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WITHDRAWN: Steinberger XL-2A (Immaculate Condition)
£1750

cloudburst

By cloudburst,
in Basses For Sale

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cloudburst Proficient

cloudburst

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Whilst it's useful to have a back-up for the bass I normally play, and to have a bass that feels familiar in both of my practice locations, it's really a bit much to retain two Steinberger XLs. So I'm going to keep my white XL-2 (due to its rarity value) and offer to trade the black XL-2A.

Although the white XL is in fabulous condition, this black one is better.

There are no chips anywhere, very few little marks at all, and minimal fretwear - quite amazing, given that it was made in 1988.

Being an XL-2A, it's got active controls as well as the powered pickups.

Where the XL-2 has: Volume (neck), Volume (bridge), Tone
...the XL-2A instead has: Master Volume, Pickup Pan, Bass/Treble Boost/Cut.

I find the active controls are much easier to use. The only reason I've not swapped the electronics, is that my basses are declared to the Steinberger serial number database, and I think it's important to keep rare instruments totally original.

One benefit of having two basses the same is that I've been able to set them up identically - down to a fraction of a mm. This means that I can assure the new owner that their XL and its bridge, neck, headstock etc is totally consistent.

I have found that the necks in these all-graphite instruments never vary with the weather (there's no truss rod anyway). Given this, the overall size, and the fact that (due to tuner design and placement) they don't go out of tune - they are a great instrument to travel with.

If you've never heard the tone of an XL - take a look on the web - the common view seems to be that these basses are about as fat and punchy as it gets.

I'm confident you will not find one in better condition.

It comes with a Steinberger hard case that is reasonably new and in great condition too.

I bought my white XL from a fellow basschatter for £1750 so I'm setting the value of the black XL to the same, even though it's in better condition.

Trade-wise, I'm interested in the following:
- Rickenbacker 4003 (blue)
- 1974/75 Precision
- Wal Mk 1
- Wal Mk 2 (4 or 5 string)
- Roland Jupiter 8
- Roland Jupiter 80
- Yamaha BB5000

Thanks for looking.

CB
































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sblueplanet Proficient

sblueplanet

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[quote name='lowregisterhead' timestamp='1370123158' post='2096802']


Oh my good gawd Terence, yes it certainly was.... :blink:
[/quote]
I thought so too and I did contact the guy about a week ago as it was for sale not too far from me in Scotland but it was already sold.

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lowregisterhead Mentor

lowregisterhead

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[quote name='sblueplanet' timestamp='1370126910' post='2096854']
I thought so too and I did contact the guy about a week ago as it was for sale not too far from me in Scotland but it was already sold.
[/quote]

It may have been in poor condition with all sorts wrong with it, of course. You could always make cloudburst a reasonable offer - his one is one of the best I've ever seen, and I've owned a few!

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MattM Rising Star

MattM

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Being also based in Scotland this did blip on my radar, but I'm delighted with my own XL2 recently snagged from France, and couldnt justify pursuing another. Cloudburst is indeed a jammy sod having both this and the rare Iceberger in his possession.

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lowregisterhead Mentor

lowregisterhead

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[quote name='MattM' timestamp='1370162369' post='2097010']
Being also based in Scotland this did blip on my radar, but I'm delighted with my own XL2 recently snagged from France, and couldnt justify pursuing another. Cloudburst is indeed a jammy sod having both this and the rare Iceberger in his possession.
[/quote]

Glad you found one after just missing out on my L2 Matt!

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MattM Rising Star

MattM

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Cheers mate, think it was destiny, the XL2 I ended up with was within a few hundred serial numbers of my old dearly beloved 84, so think it was meant to be, albeit I was seriously kicking myself for hesitating at your L2 at the time...

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lowregisterhead Mentor

lowregisterhead

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Posted

[quote name='iceonaboy' timestamp='1370192417' post='2097409']
[sub]I played one of these years ago and couldnt get it at all. I was going round in circles all the time and trying to not push too hard on the fretboard :( [/sub]
[/quote]

It can take some getting used to. I'd compare it to skate boarding or surfing - there is a certain 'eureka' moment when you finally let go, forget your need for a body or a headstock, and it suddenly makes complete sense. I used to get the most negative remarks from bass players who'd never even picked one up, based purely on the usual blinkered attitudes, e.g. it's not wooden and vaguely Fender shaped with a bridge at one end and tuners at the other, so it shouldn't be allowed! At least you tried one. :)

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Stacker Community Regular

Stacker

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Posted

[quote name='lowregisterhead' timestamp='1370200543' post='2097550']


It can take some getting used to. I'd compare it to skate boarding or surfing - there is a certain 'eureka' moment when you finally let go, forget your need for a body or a headstock, and it suddenly makes complete sense. I used to get the most negative remarks from bass players who'd never even picked one up, based purely on the usual blinkered attitudes, e.g. it's not wooden and vaguely Fender shaped with a bridge at one end and tuners at the other, so it shouldn't be allowed! At least you tried one. :)
[/quote]
I remember the Steiny backlash in the early '90s; you were treated as a pariah if you had one and I certainly got that shid with my Status Series II long before I hada Steiny.

They are wonderful basses, just not everyone's cup of tea. And they ain't made any more!

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sblueplanet Proficient

sblueplanet

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I did own an early 80's right-handed L2 fretless for about 12yrs which I played upside down being a lefty and with changing influences a lot of that time it was kept under the bed.
Must admit though if anyone knows of a lefty L2 or XL2 for sale at present please point me in its direction.

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EMG456 Rising Star

EMG456

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Sblueplanet - I don't know the numbers for left hand production of the L series basses but they don't seem to come up for sale very often.

Due to the unique construction however, you could use a right hand bass and just make or have made a replacement top plate ie the front of the bass which carries the pickups and control knobs. That way you could have the proper left- hand arrangement for the controls but still be able to swap back to the original plate for re-sale purposes. I've seen GL guitars with nice wood top plates fitted so you could vary the appearance as you liked.

Just an idea which would open up the market for you.

Cheers

Ed

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sblueplanet Proficient

sblueplanet

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[quote name='EMG456' timestamp='1370347708' post='2099405']
Sblueplanet - I don't know the numbers for left hand production of the L series basses but they don't seem to come up for sale very often.

Due to the unique construction however, you could use a right hand bass and just make or have made a replacement top plate ie the front of the bass which carries the pickups and control knobs. That way you could have the proper left- hand arrangement for the controls but still be able to swap back to the original plate for re-sale purposes. I've seen GL guitars with nice wood top plates fitted so you could vary the appearance as you liked.

Just an idea which would open up the market for you.

Cheers

Ed
[/quote]
Cheers Ed.
I have just come across a guy in Belgium selling a lefty XL2 but his asking price is ridiculous.
I would still have to have a clear out to release funds whatever arose but a Steinberger would be in my dream downscaling setup.

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cloudburst Proficient

cloudburst

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Today, that equates to £2136. It's a little high I'd say.

That XL on eBay is now reduced from £2250 to £2100. It's advertised as mint, but looking at the photos, my opinion is that it's in average, rather than mint, condition.

Assuming you're a lefty who really wants an XL-2, then, given the rarity of a lefty XL, if this one in Belgium is in mint condition, my advice would be to buy it.

CB

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sblueplanet Proficient

sblueplanet

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It is not mint but I haven't seen many pics. A thumbrest has been fitted above and in the middle of the pickups.
As I said previously, I owned a righty L2 and played that upside down but all my basses now are lefties.
I guess lefty Steinbergers are rarer but I still dont think worth so much.

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