1985 Steinberger GL2T Restored w/ TransTrem Version 1.5 & V1 Rare "Holy Grail"

Description: 1985 Steinberger GL2T Restored with TransTrem Version 1.5 & V1 Extremely Rare!An original USA-built, fully restored Steinberger GL2T. Extremely rare and in excellent condition. Has an original Type 1 TransTrem bridge converted to the most sought-after version TT-1.5, like EVH had, bolted onto a one-piece neck-through body. The 3 position pickup selector with volume and tone controls makes it easy and familiar. Thanks to RWB Precision Engineering the TransTrem can be reverted back to the version 1 if preferred. This guitar was just completely restored and set-up by Jeff Babicz the former head of production at Steinberger Sound in Newburgh, NY. He dressed & mirror-polished the frets and serviced the electronics. Comes complete including all the original electronics and leg-rest! Now fully restored, this amazing guitar should need no further attention for the next 25 or more years. The only thing I can point out as a flaw is a minor blemish on the side of the neck. It's very hard to notice and does not affect playability at all. Jeff suggested leaving it as is because of how minor it was. Other than that the guitar is a as close to new condition you can get for a guitar from 1985. If you're a serious guitar player and you've never played a perfectly performing Steinberger GL guitar, you owe it to yourself to experience one of the finest electric guitars that exist. Serial number is 2631. Faceplate was professionally painted white and a micro Killswitch was added to the right of the Steinberger logo. Also received the EVH Zero-fret mod and EVH eye-hooks to ensure the strap doesn't come loose while playing. Comes as seen and is sold as is. Guitar comes with a HeadlessUSA case and an adjustable EVH nylon strap with clasps. Shipping is free!About the TransTrem conversionThe TransTrem™ (TT-1) - 1.5 Upgrade Kit converts a Transtrem™ version 1 to 1.5 with version 2 jaws. This is an essential kit if your looking to future proof your TT-1 to allow the use of non-threaded ball end strings. Direct replacement for Steinberger® TransTrem™ (TT-1)Version 2 Jaws for use with non-threadedPrecision CNC machinedMil spec plating Close tolerance specificationManufactured by RWB Precision Engineering, Los Angeles, CA From Steinberger WorldThis is the design that started it all. Graceful minimalist lines created with what are even today state of the art components. The L series went on to define the company, inspire a generation, and totally revolutionize the guitar building business.Today the use of composite materials is commonplace - graphite reinforcing strips in necks, phenolic nuts. But when Ned Steinberger first introduced his bass in 1980 it was a ground breaking achievement. It's revolutionary design was inspiring to both artists and technicians alike. Musicians bought his instruments as fast as he could make them. His engineering peers bestowed praise upon his creation, culminating in a "Design of the the Decade" award from the Industrial Designers Society of America in 1990. The construction technique to produce these instruments is very involved and vastly different from traditional wooden instruments.When the factory moved from it's original location in Brooklyn to Newburgh they continued to make the L2's. But they also started work on a guitar and new bass version. Since these one piece composite basses had now become commonly known as "L's" the overall name was kept. The new models were then specifically tagged as the XL (bass) and GL (guitar). Actually there was one model year where both the L2 and XL2 basses were both available for about 6 months. The newer XL design included some major changes:faceplate attaches from the rearfolding leg restlogo engraved/embedded in gel coat finishserial number stamped on bridge end of bodysmaller compression fit battery cover on top corner of back w/ no printingtrue double ball headpiece (single ball strings require use of an adapter)It's also interesting to note the early "P-" numbered GL's until recently were thought to be prototypes. It did strike us as odd that they numbered into the hundreds - rather high for true "prototype" runs. Turns out these were an advance run of the first 100 or so production instruments. This was relayed by Jeff Babicz, a former Newburgh employee who was hired early on and eventually became plant manager around the time of the Gibson buyout. He was on there on staff when the first GL's were made.Babicz recalled that in order to get the GL's going they did a quick run. All of these were hand made and "a little crude in the details", including the hand engraved numbering. He says they also made the "mistake" of adding Kevlar fibers in these early GL's. Though it made them incredibly strong they were almost impossible to cut, drill or saw when it came to finish them. This may also explain the unique tone and sustain of these instruments, coupled with the fixed bridge most of them sport. The necks on these guitars will probably never fail due to their incredible strength.The same basic XL/GL design was used up until Gibson ended production in 1998. Approximately 8000 of these newer L's (both GL guitar and XL bass) were produced. The L series have the most widely varied options on them, as almost every single feature Ned designed was available on these units: TransTrems (both guitar & bass), S-Trems, 12 string bridges, DB bridges for bass, active & passive EQ, most pickup configurations - all were available options throughout the years. By far most L's are black and by most estimations probably 90-94% of all L series instruments were this familiar basic color. White is second most common, with approximately 3-5% of the total. The remaining roughly 1-2% can be categorized as "other": red, blue, and even a custom silver run. These silver ones were created for a special Guitar Center promotion, and were actually black L's painted with a metallic silver top coat. Each one of their 30 stores (this was before they opened one up on every corner) received one guitar and one bass to sell. See some of the restoration process with the link below.https://www.tiktok.com/@headlessusa/video/7360495819759324459

Price: 11500 USD

Location: Clinton, Connecticut

End Time: 2024-12-12T02:57:02.000Z

Shipping Cost: 0 USD