Steinberger GR GR4 headless guitar, EXCELLENT original condition, 5-bolt graphite neck, RWB combo headpiece, MADE IN USA, with OEM gig bag, HeadlessUSA TKL hardshell case, (3) new sets of strings, accessories.
This GR4 was purchased from the original owner roughly 6 years ago and subsequently tucked away in storage as part of a Steinberger collection. I'm not a guitar player, so it has no more play time logged than when it was sold to me. The guitar is in AMAZING condition and looks like it was hardly ever used, a proverbial Closet Queen. It’s not mint but is probably a close to being that condition as you will find in 2024. Review the pics and judge for yourself. Aside from some light signs of use, it’s a time-capsule Steinberger GR. The clear gloss finish is somewhat rare as well and showcases the fine Mahogany body.
The floating pivot piece of the R-Trem unit was removed for inspection prior to listing the guitar. Tremolo has the correct tension spring inside the assembly. Spring appears to be an old-school version, which further supports the apparent era and originality of the R-Trem unit. The spring tab is in perfect shape, straight and perpendicular to the pivoting plane, at an exact 90-degree angle to the large flat undersurface of the floating pivot piece.
The R-Trem base was found to be correctly mounted to the body with # 6 size 7/8” long wood screws in the top (2) mounting holes and # 6 size 3/4” long wood screws in the bottom (2) mounting holes. All (4) screws were checked and the R-Trem base was found to be securely attached to the Mahogony body as expected.
The (2) R-Trem pivot posts are straight and perpendicular to the R-Trem base with no visible wear on the pivot point grooves.
The (2) knife edges look like new with no visible wear.
Based on the pristine condition of the pivot points surfaces, it's possible the original owner did not even use the tremolo and kept it in the locked position when guitar was being played.
R-Trem Staggered Tuning Knob Kit with bearings on each stainless steel (SS) shaft was installed onto the tremolo assembly as an upgrade. If you've ever experienced these larger, low friction tuning knobs, you'll never want to tune an R-Trem in stock form again. The kit is GAMECHANGER and makes tuning your Steinberger axe much smoother and easier. This high-quality kit was purchased from PABLO’S EMPORIUM Reverb shop. The stock tuning knobs are included with the GR4 for originality.
An RWB combination headpiece was installed onto the neck so the guitar will accept both single-ball and double-ball strings. Headpiece 3/32" hex head screws were torqued to 25 inch-ounces. Original (8) M5 x 5 mm STEEL set screws for use with single-ball strings are included, along with (8) M5 x 5 mm BRASS set screws and (8) M5 x 6 mm BRASS set screws.
Using BRASS set screws will preserve the threads within the headpiece as BRASS is a softer metal than the original supplied STEEL set screws.
The golden-colored BRASS set screws can be finished to the color BLACK here at the shop using Brass Black Metal Finish free of charge if you want them to match the RWB combo headpiece. Message me after checking out with your color choice for the (16) BRASS set screws, natural brass or the black finish.
Original stock Steinberger double-ball-only headpiece with the black rubber band is included with the GR4 for originality. 3/32" hex wrench for headpiece installation is also included. Torque wrench not included.
The original Steinberger no-truss-rod neck is in AMAZING condition with no scratches, chips, or dings in the graphite. A graphite neck in this good of condition is uncommon for a guitar of this era. Frets look close to original condition in their roundness and show only minimal wear. The (5) 1/8" hex head neck bolts were checked and torqued to 7 inch-pounds using a 5-star torque pattern while the instrument was unstrung.
Finish on the body is a thick, shiny, original clear gloss. There are some very tiny indentations in random spots, but they are extremely minute and may not even show up in the photographs. The back of the body is incredibly scratch-free and free from buckle rash or wear. This is yet another aspect consistent with a guitar having a low amount of play time on it.
Weight of the guitar is 6 pounds, 11.5 ounces when measured on the shop postal scale. This postal scale is frequently checked against the calibrated scales at UPS, USPS, FedEx and it always indicates the same amount as those do within +/- 1 ounce.
STEINBERGER logo on the OEM canvas gig bag has faded in its definition over the years. The stock logo is actually 'print painted' onto the fabric and the white compound wears off as the bag encounters friction against other objects. The zipper works fine end-to-end, although it does have the common flat spot on the bottom where the lower strap pin puts the weight of the GR4 onto the zipper when the guitar is stored upright inside the bag. Gig bag is in typical condition for its age, with no rips, tears, stains, or strong odors of mold or tobacco smoke.
The clear gloss finished GR4 was functionally ops tested into a guitar amp and found to operate as new and as expected, with no pops, crackles, or other noises being generated by the instrument, potentiometers, or pickup selector switch. Lower potentiometer is also a push-pull selector switch.
This Steinberger GR4 guitar package includes roughly $550 in upgrades, tools, strings, and accessories. HUSA TKL hardshell case $290, RWB combo headpiece $145, Pablo’s Emporium R-Trem Staggered Tuning Knob kit $35, (2) packages of (8) each BRASS set screws for Combo Headpiece $15, (3) sets of strings $55, Eklind Metric Hex Key Set $10.
When comparing this clear gloss finished GR4 to others on the market, keep in mind its condition and the included extras that do not usually come with a stock Steinberger GR4. This guitar is effectively equivalent in price to a bone-stock Steinberger GR4 in similar condition (extremely hard to find) and listed at $3050, with only an OEM gig bag included in the deal.
If you are strictly an in-home guitar player and do not need a hardshell case, the HUSA TKL case can be omitted from the package. These are expensive high-quality cases, and can sometimes be hard-to-find, but not everyone can justify buying one. Message me prior to purchasing the guitar so I can update the listing text, pics, and subsequently lower the price by $300 down to $3300 for the package.
It is also important to note that the condition of the R-Trem mechanism is typically not even mentioned in descriptions of other GR4 guitars listed for sale. If the unit has an incorrect higher-tension spring installed in it, which is unfortunately all too common, the spring tab on the floating tremolo pivot piece may be bent, distorted, or even cracked. The tremolo pivot posts may also be bent due to the excessive pressure caused by the unit having an incorrect strength spring inside of it. Depending on the extent of the damage, replacement of the R-Trem unit may be necessary, which can increase the overall cost of the guitar by another $250, assuming a replacement unit can even be obtained. The R-Trem unit on this guitar has been fully inspected and looks like it just came out of the year 2000 Steinberger parts factory, as described.
If you would like to see a comparison between a few incorrect tension springs sitting next to correct tension springs, message me and I will send you a few pics. Apparently, the company manufacturing the R-Trem units for Steinberger has substituted the correct springs with extremely high-tension springs in the past, possibly due to parts shortages. So, a good number of the tremolo assemblies were actually built with the wrong springs inside of them.
On a side note, this fine Steinberger GR4 guitar was only handled while wearing nitrile gloves, as is shop policy. This protocol keeps the guitars clean, as original as possible, and free of fingerprints.
Please research all aspects of the Steinberger GR4 via Google searches, YouTube demo videos, Facebook groups, music stores, musician’s blogs, etc. It is your responsibility to fully understand the details, pros, cons, and particulars surrounding this piece of gear before finalizing the sale from your Reverb shopping cart.
This shop does not offer a ‘try it first’ option. If you buy this Steinberger GR4 and for some reason do not like its sound, operation, controls, functionality, feel, fit, or whatever else, it will be your turn to list the guitar as being for sale from your Reverb shop. By purchasing this clear gloss finished GR4, you are agreeing to the terms of sale outlined in this listing.
Even though this Steinberger GR4 is in EXCELLENT condition and appears to have been played very little, the guitar is still approximately 25 years old. Henceforth, the GR4 is being sold as-is, with no warranty expressed or implied. Please message me with any questions prior to purchasing the guitar and consider all sales to be final as noted in the REVERB listing.
Shipping will be to the continental lower 48 USA states only, Hawaii and Alaska excluded. The standard methods used for shipping are UPS, FedEx, and USPS. Reverb Safe Shipping full coverage shipping insurance is included. The cost of this insurance is typically 1.5% of the selling price, which is $54 in this case, and that amount is included in the shipping total of $150. A signature will be required for delivery.
Please note the UPS or FedEx ground shipping offered in this listing IS NOT EXPEDITED. Although smaller pieces of gear may only take 1 or 2 hours to fully process and package up, guitars and basses typically take 4 to 6 hours of work to prepare for shipment. Ensuring each instrument or piece of gear is packaged correctly with sufficient padding is the primary goal regarding shipping. It takes as long as it takes to do the job right. Haste makes waste, and this shop does not cut corners on any aspect regarding the gear it sells. It is better to overpackage than to not have enough protection surrounding the instrument or piece of gear.
Per Reverb's shipping rules, the box will be issued a UPS, FedEx, or USPS shipping label WITHIN 3 DAYS. At this point, the gear is considered shipped within the Reverb system, even if the box has not been scanned in by the courier or physically loaded onto a truck. It is unlikely the amount of time necessary for shipping will be any less than 3 DAYS from the time of the order. Even if the package is dropped off at a UPS, FedEx, or USPS facility on the 3RD DAY after the order is placed, it may not physically make it onto a truck until the 4TH DAY due to the limited and set pickup times of the local drivers.
Although instrument and pieces of gear have made it to their new owners within 7 DAYS in past shipments, please be accepting of the fact that it may take 10 DAYS or MORE from the time of the order for the package to reach you, depending on weather conditions or other courier delays, as well as the distance from Loveland CO to the destination address.
Before purchasing this piece of gear, please be aware the following delivery schedule could play out following your order. DAY 1: Gear is retrieved from the warehouse and packaging materials are compiled. DAY 2: Gear is given a final ops test and physical inspection, as applicable. DAY 3: Gear is packaged with a packing slip and box is taken to a courier's facility if business hours permit. DAY 4: Box is loaded onto a truck and taken to the courier's hub. DAYS 5 to 10: The clock starts ticking on the standard 5-DAY GROUND delivery estimate, not including 1 FULL DAY lost for Sunday.
The Steinberger GR4 will be shipped inside the HUSA hardshell case, with the OEM gig bag packaged alongside the case, inside a standard guitar shipping box. Any remaining space inside of the box will be filled with Styrofoam peanuts, cornstarch peanuts, Kraft paper, foam, and/or bubble wrap for maximum protection of the guitar.
