. But in most cases the first two numbers tell you the year of production.

 

Spirit production started (as far as I know, don't take that as 100% confirmed) in 1993, with serials like "30xxx". However, many 1994 models also were numbered with "30xxx", the numbers were just incremented. At some point in 1994, the numbers got one more digit and read, e.g., "40xxxx", but the corresponding "50xxxx" were also used in 1996. Then there also were numbers like "98xxxx" in 1998, but at the same time numbers like "80xxxxx" (again, one more digit). You see, there's no reliable rule or consistency in any way.

 

Regarding the country of production: most were made in Korea. I'm not completely sure about the last few years, I know that some of the Hohner production (which were made in the same place as the Spirits) has moved to China. Could be true for the latest Spirits as well.

 

Bernd

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Thanks Bernd, that's the most info I see about these anywhere [thumbup]

 

I did kind of figure it was Korean going by ones I've seen for sale online that match mine.

I was guessing mine is from 2002, the first two number are 02, but that is just a guess going by some other S/N I have on other basses from other companies. Of course now I've had it long enough that I've decided it's a keeper no matter where or when it's made, I even got a hard case for it recently, to keep it safe [biggrin]

012.jpg010-1.jpg

 

 

 

Thanks again for the info.

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  • 1 year later...

hi,

I too just bought a used Spirit. i have a few questions, would be very grateful for help. I want to use a Roland GR55 pickup - I read that to install the internal one you need to do a bit of routing to the body; consequently I DON'T really want to do this. so I have to go for the 'normal', i.e. external pickup. Has anyone put one of these on a Steinberger (or Spirit)??? Does it fit (where do you put all the outside stuff)? Was it easy? (I'm hopeless at this kind of stuff)

Secondly, I bought it used, so there was nothing else with it. (Now wait for stupid question....:) how does the bridge/trem system work?! There is a label on the body saying how to un/lock etc, but also says 'see instructions' (or manual) - which i don't have!!

Finally: regarding the date of the guitar? I read in the above post "1998, but at the same time numbers like "80xxxxx" (again, one more digit)". mine too begins with 80 and is 7-digit; does the 'at the same time' thus mean it was 1998??

Any ideas???

Many thanx :)

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Secondly, I bought it used, so there was nothing else with it. (Now wait for stupid question....:) how does the bridge/trem system work?! There is a label on the body saying how to un/lock etc, but also says 'see instructions' (or manual) - which i don't have!!

Finally: regarding the date of the guitar? I read in the above post "1998, but at the same time numbers like "80xxxxx" (again, one more digit)". mine too begins with 80 and is 7-digit; does the 'at the same time' thus mean it was 1998??

 

 

Can't help with the Roland question, but you can download the R-Trem instructions here, and yes, an "8xxxxxx" serial means 1998.

 

Bernd

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Can't help with the Roland question, but you can download the R-Trem instructions here, and yes, an "8xxxxxx" serial means 1998.

 

Bernd

 

 

Great, many thanks for this - I also realised i don't know how to change the strings!! So thanks for this, i hope all info is there - yep, just found it and it is :)

One further question. for replacement parts? The part above the zero fret looks as if it's about to split, if it does would this mean that the whole nut assembly will not function (i.e. the strings will just not stay inside the assembly)?? so i'd definitely need to replace it (or maybe just try to glue it back together?)??

Thanks for putting up with my dumb questions :)

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One further question. for replacement parts? The part above the zero fret looks as if it's about to split, if it does would this mean that the whole nut assembly will not function (i.e. the strings will just not stay inside the assembly)?? so i'd definitely need to replace it (or maybe just try to glue it back together?)??

 

 

Hmmmmm… still trying to figure out what you're trying to say here ;)

 

The "part above the zero fret" is the headpiece. I haven't heard about one that's splitting, so I'm curious how that might look like. "Splitting" sounds more like having the (separate) string adapter for regular strings mounted. Could you possibly take a pic of what's the problem here? And before trying to directly upload it here (ridiculous file size limit), better do that on any image hosting site or elsewhere and just put the image link here.

 

Bernd

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  • 1 month later...

Hmmmmm… still trying to figure out what you're trying to say here ;)

 

The "part above the zero fret" is the headpiece. I haven't heard about one that's splitting, so I'm curious how that might look like. "Splitting" sounds more like having the (separate) string adapter for regular strings mounted. Could you possibly take a pic of what's the problem here? And before trying to directly upload it here (ridiculous file size limit), better do that on any image hosting site or elsewhere and just put the image link here.

 

Bernd

 

Hi,

It's just the rubber band that holds the strings in place! Before I got the guitar I thought from the photos and what i'd read that this was what held the strings in place.... only after did i discover it's just a glorified black elastic band.... which completely split apart after a few days. Any ideas if it's possible to get a replacement? Now I know it's not absolutely necessary (i thought it was, i.e. if it fell apart then the strings would fall out of the bridge), but it doesn't look good without it.

thanx, sorry for confusing you ;)

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  • 2 weeks later...

Hello all. New member and new Spirit by Steinberger owner. I traded for a 5 string bass in blue. Love it.

 

I was curious about identifying the serial number on the bass. The information posted here was very helpful concerning the Epiphone element and I was able to track down a site that I used to decode the serial number on my bass. Below is the link. Pretty cool stuff. Mine is a 2004 model. Attached is the screen shot of my search result. Hope this helps.

 

http://www.guitardaterproject.org/epiphone.aspx

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  • 6 months later...

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