The Steinberger is what really started the Modern Guitar Age in my opinion. Everything about this guitar is modern and unconventional. The shape is not like a Strat or Les Paul. It isn’t made of wood, but rather a graphite/carbon-fiber mix. The fretboard is phenolic, and the pickups are from EMG and are active (require batteries). And the revolutionary Trans-Trem bridge on it — there still is nothing like it today. Nothing about this guitar is remotely close to anything vintage or traditional.
The GL4T model shown has an EMG SA/SA/85 pickup set (neck single coil, middle single coil, and a bridge humbucker).
The guitar is built to last. You can literally drive a car over it and it will survive. It is portable enough to travel that you can put it under your seat on an airplane — yet the scale length is the same as a Fender Strat (25.5″).
The sound? Amazing clarity and fidelity. Extremely well-suited for modern music and post-processing. It loves chorus and delay. Some people actually use it to play traditional blues, but its extremely clear, hi-fi sound is better suited for modern styles.
Sadly, with the continuation of the vintage/traditional guitar craze, this guitar is mostly forgotten. Though in its heyday in the 1980s, it was played by many famous artists such as Geddy Lee (the bass version which came out first), David Gilmour, David Torn, Andy Summers, Sting, Michael Hedges, Van Halen, and many more.
Allan Holdsworth still plays a white one on tour. And if you look closely, a rather recent video from David Bowie (Valentine’s Day) showcases a red one (GL2T model, 2 humbuckers) that he is playing.
Allan Holdsworth:
Davie Bowie:
You can find more info on the GL4T here:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Steinberger