headless Testimonials Page 2
I started playing guitar in 1966, when I got my first electric guitar, a 1966 Fender Mustang. Over the past 34 years, I’ve spent a lot of time playing in different bands. That Mustang was my only guitar until 1981, when I upgraded to a 1979 Stratocaster, which I still own. Over the years, I’ve played Gibsons, Fenders, Rickenbackers, Guilds, and many others. However, it had never entered my mind to try a Steinberger. I was certainly aware of them when they were first released, but I thought that they were just a “novelty” guitar, and I certainly never dreamed that I’d ever own one.
Now that I’m retired from music, I collect guitars. My first guitar collection was made up of only acoustic guitars, but I later sold most of them and only kept nine, and then I purchased nineteen electrics. One of my nicest purchases occured last year, when I bought a beautiful PRS guitar on eBay from Don Greenwald. After I received it, I told him via e-mail how pleased I was with it.
Then it happened! Don asked me if I had ever considered a Steinberger. I listened to what he had to say about them, and eventually I called him back to discuss these guitars numerous times. When I told him that I was actually considering purchasing one, Don said that he always had a few Steinbergers that he was willing to part with, but before selling me one, he needed me to learn much more about the Steinberger models. He called it
Now that I’m retired from music, I collect guitars. My first guitar collection was made up of only acoustic guitars, but I later sold most of them and only kept nine, and then I purchased nineteen electrics. One of my nicest purchases occured last year, when I bought a beautiful PRS guitar on eBay from Don Greenwald. After I received it, I told him via e-mail how pleased I was with it.
Then it happened! Don asked me if I had ever considered a Steinberger. I listened to what he had to say about them, and eventually I called him back to discuss these guitars numerous times. When I told him that I was actually considering purchasing one, Don said that he always had a few Steinbergers that he was willing to part with, but before selling me one, he needed me to learn much more about the Steinberger models. He called it
"doing my homework first”. He suggested a few different websites where I could read and learn about these unusual instruments. It was really like learning a foreign language. I had to learn what the letters in the model names stood for, the various pickup configurations offered, as well as the different tremolo options. Well, to sum it up, I studied and learned a lot of the details about them as per his request.
My first Steinberger purchase from Don was a 1990 GM7TA. The amber color is gorgeous and I was totally blown away, not only by the sound and playability, but also by the amazing TransTrem tremolo system. Not only do all the strings stay in sync with each other when the tremolo bar is raised or lowered, unlike any other tremolo system, you can actually lock the tremolo into 5 different positions, allowing for permanent key changes without the use of a capo. Some bands, like the Smithereens, tune their guitars flat for better distortion. With a Steinberger, this can easily be done by locking the tremolo bar at the first or second notch. No detuning is required. Yet, every string is in perfect pitch with each other.I was so blown away by this, that I also purchased a GL4TA from Don, with the original “paddle-body” style. Of all the guitars in my collection, none of them sound as great as the Steinbergers. Aside from their unique “headless” appearance, their action is amazingly smooth, and their electronics make them extremely versatile. I realize that “hindsight is 20/20“, but if I had only known how wonderful these guitars sound and feel, I would have purchased them years ago. As soon as I can sell a few of my less desirable guitars, I plan on asking Don to sell me a GL hardtail. Then, I will be totally satisfied. Don has been great to work with, and has become a good friend in this past year. I am looking forward to doing business with him again. When it comes to knowing his product, Don Greenwald is the best I’ve come across. But then, Don does have one of the largest collections of Steinbergers in the world, so it’s easy to understand why he knows his stuff.
David Pontrelli
USA
My first Steinberger purchase from Don was a 1990 GM7TA. The amber color is gorgeous and I was totally blown away, not only by the sound and playability, but also by the amazing TransTrem tremolo system. Not only do all the strings stay in sync with each other when the tremolo bar is raised or lowered, unlike any other tremolo system, you can actually lock the tremolo into 5 different positions, allowing for permanent key changes without the use of a capo. Some bands, like the Smithereens, tune their guitars flat for better distortion. With a Steinberger, this can easily be done by locking the tremolo bar at the first or second notch. No detuning is required. Yet, every string is in perfect pitch with each other.I was so blown away by this, that I also purchased a GL4TA from Don, with the original “paddle-body” style. Of all the guitars in my collection, none of them sound as great as the Steinbergers. Aside from their unique “headless” appearance, their action is amazingly smooth, and their electronics make them extremely versatile. I realize that “hindsight is 20/20“, but if I had only known how wonderful these guitars sound and feel, I would have purchased them years ago. As soon as I can sell a few of my less desirable guitars, I plan on asking Don to sell me a GL hardtail. Then, I will be totally satisfied. Don has been great to work with, and has become a good friend in this past year. I am looking forward to doing business with him again. When it comes to knowing his product, Don Greenwald is the best I’ve come across. But then, Don does have one of the largest collections of Steinbergers in the world, so it’s easy to understand why he knows his stuff.
David Pontrelli
USA
I purchased this flawless black GL4TA from Don, and I swear that I've never had a better instrument..
It arrived exactly as Don had described it; perfectly cared for, and in amazing condition. It actually was scarcely played at all! This guitar went through a fastidious inspection and set-up process before it was shipped to me, which took a bit of time, but I'm very happy that I agreed to wait a few more days, just to get it tested and adjusted thoroughly.
Every aspect of it was shiny! Almost no wear at all, ultra low action, noiseless electronics, the original EMG pickups with logos showing no wear at all, etc. etc.... and, especially considering its age, even all the screws looked new.
It came packaged perfectly for shipment, with new calibrated LaBella strings. Even the TransTrem needed no further adjustment, which is really amazing, taking into account my rather perfectionist approach to everything that has to be set up and tweaked. The TransTrem was set up just right, and that says a lot about everything that Don does.
I do admit that considering all that I have said, one might suspect that all of these things are just "too good to be true". But that's not my fault. It's Don's fault.
Yes, it was really a great experience to do business with him. We spent quite a lot of time communicating via the telephone, and I've always admired people who possess a decent sense of humor, and that certainly fits with Donald Greenwald. But he can also be quite serious and very much of a technocrat when discussing the detailed technical aspects of our beloved Steinbergers.
Yours,
Algis
Lithuania
It arrived exactly as Don had described it; perfectly cared for, and in amazing condition. It actually was scarcely played at all! This guitar went through a fastidious inspection and set-up process before it was shipped to me, which took a bit of time, but I'm very happy that I agreed to wait a few more days, just to get it tested and adjusted thoroughly.
Every aspect of it was shiny! Almost no wear at all, ultra low action, noiseless electronics, the original EMG pickups with logos showing no wear at all, etc. etc.... and, especially considering its age, even all the screws looked new.
It came packaged perfectly for shipment, with new calibrated LaBella strings. Even the TransTrem needed no further adjustment, which is really amazing, taking into account my rather perfectionist approach to everything that has to be set up and tweaked. The TransTrem was set up just right, and that says a lot about everything that Don does.
I do admit that considering all that I have said, one might suspect that all of these things are just "too good to be true". But that's not my fault. It's Don's fault.
Yes, it was really a great experience to do business with him. We spent quite a lot of time communicating via the telephone, and I've always admired people who possess a decent sense of humor, and that certainly fits with Donald Greenwald. But he can also be quite serious and very much of a technocrat when discussing the detailed technical aspects of our beloved Steinbergers.
Yours,
Algis
Lithuania
Dear Don,
Thank you for being you! You are truly an exceptional person and I really do appreciate you. Not only are you one of the most knowledgeable people I know on the subject of
Steinbergers and other headless guitars, but you are also one of the most straight-forward and down to earth people I have ever met. It is a pleasure to do business with an expert in his field; someone who can appreciate what a working player wants in a classic instrument that was meant to be played. Not only do you cater to collectors, but you have gone above and beyond in getting me the exact bass of my dreams and the bass that I needed to be playing at this point in my career.
I have attached some photos and I have to tell you that my new bass is a dream to play! It is so perfectly setup that I played it immediately the night that I bought it. The pictures are from that night. I really played with renewed vitality, not to mention how cool the bass looks and the immaculate condition it is in. It took some getting used to, with the difference in how the knobs and pickups are related, but the slapping is especially awesome and as a matter of fact, several people commented not only on my slapping, but also on the bass itself. Many of the younger people at the gig had never seen a headless bass like this, so they were pretty taken with it.
I cannot thank you enough for actually visiting me and delivering the bass with my hectic schedule.
You are one of a kind and my new hero :)
Shari Spiro, Bassist
Jenni Spiro Band (original) and The Wayouts (NJ Classic Rock Band)
USA
Thank you for being you! You are truly an exceptional person and I really do appreciate you. Not only are you one of the most knowledgeable people I know on the subject of
Steinbergers and other headless guitars, but you are also one of the most straight-forward and down to earth people I have ever met. It is a pleasure to do business with an expert in his field; someone who can appreciate what a working player wants in a classic instrument that was meant to be played. Not only do you cater to collectors, but you have gone above and beyond in getting me the exact bass of my dreams and the bass that I needed to be playing at this point in my career.
I have attached some photos and I have to tell you that my new bass is a dream to play! It is so perfectly setup that I played it immediately the night that I bought it. The pictures are from that night. I really played with renewed vitality, not to mention how cool the bass looks and the immaculate condition it is in. It took some getting used to, with the difference in how the knobs and pickups are related, but the slapping is especially awesome and as a matter of fact, several people commented not only on my slapping, but also on the bass itself. Many of the younger people at the gig had never seen a headless bass like this, so they were pretty taken with it.
I cannot thank you enough for actually visiting me and delivering the bass with my hectic schedule.
You are one of a kind and my new hero :)
Shari Spiro, Bassist
Jenni Spiro Band (original) and The Wayouts (NJ Classic Rock Band)
USA
Dear HeadlessUSA,
For some unknown reason, Steinberger guitars have always facinated me. Even since my earliest childhood, there was just something about them that intrigued me. I have owned lots of guitars with headstocks over the years, and I've always wondered what the benefits of a headless guitar might be.
I gave Steinbergers a lot of thought, but it was only when I saw that two of my favorite guitar players, Allan Holdsworth and T.J. Helmerich were playing Steinbergers, that I decided that I just had to find one for myself.
I didn't really know where to look, so I started to search the web, forums, ebay, etc.... All that I could find were "copy" versions. People told me to look on this "Music Yo" website and even those were just imported copies of the original USA made guitars.
Then, one day I noticed that someone in the USA had an original Steinberger GL4T that he was selling on ebay. I e-mailed the seller a question and (thank goodness) it turned out to be Don Greenwald from HeadlessUSA.com. I quickly learned that Don owned a very large collection of original Steinberger guitars, and was quite knowledgeable about all of the different models that were once built in the USA.
I couldn't believe my luck. I was like a kid in a massive toy shop. Don was very helpful, and we began exchanging dozens of e-mails as he taught me about all of the different models and their benefits.
For some unknown reason, Steinberger guitars have always facinated me. Even since my earliest childhood, there was just something about them that intrigued me. I have owned lots of guitars with headstocks over the years, and I've always wondered what the benefits of a headless guitar might be.
I gave Steinbergers a lot of thought, but it was only when I saw that two of my favorite guitar players, Allan Holdsworth and T.J. Helmerich were playing Steinbergers, that I decided that I just had to find one for myself.
I didn't really know where to look, so I started to search the web, forums, ebay, etc.... All that I could find were "copy" versions. People told me to look on this "Music Yo" website and even those were just imported copies of the original USA made guitars.
Then, one day I noticed that someone in the USA had an original Steinberger GL4T that he was selling on ebay. I e-mailed the seller a question and (thank goodness) it turned out to be Don Greenwald from HeadlessUSA.com. I quickly learned that Don owned a very large collection of original Steinberger guitars, and was quite knowledgeable about all of the different models that were once built in the USA.
I couldn't believe my luck. I was like a kid in a massive toy shop. Don was very helpful, and we began exchanging dozens of e-mails as he taught me about all of the different models and their benefits.
I eventually made a decision, and Don shipped my first Steinberger GL guitar here to me in England, and I've been in love with it since the day it arrived.
For anyone considering a vintage Steinberger guitar or bass, Don Greenwald and his HeadlessUSA.com company are THE ONLY SOURCE for accurate information, parts, and advice on original Steinberger instruments. He will take the time to answer ALL of your questions, and every guitar is perfectly set-up and adjusted before shipment. Thank you very much Don. I'm already saving up for my second GL!
Cheers,
Mark Bass
England
For anyone considering a vintage Steinberger guitar or bass, Don Greenwald and his HeadlessUSA.com company are THE ONLY SOURCE for accurate information, parts, and advice on original Steinberger instruments. He will take the time to answer ALL of your questions, and every guitar is perfectly set-up and adjusted before shipment. Thank you very much Don. I'm already saving up for my second GL!
Cheers,
Mark Bass
England
Dear Don,
Here at last... a photo of myself with my (your) Steinberger Bass... taken today...
I am very satisfied and impressed by your good service and great quality!
Best wishes & all the best from Switzerland.
Patrick Doba
STERLiNG
Switzerland
I met Don in Suffern, NY midway between his place and mine. Got to fully check out my Steinberger GM4T through a nice little Roland battery powered amp that Don provided. The guitar looked great, played smooth and sounded amazing! Don is the real deal when it comes to Steinberger.
Great Meeting You,
Harvey Valdes
USA
Great Meeting You,
Harvey Valdes
USA
Hi Don,
I received the white GL4T and I have to say, it's everything that I had hoped for and much more! It is a beautiful collectible vintage instrument, and it plays like a dream. I should have bought one of these years ago, but for some reason I just never did.
Your knowledge and expertise were invaluable assets in helping me to pick out the right Steinberger. After doing lots of research on the internet, I realize that you are the "go to guy". There are some other folks out there who claim to be knowledgeable, but they are just not available for those of us that need answers to our sometimes endless questions. You are always available and very patient, and you answered all of my questions, and for that I thank you very much.
Again, thank you so much for a transaction that went very smoothly and finally got me the guitar of my dreams!.
Keep on Rockin,
Gary Gould
USA
Dear Don,
Here is my picture holding the Steinberger 1990 Q4 bass that I got from you recently. It's the nicest example in my Steinberger "Q" collection.
It's in near mint condition, it sounds amazing, and it was a great deal! Also, I want to thank you for your help in locating the white Q4 that I purchased.
I always enjoy learning more information from you about these amazing basses.Thank you so much indeed for all of your help.
I've been looking around the world to find a Q4 or Q5 in blue metallic, but I've found nothing so far. I'm sure that you'll find one for me, as I want buy it from you. It will be my next deal!
Don, it's a pleasure to know you, you've got a friend here in Italy.
Thank you again,
Paolo
ITALY
Here is my picture holding the Steinberger 1990 Q4 bass that I got from you recently. It's the nicest example in my Steinberger "Q" collection.
It's in near mint condition, it sounds amazing, and it was a great deal! Also, I want to thank you for your help in locating the white Q4 that I purchased.
I always enjoy learning more information from you about these amazing basses.Thank you so much indeed for all of your help.
I've been looking around the world to find a Q4 or Q5 in blue metallic, but I've found nothing so far. I'm sure that you'll find one for me, as I want buy it from you. It will be my next deal!
Don, it's a pleasure to know you, you've got a friend here in Italy.
Thank you again,
Paolo
ITALY
Hi Don,
Thanks again for the great guitar! I still can't believe how pristine it is. It's the nicest example that I've seen in years.
I can honestly say that the next time that I'm in the market for a guitar, you'll be the first person that I check with.
Earl G.
USA
Thanks again for the great guitar! I still can't believe how pristine it is. It's the nicest example that I've seen in years.
I can honestly say that the next time that I'm in the market for a guitar, you'll be the first person that I check with.
Earl G.
USA
Dear Mr. Greenwald,
I apologize that I've answered so late, but I was unfortunately very busy. I received the guitar last week. It all went very smoothly with the shipment. The guitar is really beautiful, and in amazing condition. I'm totally in love with it already. I look forward to taking some pictures for you, and I will send them to you in the next few weeks.
Thanks very much for everything and I'm looking forward to more future business with you.
Best regards,
Alfred Müller
Switzerland
I apologize that I've answered so late, but I was unfortunately very busy. I received the guitar last week. It all went very smoothly with the shipment. The guitar is really beautiful, and in amazing condition. I'm totally in love with it already. I look forward to taking some pictures for you, and I will send them to you in the next few weeks.
Thanks very much for everything and I'm looking forward to more future business with you.
Best regards,
Alfred Müller
Switzerland