Steinberger Guitars GT-Pro Deluxe BK

Wow, what a great instrument, almost like a "concept" guitar! Two hum-bucking pickups sound fantastic. There is one single coil pickup which is only alright and the five-way switch (middle position is the single-coil only, which is a bit unexpected) and two controls (one is master volume and one is master tone, perhaps two for each would have been nicer, but given the small size of the guitar, I can understand why they didn't provide the two other ones). This bridge and the tremolo system are very unusual, yet very very good and useful (you can fix the brind and release it in order to use the tremolo, as you wish, with very little effect on the guitar's tuning, if any you can also retune your strings all at once using the bridge lift screw). It's probably one of the best and most stable tremolo systems out there on the market once you get used to it, in fact. Tuning the strings individually can sometimes be a bit more difficult, due to the orientation of the tuners and their size, they are a bit hard to turn. They guitar is well-built, very nicely balanced in terms of weight and doesn't feel too small. It's fantastic for traveling, playing around and even for beginners and well worth the price!

I bought this 10 years ago to use on stage only. I was in an electronic duo with a retro-futuristic image so it seemed ideal.

It actually sounded better than expected and I used it in recordings as well as live.

To this day I use it a lot even though I have lots of other guitars, mostly because it’s so handy.

The size and shape mean it will stand anywhere leaning without needing a guitar stand so I can keep it by my work desk and grab it any time inspiration strikes.

Double ball end strings aren’t cheap but very quick and easy to change. The trem can be locked if you don’t need it, and it stays in tune for weeks when locked. When not locked it’s still pretty good at staying in tune tho.

There are two strap buttons on the back making it easy for left handed players to use as well as giving it balance when leaning on a wall.

Easy to set up and get a very low action.

My only complaint is the trem system can cause the strings to lift off the saddles when dive-bombing. Pickups aren’t the best but ok for high gain sounds.

Being so small, but still full scale, makes it great for practicing or travelling, and I have used mine for recording in a hotel room.

Won’t get a Les Paul or strat tone out of it but a great guitar for anyone creative

I bought this because I needed a small, lightweight backup guitar for gigs. Unfortunately, it's not really suitable for gigging, but as a travel guitar or something to keep next to the sofa to noodle around on, it's a great buy.

The guitar arrived in good condition and was set up well (the action was a tad high for my liking but it was easy to adjust). The intonation was good and there were no sharp fret edges. The neck width is very small at the nut so, if you have large hands, chords may feel a little cramped down there. Personally, I don't have an issue with this and find the neck quite comfortable to play.

Despite not having the carbon fibre neck of the original Steinbergers, the guitar holds its tune very well, however, when you do need to make tuning adjustments, the compromises that needed to be made to get the guitar into the 250-300 price bracket become clear. The tuners are really bad! They are difficult to turn (especially with the tension on the low E string) and the gearing seems a little imprecise, making it easy to over/under shoot the pitch you're going for. To make headless guitars work, you really need good quality materials for the bridge/tuners, which this guitar does not have. Having said that, the tuners are functional and are adequate for situations where there aren't fluctuations in temperature and you don't need to tune-up in a hurry!

Materials aside, the design of the trem system is fantastic: it's easy to adjust and the ability to lock the trem, turning it into a hard-tail, is a great feature. It does not have the ability to drop-tune like the original, but it is a great system and you can divebomb to your heart's content without affecting the tuning too much.

The pickups are ok and the switches and knobs feel good, with no hums, pops or crackles. There is a very noticeable volume change when switching between pickups, which can be mitigated by changing the pickup height, but it would have been good to have a better balanced set installed.

The position of the volume knob is very close to the strings and for my playing style, it really gets in the way and is a bit annoying to keep hitting off it. For other players, this won't be an issue but it might be something to consider.

All in all, it's a solid little inexpensive guitar, it's just let down by the fact it can't easily be tuned. I played it at a couple of gigs, and it was quite stress-inducing when the tuning started to wander. I have decided to keep it around as a convenient practice instrument and will gladly chuck it in a suitcase next time I go on holiday.

This guitar stays in tune very well, partly because of Steinberger's "double ball" strings and 40:1 tuners, and partly because of the zero-fret arrangement instead of a traditional nut. It's capable of very impressive sustain for a guitar in this price range.
The 14" radius fretboard is flatter than most guitars, and it's very easy to play.
It's good value for money. Everything is well-finished and the quality is good. The HSH pickup arrangement is versatile, and the 5-way pickup selector gives access to a good range of tones. Output from the two humbuckers is not super-high, but they are quite capable, particularly when paired with a decent amp. The trem system is particularly good.

I own two other headless guitars (Kiesel and Strandberg) and, while they're excellent, I wanted another, cheaper, model to bring w/ me when teaching students so I wouldn't have to worry about damaging my expensive instrument(s). I also wanted a Steinberger Spirit as I liked the minimalistic design, apparent reliability, and overall look.

I was happy to see this model here for a decent price - including the shipping to Australia - and had to place an order. Also happy w/ the shipping progress updates and time; it arrived a day earlier than expected and this website kept me up to date well.

The guitar was decently set up right out of the box. I'd planned to swap the factory double ball end strings for lighter ones using the single ball end adapter I'd purchased previously, but I still enjoyed playing the 10's for a while.

I'd highly recommend anyone considering this guitar to either stock up on double ball end strings or purchase an adapter beforehand; the former aren't widely available and the latter allows use of your preferred string brand and gauge (within reason - I installed D'addario NYXL 8-38's and the 1st string was apparently too thin for the adapter screw to keep in place when tuning to pitch; it kept slipping down. I ended up using a single 9, which has worked well so far).

After swapping the strings and adjusting the intonation, action, and tremolo spring (all a breeze, even compared to my other headless guitars), I was pleasantly surprised by how well it played. I was able to drastically lower the action before there was any hint of fret buzz, and the lack of a headstock makes truss rod adjustments a no-brainer. While I wasn't expecting a lemon, I didn't expect a <$500 AUD guitar to feel or sound this decent. Like most headless guitars, it balances perfectly and is also lightweight w/o feeling flimsy. The pickups won't win any awards anytime soon, but they don't sound terrible. Tuners, knobs, selector switch, and the quaint little leg/lever for playing sitting down all feel solid and satisfying. As for the fretboard radius, I generally prefer something very flat (20" or above) but the 14" doesn't feel radically different here.

One minor quibble is the bridge and tremolo arm. On the on hand, I adore the ability to lock the bridge w/ a simple switch and adjusting the spring tension is super easy; on the other, the tremolo feels rather stiff, the arm never feels secure enough in its hole no matter how tight the accompanying hex screw is adjusted, and it doesn't feel as 'buttery' as I'd like a floating tremolo to be. Granted, I've been spoiled by my previous guitars, but it does make me want to use the tremolo less. Tuning does stay relatively stable, however, even after a few dive bombs.

Ultimately, this instrument exceeded expectations. While certain quality aspects reveal its cheaper nature, the fact that it feels and operates this well for its price is a definite plus, as is the fact that I feel like playing it just as often as my other, higher-quality, instruments. Satisfied customer here, and might even consider another one somewhere down the line!

This is modern version of the now classic Steinbergers from the 1980's. The GT-Pro Deluxe gives excellent tone, and is really well finished. Its diminutive size makes it an ideal practice guitar. When it arrived it was pretty much set up and I just had to tune it up. Now here's the real plus, after 6 weeks, and using it an hour a day I haven't had to tune it again yet!! The mix of set length strings and 40:1 tuners means that tuning is only required vary rarely. If I had to be picky, and this is REALLY picky, I would have preferred the tremolo arm to be black not chrome, but that is the only fault I can find with the excellent guitar. I will be getting another Steinberger in the future without doubt. The GT Pro Deluxe offers great value for money for anyone in the market for a good quality practice guitar, that would be at home just as well on the stage

The concept of the guitar is very good.
The quality (electronics) not so much. When I received it one of the pickups wasn't working, the switch made noises...
Thomann offered to change it or return it, no trouble, but since I wanted to do a Van Halen replica and change all the electronics I finally kept it.
I filled the hole of the middle pickup, did an EVH paint job, put new electronics with seymour duncan JB and Jazz pickups... now it's a beast and an EVH replica. I love it.
If you are interested, know that the guitar is good, the pickups sound decent but the electronics are not very sturdy...