I appreciate this documentary. I used to work at the factory in Newburgh, NY in 1984. It was such an amazing guitar and also a unique sounding bass too.
I’ve owned an early L2 since the mid-nineties (bought used). Amazing bass, but not used much recently. Maybe you can help solve a mystery I’ve had… inside the body cavity, on the top plate, someone carved a large “GB” in between the two pickups. Did some employees do that? I have no serial number sticker inside, but someone carved what could be the number in the bottom of the battery compartment (S-1340). Someone told me that would place it around Dec 1983. Was there an employee with those initials? I’m just curious to know it’s history. Thanks!
Unfortunately I do not remember any of the names of the other employees. There was an young Asian man that helped create the bodies, but I forgot his name. He was very good at his job and he trained me how to help build the bodies too. Sorry I only remember the name of the owner and the plant manager, Ned and John. I was hired to find the cause of a physical defect in the manufacturing process that was causing some of the units to be returned. Sometimes the units would develop voids in the gel coat or underneath it, damaging the appearance. Regrettably, I was unable to find the cause before I left the company.
Of course. It occurred to me after I posted that you’d have to have a pretty good memory, since it was 37 years ago! Lol! Thanks for the info. It’s like a puzzle, every time I get another piece of info, I learn a little more about my amazing bass. Cheers!
Beautiful! So good to see this great video. So nice to see a mature review, if you will. Much unlike the keystone cops rantics of say, andertons kids' Steinberger "review". Thank you! The scenery brings me back to my 30s, too. Just beautiful!.
Yes, it was very busy. We produced as much as we could, but we also had a Q.C. problem. I was hired to try to figure out why they were having the problem. The problem was that voids would form in the body and neck after the product was in use for a while. At that time there was a lack of data to review, and there was nothing visible that indicated a problem while being produced. Now days with the internet, it would have been much easier to figure out the cause and there was no scientific equipment at the facility to really analyze the curing process and the chemicals used . Money was not available for expensive instrumentation. The operation couldn't produce enough of the product in order to be profitable. So spending money for research and development was not an option. Too bad. It was such a superior product, but it just could make a profit at that time. Setting up a working factory is a very costly endeavor and unless you have very deep pockets it is nearly impossible to survive long enough until you do start making a profit. Ned was a visionary that just ran out of money before his time. It was a loss for the entire music world. If that company could have made a profit, who knows what else Ned might have created in the future !
13:30, Reeves demonstrating how you could use the tremolo a la a slide, very Jeff Beck-esque. Is this the locking system which made its way into the Spirit models currently on the market? When I was purchasing my first guitar in '95, the notion of a headless guitar kind of freaked me out, as I'm sure it freaked out hundreds of other players. Have yet to play a Steinberger guitar (I've fiddled with my friend's bass), but I've come to better respect how Mr. Steinberger (along with his earliest customers) saw his designs as an attempt to progress the electric guitar's evolution naturally.
The tremolo Reeves demonstrates is the Transtrem, the new Spirits have the R-trem. If they're like the Spirit I had almost 20 years ago, you can only lock it in place with a little flip lever on the back of the body. Damn, I wish I still had my Spirit... the neck and body were both maple and it weighed a ton but was soooo fun to play!
Construction instructions from the original manufacturer,but these years these guitars were extremely expensive to other than rock stars.So nowadays everyone can buy an original Chineberger for few bucks and that is.Far east made now are the originals and all the others seems like luxury products for people with good taste and many money.
Gibson Mod Shop you have the power bring back The GL2T Trans Trem Steinbergers if you want an original Steinberger go to a place online called HEADLESS USA.🎉
Graphite, and Kevlar blend...there was actually a video a long time ago of someone driving a vehicle over a GL across the neck, and it didn't so much as have a single crack. Insane design.
+Iggy Tubmen He was the original designer. Spector and Warwick employ this body shape......Ned owns the rights. Spector used the shape prior to Warwick
The GK was Klein's body with Steinberger produced everything else. At the time, the GK was supposed to be sold/distributed through the Steinberger dealer network. So for all intents and purposes, the GK is a Steinberger with a Klein licensed body attached to it.
I appreciate this documentary. I used to work at the factory in Newburgh, NY in 1984. It was such an amazing guitar and also a unique sounding bass too.
I bought (and still have/love) the XL2 with the hinged knee rest in Toronto 1985. You might have built it!
I’ve owned an early L2 since the mid-nineties (bought used). Amazing bass, but not used much recently. Maybe you can help solve a mystery I’ve had… inside the body cavity, on the top plate, someone carved a large “GB” in between the two pickups. Did some employees do that? I have no serial number sticker inside, but someone carved what could be the number in the bottom of the battery compartment (S-1340). Someone told me that would place it around Dec 1983. Was there an employee with those initials? I’m just curious to know it’s history. Thanks!
Unfortunately I do not remember any of the names of the other employees. There was an young Asian man that helped create the bodies, but I forgot his name. He was very good at his job and he trained me how to help build the bodies too. Sorry I only remember the name of the owner and the plant manager, Ned and John. I was hired to find the cause of a physical defect in the manufacturing process that was causing some of the units to be returned. Sometimes the units would develop voids in the gel coat or underneath it, damaging the appearance. Regrettably, I was unable to find the cause before I left the company.
Of course. It occurred to me after I posted that you’d have to have a pretty good memory, since it was 37 years ago! Lol! Thanks for the info. It’s like a puzzle, every time I get another piece of info, I learn a little more about my amazing bass. Cheers!
@@mariomelillo3770 George Bush used to work at the factory
What an unexpected gem, fascinating to hear the story of such an iconic guitar and its brilliant creator.
Oh how I wish they still made these...
Thanks for putting this up on RUclips. Seeing the manufacturing process was interesting!
昔のフジテレビの深夜レーベル「MIDNIGHT-TV+」（旧JOCX-TV2枠）の「GARDEN TV+」でまさかギターメーカーの特集をやっていたとは・・・・。
しかもスタインバーカー。
フジテレビよ、色々と長寿番組を打ち切りにするのもいいがこういうマニアックな番組をまた作ってほしい。
ひょっとしたらBSフジでやってくれそうな気もするが。
つか、日本人の書き込み俺だけか？。
Reeves Gabrels is one of the nicest guys around and a helluva interesting guitar player, with an instantly recognizable sound.
these can easily be duplicated with today's technology but legal red tape and gear snobbery prevents it
これスタインバーガー買うと貰えるビデオだよね…
提供が付いててビックリしたんだけど
私が買ったのは２０年前だけど、当時は日本の代理店が配布してたんだろうな
badass, thanks for the full version
Ned is a genius
Beautiful! So good to see this great video. So nice to see a mature review, if you will. Much unlike the keystone cops rantics of say, andertons kids' Steinberger "review". Thank you! The scenery brings me back to my 30s, too. Just beautiful!.
You are so right Mr.!!
Yes, it was very busy. We produced as much as we could, but we also had a Q.C. problem. I was hired to try to figure out why they were having the problem. The problem was that voids would form in the body and neck after the product was in use for a while. At that time there was a lack of data to review, and there was nothing visible that indicated a problem while being produced. Now days with the internet, it would have been much easier to figure out the cause and there was no scientific equipment at the facility to really analyze the curing process and the chemicals used . Money was not available for expensive instrumentation. The operation couldn't produce enough of the product in order to be profitable. So spending money for research and development was not an option. Too bad. It was such a superior product, but it just could make a profit at that time. Setting up a working factory is a very costly endeavor and unless you have very deep pockets it is nearly impossible to survive long enough until you do start making a profit. Ned was a visionary that just ran out of money before his time. It was a loss for the entire music world. If that company could have made a profit, who knows what else Ned might have created in the future !
13:30, Reeves demonstrating how you could use the tremolo a la a slide, very Jeff Beck-esque.
Is this the locking system which made its way into the Spirit models currently on the market?
When I was purchasing my first guitar in '95, the notion of a headless guitar kind of freaked me out, as I'm sure it freaked out hundreds of other players. Have yet to play a Steinberger guitar (I've fiddled with my friend's bass), but I've come to better respect how Mr. Steinberger (along with his earliest customers) saw his designs as an attempt to progress the electric guitar's evolution naturally.
The tremolo Reeves demonstrates is the Transtrem, the new Spirits have the R-trem. If they're like the Spirit I had almost 20 years ago, you can only lock it in place with a little flip lever on the back of the body. Damn, I wish I still had my Spirit... the neck and body were both maple and it weighed a ton but was soooo fun to play!
So when is Gibson going to make the GM T series?
It's a shame they shelved the best guitar design ever.
@MiamiVisor
I agree. The resurgence of headless guitars, Gibson would make a killing with Steinberger's original designs along with the trans tremelo.
I love it
当時ビデオで録画しておけば良かったと後悔する番組(笑)
gold
Construction instructions from the original manufacturer,but these years these guitars were extremely expensive to other than rock stars.So nowadays everyone can buy an original Chineberger for few bucks and that is.Far east made now are the originals and all the others seems like luxury products for people with good taste and many money.
I wanna make a documentary video about Star Wars, but I want to point my camera out the side of my car as I drive through Hoboken, NJ.
4:57 wow look who it is! Reeves Gabrels!
Gibson Mod Shop you have the power bring back The GL2T Trans Trem Steinbergers if you want an original Steinberger go to a place online called HEADLESS USA.🎉
cool
Wow, I thought they were made of carbon fiber, but all I see here is black colored fiberglass.
They are a carbon fiber-kevlar composite.. Not fiberglass..
Graphite, and Kevlar blend...there was actually a video a long time ago of someone driving a vehicle over a GL across the neck, and it didn't so much as have a single crack. Insane design.
@@throbgod13 could you explain the method that we saw? are you familiar with these molds?
いきなり日本語始まってびっくりした
動画の当時のコメントでネッド・スタインバーカー氏が会社をギブソンに売てしまうわけだけどそれからこの放送当時（1992年）から26年経った現在（2018年）そのギブソンが倒産寸前らしいからスタインバーカーは今後どうなってしまうんだろう？。
話は変わるが正直ギブソンも手広くやりすぎたと思う。
スタンバーカー、クレイマー、オベーション、タスカム、エピフォンete
今ギブソングループで頑張ってるのってギブソンの廉価モデル作ってるエピフォン位じゃね？。
他の買収したブランドは今元気がない気がする。
あと、ギター以外にもいろいろやってたと思う。
会社をギブソンに売ったネッド・スタインバーカー氏も最近のギブソンの騒動をどう思っているんだろう？。
omoshiroi desu ne. Arigatou!
the bass he has at 4:00 looks exactly like a warwick
+Iggy Tubmen He was the original designer. Spector and Warwick employ this body shape......Ned owns the rights. Spector used the shape prior to Warwick
Domo origato mr roboto
comfy
玉城宏志！
ok, so...a Steinberger doc / tour, but someone playing a Klein at the beginning? Help me out.
The GK was Klein's body with Steinberger produced everything else. At the time, the GK was supposed to be sold/distributed through the Steinberger dealer network. So for all intents and purposes, the GK is a Steinberger with a Klein licensed body attached to it.