Is this the only short-scale Steinberger ever made?

[sblueplanet]

I have been having GAS again recently for Steinberger. I usec to own a unlined fretless L2 but when I stopped playing fretless I eventually sold it after it having spent around five years under my bed.
I was browsing at pics online and spotted this. Thought it looked a little shorter than usual then I came across another image.
Definitely only 22 frets making it a short-scale? Pity Ned didn't do a production run of these. That would have been the ultimate in portability.

[Dad3353]

[quote name='sblueplanet' timestamp='1453044022' post='2955871']...Pity Ned didn't do a production run of these. That would have been the ultimate in portability.
[/quote]

Maybe, but if [i]that's [/i]the amount of enjoyment they impart on the player, I can see why one wouldn't insist..!

[scrumpymike]

Certainly the minimalist solution - but even without a head-stock, that tiny body probably means neck-dive.

[TheGreek]

Also very useful on hot summers days on the village green...

[EMG456]

[quote name='scrumpymike' timestamp='1453049669' post='2955940']
Certainly the minimalist solution - but even without a head-stock, that tiny body probably means neck-dive.
[/quote]

L series basses have a strap pivot mounted at the centre of gravity of the bass- no neck dive ever.

Wyman's bass must have been a stock L2 with the end of the neck cut off- there were no short scale moulds.

After all the jokes I've had to endure over the years, it somewhat amuses me to think that there was a Steiny made which actually was "sawn off"

Ed

[Cosmo Valdemar]

He really did have tiny hands didn't he!

[cybertect]

[quote name='EMG456' timestamp='1453159512' post='2957084']Wyman's bass must have been a stock L2 with the end of the neck cut off- there were no short scale moulds.[/quote]

Apparently something like that - from [i]Guitar Player[/i] mag 1983

http://www.steinbergerworld.com/mktng.htm

[scrumpymike]

"L series basses have a strap pivot mounted at the centre of gravity of the bass- no neck dive ever."

That's a neat solution - thanks for the info Ed.

[scrumpymike]

[quote name='cybertect' timestamp='1453196264' post='2957208']
Apparently something like that - from [i]Guitar Player[/i] mag 1983

[url="http://www.steinbergerworld.com/mktng.htm"]http://www.steinberg...d.com/mktng.htm[/url]


[/quote]
Hey, that was an interesting read - thanks cybertect.

[EMG456]

[quote name='cybertect' timestamp='1453196264' post='2957208']


Apparently something like that - from [i]Guitar Player[/i] mag 1983
[/quote]

Excellent! Thanks for that.

Edited January 20, 2016 by EMG456

[sblueplanet]

I wonder if any decent luthier could perform the same trick and shorten a Steinberger by two frets?

[EMG456]

[quote name='sblueplanet' timestamp='1453592502' post='2960963']
I wonder if any decent luthier could perform the same trick and shorten a Steinberger by two frets?
[/quote]

I'm not sure what the construction would be in there- eg is the neck hollow or solid?

If you're lusting after a short scale Steinberger, I would suggest a more cautious and economical approach- a capo at the 2nd fret. Or the first fret if you want a kind of medium scale.
If you like it, you could then mask the position dots with black stickers and stick on new white ones in the now correct positions. All easily reversible to put the bass back to stock configuration and as a bonus still able to use standard double ball strings.