From Guitar World · · 1m 20s
Ned Steinberger's Headless Bass Story
Ned Steinberger's headless bass guitar design was corrected by Les Paul, who claimed he built the first headless guitar in 1942.
In brief
Ned Steinberger's headless bass guitar design was corrected by Les Paul, who claimed he built the first headless guitar in 1942. Ned Steinberger created the world's first headless bass guitar in 1979, but Les Paul claimed he built the first headless guitar in 1942. Originally reported by Guitar World.
Headless Bass Innovation
Ned Steinberger created the world's first headless bass guitar in 1979, a design that was revolutionary for its composite construction.
Les Paul's Correction
Les Paul claimed he built the first headless guitar in 1942, correcting Steinberger's assertion that he invented the concept.
“I was going around saying, 'Look at this, the world's first headless guitar!' and Les Paul said, 'No, that's wrong, I built the first headless guitar back in 1942.'”
Steinberger's Background
Trained in sculpture, Steinberger met Brooklyn bass builder Stuart Spector in the mid-1970s, leading to the NS bass design.
Spector NS Bass Development
Steinberger and Spector developed the NS bass, which was later used by Doug Wimbish, Sting, and Rex Brown.
Headless Design Rationale
Steinberger moved tuners to the end of the bass to improve ergonomics and reduce weight, but discovered the importance of stiffness.
Material Innovation
Steinberger used epoxy resin reinforced with carbon graphite and glass fibre for the bass body and neck.
L2 Bass Timeline
The Steinberger L2 bass was developed around 1977, became available by 1980, and the XL2 version launched in 1983.
The headline
Ned Steinberger created the world's first headless bass guitar in 1979, but Les Paul claimed he built the first headless guitar in 1942.
