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!
