Steinberger Spirit XT-25 5-string Bass Guitar - White Reviews

What a flashback from the 70s in the 80s and they still make it into 2000s I like the style I like to feel and I like the power delivers thank you Sweetwater for always having what I need. You guys are awesome.

I have played and owned a number of basses, among other instruments, and this is the bass I use the most, period. Many players tend to value one or a few things about an instrument more than others, and sometimes it may not work with you. But I can honestly say without a doubt that this is a great general use bass for Metal, Rock and modern music. Despite being a full size and very solid built bass, it is SO EASY to carry and play, so compact, small and ergonomics feel so good that no other bass even comes close for me. And the stage presence of the bass is legendary. Clean, yet firm and very solid bass sound, and works wonderfully with external EQ, electronics, effects, etc. which for me is a must. The strings are Steinberger made specifically for this bass, and that goes even more for the low B string, which is made in a unique way for this bass. A regular B string will not fit in the hardware of this bass. So even though string options are not good, the Steinberger strings work well enough and get the job done. I use a short scale electric guitar case with it. The gig bag that comes with it is not good and I do not use it. Solid all around, general use performer. I have found Heaven with this bass.

I live this bass.
It is much heavier than you'd think, butt it's a great bass.

The gig bag is garbage.

Bought for my son . He has spirit 4 string bass. Sounds nice.

I had a Schecter Diamond Crimson Ghost bass I got new from England. Bill S. wanted it bad. I said if you buy this Spirit XT-25 from Sweetwater, I will swap with you. He did . It was on order for a while. It came to Bill's in Ar. last Thursday, we swapped Friday. I played it this weekend. Now all my Fender P and JP basses and various others are for sale. Thanks Sweetwater for another great product! Action was set perfect, intonation was dead on and the pickups are killer.. Ben.

I originally purchased this bass a couple of years ago when I was having some back problems. I needed a bass that was much lighter than my current one, this fit the bill nicely and I could play without pain. Now my back has gotten better, but I have bonded with this instrument to an extent that I don't think I would be willing to ever give it up. A headless instrument like this may not be for everyone though, so I will list some of the pros and cons that I have discovered.

Pros
* The compact size of the instrument not only makes it light, but also makes it very easy to fit almost anywhere in your vehicle. Even with the steinberger hard case, it takes up less room than a standard six-string electric guitar. Also, I find myself on small stages extremely often. Not having a big headstock allows you as the bassist to be much more comfortable in small spaces.

* This instrument is very easy to set up and adjust. When I received the instrument, I changed strings to the gauge I prefer and it needed a little adjustment. The truss rod is super easy to access with no headstock, And I was able to get the intonation extremely close to perfect.

* Changing strings is ridiculously quick and easy. Loosen the saddle, remove the string, insert new string, tighten the saddle. No trimming the strings, no sharp ends, it's just done already.

* It always stays in tune, almost no matter what. Once you have stretched your new strings out, this thing is just set. I travel around to play in about a six state area, so I see a lot of varying humidity and temperatures in my travels. With other bases I've had in the past, I've had to let them acclimate for a while before they keep a steady tune. Not so with this instrument, just take it out of the case and play it. It'll be in tune. One night, and inebriated audience member knocked this instrument off the stand. It fell off the stand and then continued to fall another foot and a half off the front of the stage. I picked it up and examined it, no damage whatsoever, and it was still in perfect tune.

* It is easy to dial in the tones I need with the dual volume knobs. For a more modern sound, I use both pickups equally. For a P style I use more neck and less bridge. Opposite for a J style tone.

Okay now for the cons
* Most of your existing bass accessories will not work. This thing will not fit on a normal stand. This thing will not fit in a normal case. You cannot use a clip-on headstock tuner because there is no headstock and the body is too thick to clip it on. It won't work with a guitar wall hanger. You really should just buy the case that's made for it, And you can just use a tuner pedal. In addition, I have found that the Hercules folk instrument stand will work. However, these are all extra expenses that you may not have thought of when considering this instrument. I certainly didn't consider all of these aspects and had to rush and buy a tuner pedal at the last minute before a gig.

* String choice is very limited. You must use double ball end strings. There are only a couple options that I have been able to find for five-string double ball end. I highly recommend the option from rotosound, they brought the instrument to life in a way the other string brands did not.

* There were a couple of sharp fret ends that needed some attention. This is something that I feel like really should be caught in quality control at the factory. However, it was not that big of a deal to spend a couple minutes with a file and get them nice and smooth.

* Upgrading pickups will be difficult. The pickups in this instrument are not a standard size used by other manufacturers or replacement pickup makers. Any pickup change would therefore require routing the pickup cavity differently.

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Overall, I feel the pros definitely outweigh the cons, you should just know about everything before you jump into the whole headless thing. I personally enjoy this bass much more than others that I have had at three times the price. I'm even considering buying a second one so I can try the whole routing the cavities for different pickups and put some really fancy bartolinis in it or something.

I have owned a Steinberger Spirit guitar for more than 20 years. It has served me well, and when I decided to write and record bass for my songs, the Steinberger 5 string Spirit was my choice.

Excellent tone, super stable tuning (just like the guitar), clean white paint, and that beautiful low B string!

5 star rating if the setup had eliminated some minor string buzz. I will get that done at a local shop.

I've had one of these for a few years now, and in its current condition, it is perfectly balanced, easy on the shoulder due to its light weight and sounds great with the stock EMG pickups installed. Mine is modified, however, so the out-of-the-box bass you see here isn't as cool.

There are a number of modifications I made, which I will not enumerate here, but the most significant is the installation of a Steinberger strap hook (as found on the Synapse series), resulting in the perfect balance I mentioned. With the stock strap buttons, it is a bit neck-heavy, drooping to the floor whenever you let it go. It isn't a big chore to install, but I recommend having it done by a competent woodworker to avoid negative consequences. I did my own installation because I am that guy.

In every other way, this is an excellent investment. The EMG pickups are a good choice, as they are responsive in all ranges, with plenty of upper mids to make you stand out in the mix. I run my EQ flat at the amp, and have a very balanced sound. The light weight is a real blessing, a far cry from those old-school basses that weigh a ton.

You may not think it, but the lack of an upper cutaway actually gives you a better view of the upper end of the fingerboard. With the frets here being so close together, there is a greater potential for error, so a clear and unobstructed view is essential if you play north of the 12th fret. I do, so this is a big plus in my book.

The ease and simplicity of tuning or changing strings is at the core of the Steinberger design. The double ball end strings make changing strings and tuning practically idiot-proof. The tuners being integrated into the bridge and using a simple micrometer-style constant-tension system makes the tuning extremely stable, and the three-piece maple neck running the length from end to end makes it also resistant (but not immune) to temperature and humidity changes. Anyone who has done a show outside after dark knows how significant a temperature change can be.

I've been playing over 40 years, and of all the instruments I've had over the years, this is my favorite, outstripping the competition in every significant way. Mine is every bit as good as the most flexible active EQ systems out there, with a passive system onboard! A real feat, in my opinion, I've certainly never encountered something like this before.

The bridge is also unique in another way: The string spacing is a lot closer than other 5-string basses. It's almost as if they fit five strings into the same space as four would fit. Since I play with my fingers (mostly), this has increased my ability to divide my whole notes by 32 and still hit the notes on other strings more easily than with a conventional 5-string. Sure, it's unusual, but I consider it a big positive and I won't have it any other way.

Other than being neck-heavy out of the box, this is the best bass I've seen, and there is a reason I have one and will soon have another. I now need a black one to go with "Whitey", with the same modifications I used on this one. After all these years, I have finally found my dream instrument, and I'll never go back from here.

Buy it, try it, you'll love it! If not, simply contact your Sweetwater rep and he'll take care of you in typical Sweetwater style: Outstanding! Trust me, they aren't anticipating that call...you're really gonna love this bass!