Hot or Not? USA Steinberger GM4T in Koa

Jbird

Jbird

Kick Henry Jackassowski




This is an extremely rare original solid Koa body Steinberger GM4T that was built in the Steinberger factory in Newburgh, N.Y. These were considered Custom Shop guitars and were built featuring gorgeous figured woods and multi-ply body bindings. The Koa wood for these guitars was sourced from the Gibson Montana acoustic factory.

Many Steinberger fans feel that these Koa bodied GM's are some of the best sounding guitars that were ever built at the Newburgh factory. A very rare guitar, especially in this immaculate condition. This guitar was just restored and set-up by Jeff Babicz, who was the former head of production at Steinberger Sound. Jeff dressed and mirror-polished the frets, rebuilt the TransTrem and serviced the electronics.

Jeff rebuilt the original TransTrem with new bearings and spring and also burnished the roller saddles, so it now transposes correctly and returns to zero properly. This guitar is in fantastic shape, and certainly qualifies as being in near-mint condition. A beautiful and super rare guitar that's just been serviced by the world's top Steinberger tech and is now ready for the next 25 years of service. It plays and performs as well as (probably better than) the day that it first left the factory.

Only $5,995 !!!
 
Hot. I have a real thing for old US Steinbergers. I love both of mine.
 
I dig it, but I can think of a lot of other guitars I’d drop $5,995 on. That’s almost five SGs.
 
Strike #1:

Not a Klein.

Strike #2:

Floyd.

Foul #1:

Koa.

Strike #3:

Humbucker.

I still kinda dig it, but the price is so very unsexy for the product.
 
Lerxst said:
I like it a lot...but $6K is banannas
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I don't know…my musicyo USA Steinberger GM4S (Nashville-assembled), you don't see those on ebay or reverb for any less than 2k these days. And I bought mine brand-new in 2003 for $1,250.

The Newburgh Steinbergers are considered more 'Holy Grail'-ish, right or wrong (I've played a couple of less than stellar ones), and command even more money. The Trans-Trem adds $$$, and being a very limited run of Koa, that 6K price probably isn't too far off what collectors would pay for it. Too much for my wallet though.
 
Jbird said:
I don't know…my musicyo USA Steinberger GM4S (Nashville-assembled), you don't see those on ebay or reverb for any less than 2k these days. And I bought mine brand-new in 2003 for $1,250.

The Newburgh Steinbergers are considered more 'Holy Grail'-ish, right or wrong (I've played a couple of less than stellar ones), and command even more money. The Trans-Trem adds $$$, and being a very limited run of Koa, that 6K price probably isn't too far off what collectors would pay for it. Too much for my wallet though.
Click to expand...

allow me to qualify my opinion: I have no idea what the market value of that instrument is but to my wallet, $6K is fucking bananas for it.
 
Flamencology said:
Strike #1:

Not a Klein.

Strike #2:

Floyd.

Foul #1:

Koa.

Strike #3:

Humbucker.

I still kinda dig it, but the price is so very unsexy for the product.
Click to expand...

Specifically it's a TransTrem, which despite the inaccurate name is a hell of a device.

The only thing I'm not into is the EMGs, otherwise I'm sound...for it's original street price. For $6K I'm getting a custom built Artinger, not a production guitar made with a beautiful piece of wood.
 
I think in the case of this guitar we are seeing the collectability and scarcity of the original steinberger guitars at play. 6K is much more than that guitar cost new, which is the basis of my position on the issue. Like them or hate them, original USA production steinbergers are hot collector's items and sell for a real premium in excellent condition. My GL2TA was bought as a NOS guitar back in 2000, but it was made in Newburgh, NY in the early 90's. I paid $1550 for it. I had the trem spring replaced last year and was offered $4,ooo for it, as it is in mint/new condition, and from a place famous for repairing steinbergers. I think list on my guitar in 199o was $2650, so these were never really cheap guitars, but they are clearly increasing in value.
 
I get the collectible factor, I do. But that's crazy money.

At $2k (or thereabouts) I'd be all over it.
 
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