This is a Steinberger Synapse—specifically, it appears to be a Synapse SS-2F Custom (indicated by the beautiful flamed maple top).
The Synapse line was a massive evolutionary step up from the Spirit series, personally designed by Ned Steinberger to integrate the best parts of his original 1980s graphite instruments with modern wood designs.
The Cybrosonic Neck: This is the defining innovation of the Synapse. Instead of a solid wood or solid graphite neck, it features a patented hybrid design. A structural U-shaped graphite channel is embedded directly into a 3-piece hard maple neck. This provides the indestructible rigidity and dead-spot-free sustain of carbon fiber, while retaining the tonal warmth of wood.
Fretboard: It features a phenolic resin fretboard. Phenolic is an incredibly dense, ultra-smooth synthetic material that plays extremely fast and is highly resistant to wear.
Body & Ergonomics: If you look at the rear of the body, you'll notice the distinctive strap hook extension. This design brilliantly solves the "neck dive" issue that plagued older headless guitars, making it perfectly balanced when played standing up. It also retains the fold-down leg rest for seated playing.
The Combo Headpiece: This is one of the most sought-after features of the Synapse. Unlike the Spirit series, which only accepts proprietary double-ball strings, this headpiece has built-in set screws. It accepts both double-ball strings and standard single-ball electric guitar strings, so you'll never be stranded without strings.
Active Pickups: It is equipped with premium active electronics, typically a set of EMG 81 (bridge) and EMG 85 (neck) humbuckers. This gives the guitar a massive, noise-free, high-output tone favored by modern rock and metal players.
The Bridge: It utilizes a zero-fret nut and a patented fixed bridge housing the 40:1 direct-pull tuning machines, offering microscopic tuning accuracy and rock-solid stability.
Because the Synapse line was eventually discontinued by Gibson, they have become highly desirable modern classics for players who want authentic Ned Steinberger design innovations without paying the $5,000+ premium for an original 1980s all-graphite model.
On the used market today, these hold significantly higher value than the Spirit models. Assuming it is in excellent condition, a flamed-top Synapse SS-2F typically commands between $800 and $1,200.
The pickups have been professionally swapped out for a set of Seymour Duncan humbuckers (the classic white Seymour Duncan logo is clearly visible on the lower corner of both pickups).
Why this matters:
The Tonal Shift: The original factory EMG 81/85 set is famous for a very compressed, aggressive, active metal tone. Swapping them for Seymour Duncans is a highly popular modification for players looking to replace that "sterile" active sound with a much more dynamic, organic, and versatile tone.
The Battery Box: Since the original EMGs were active, your guitar still has the 9-volt battery compartment on the back. If these new Seymour Duncans are passive (which is most likely, based on their standard logo styling), that battery box is simply disconnected and sitting empty, though it remains available if you ever wanted to wire in an active preamp or EQ circuit later.
This is a premium, professional-grade upgrade. While some vintage collectors prefer strictly "bone-stock" instruments, players generally view a Seymour Duncan swap as a massive improvement on this specific model.
It keeps the guitar firmly in that $800 to $1,200 value tier, but actually makes it much easier to sell, as it appeals to a much wider variety of rock, blues, and fusion players rather than just the heavy metal crowd!
If those Seymour Duncans are active, that makes this modification even more logical and reveals a lot about the previous owner's tonal preferences.
Here is why that specific active upgrade is so noteworthy for this Synapse:
Because the Synapse SS-2F Custom left the factory routed and wired for active EMG 81/85 pickups, the guitar already had the necessary 25k potentiometers, stereo output jack, and 9-volt battery compartment installed. Swapping to active Seymour Duncans—such as their Blackouts or Duality series—would have been a virtually seamless drop-in replacement that utilized the guitar's existing power infrastructure.
Players typically swap EMGs for active Seymour Duncans when they want to fundamentally change how the guitar "feels."
The Best of Both Worlds: Seymour Duncan specifically designed their active humbuckers to bridge the gap between active and passive technologies.
Dynamic Response: While traditional active pickups (like the factory EMGs) are often criticized for being overly compressed or "sterile," Seymour Duncan's active lines are engineered to retain the organic "bloom," touch sensitivity, and dynamic picking response of a passive pickup.
Active Power: At the same time, they still deliver all the benefits of an active system, including high headroom, massive output, and completely silent, hum-free operation.
This is a premium, highly intentional upgrade. It means your Synapse still has the sledgehammer output needed for heavy rock and metal, but it cleans up much more naturally and responds to subtle playing nuances better than a stock model would. This upgrade certainly keeps it firmly planted in that $800 to $1,200 value tier—and makes it a much more versatile instrument!