Whatever happened to headless basses?

[KaveKong]

Seems to me a few years ago (or is that decades---I'm getting a bit old) that Lee of Rush was playing a headless bass. I forget the name.

Anybody remember? The tuning keys were actually behind the bridge.

It was heavy, and looked super cool. I remember the video "Freewill" had Lee playing both keyboard and bass at the same time and shredding.

Can't remember the name. Were they any good? I was thinking of getting one for fun (if they stay in tune and are easy to adjust mid-gig).

 

[ocnor]

The name is Steinberger. http://www.gibson.com/products/steinberger/

 

[giraffe]

some people (including me) didn't like them because the balance is funny
(the headstock is prone to falling up, if you know what i mean)
and lots of people thought thought they just looked funny.

it is also possible that Steinberger had a patient on the design, limiting others ability to imitate it. (not sure about that)

 

[lbanks]

Also.....
Basslabs

 

[lbanks]

And here's a Sei...

 

[hixmix]

headless basses?

George Steinbrenner?

 

[stetto]

The name is Steinberger.

Ned Steinberger...Had his nose in a lot of things, including the Spector "NS" series, one of which I own and love. http://vintagekramer.com/spector.htm

The first and only time I ever played a Steinberger "2X4" was in Joplin MO in the very early '80s...There was a "battle of the Bands" kind of jam at the local coluseum...I broke a string on a Dean Z that I hated...Someone loaned me their Steiny for our set--VERY disorienting to play at first...Come to think of it, it was VERY disorienting to play at middle and at last too...

Eric

 

[Bassman Brad]

People also had trouble getting used to the sound of the Steinberger basses. The original ones were made of phenolic resin (i.e. a plastic compound), so they had a dramatically different sound. (Later versions were made out of wood.) I personally think they sounded pretty cool, and were a rather refreshing alternative to the conventional bass sound. But between the strange feel of the bass, and the odd tone, it was just too far outside of conventional tastes to really succeed in the marketplace. It's really too bad, because they were interesting and unique basses.

One of my biggest regrets regarding bass gear is when I saw an original Steinberger five string in a pawn shop for some ridiculously low price ($250 or 300, I think). But, at the time, I was a starving college student and I literally couldn't get my hands on two or three hundred bucks to take it home. Man, I still wish I could have scored that bass.

Bassman