Steinberger copy

[lammie200]

I just received a Solo kit to build their Steinberger copy. I have to replace the electronic components and the see how I can get the nut to lock, but it kinda looks like a fun project. Curious to see if anyone here has built one. Let me know if you have. I have questions about how to string it up.

[neatomic]

don't quite understand...been a steinberger type guitar owner for years..the nut doesnt lock..you have to use steinberger style special double ball ended strings...d'addario makes them...

there is an obscure adaptor that will allow you to use "regular strings"..but i always though it kind of defeated the purpose...

did you get the classic shaped "brick block" solo kit or the full bodied??

interesting

cheers

[lammie200]

I got the brick kit. The tremolo/bridge isn't the one that says "Overlord of Music" on it. The one that I have doesn't have the catches for a ball end. It has gears and a bushing with a hole in it that is all accessed underneath the bridge. From what I can tell I can thread the string through the hole and let the ball end reside underneath the bridge. Evidently it can be done. However, that limits things to using convention strings and locking them at the head. The kit didn't come with a locking nut unit, however. Even more confusing is that the strings that come with the kit are conventional one ball end strings. So, I think that I can get things to work if I just lock the strings at the nut. Suggestions, comments are welcome. I don't really want to change out the bridge because the body was routed specifically for this one. I would have to remove more wood to get the "Overlord of Music" type to work. Here are some pics of what I have. Obviously I don't have the locking nut that is pictured.

[neatomic]

ok...i get it...you cant use double ball ends cause the bridge requires that you insert the strings through the holes in the "wheels" of the bridge...weird!!

looks like they compensate for it by giving you some sort of a locking nut..the 3 hex? screws on the nut piece...

but it seems a very odd variation on the original steinberger template

steinberger spirit guitars are around..may want to look into one of those instead

here's site with good info on various adaptor issues

Headless Guitar String Adapters – Custom built string adapters for headless guitars!

luck

cheers

ps- it just clicked, that you wrote that you didnt get that pictured nut assembly ^..then it's getting even weirder!! some of these kits and guitars just don't ever quite make it..this may be one

[lammie200]

Yeah, I half expected that the kit wouldn't be complete. I ordered a locking nut for $6. Hopefully it will fit, but I have my doubts. If it doesn't fit then I might need to go the adapter route that you linked.

The reasons that I got the kit were because I have a reasonable amount of skill at putting solid body guitars together, it was cheap, and I want a guitar with a tremolo. Used Steinbergs, Spirits, Hohners, etc. are much more expensive than what I will have into this guitar. If I don't like I will find a friend to see if they want it.

[neatomic]

yeah i get ya..the steinberger design was in many ways a uniquely great one..and i expect a retrospective appreciation of it in the near future...they were massively popular in their day...frisell, holdsworth, torn ..even van halen and mark knopfler...etc etc...

good luck..keep postin about it...probably a unique thread in guitar forum googling..may be of help to somebody down the road

cheers

[Alter]

there is an obscure adaptor that will allow you to use "regular strings"..but i always though it kind of defeated the purpose...

its not that obscure really, just a lock to keep single ball strings in place. It installs in seconds (the strings keep it in place), adds only a couple of centimeters to the length, and it works. Bye bye expensive double ball string sets (or needing one and not having any), hullo 30$ D Addario 12pack! Its totally worth to get it.

[neatomic]

yeah, i didnt mean obscure in design..only that you'd have to be pretty into steinberger style guitars to be aware of it..and at this point, that's esoterica!! haha

cheers

[Matt Cushman]

I put together a kit with the "overlord" type of bridge. The nut that was supplied with the kit worked fine. But the neck supplied with the kit was not cut correctly to accept the nut. I had to cut off about 3/8" where the plate is mounted to get the nut to sit low enough to seat all the strings well against the zero fret. The only other problem I had was I used a heavy set of strings and with this bridge the spring for the tremolo was too weak to counter the string tension. I had to use a lighter set of strings to get the tremolo to work.

[lammie200]

The nut was already attached to the neck when I got it. I am hoping that I can just swap it out for the locking type, but the back of the neck is cut at an angle to receive the nut that I have. I don't know if a locking nut will fit the same angle. If it doesn't I will either shape the back of the neck to work or go the adapter route.

The spring on this tremolo seems pretty hefty and the quality of the bridge itself is decent - rollers and all. But I have thought about heavier strings and have thought about drilling out the low E bushing to accept a heavier gauge string. It is a really small hole and doesn't seem like it will accommodate anything above a 42-ish low E. I am definitely not going to be able to get TI's on this though. I imagine issues with the wraps and felt going through that tiny hole.

It is a bit of a fiddly kit and I will tackle it off and on for a while. Too many plates spinning at once right now.

[lammie200]

This was the first mock up before I put strings on to check the alignment. The stock bridge screw holes were helplessly out of alignment with both the center axis and the scale length. Bit more reshaping and I just hit it with sanding sealer.



So far with this kit:



1) Understanding how the bridge/nut/string/ball end(s) works cost me a new bridge, but there isn't a kit that I see that offered the bridge that I wanted anyway.


2) A fair amount of reshaping the bridge pocket not only for the alignment, but also because it doesn't allow for the trem to recess. It is actually essential and I could see a lot of people being thrown by it. Without the reshaping you don't get any tremolo action.

[wildschwein]

I'm building one of these at the moment and have had to spend a fair amount of time on the nut. Mine has needed shimming in order to get good contact over the zero fret.

[neatomic]

sorry to hear you guys are having so much trouble/bs with these kits...the old 90's hohner and (gibson owned) spirit licensed steinberger copies were great bang for buck and had good qc (as is)

its ultimately a really great design..hope you work out your difficulties..but don't blame ned steinbergers original design (& permutations!)..its still a brilliant & valid design, just needs proper qc from a legitimate manufacturer!!

cheers

[lammie200]

It isn't really trouble for me as much as it is expense. Everyone that said get a Spirit instead of building one was probably right. I will still be a couple hundred less than a Spirit, but once I change pick ups it will be a close trade. I just wish that they sold the body and the neck separately from all the rest of the pieces. The neck actually fits the body well and it appears to be very straight.

[wildschwein]

Great design for sure. These kits are cheap and need a bit of work but that's what you sign up for when you get one. I'm enjoying the challenges so far. I get right into the finishing aspect.

[lammie200]

This is the bridge that I bought to use as opposed to the one that came with the kit. Pretty decent quality all things considered. Less than 20% the cost of an authentic one.

[neatomic]

just keep all those moving parts on the bridge well lubed...and the washers fresh and intact..otherwise you get metal to metal rub/wear...not good!

your friend...5$ @ ace



cheers

[lammie200]

Thanks. The original bridge is much more fussy with the pulleys and gears. Definitely needs lubrication to work well. The bridge that I am using is a much more simple design. Could use a bit of lube way inside, but just a touch.

[lammie200]

Finished it up. Officially dubbed "Space man guitar" by my daughter. Waiting for neck joint to dry for a few more days before I string it up. Paint job is a B, but I kind of want this to be a beater anyway. Front is OK. Back has a few flaws. Also I need to bend the trem arm a bit. It sticks out into space pretty far.

[Little Jay]

Cool! Should be a great travel guitar!

[lammie200]

Cool! Should be a great travel guitar!

Thanks. The plan is to have it travel from the corner of the sofa to my lap while watching a ballgame on tv. Sorry about the upside down pics, BTW. I don't know why they reverted to the original orientation after I edited them.

[Matt Cushman]

She came out looking great lammie! With the bridge model I have in mine I found it helps to solder the strings at the ball end to prevent the bridge from unwrapping the strings. Your bridge may work differently but mine pulled apart a couple of strings before I started soldering them.

[neatomic]

good job!..i see what you meant about that bridge pocket...tight fit! you don't want any rubbing...

interesting finger rest placement..do you play with your thumb?

you can try playing with that big tension spring/screw bolt to try and align the whammy bar height better...really makes a difference..playability/action as well

enjoy

and yes great travel guitar, fits in the overhead

cheers

[lammie200]

Thanks, like I said the paint is so-so. It is white appliance epoxy. I sanded all the way up to 12,000 grit and it came smooth and semi-glossy. But the clamps left some faint marks on the back that I can't get out unless I sand down to wood again. Also, there is a hairline crack on the front that is parallel to the b string between the two pick ups. Hardly noticeable and less so once I string it up. Finishing and chemicals are definitely not my forte. I can do decent Tru-oil and that is about it.

I don't think that the bridge will do what you say but I will watch out for it. One thing that I noticed was that the unwound strings can slip through the locking nut. I will look at finding a way to keep that from happening. Worst case I would have to get one of those conversion pieces for the nut.

[lammie200]

good job!..i see what you meant about that bridge pocket...tight fit! you don't want any rubbing...

interesting finger rest placement..do you play with your thumb?

you can try playing with that big tension spring/screw bolt to try and align the whammy bar height better...really makes a difference..playability/action as well

enjoy

and yes great travel guitar, fits in the overhead

cheers

Funny about the bridge pocket. It comes shaped with a flat bottom, but if you release the trem lock on the bridge you need to slope the back end of the pocket or you will get no travel. Dremel grinding to upset everyone was the cure.

I do play a lot with my thumb, but I also use my fingers as well. The thumb rest actually covers a hole in the body, but I also wanted it to anchor the side of my pinky. I also felt that it would work better for me if it is parallel to the strings as opposed to parallel to the body angle.

The whammy bar is still too far out in space even with the bridge up in a proper floating condition. I have two to play with and I hope that I can bend one easily enough once I put it in a vice. Don't really want to heat it up.