Since its initial release in 1979, the Steinberger headless bass has enjoyed a special place in the world of instrument design. While its widespread popularity was fairly short-lived and mostly confined to the ’80s, some prominent players helped to put it on the map: Geddy Lee, Sting, and even Cliff Williams of AC/DC all showed some love for the Steinberger bass somewhere in that decade.
“I played a Fender Precision for a little while, when I originally joined the band,” Williams told Bass Player back in 2020. “Then – what is that little headless graphite bass that looks like a toothpick? Steinberger. Those were the first active pickups I ever used, and I really liked the sound, but I hated the bass.
