WOW!!!!
I would like to thank all for the excellent info from this site (especially Bruce!), that led me to accidentally end up in the Bass Centre (UK) on Thursday (now how did that happen!).
Would you believe my luck they had a second hand NS CR5M !!!!!
well....they dont have it any more! :hyper:

Its GREAT... fantastic sound and so playable.
And as for all the DB purists who hang here...with all the "its a love thing"...EUB's are rubbish etc etc...Well i disagree.. I LOVE it. :D

PS: If you are around Bruce...any set up tips, etc etc...much appreciated.

Jim

WOW!!!!
I would like to thank all for the excellent info from this site (especially Bruce!), that led me to accidentally end up in the Bass Centre (UK) on Thursday (now how did that happen!).
Would you believe my luck they had a second hand NS CR5M !!!!!
well....they dont have it any more! :hyper:

Its GREAT... fantastic sound and so playable.
And as for all the DB purists who hang here...with all the "its a love thing"...EUB's are rubbish etc etc...Well i disagree.. I LOVE it. :D

PS: If you are around Bruce...any set up tips, etc etc...much appreciated.

Jim

Looks like it's a small club!! ;)

I think they are a god-send for us in the UK with poor availability of instruments and shops - I've bought all my instruments at the Bass Centre!! :)

Anyway - my recommendation would be to get "real" DB strings - I got Pirastro Flexocors - and to raise the action by using the screws on the back, if you want it to sound more DB-like!!

cheers..
yes i have put bridge up nice and high... too skint now for new strings!!
these will do for a few months!!!
the low B is hard to control it rattles the glass in me windows!!!!
i dont think i will use the mag pickups much...the sound from the piezos is great.
anyway my fingers hurt...
the cat has left home...
wife has gone nuts...

... I LOVE IT.

Yes - I love playing a low D or C on the B string - it really goes through the floor and you feel it rattling things !! :)

Congratulations on getting a secondhand NS. String length really does make a difference to the electric bass sound. Check out Eberhard Weber and David Friesen as great electric upright players.

I love the way (when bass on its stand) if you get a few bars rest (rare as it may be)... you can just walk away from your Bass have a pint....quick fag ...walk up to it again and continue playing!!! :smug:

however i keep forgeting to pull jack out to save battery life!
Q. how long do the batts last?

shame old Ned didnt include a power on/off switch. ;)

J

I bought mine in March 02 and have only chaged the batteries once, as far as I can remember...:hmm:

Q: Strings...

Im not sure what to go for!
so far Pirastro Jazzers looking good?
or pirastro Flexocors.

what do you lot think?

(I play pizz...modern jazz - NO BOWING).

Has anyone here ever tried NS CRT series EUBs? I would like to know if they really do sound more like a real DB

I am the proud owner of a CRM4. Very lightly used. It was sitting in a store for a year or so. Love the sound. Sure I would like a real DB but this is a great way to go. Glad to be a memeber of the club.

I am the proud owner of a CRM4. Very lightly used. It was sitting in a store for a year or so. Love the sound. Sure I would like a real DB but this is a great way to go. Glad to be a memeber of the club.

Congratulations!
I love mine.. had it a couple of weeks now... played 1st Jazz quartet gig with it on Fri night... it sounded great! :)

J

I've got a CR-4M and I love it! I don't mind the stock strings that came on it, I've got an acoustic upright for the "acoustic upright" sound. I love the sound of a full scale upright string and the NS has it!

It's just a joy to be able to take my upright bass and bass guitar to a rehearsal or gig in my regular cab pick-up truck when it's raining, and still have room in the cab for my wife! (I bring the bass guitar too, so that she has to sit closer to me!)

I played a friends' and didn't really like the tone or the feel... no heel in the neck, as I recall. More BG than DB. He replaced it with an Eminence. But, a chacon son gout.

I played my brand-new CR-4M at a gig in Melbourne last night for the first time, and it was great. Only problem: I've put a set of Spirocore Weichs on, which has improved the sound heaps, but I find the G-string is heaps quieter than the others and tends to get a bit lost amongst the band. Any ideas?
I'm taking the bass on a European tour April/May and am looking forward not to carry a big bastard around.

Hi...!


I've just got my new CR5-m from NS. Nice bass...

I live in Liverpool and is studying music at Liverpool Institute for Performing Arts.


See ya'll around... :bassist:

Hi guys...



I'm on the search for some good strings that would make my NS-Deisgn EUB sound a bit more acoustic.

What do you use on your NS?

I've heard that D'addario should be good...



Thanks a lot... :help:

Hi guys...



I'm on the search for some good strings that would make my NS-Deisgn EUB sound a bit more acoustic.

What do you use on your NS?

I've heard that D'addario should be good...



Thanks a lot... :help:


I got a really great suggestion here for :

Pirastro Flexocor Orch.s

-and they made a huge difference to my ears, much more like real DB sound than the stock strings - especially the G string which went from fretless BG to Thumb Position DB solo sound!! :)

I was really impressed with overall quality of these strings - a real step up !

I bunged a second-hand set of Thomastik Spirocores (from my double bass) on mine, just to see if it made any difference. They sound fab and I haven't taken them off yet! :cool:

Oddly enough, I wasn't that keen on the Spirocores on the DB but they seem to suit the NS.

The only problem with using DB strings is that because you have to use the second "tail piece" further up the back of the bass - to accommodate the extra string length - you can't change the batteries without loosening the A and D strings first. Then again the batteries hardly ever seem to need changing...

Hi again!



I searched for the Pirastro Strings, is it the "original flexocor" or the just the "flexocor"?

Has anyone tried out the new "The Jazzer"-strings from Pirastro? They sound interesting...

Why is the B-string in Pirastro "The Jazzer" double prize compared to the other strings in the set :eyebrow: ?

Pirastro Prize list (http://www.pirastro.com/pricelist/p-list2004/d-bass.pdf)

I searched for the Pirastro Strings, is it the "original flexocor" or the just the "flexocor"?

It just says Flexocor on the pack - I bought them online from a cheaper European internet retailer! :)


Has anyone tried out the new "The Jazzer"-strings from Pirastro? They sound interesting...

You'd think so - wouldn't you - but I had a long discussion with Francois who helped me a lot on this. So the thing to bear in mind is tha these strings are aimed at real DBs not EUBs. So Francois pointed out how "darker" sounding strings sound better(more like amplified DB) on EUBs as they counter the tendency to sound like a big fretless BG.

The darkest strings are orchestral strings - whereas Jazz strings are lighter and hence sound more BG-like on EUBs, although not on real DBs of course!! ;)



Why is the B-string in Pirastro "The Jazzer" double prize compared to the other strings in the set :eyebrow: ?

Pirastro Prize list (http://www.pirastro.com/pricelist/p-list2004/d-bass.pdf)

B strings are much bigger and also non-standard - one-offs, rather than production line items. Unlike with BG, 5-string DBs are pretty rare...:hmm:

I searched for the Pirastro Strings, is it the "original flexocor" or the just the "flexocor"?

Bruce was speaking about Flexocors, not Originals. The new ones are often called Flexocor '92s.

Has anyone tried out the new "The Jazzer"-strings from Pirastro? They sound interesting...

They're on the market since about 8 years, maybe more, so I wouldn't call them new! :)
They're similar to Spicorore Weichs.

Why is the B-string in Pirastro "The Jazzer" double prize compared to the other strings in the set :eyebrow: ?

That price list is the suggested retail price from the manufacturer.
The real price you'll pay from a retailer is less than that, so the B string price won't be twice the E string's, but will be higher, of course. There's more material into the string, and their market is smaller than the regular set.

Thanks guys, you're amazing... ;)

Hi,

I've been checking around and got a few string suggestions for my NS Design EUB. I was wondering what style of music you all are playing when making a string suggestion? I use my NS only for Cuban music. I put a set of Helicore Pizzicatos on it (since I was going to be playing pizz, right? Yes, I'm a newbie!), and just hated having so much sustain, and the electric bass sound.

I also have an Azola Lightning Bug which has Helicore Hybrids on it. They do better for Latin, but in some ways, they might still have too much sustain. Any suggestions? What are the pros using on their EUBs these days? A few years back, it seems that many preferred Thomastik Spirocores.

Rich

I don't think there's a particular favorite among EUB players.
Since you seem to like D'Addarios, why not get the Orchestrals?
You'd get less sustain, more warmth, more thump.

Pirastro Flexocors (another orchestral type string) has also short sustain, warmth and thumpiness.

There's a thread about afro-cuban strings going on in the (DB) Strings forum.
You may want to read it too.

I dont have an NS DESIGN, would like to but thats another thread. I use the D'addario helicore hybrids on my EUB and I get the sustain too, but dont mind it. I think they are actually recomended for the NS DESIGN. Couldn't you put some sort of a mute near the bottom of the strings to loose the sustain. just a thought.

Hi...


Well, I think I'll go for the Helicore's, they're nice.

I just need some cash first... :hmm:

I dont have an NS DESIGN, would like to but thats another thread. I use the D'addario helicore hybrids on my EUB and I get the sustain too, but dont mind it. I think they are actually recomended for the NS DESIGN. Couldn't you put some sort of a mute near the bottom of the strings to loose the sustain. just a thought.

It's not just sustain - although that's a big part of it - as Francois says , it's about a "darker" sound that gets close to amplified DB rather than sounding like fretless bass guitar.

So when I first got my NS CR5 I was playing things like Jaco's Continuum and getting that sort of mwah all the time on the G string.

But switching to Pirastros made a huge difference - I can still get some mwah with careful left hand vibrato , but the G string sounds much more like a DB and the overall quality of sound is much more what I wanted - certainly there is just an overall higher quality to the sound which is difficult to describe - but really I think it just comes down to - you get what you pay for! ;)

Hi Olivier!


Does the Pirastro's come in 5-string sets? :eyebrow:

http://www.pirastro.com
You'll find their whole catalogs there.

I bought mine from :
Helgard Steger

http://www.polychord.com
mail@polychord.com

They are based in Vienna - but seemed to be the most reasonable prices in Europe for these strings..?

Hi...


Thanks for the link.

Uhhh, what a nasty price when you need the B-string. :crying:

It will be 250€ !

Hi...


Thanks for the link.

Uhhh, what a nasty price when you need the B-string. :crying:

It will be 250€ !


I didn't bother - I just bought a 4-string set of Pirastros and left the original B string!

I think the point for me is that the higher you go, the more the sound difference - so the G string was the biggest difference - especially when playing solos in the area of thumb position.

But conversely the lower you went, the least difference was perceived.

So - the B is so bassy and fundamental anyway, that I don't believe you can hear that much difference. I throw in the odd low C or D - but they are more "felt through the floor", than actually heard!!

The other thing for me is that, while I was playing BG - I used the B string much more frequently - especially higher up the neck to get a more bassy DB-like sound - but on EUB with decent strings, I find I don't need to do that.

So - D and G strings at 1st position sound bassy enough - meaning I don't need to play the notes I would have done on BG, higher up the neck on the B and E strings!


Lastly - we're talking About Euros - so just make sure you buy when the £ is stronger...;)

Hi Olivier!



Yeah, maybe I should just stick to a 4-string set and keep the B-string. Sounds like a good idea when you're a student. :crying:


Thanks for your reply....

Hi Olivier!




Eh? :confused:

Hi Bruce!


Sorry man, but your quote from Olivier is just SO emphasized that it carried me away there... Sorry again.


- Peter

Hi Bruce!


Sorry man, but your quote from Olivier is just SO emphasized that it carried me away there... Sorry again.


- Peter
Olivier was not anywhere in this whole thread.
Whom are you talking about?...
Or is this thread just going nowhere?...

Hi Francois!


Ok, listen here... as I wrote before!

BRUCE LINDFIELDS SIGNATURE INCLUDES A QUOTE FROM SOME GUY CALLED OLIVIER!!! AND I MISTAKED BRUCE'S NAME TO BE OLIVIER!

Are you happy now??? :)

Hi Francois!


Ok, listen here... as I wrote before!

BRUCE LINDFIELDS SIGNATURE INCLUDES A QUOTE FROM SOME GUY CALLED OLIVIER!!! AND I MISTAKED BRUCE'S NAME TO BE OLIVIER!

Are you happy now??? :)
When someone has turned off showing signatures in his options, like I did, it's not obvious!
Now that I turned them on, I understand!
Was it necessary to shout?
There is also a known TB member named Olivier. (also from France, like the composer in Bruce's signature)
I assumed you were talking about him, since I had no idea of your signature's content.

Regards,
François

Maybe this will inspire somebody to listen to some of Olivier Messiaen's Music - that would make it worthwhile!! :)

Hey, I don't actually own one, YET. But I will most likely be putting in my order next week, once I hear back from ye ol' tax man (aka, my CPA). Unfortunately I was told today that NS is shutting down in 2 weeks, for 2 weeks. Year end stuff was what I gathered from the info I got. So I'm looking at 1 1/2 - 2 months before I get it. Just in case anyone's curious, I'm getting one of the new EU6's.

Hello

I'm the proud owner of a Ns Cr5m and happy to play it ! I usually play jazz and latin jazz/salsa and this bass is perfect for this kind of music, anyway a real upright bass couldn't fit in my little french car :p !

and it's funny to see who reacts the crowd when they see the instrument !!!

I m' pleased to be part of this new club on Talkbass ! :hyper:

I just love my CR4M!
I just don't know why NS put that kind of strings on their basses? It sounds like crap and I would pay U$60 more for an real DB strings instead.
I took off the original strings and replaced with Thomastick and I get nothing but compliments!

Hi again!


Sorry, I didn´t know about the "cancel signatures" option, my fault.

Well, I´ll check out that Olivier guy for sure now. :)

It's official. I should have my new EU6 by the end of April. WOOHOO! Anyone else here play of of those?

CR5M here.

I tend to explain the sound as a DB on steroids - maybe most DB bass players would be able to tell which sound was which from an EUB and a DB even if they couldn't see the instrument but by and large the general public can't. If you are in a theatre pit the audience won't know the difference and even if you told them they wouldn't care.

You can get a vague approximation of a DB sound but why would you want to limit yourself when you can have so much more ?

I think the most fun can be had at 'real' gigs when I put it on the shoulder harness and wander round :)

I've got mine strung with a mongrel set of strings at the moment - E/G are D'addario Helicores with the B being a stock NS string as I couldn't fit the Helicore through the hole in the tuning peg. they give a good response to arco and have plenty of sustain in piz.

The one thing it can't do though is rockabilly - there is no resonance in the neck for a good slap !

Hi Folks,
Well after reading this thread i bought a set of Pirastro Flexocores for my CR5M...
YUK! they sound dead as a dodo!!!
The bass lost all its mwarrr and sustain and was replaced with a dull boom!
not happy... I next tried a Thomastic spirocore E and A i had floating around...
they sounded great!
A more DB sound than the stock but not as dead as the Pirastros.
however they were 3/4 scale and the windings went over the nut onto the fingerboard!... so i take it i will need a 4/4 set for the NS design???

J

The bass lost all its mwarrr and sustain and was replaced with a dull boom!
not happy...

But that was the very point of buying these - to get rid of the un-natural sustain and mwah!! :p

To make it sound less like a fretless BG a la Jaco - and more like a real DB!! If you don't like how a DB sounds, then I suggest you would be far better off with a decent fretless BG - much easier to play and transport etc. etc. !!

The only other suggestion I would make, is that you need to raise the action and really pull across the strings, as you would a DB, rather than just plucking as you would a BG - you have to put some effort into it (give it some welly!! ;) ) - to get the sound - just buying different strings is not always the solution...:hmm:

Pirastro Flexocors (another orchestral type string) has also short sustain, warmth and thumpiness.


A PS to Jungle Jim - see above - you were warned!! ;)

Junglejim- I think it's the Spirocore S42 set you need; also referred to as the "Ray Brown" set (?). Technically a 4/4 set but the lower tension over the 106cm scale on the NS makes for a good fit.

According to T-I's website, the S42 set is: 110cm scale, medium gauge.
Set S42W is also 110cm, but weich (soft) gauge.

yes.. seemingly a counter-intuitive choice for the NS, but after 1st ordering a std TI 3/4 set and finding them too short as well as too stiff I called Kevin Reynolds at Nordenholtz and came up with the S42's as having the proper length/tension characteristics I was after. And, I did go with the weich. Only a few gigs on them, but I think they're the ones.

But that was the very point of buying these - to get rid of the un-natural sustain and mwah!! :p

To make it sound less like a fretless BG a la Jaco - and more like a real DB!! If you don't like how a DB sounds, then I suggest you would be far better off with a decent fretless BG - much easier to play and transport etc. etc. !!

The only other suggestion I would make, is that you need to raise the action and really pull across the strings, as you would a DB, rather than just plucking as you would a BG - you have to put some effort into it (give it some welly!! ;) ) - to get the sound - just buying different strings is not always the solution...:hmm:

wow...
Give me some credit i have been playing bass semi-professionals for 20 years!!!
I have the bridge as high as it will pos go (and thats not high enough!!!)
i dont see how the pirastros sound like a real DB on th NS?... i couldnt make the pirastros speak at all (except on the G).i like to have the whole spectrum of sounds available depending on how you play it, so if i do dig hard i get a nice mwarr, while keeping a good solid attack with sustain when needed.

I guess this is all personal taste stuff...

yes.. seemingly a counter-intuitive choice for the NS, but after 1st ordering a std TI 3/4 set and finding them too short as well as too stiff I called Kevin Reynolds at Nordenholtz and came up with the S42's as having the proper length/tension characteristics I was after. And, I did go with the weich. Only a few gigs on them, but I think they're the ones.

great cheers... these sound like the next ones to try!

(PS may be a set of Pirastros on ebay soon at a good price! :smug: )

so just for thick old me...these the ones?....

Thomastik - spirocore weich(soft) in 4/4 (T - S42)

J

wow...
Give me some credit i have been playing bass semi-professionals for 20 years!!!


Well - you haven't filled out your profile - so there's no way anybody could know that...?

It's difficult to help people, when they don't do this...:hmm:


i dont see how the pirastros sound like a real DB on th NS?... i couldnt make the pirastros speak at all (except on the G).


Well - to me they sound great - much higher quality sound as well as darker ..

I go to Jazz gigs every week and see/hear the best Jazz DB pros in Britain at close quarters - I'm aiming for the sound they get!! :)

As you haven't completed your profile - I don't know what you like or are playing...:hmm:

I also don't know what amplification you are using...? :hmm:
So - I've been at Jams etc. where you just have to use whatever amp is there on stage and I know that my NS CR5 sounds very dull and lifeless through amps/cabs aimed at bass guitar - like Trace Elliot, Peavey etc. Whereas, played through my EA VL208 cab it really comes to life! :)

So it may not just be the strings?


i like to have the whole spectrum of sounds available depending on how you play it, so if i do dig hard i get a nice mwarr, while keeping a good solid attack with sustain when needed.


Which set up/strings are you talking about there...?

OK...
Thanks Bruce point taken... :hiding:

will fill out the profile when i get time...

What other strings have you tested with your NS???

J

(PS may be a set of Pirastros on ebay soon at a good price! :smug: )

You can post an ad in the [DB]For sale forum first.
Ebay links are forbidden here though!

Thomastik - spirocore weich(soft) in 4/4 (T - S42)
J
S42 = medium
S42W = weich (soft)

I'm the happy owner of a CR4 for 4 months now. The transition from BG to EUB was fairly painless (in hindsight). I have had issues with the tremendous amount of sustain and have temporarily fixed it with a block of dense foam next to the bridge-that's until I am able to afford the Pirastro Flexocor's Francois has suggested.

My band is very loud and when I decided to switch to the double bass I heard a lot of protesting from my bandmates. They had played with an accoustic upright player who had subbed for me and they said he couldn't get near the volume needed without tons of feedback. That's why I went with the EUB. I hear the biggest complaint from accoustic players is that they can't 'feel' the EUB. My bandmates said that maybe the player that subbed for me could 'feel' it, but they sure couldn't!!

What are the street prices for CRM4, CRM5, EU4, EU5 and EU6?

What are the street prices for CRM4, CRM5, EU4, EU5 and EU6?

Check with Gard at Bass Central in Florida. He's really helpful and has one of the NS EUB's as well.

www.basscentral.com

Note for Mods: I don't work for or endorse bass central. I just happen to know that they carry and are knowledgable about the NS EUB's

If your in the US then have a look at this site

http://www.basscentral.com/2003/upright.shtml

Gard who works at bass central hangs can be found on TB and he is great to deal with, I got my NS shoulder sling and pin from him - with no problems shipping to the UK.

If your in the the UK then the bass gallery have a CR4 in

http://www.thebassgallery.com/acoustics.html

The bass centre site (http://www.basscentre.com/) used to list NS prices but I couldn't find them on the new(ish) site layout

Thanks. I gave Gard a call. Nice guy. Tempting.

For NS Design on the Bass Centre website look under 'Unplugged' ? Bought a CR4 there last week - nice bunch of people, very helpful. Looked in The Gallery but they didn't have the NS then - just 4 other EUBs, a Yamaha, Dean Pace, Aria and 5 string Vektor, none of which I fancied. The Bass centre had the full NS range, 4 & 5 string, mag/piezo and piezo only. Paid the same price as The Gallery are asking for the CR4 - £1,699. Don't know about The Gallery but the Bass Centre do interest free credit or buy now pay later, also interest free - Bingo! (ps Not implying The Gallery are not helpful - I bought a very beautiful Gibson Les Paul 5 string from them over the phone a few months ago and they too were very good.)

Don't know about The Gallery but the Bass Centre do interest free credit or buy now pay later, also interest free - Bingo!

That's what clinched it for me and the only way I could afford my CR5!! :)

I did it on 2 years - 24 payments, no interest!! That actually makes the price cheaper, as inflation pushes the price upwards, but you're not paying any more !!

Hope this is not taking me too far off topic but not sure that they still offer 24 months interest free, 12 was the maximum offered to me. I went for 12 months pay later but if you don't pay in time the interest nearly doubles the price! Hoping the CR4 will earn me a bit of money before March 2006! Very happy with the it by the way.

Hope this is not taking me too far off topic but not sure that they still offer 24 months interest free, 12 was the maximum offered to me. I went for 12 months pay later but if you don't pay in time the interest nearly doubles the price! Hoping the CR4 will earn me a bit of money before March 2006! Very happy with the it by the way.

Oh yes, I think they've changed it now - probably tooadvantageous for customers!! ;)

I bought mine nearly 3 years ago now and have paid it off without incurring any interest!! :)

The same has happened with Overwater - so I bought two cabs and an amp from them on interest-free credit about 4 years ago, but when I phoned recently about buying another cab - they told me they'd stopped doing it! :(

I don't play EUB, so take this with a grain of salt. Just an EUB lurker. :ninja: But if, as others suggested, darker sounding strings work better on the NS, you may want to try the pirastro Originals. They are darker than the flexocors. Perhaps not as flexible for pizz as arco, but I can still get mwah with these strings on my upright by using a little more index finger knuckle.

OK...
Thanks Bruce point taken... :hiding:

will fill out the profile when i get time...



I just thought of another thing ...you did take the strings through halfway up the back of the body and secure them in the slots near the output jack didn't you?

You didn't just take them to the bottom of the body..the way the stock strings were installed....:hmm:

I just thought of another thing ...you did take the strings through halfway up the back of the body and secure them in the slots near the output jack didn't you?

You didn't just take them to the bottom of the body..the way the stock strings were installed....:hmm:

:) cheers... yes is used the slots on the back!!!!
I would of been able to hang the washing out on it if i hadnt!!! :D
I ordered some 4/4 Thomastik Weichs, will see how i get on with them when they arrive?!

PS Pirastros for sale (see for sale forum)

>That's what clinched it for me and the only way I could afford my CR5!! >:)

>I did it on 2 years - 24 payments, no interest!! That actually makes the >price cheaper, as inflation pushes the price upwards, but you're not >paying any more !!

Lucky you, I live in Brazil and I got my Cr4in cash at basscentral, anyway I'm broke but pretty happy with it! :)

[[]]

Ok, guys.
Now can we forget about the Bass Centre credit policy and be back on topic?
Thanks for your cooperation!

hello

first post...this may be a daft question, but what size is the NS bass? does it compare to a 3/4 or 4/4 db?

just a thought before i buy the wrong strings!

a very interesting thread BTW. i think i'm going to like it here!

Welcome aboard, astrogarage.
Can you please take a few minutes to fill in your public profile?

Thanks in advance!
Regards,
François

hello

first post...this may be a daft question, but what size is the NS bass? does it compare to a 3/4 or 4/4 db?

just a thought before i buy the wrong strings!



It has about a 42" scale length which is the same as most DBs and it is designed so you can use any standard DB strings - as it has piezos, you could even use gut if you wanted! ;)

thanks bruce. it's a shame that experimenting with strings is such a costly exercise. hoh hum...

and thanks francois...i've filled in my profile!

cheers

I officially joined this 'club' yesterday when I received my NS EU6. YEAH!

I don't have pics yet, workin on it :)

Hi,

Yeah, hurray, I'm member of the club now, too, for almost two weeks now (got my bass two weeks ago).

I used to play upright in high school in 1989, but always found the instrument too large and impractical for me to actually use it. The NS is much easier to transport. I think it may permanently replace my fretless bass (well, except for Protrait of Tracy", which would be hard to play on the NS. Anyone tried?)

I like the fact that I can bow it.
BTW, where are you experienced bowers bow? I bow between the fingerboard and the pickup. How about you?

Wolfram

Hello fellow NS lovers

I live in Liverpool, England and own a CR4M and it's the best thing I've ever owned!! (Hey bassisten! I thought I was the only owner of an NS in Liverpool; nice to see there's at least one other here)

Can i challenge the NS design fan club to diss the NS design???

I have an opportunity to buy a second hand NS CR4 this weekend, as far as i know this has the piezo pickup. I have heard only good things about the NS EUB range and they seem to be highly regarded as EUBs go... I have some reservations though...

The CR4 is made in the Czech republic, my bass teacher warned me that if i was gonna get an NS (he has a 5 string NS but dunno which type), i should make sure it was made in the US, the Czech basses are 'made to a price' which means cheaper materials which means rubbish bass ....True or false? can anyone help me out here.

Next, i have a piezo pickup on my palatino bass which i bought last year, this is the cheapo bass from china. I bought it cuz i couldnt afford to pay for a more expensive EUB or DB... The piezo pickup picks up LOADS of string noise and squeeks when i played a gig last monday in london with it, and i wasnt happy with this. Does the Piezo NS design suffer the same fate, and is this just a 'feature' of piezo pickups?

I really am wanting to get this bass, and they are super rare in the UK to get second hand... new ones cost a friggin fortune and i cant afford a new one as i have surf trips planned this year too.... :cool:

Please be honest and brutal. whats the downside of the NS, if any?

HELP!!!!!

Thanks
Mr Driko...

The CR4 is made in the Czech republic, my bass teacher warned me that if i was gonna get an NS (he has a 5 string NS but dunno which type), i should make sure it was made in the US, the Czech basses are 'made to a price' which means cheaper materials which means rubbish bass ....True or false? can anyone help me out here.


False!! Definitely!!

I have owned a Czech-made NC CR5 for about 3 years now and the build quality is excellent - no problems whatsoever!
Czechs have a long tradition of making quality instruments -all those I've seen in shops have looked immaculate and they are very hard-wearing as well.

Your teacher is plain wrong!! ;)


Next, i have a piezo pickup on my palatino bass which i bought last year, this is the cheapo bass from china. I bought it cuz i couldnt afford to pay for a more expensive EUB or DB... The piezo pickup picks up LOADS of string noise and squeeks when i played a gig last monday in london with it, and i wasnt happy with this. Does the Piezo NS design suffer the same fate, and is this just a 'feature' of piezo pickups?
.

No - not at all. Mine has piezos only and has a very deep,warm sound, that many people have commented on and been surprised by.

I think your problem may be that you need the right pre-amp for piezos - but of course in the NS EUBs, that comes included as standard!! :)

I've had an EU6 for not even a month and it is easily one of the nicest basses I've ever played. I have no idea what that guy is basing his opinion on. These basses smoke any other EUB out there IMHO. Just go play it and see.

my bass teacher warned me that if i was gonna get an NS (he has a 5 string NS but dunno which type)

I just realised that as you are based in Brighton - I think I know who your teacher is ...a certain Mr. Banks?

I just had a little laugh to myself, when I realised that!! :D

None other than... Mr banks... Bruce... you know him? Gimme the lowdown...

anyways, since no one is prepared to talk badly about the NS , i might take it subject to its condition.... where can i get a membership form for the fan club ? :) do you have to be able to play to be in the club?

None other than... Mr banks... Bruce... you know him? Gimme the lowdown...



Having met him a few times, I can only say that I feel sorry for you!! ;)

I can say no more!!




Apart from adding, that his son is a great drummer!

:D

where can i get a membership form for the fan club ? :) do you have to be able to play to be in the club?

Post a pic of your NS, then you're in da club :)

I'd just like to re-iterate what Bruce has said about the CR range. The build quality of these things is fantastic; I have never owned or played anything which comes near in terms of quality. I couldn't stop touching my NS when it arrived two years ago. It screams quality. Before buying my NS CR4M, I tried other EUB's and the sound quality was pretty poor in comparison. I soon found out that the old addage "you get what you pay for" was totally true.
Let me also say that the piezo bridge in the NS is fantastic. As you're probably aware, there is a mode switch, which allows you to switch between pizz and arco modes. Although my NS has the magnetic pickups, I tend to favour the sound from the piezo much more; it seems to add a resonance and depth to pizz playing. Which reminds me, you won't hear better sustain anywhere than on an NS upright!

Now, go and get that CR4 Rikodriko! You know it makes sense! :hyper:

The EU series actually has an even cooler way to get the tone you want...

Ok, so the EU has magnetic pickups and the Polar pickup. The Polar pickup can pick up both the lateral and perpendicular string vibration, and knows the difference between the 2.

Now, the EU has 2 knobs for blending between pickups; 1 for blending between the magnetic and the Polar, and 1 for blending between the 'pizz' and 'arco' modes (not a switch) of the Polar pickup. Which means that if you set both of these at 50% your tone will consist of 50% magnetic, 25% pizz mode, and 25% arco mode. So, you can pretty much get any tone possible.

Well, so much for dissing the NS range... are you all on salaries?

thanks for the cool info.... my credit card is twitching. Now ill go and have a look tomorrow, hopefully its in a reasonable condition. Ill give an update on monday.

Cheers...

I know why Mr. Banks is dissing the Czech range...it's because he bought his US-made NS Basses, many years ago - long before the CR range was around. So he paid top-dollar for them and huge sums of money - now he's a bit annoyed that all of us are buying up virtually the same bass, for a fraction of the price!!

Also - the re-sale value on the multiple US basses he owns has dropped like a stone ! So he has a "vested interest" in maintaining the myth that they are that superior.... ;)

For anyone interested, I've got an Undercover NS EUB gigbag for sale. Check the DB for sale listings for info...

Just to say that I agree with all the good things said on here about the build quality and sound of the Czech built basses - I love my CR4. Gigged it for the first time last night and got some really good comments about how it sounded and how cool it looks - although one well meaning soul thought it looked like a cricket bat with strings?! Played it through a vintage 1960s Selmer valve (tube) head with Ashdown 1x10 Mini Cab.

Well, even if everyone was gonna slag it off, i went and bought it, turns out it was a CR4M in as new condition, not a scratch, and i got it for something like £800 off the retail price. :)

So, my digital camera is bust and i would take a pic of it if i could, but please accept my intention to officially join the NS design fan club.

Great, no gigs lined up and got a cricket match this weekend, my new bat will go down a storm. 6!

Welcome, my son, to the wonderful world of NS Design. :D

So, it was the magnetic model after all eh? You'll have to let me know what you think about the difference between the piezo and the EMG's. As I've said before, I tend to use both, but love the resonance of the piezo.

Good price too, by the sounds of it ;)

I'm still trying to find the tone I'm most happy with, but when playing pizz style I really like using a blend of both the magnetic and the Piezo, and then running the Polar about 60/40 (pizz/arco) because you get a nice 'thump' from the initial note attack.

Am I the only one with one of the new EU basses, I haven't seen anyone else mention one. Everyone has CR's?

Am I the only one with one of the new EU basses, I haven't seen anyone else mention one. Everyone has CR's?

You'll have one more compadre later today when the big brown truck graces my house! Thanks for your advice earlier Josh.

You'll have one more compadre later today when the big brown truck graces my house! Thanks for your advice earlier Josh.

Ah yeah dude! Which one did you get?

Ah yeah dude! Which one did you get?
Why, an EU6 of course! Maybe I'll get some pics up next week.

Why, an EU6 of course! Maybe I'll get some pics up next week.

PIMP!

Well, I got the EU6 in. There is so much to love about the instrument, and there's so much they did right in the construction. However, I'm sad to report that I'm trying to decide what to do considering a particular issue amid minor blemishes that come from a handcrafted instrument.

The one I'm having trouble swallowing is how the tuners were drilled. On the inside of the head, there was splintering that happened when the drill popped through for each tuner hole. I've attached the a jpeg of it. I'd appreciate if any other NS owners could confirm if this happened to their basses.

I'm waiting for a response from my dealer but NS has already responded quickly and kindly assuring me that this sometimes happens but affects neither the stability nor the warranty of the bass. It pains me to say this, but I just don't know if I find that acceptable considering the price. The overall feel of the instrument and its sound are outstanding. The maple/graphite design is very unique and may exasserbate the splintering issue I'm describing. I've just got to think that the same ingenuity that produced this instrument should be able to eliminate such a comparably minor challenge.

Mine came the same way. I was a little bummed, but like you said, the rest of the instrument is exceptional. I have often contemplated mentioning it to the dealer I purchased it from.

Josh, did you catch what the warranty period is for the EU6?

Josh, did you catch what the warranty period is for the EU6?

I can't find anything on their web site about it. You might want to ask whoever you bought it from. I can do the same.

After a bunch of thought and consultation from PJ at NS and BassCentral, I decided to keep the EU6 I received. It just played and sounded too good for me to reject it for a minor cosmetic issue. Bass Central gave me a small discount as a concession. I think the picture above makes it look worse than it really is. I'll post some shots of the rest of the bass later.

The warrantee is 5 years and the customer support I've received from NS has been great. Likewise, BassCentral, the premiere NS dealer in the US, has been outstanding.

I've read through this thread and gleaned some great info but I would like to pose the same question with my particulars. In 3 weeks, I'm going on tour for 12 days of non-stop playing and I won't live to tell about it if I don't get this instrument set up right. I really don't have time to experiment right now and I hope the collective expertise that is available here can help.

I'm an upright player that recently took a gig with a swing and dixieland band that has an NS Design CR4. This is my first experience ever with an EUB. The first thing I did was have the bass re-calibrated to factory spec with a new set of the Helicore hybrids. I played it with this "new" setup for the first time last weekend.

The instrument sounds much better now but the action was so high that my left hand hurt for 2 days. I lowered the action for this weekend and it definitely helped. We're now at a more reasonable height but these Helicores are too stiff for me. I use Spirocore Weich on my acoustic upright.

My requirements, therefore, are:

1) Strings (EUB or regular upright) that are not as stiff as the NS Design Helicores; and

2) A sound that is as close to a real acoustic as possible. The sound of the Helicore Hybrids is acceptable although I gather from this thread that there may be some better choices in the regular upright string category.

Any and all input is greatly appreciated. Thank you.

My experience taught me that in order to get a tone closer to a real DB, the best is to use orchestral strings.
Some are darker; eg Flexocors, some are brighter; eg Permanents.
Some are available in gauges, others in solo-tuning, which can be used at orchestra pitch as extra-light gauge.
Do you want sustain and growl or more thump?

Francois,

To my ear, the thump is more acoustic-sounding and sustain is more electric-sounding. While some growl is ok, it gives a more electric sound beyond a certain threshhold. I did get the sense from the thread that acoustic orchestral strings are the best choice for what I'm looking to get from the EUB and I'm glad you confirmed that for me.

I want to get as close as possible to the gauge and tension of the Spirocore Weichs which are what I use on my DB. Unfortunately, from what I read, the Spirocores are fine for the DB but too bright for the EUB.

So, wanting more of the thump and less of the sustain and growl and also wanting to approximate the feel of the Weichs, which orchestral strings would you recommend?

Many thanks,
Fred

Orchestral strings are usually loaded with dampening stuff, which reduces the metallic edge, but also the sustain, and stiffens them.

Pirastro Flexocors are possible the best choice for a very warm tone, but the E may seem dead or too floppy.
My favorite bottom strings so far are the Pirastro Chromcors.
Very warm, some sustain and growl, good volume.
The Pirastro Original Flat-Chromesteel D works fine for me and in combination with the Chromcors. It has more output than the Flexocor D.
The Flexocor G is hard to beat when you're looking for warmth in a steel G string.

I'm waiting for Kolstein Varicor Excels D & G in the mail.
I'm hoping they will provide better clarity, flexibility and power, while still being very warm.
I find the Flexocor D & G to feel somewhat stiff.

Hope this helps!

I put some Thomastiks on my cr4 and found I was getting closer to the sound I'm looking for (warm, thumpy,). I'm considering try some gut strings in hope of getting a more organic sound. Anyone have experience with this?

TIA-

Charles

hi Folks,

After some advise on Amps for my now well played in NS5M...
I still love it!!! :D

I have an Eden 2x10 cab and 300w head (i forget the models)i use for larger gigs...
but would like something for smaller venues..that fits in car without having to fold seats down would be great... and light also....(must be getting old!!!!!!)...but.. powerful enough to cope with say a big band!

any ideas?

acoustic image look good...bloomin expensive!...would they be up to the job though re volume?

edit*** what about this... Gallien-Krueger MB150S-III/112
around £600... any good?

Jim

nothin on TV last night and me and my housemate got bored, so we did some drum and bass in the lounge... we have a nice big lounge with a full drum kit in the corner, so he sat on the drums and i knocked the stuffing out of my NS through a line 6 synth emulator (dont know what its called, but its purple!) and did drum and bass and breaks, basically made lots of noise. I love my neighbour too, shes a sweet old lady who loves us and never complains about the noise.... but she cant play bass fo' s**t so she wasnt invited.

Roni size eat your heart out hehehe.... NS rocks....

Howdy folks. I just sold an EUB -- a BSX Allegro 4 string. I loved it very much in that it looked like a real DB and played/sounded like one. I sold it to invest more resources & energy in my acoustic instrument. However...I will still be in need of a portable EUB for various trips/tours I'm planning in the future and have often given consideration to the sleek design of the NS basses -- and might also spring for a 5 string to get more range.

I realize you can strap this thing on like a vertical electric bass, but I'm curious if anyone uses the endpin option? Having a tripod stand looks lovely for many reasons, but I might like something with a more traditional feel.

So, the real question is...can you stow this bad boy in the overhead compartment on an airplane? That is, will the stand/endpin also fit in the gig bag and still be easy to tote around the airport? I hated the idea of buying a flight case for the BSX and having to break it down and pay for oversize luggage everytime I needed to travel.

So, the real question is...can you stow this bad boy in the overhead compartment on an airplane? That is, will the stand/endpin also fit in the gig bag and still be easy to tote around the airport? I hated the idea of buying a flight case for the BSX and having to break it down and pay for oversize luggage everytime I needed to travel.

I dont know anything about the end pin option, but I can tell you that when these are packed up in the soft bags they are tiny. I have no doubt that it would fit into the overhead compartment of an airplane. A full size bass hard case fits too, but they usually want you check it.

I had to take my Pedulla ET-6 on a plane once (in a hard case) and they told me I had to check it. I literally told them to kiss my a$$ (typical teenager, hehe) and proceeded to put in the overhead, which fit nicely. Don't let those bone heads tell you a bass case won't fit. Although, you could prob be nicer than I was ;)

I know, tangent...

Im not convinced about getting it through on the airport as hand luggage... for its size it does go very compact, but its still about 4 ft long in its sleek black tube. Its pretty light, but they may give you grief about the length.

Not that im a fully travelling, gigging musician or anything, and have never flown with the bass before (i KNOW they dont put surfboards in overhead compartments!). Maybe someone has flown with them before, but i reckon they are too long...

2 cents again...

Yeah, it is pretty damn long. I should also point out that my story took place about 10 years ago. Way before all this BS you have to go through now. You can always ask to put it in the coat closet on the plane too. When they tell you that you have to check it, ask them if they want to be liable for a 3K instrument knowing how there people handle luggage. Despite what they say, they are 100% liable.

...I'm curious if anyone uses the endpin option?

Yes. I use the endpin option. I like it very much. It does give me a more traditional feel. That is, I can tilt and adjust my bass as I like.


So, the real question is...can you stow this bad boy in the overhead compartment on an airplane? .

Sometimes. It depends on the plane you're flying in. I don't remember the plane types, but it fit perfectly on one plane and it didn't fit in a smaller plane. I could just squeeze it into one of the vertical closets.


That is, will the stand/endpin also fit in the gig bag and still be easy to tote around the airport?

Well...the endpin and tripod stand are VERY heavy. I checked them with my non-carry on luggage...I repeat it is VERY Heavy. (Also, My NS gig bag doesn't have room for the stand/endpin.) Maybe the NS gig bag from Basscentral can accommodate both and distribute the weight?

Cleveland

Well...the endpin and tripod stand are VERY heavy. I checked them with my non-carry on luggage...I repeat it is VERY Heavy. (Also, My NS gig bag doesn't have room for the stand/endpin.) Maybe the NS gig bag from Basscentral can accommodate both and distribute the weight?

Cleveland

I have to concur, the tripod stand is super heavy duty and probably weighs as much if not more than the actual bass itself. If I was still actively gigging I would toss it in my drummers hardware case.

Well...the endpin and tripod stand are VERY heavy. I checked them with my non-carry on luggage...I repeat it is VERY Heavy. (Also, My NS gig bag doesn't have room for the stand/endpin.) Maybe the NS gig bag from Basscentral can accommodate both and distribute the weight?


I agree that the standard black gig NS bag is very poor and I always used to find that the bass would get knocks when carrying it about and it felt heavier than it should...:hmm:

Gard's bag from BassCentral makes a huge difference and the whole thing feels much lighter when carrying it about, as it is so well balanced.

I don't have an endpin, but the pocket for the tripod stand is pretty big and there is also a pocket for bows which I use. It just feels so much more comfortable to haul around and the thickness of the padding means I never worry about dings now - whereas before it was a real problem.

I think one of these bags is an essential for travelling about with the bass!

I agree, I didn’t feel the standard bag offered much protection for airline travel. I was traveling on short notice, so I added 1 inch thick foam padding (around the inside and at the ends). This worked out very well. But, I’m definitely going to purchase the BassCentral NS bag.

CD

I totally concur with you fellas about the black NS bag. I've got some small dings on the bottom of my bass and it's even got to the point where I've had to put extra padding in the bottom of the bag, to avoid getting even more. I also try whenever possible, to carry the stand bag separate from the bass bag, as the zip from the stand bag has caused a couple of small indentations on the back of the neck.

I've just had a flightcase made for the bass; basically a replica of the one that NS are offering, but by a British company for a lot cheaper. This will make things a lot easier when touring. The Basscentral bag does look good and would make carrying the bass around a lot easier, for local gigs. I'm glad to hear that the bag is balanced. The NS bag is horrendous for balance and destroys your shoulder before you've even got to the gig :eek:

I agree that the standard black gig NS bag is very poor and I always used to find that the bass would get knocks when carrying it about and it felt heavier than it should...:hmm:

Gard's bag from BassCentral makes a huge difference and the whole thing feels much lighter when carrying it about, as it is so well balanced....



Hi,
you ordered one of these bags from basscentral?
cant seem to find them?
do you have link, info etc...(im also in UK)
i agree the standard NS bag is pants!

J

Just got one a couple of weeks ago, and it is a great upgrade.

http://www.basscentral.com/2003/upright.shtml

bottom of page

Bruce...

how much did you pay for the NS padded bag at the bass centre? Looks like a good investment...

Hi,
you ordered one of these bags from basscentral?
cant seem to find them?
do you have link, info etc...(im also in UK)
i agree the standard NS bag is pants!

J

Yes - I bought one from Gard - who is a fellow TB member and who designed this !!

You can go to Bass Centrals's website and email them etc. I did it as a 'net transaction using their website (see link provided by worldDMZ ?) and it came pretty quickly - from US to UK! :)

I can't remember exactly what I paid - but the £ to $ conversion is pretty favourable to us!! :)

great cheers guys...
will attempt to order one from bass central later..
now...which colour to go for!? :eyebrow:
cheers
J

Hi folks, I just got my NSCR4M last week and I absolutely love the sound! Can't wait to gig with it! Hi Bruce!

Mine didn't come with a stand so I am stubbornly attempting to construct my own out of drum hardware :)

Hi there - you could buy one direct...? Or even buy an endpin kit?
I'm sure I looked at the NS site and they sold these under "accessories"...?

hello, guess i'm in the club too, if allowed,
owned my cr5m for over a year and love the thing to death...
pizz, arco, piezo, magnetic, natural, w/fx,
it's an instument like no other, i love the hybrid qualities of it and after 23 years of playing it's my first keeper...only accessory left to get is the endpin stand. it's been on tour internationally and has held up like a champ. my only complaint was the horrid strings that came stock on it...pitiful, but easily changed. i settled on a set of d'addario helicore hybrids and am happy as a clam. one day i hope to get the 6'er, and attempt the low f#b e a d g tuning- bowed f#...ill.
go to the site (302acid.com) for lots of free music downloads made with the ns.
cheers
d

p.s. also got mine from gard when he was at b.c.- big thanks!

Hey D.A.R.K., I liked the site, thanks for the downloads. The only mp3 I couldn't get is the one at www.gel-sol.com. Is that site offline?

hi, thanks for checking out the music!
not sure whats up with gel-sol, he might be switching servers right now(lucky guy gets his site for free).
his solo work is fantastic, beautiful stuff
new reviews of the 302acid cd coming out in wire and future music,
also getting regular airplay on bbc and in ireland now,
nice so many folks are supporting the release.
cheers!
d

So, the real question is...can you stow this bad boy in the overhead compartment on an airplane? That is, will the stand/endpin also fit in the gig bag and still be easy to tote around the airport? I hated the idea of buying a flight case for the BSX and having to break it down and pay for oversize luggage everytime I needed to travel.

i travel overseas and in the country extensively with my ns and have never been able to bring it on the plane due to it's length...
i invested in a flight case(ns made, used score at bc) and it's the safest way to transport the instrument bar none. it weighs in at under 50lbs packed easily with tripod(heavier than bass), xtra strings, tools, batteries, bow&rosin, cables, and an ebs microbass2 pre-amp.
that's in the accepted weight range without an overweight charge.
if you do get on one plane, there is no guarantee another will accept it in the cabin, and although hand-carried to you at the end of the flight
it's still in a soft case and subject to extreme/fast climate change
and dammage. imho/ime the flight case is your best bet.
cheers
d

Some people have commented how they never use the magnetic pickups, however I also spoke to someone at Bass Central who thinks that the bass can get a deeper fuller sound with them. Thoughts?

I just ordered some Helicore Hybrid Mediums for my EU6, anyone else use those?

Has anyone tried the La Bella black nylon strings on their NS bass?

hi josh, i use the hybrid mediums as well.
it took about a month of playing for them to break in, and i'm really happy with them. great for arco and pizz, nice and even, although at first the b and e strings had a slightly different character than the a d and g, a bit darker. i recently tried a light set, had 'em on for a few days and switched back to the mediums, i prefer the mediums...
oh well, at least i have a backup set now. two things:
on my bass, the b was too large to get through the small aluminum ring on the underside of the string-hole, so i just removed the ring.
the string was also too large to pull through the tuning head hole,
so i had to remove the fabric winding at the top to make it a bit smaller, this worked just fine.
enjoy
d

Thanks for the input DARK. I just got them today. I'll post my experiences with them once I get them strung up.

I've never used upright strings, is there any trick to stringing them properly? I know the core is very different.

edit: Hey, did you notice that the C string had a solid core instead of being stranded? It also has a small ball end instead of the large one. I'm a little worried that this might be a normal flat wound electric bass string.

hi josh,
i have a cr5m, so i haven't used a c yet, although i might try one for some soloing some time...
but that string does sound odd. does it have the same yellow/green thread binding as the other strings?
as far as putting the strings on, you will notice about half way up the black back plate, there are grooves that are meant to anchor the ball ends of normal upright strings..the strings are then run down, through the holes, then up over the bridge to the nut/tuners.
this differs with the stock strings which are much shorter, the ball ends mounting flush with the string-holes.
cheers
d

Has anyone tried the La Bella black nylon strings on their NS bass?

Yes! Sustainnnnnnnnnnnnnnn!

I put a set of Pirastro Obligato strings on my CR5M last night. It was a 4 string set that I got from a guy who had them on his UB for a couple days.

The change wasn't drastic, but it was definitely an improvement. Much more woody/organic. Most importantly, the G string no longer has the metallic/ fretless BG sound it used to have.

Still need to find a B string. Anyone?

Hi,
I'm soon to start gigging with a CR4M which I recently aquired and I want to purchase some new strings as backup.
I'd like to stay with NS strings at this time as I'm new to the world of EUB and as someone mentioned before, experimentation of DB strings can be costly.
What are peoples experiance of NS Flatwound, Roundwound or Helicores ?
I'm looking for a sound that is close to a DB so my initial reaction would be to go for Flatwounds, I'm guessing.
Finally, I'm based in the UK. Where is the cheapest place to buy NS strings ?. Can anyone suggest an outlet in the uk, overseas or am I best ordering from NS direct.
All comments and suggestions welcome.
Thanks, Alan

Hi,
I'm soon to start gigging with a CR4M which I recently aquired and I want to purchase some new strings as backup.
I'd like to stay with NS strings at this time as I'm new to the world of EUB and as someone mentioned before, experimentation of DB strings can be costly.
What are peoples experiance of NS Flatwound, Roundwound or Helicores ?
I'm looking for a sound that is close to a DB so my initial reaction would be to go for Flatwounds, I'm guessing.
Finally, I'm based in the UK. Where is the cheapest place to buy NS strings ?. Can anyone suggest an outlet in the uk, overseas or am I best ordering from NS direct.
All comments and suggestions welcome.
Thanks, Alan


Well, in my experience - the NS strings are the least like a DB!! :hmm:

I bought some Pirastro Flexocors (Orch) for my NSCR5 and they sound much more like a real DB!

I bought my strings from

http://www.polychord.com

and they have been very good - generally cheaper than UK shops, but VAT is included, so no problems with customs holding stuff up, which has been a problem when buying from the US.

Hello again Bruce

Finally got my Flexocors after speaking to you a few weeks ago via pm. Yeah, their sound is definitely more like a DB and you were dead right about the loss of sustain. At the moment, the arco doesn't sound too great, but I'm assuming that this will improve when i've worn the strings in a bit. I have the same problem when I put brand new strings on my violin. The sound gets richer and deeper after playing the strings in for a few weeks.

Onkelpo, if you want a big fretless-like sound, go for the NS strings. These are best ordered from www.basscentral.com in Florida. They cost around £50 and are usually sent quite quickly. However, if you want a real Double bass tone, take Bruce's advice and get the Pirastro Flexocors. They are expensive but worth the money. They are reasonably priced at www.polychord.com which is a site in Vienna that doesn't charge postage :)

Thanks for the response Bruce and Kewleb. I'm tempted by the Pirastro Flexocors as the tone that is being described does appear to be what I'm looking for.
A couple more questions if you don't mind...
Is it possible to fit these like the NS strings so the battery compartment is still exposed ?
Is the Flexocor a hybrid type string ?

Bruce, as your only an hour from me, do you use any particular luthier in the South East to maintain your NS. Always useful to know someone in case of problems.

Is it possible to fit these like the NS strings so the battery compartment is still exposed ?


No they're too long - but this has never been a problem to me when changing the batteries (once year only!) - I just loosen the middle two strings until I can pull them aside and access the battery compartment - no problem!!


Is the Flexocor a hybrid type string ?


Errr..don't know what you mean - ask Francois!! ;)


Bruce, as your only an hour from me, do you use any particular luthier in the South East to maintain your NS. Always useful to know someone in case of problems.

Err...never used one - they're so solid - what can go wrong ?
Adjustments are simplicity itself and you can download the manual from the NS webiste.

But if I was to do this, I would go back to the Bass Centre in London where I bought it!!

I have taken BGs back there and they have fixed stuff for me for free and they have been very good - I think their tech guy is called Chris - he's very knowledgeable and approachable.

Hi guys!


I've just bought a 5-string set of D'addario Helicore Hybrids thanks to you guys and with suggestions from my upright bass-teacher.

I'm getting the stings on tuesday, I'll let you know what I think about them when they're fitted. :bassist:

Regarding the question about Flexocors being an hybrid string:
The Flexocors are made of steel, and are meant mostly at orchestral/arco playing.
They're loaded with dampening stuff that makes them more thumpy and warm when playing pizz. It also reduces sustain.
On EUBs this can give good results if a very warm tone with less sustain is desired.

Well its time I bought some new strings for the NS and have decided to give the Pirastro Flexocor Orchs a try as recommended by Bruce and co. On searching the web, net of VAT at US158.24 seems to be the best price I have found. Shipping is not an issue as I would be ordering several sets of BG strings within the same order.
Does anyone know of a better price for these ?
Thanks
Alan

http://www.juststrings.com/flexocorpirastrodoublebass.html

Check www.music123.com. They carry a lot of Pirastro strings and their prices are better than juststrings.com.

Well its time I bought some new strings for the NS and have decided to give the Pirastro Flexocor Orchs a try as recommended by Bruce and co. On searching the web, net of VAT at US158.24 seems to be the best price I have found. Shipping is not an issue as I would be ordering several sets of BG strings within the same order.
Does anyone know of a better price for these ?
Thanks
Alan

http://www.juststrings.com/flexocorpirastrodoublebass.html



I bought mine from

PolyChord, Gann & Co. KEG
Helgard Steger

http://www.polychord.com

in Vienna Austria - no shipping charge to UK and no further charges added on as VAT is already levied. :)

- if you buy from the US, then VAT will be added on and your package will get stopped in customs with further charges added on for the privilege!! :hmm:

Bruce, am I right in saying I need 4/4 and what will the affect of Soft, Medium are Hard be on the tone, bearing in mind I'm looking for a tone very close to upright.

I just went for medium and I think it was full size, but can't remember being asked this?

I purchased a set of Corelli 370Ms for my NSD EU5 on Francois' recommendation, and I couldn't be happier. I especially like the lower tension.

I put a set of Pirastro Obligato strings on my CR5M last night. It was a 4 string set that I got from a guy who had them on his UB for a couple days . . . The change wasn't drastic, but it was definitely an improvement. Much more woody/organic.

I've got the CRM 4-string. Given that the Obligatos are hybrid strings (not all steel), would this affect the ability of the magnetic pickups to pick up these strings? Or is the steel coating on Obligatos enough for the mag pickups to pick them up? I've been curious about this; so far I've only used all-steel strings on my NS, but I love one of the synthetic hybrid strings (TI Dominant) on my DB.

Gorgula, are you still happy with the Obligatos on your EUB?

I've got the CRM 4-string. Given that the Obligatos are hybrid strings (not all steel), would this affect the ability of the magnetic pickups to pick up these strings? Or is the steel coating on Obligatos enough for the mag pickups to pick them up? I've been curious about this; so far I've only used all-steel strings on my NS, but I love one of the synthetic hybrid strings (TI Dominant) on my DB.

Gorgula, are you still happy with the Obligatos on your EUB?

There is not enough metallic content in Obligatos for use with magnetic pickups.

Thanks for the quick response Bob. I'll stick with the all-steel variety.

I only have piezo pickups in my NS bass as I prefer the sound - I tried basses with magnetic pickups and thought it sounded more like fretless BG...?

I only have piezo pickups in my NS bass as I prefer the sound - I tried basses with magnetic pickups and thought it sounded more like fretless BG...?

I have found you can use any string with the piezo pickups. I recently tried Velvet Garbos. While the gut strings had too much sustain for my tastes, they worked fine with the piezo pickup.

I have found you can use any string with the piezo pickups. I recently tried Velvet Garbos. While the gut strings had too much sustain for my tastes, they worked fine with the piezo pickup.

That's what I was saying - so I am a bit bemused that anyone would use Gut with magnetic pickups...:confused:

The only reason I can think of for using gut, would be to get more of a real DB sound - but then my experience has been that using magnetic pickups, defeats this objective entirely!! :hmm:

Thanks for the quick response Bob. I'll stick with the all-steel variety.

If you're aiming for a more gut-like sound (Obligatos) but need a string that will work with magnetic pickups, check out the Eurosonics, see http://www.urbbob.com/strings.html for a description. I like the Lights; the ultralights are best only for very low tension rockabilly needs. The Lights are not a pleasure to bow, however, if heavy arco is needed.

Thanks for the tip on these strings Bob. I hadn't thought of them, so I will do some research. I've been using Thomastik Spiro Weichs, which are WAY better than the strings that came with the NS, but I will read up on the Eurosonics (including your site).

Continuing my string experimentation into the new year, what is the main difference between the Thomastik Spirocore Orchester Medium and Soft ?

......in the last few minutes before closing time on New Years eve at the Bass centre in London I finally got myself an NS CR5 and I am in Love!, it's taking a little bit of getting used to that huge 5 string neck but I can tell it's going to be a beutiful friendship ;@) at the momment I have the volume and both tone pots up full and the blend control all the way up in "arco" mode and it sounds great, I will experiment with "proper" upright strings down the line but I'm quite happy at the momment and looking forward to trying it out with the band. :hyper:

I took mine to a rehearsal/audition with a local guitar player of some renown (sp?). You know, die hard tube, vintage tele kind of guy. He was somewhat sceptical of the solid state rig and the long skinny gig bag. During the rehearsal he was looking at the amp and looking at the bass in a studied way. Eventually he looked at me, struggling for words, said, "It sounds . . like . . . a bass". Sure I want a real DB someday but the NS cuts the mustard quite nicely.

Welcome to the club subaudio.

Thanks Steve, I will also buy an acoustic bass one day but for my present and foreseeable situation the NS is perfect and gets me on the road to develop "correct" upright techniques, I love it !

Newb here (at the site, not the net or bass playing)

I just ordered me one of these puppies.

NS-CR5M from www.edromanguitars.com I actually talked to Ed himself, excellent dude. Not allowed to say the price though :cool:

Anyway, thought I'd join the club. May go make some other posts around to introduce myself.

Any suggestions on strings (though I'll probably stick with the stockers for a little while), bows or anything else, I'd like to hear em. This is my first EUB/DB. I have played one before but never arco. I do lots of stuff with local theater (musicals that call for arco), man are those guys gonna be happy to have a pseudo EUB sound... Outside of there I doubt I will do much arco, if I do, I won't be really looking for a DB sound anyway. I think I am gonna go with D.A.R.K's suggestion of strings from what I have been reading lately.

Hi TheNico, I'm also new to upright and Arco playing and am loking for a bow with no clue as to where to begin so all sugestions would be most welcome. :)

Welcome to the club, sub! always nice to see another Brit on here. I got my CR4M from the Bass Centre about 3 years ago and have never looked back. Keep enjoying that bass! :D

I recently got my CR4M and love it . I'm also a Brit (Bristol)

I got to do my first gig with the bass last night and just loved the reaction when people see it.

Our sax player said "If Mr Spock played the bass, he would play one of those"

Mind you he also quoted to the music press that our band sounded like "Playing tennis with balls made out of lard" :)

Hey Bob

I know what you mean; the bass is definitely a conversation piece at gigs isn't it :) As soon as you get it out of the case people seem to flock around. The vast majority of onlookers have never even seen one.

Hey Bob

I know what you mean; the bass is definitely a conversation piece at gigs isn't it :) As soon as you get it out of the case people seem to flock around. The vast majority of onlookers have never even seen one.

I was at Jazz Summerschool in a class with the well-known Sax Player/Composer Stan Sulzmann and he was stunned by my NS CR5 and he said it was a very nice bit of sculpture - but was I actually going to play it? ;)

Hi TheNico, I'm also new to upright and Arco playing and am loking for a bow with no clue as to where to begin so all sugestions would be most welcome. :)
that's a can of worms....
i have 3 bows currently...
a 50's kay(french frog), an ary brazillian wood bow(german frog), and a glasser carbon fiber bow(german frog).
they all sound completely different from each other....
dramatically different.
the glasser is my travel bow, #1 .it is the most "springy" in it's feel, even with minimal tension on the hair. great balance and very light. great sounding bow, very strong response in the lowest ranges. 22&3/4th" draw length
the ary is very controlled feel-wise, well balanced, and warm with a particularly nice voice in the upper ranges. 21&1/4th" draw length
the kay is the dog i got for free from a buddy who got my kolstein a few years back. and i do mean in it's condition and loyalty...it won't die. my only bow for 3 years... bad balance, french frog...for the extra work, not bad sounding, actually. 22&3/4th draw length.
i prefer french for the articulation but without a decent bow it's hell on the wrist, and i did miss the power of the german grip in the low register.
all these bows were inexpensive (for bows).
nothing is like a wooden bow, but the carbon fiber is the nicest of the three for the price, best quality in all materials, details, and a nice inlay on the frog, too. great sound and suited best for my travel needs. and i'm not worried about it taking a beating.
it also compliments the sci-fi aspect of the instument nicely :smug:
cheers
doug

Hey thanks for the info, I have been looking into a CF bow. Even though I've never used one I figured a real wood one was better, but I have been reading some on other sites that the CF is a good descent priced bow. Mine will be travelled mostly and I don't really want to go out and spend multi hundreds or even thousands of dollars on a bow when I have never even used one before.

Update on the bass... my card was declined cause my bank has a $2500 purchase limit, I am currently working with the bank and Ed's wife Joann Roman on getting this resolved.

Hey thanks for the info, I have been looking into a CF bow. Even though I've never used one I figured a real wood one was better, but I have been reading some on other sites that the CF is a good descent priced bow. Mine will be travelled mostly and I don't really want to go out and spend multi hundreds or even thousands of dollars on a bow when I have never even used one before.

Update on the bass... my card was declined cause my bank has a $2500 purchase limit, I am currently working with the bank and Ed's wife Joann Roman on getting this resolved.

i got my nscr5m from bass central, it was well under 2,500.00 :eyebrow:
did prices go up perhaps?
doug

I got my CR4M from Bass North West and it came in under 2.2K. I also would have thought that 2.5K would have covered it. :eyebrow:

Yes, keep shopping. I got mine on ebay NOS for under $2000. Bass Central and Bass Northwest are great stores.

I also just bought one of the Undercover gig bags from Bass Central. It's on the road to me now. According to reports here it is a far better bag than the stock NS one. Maybe you can do a deal with Bass Central for the bass and the better case.

I called all over and Ed's price was the best I found. I noticed that the list is $3700, I am wanting to think that at one time list was like $3300...

Anyway, it is all worked out now and on it's way...

oh..

MF was $3029 and Bass Central quoted me $2799 and woodwindbrasswind was $2950...

Hi,
I play CR 4 T and EU 5 , also distribute NS in South East Asia, may I joint the Club?

Thanks,

Johannes

Hi,
I play CR 4 T and EU 5 , also distribute NS in South East Asia, may I joint the Club?

Thanks,

Johannes
Since you are a commercial user, please contact paul (admin@talkbass.com) to get your user title changed to show your commercial affiliation.
Also make sure to read the CUP. (Commercial User Policy)

http://www.talkbass.com/forum/faq.php?faq=commuserpolicy#faq_cup

--Pricing information and other sales dialogue must be confined to private conversations with TB users (PM or email).

I called all over and Ed's price was the best I found. I noticed that the list is $3700, I am wanting to think that at one time list was like $3300...

Anyway, it is all worked out now and on it's way...

oh..

MF was $3029 and Bass Central quoted me $2799 and woodwindbrasswind was $2950...

nice to know my investment isn't going south ;)
not that i plan on ever replaceing the ns...actually, i've had it longer than any other bass i've owned at this point.
congrats on your purchase, i'm sure you won't be dissapointed!
cheers
doug

I received my CR5M about a month ago, playing mostly bluegrass with it. After reading some tips on how to play the thing correctly (or close), I am really digging this thing! Anyways, two questions.

1) What kind of settings have you guys found that you like on this? I figure there is one to approximate a DB sound, and then some killer fretless sounds tht are closer to BG. Any recommendations? (I have made some observations, but would like to hear your guys opinions, if there is a thread on this please let me know)

2) Case? What do you guys like? Got the gig bag, but this band I am playing with travels a good bit, so I'd like to make sure it is good to go.

TB rocks.

I've been lurking in this thread for a few weeks trying to decide whether to take the plunge. As of yesterday, it's a done deal -- picked up a CR-5M from Basscentral.com, which should arrive by week's end (it's going to be a helluva weekend!). Got the NS shoulder strap and the Undercover gig bag, too!

Anyway, I've seen many posts about the poor quality of the standard strings that come with the NS, and that's one of the first things I'll probably want to change to customize my setup. From what I've read, folks are installing standard DB strings in their NS EUB's, but I don't see any info on what SIZE strings. Will 3/4 DB strings work without cutting the strings? Is another size prefereable?

Any detailed tips you experienced NS EUB users can offer with respect to string selection and installation would be most appreciated.

Thanks!
Alan

I received my CR5M about a month ago, playing mostly bluegrass with it. After reading some tips on how to play the thing correctly (or close), I am really digging this thing! Anyways, two questions.

1) What kind of settings have you guys found that you like on this? I figure there is one to approximate a DB sound, and then some killer fretless sounds tht are closer to BG. Any recommendations? (I have made some observations, but would like to hear your guys opinions, if there is a thread on this please let me know)

2) Case? What do you guys like? Got the gig bag, but this band I am playing with travels a good bit, so I'd like to make sure it is good to go.

TB rocks.

Hi,
How are you doing with the bass? Aldo keeps another one of 4 strings , in case you want another one he ..he..:)
Cheers... Johannes

Hi,
How are you doing with the bass? Aldo keeps another one of 4 strings , in case you want another one he ..he..:)
Cheers... Johannes

By far the best deal out there, thanks a ton Johannes! You said you were still using one eh? You using the stock gig bag or did you upgrade?

Thanks for the compliment and you too! I am still using the same old gig bag. I do not know if I can find a better ones, what gig bag are you using?
By the way as I said , my son keeps 1 , 4 strings in Florida, in case you need another one ;)

Well, my CR4M arrived this morning and I haven't put it away yet. What a lovely piece of equipment. I hated the original strings that came with it straight away and put some Helicore Hybrid mediums on. Wow, the difference between this and the Palatino I started learning on is immense. (Anyone in the UK want to buy a little used Palatino?)

I bought mine from Bass Northwest in Seattle, and saved around 430UKP on the list price in London, even with duty and VAT paid. Can't be bad.

Been practicing Danny Thompson licks (ineptly) all morning.

Anyway, I've seen many posts about the poor quality of the standard strings that come with the NS, and that's one of the first things I'll probably want to change to customize my setup. From what I've read, folks are installing standard DB strings in their NS EUB's, but I don't see any info on what SIZE strings. Will 3/4 DB strings work without cutting the strings? Is another size prefereable?


I just bought standard size strings (Pirastro Orchestral) and they fit very well - you just take them under the bottom of the body and up the back to the holes there - the bass is made with this in mind !! :)

Can anyone say which strings are good for the NS? Do I have to change the neck relief when using db-strings? I'm al little bit scared of doing that...

Did you read any of the posts in this thread...? :hmm:

Yes, of course.
Maybe it's because I'm not a native speaker :hmm:

Well my very last post was saying that I bought Pirastro Orchs ( a great recommendation from Francois) and didn't have to change anything when I put them on!

k, thx :hiding:

I just ordered some Helicore Hybrid Mediums for my EU6, anyone else use those?

Hi Josh, I'm wondering how your EU6 experiment went with the Helicores. Did it require any strange modifications? Did you like them?

Hi Josh, I'm wondering how your EU6 experiment went with the Helicores. Did it require any strange modifications? Did you like them?

It went pretty good actually. It sounds a lot more like an upright now and less like a fretless electric bass. Bowing is much better too, can't really explain that one, I don't know much about why certain strings might respond better to a bow. It did require a lot of adjustment though, the helicores are seriously thicker. I think I measured the low B and it was .150, no joke! I called the tech at NS, David, and he walked me through the adjustments, the biggest change was adjusting the neck a LOT to add some forward bow.

Moral: if you want a more 'upright' sound they are a good choice, but be prepared to spend some time getting the setup right.

Yes, of course.
Maybe it's because I'm not a native speaker :hmm:
Welcome aboard, Bassoon.
Well, this is a very good reason to fill out your profile!
So that we know more about you, your gear, musical tastes, location, etc!
It's a great asset when someone asks a question or advice!

http://www.talkbass.com/forum/profile.php?do=editprofile

Thanks again!
Best regards,
François

Hi guys, I got my CR4M a couple of weeks ago and am beginning to get a handle on it. I have been playing electric bass for over 35 years but UR is a new thing for me. Over the years (over 30 of them) I have toyed with the idea of getting an URB but as I am so entrenched in the electric world, this seemed the right thing to do. Check out the band I'm in, Rare Blend at www.rareblend.net, we do a mix of original jazz rock/fusion and world music. It will be some time before I spring the EUB on the band; at the moment I usually play one of my Rickenbackers, fretted and fretless, or my Rick Turner and Zon fretless basses.:hyper:

Among NS product I prefer 4 strings CR T model among other, it really gives more upright sound. I am selling my EU 5, 5 strings is just not for me.

I think how they are set up can change how they sound - so when I was thinking of buying one, the Bass Centre in London got several in for me to try.

So I picked the one that sounded most like acoustic DB to me - which just happened to be a CR5 - but I think a lot of it was that they were set up differently.

I just pulled the string on a new CR4 yesterday! :hyper: Should be here next week. I keep my UB "old school", strung with plain gut DG, Chromcor EA, but I wanted a bass for some modern experimentation, also for the portability these offer. I can't wait to get my hands on her. Sexy little gals aren't they?

If anyone has any suggestions for amps, pre-amps...I want to keep it portable. Combo sized. Thanx in advance,

gomez

Just wondering how stable the strap arrangement is. Can you pizz without the thing swinging in the direction of the pluck? I see pics of people bowing while wearing it on the strap. Is this really possible?

I have been using a SWR Baby Blue II with excellent results. The amp sounds great with the EQ flat and just doing minor adjustments from the bass. I have the one with the 2-8" Celestions, I have not tried the new one with 1-10 speaker.

Thanks Jeff, I was especially looking for something that would work best with piezos, since there are no mags on my CR4, and also for my UB with the Realist bridge foot piezo. I figure one should work for both.

gomez

I pretty much only use the piezo pickups on my CR4M, they do sound much better. I bought mine used so beggars can't be choosers! If I were buying a new one, I'd get a CR4 instead.

In short, how do you orient yourself on the neck? In the two months I have had my NS, I have become worse, not better, in my positioning and intonation. I know that steel bump is supposed to indicate where b,e,a,d, is, but I find myself searching for it, and it isn't straight on the back where it should be. It is so unlike a real DB that when I come out of the first 3 positions I am screwed.
When do you go to using your third finger on your left hand?
Does thumb position at the octave exist? What is the correct thing to do? Continue playing from the back?
?

Bear,

I don't have the 'T' model with the button on the back, so I can't really advise on your problems there. I have the CR4-M with dots on the fingerboard - purists will no doubt frown, but they're a marvellous invention as you try and find your way round the NS neck with none of the usual landmarks.

As regards thumb position, I tend to treat the NS like an over-sized BG and carry on playing from behind the neck. To be honest I don't think it matters which way you approach it - I'd suggest doing whatever seems the most comfortable to you and not worrying too much if it bends the DB technique rules a little (and I suspect thumb position wouldn't have been invented if a DB offered unrestricted access to the upper registers).

Although I notice NS promote the 'T' model as being very similar to a DB I've found you do need to adapt yourself to suit the instrument somewhat - once you've got used to it, it's great but it took me a while to work out the best approach.

Good luck!

i have had to develop a technique that suits the instrument....
i have a cr5m, no thumbstop. it's definitely a hybrid, and i believe an instrument unto itself.
i've found the most comfort using the tripod and a barstool to sit on,
which keeps my leg extended enough to keep out of the way for bowing,
but also allows me to easily access the upper registers.
since there is no body to lean on, i've gotten the best results from
keeping the thumb behind the neck for the most part, only bringing it to the side of the board in the uppermost register or when using the thumb to anchor the strings on the board for chords in the second octave.
for me, the stool is optimal since there is such an accessible range without a body bout that it seems to promote bad posture when taken advantage of. i actually set the bass up rather tall as well, with the nut
well above ear level.
ymmv, it will depend alot on your height and how much of the range you find useful, but once again imho the ns calls for a technique that is as hybrid as the instrument itself.
cheers

i have had to develop a technique that suits the instrument.... imho the ns calls for a technique that is as hybrid as the instrument itself.

I agree completely. The NS is kind of a weird instrument if you're used to DB or EBG. I love what it gives me in terms of sound and volume, but you definitely have to work out your own physical approach to it. I do use thumb position from the octave on up, but to do it, I have to stand just about completely behind the instrument and scrunch my chest against it from behind in order to steady it and get the right positioning and leverage. It's a bit hard to explain. If you just keep playing, I'm sure you'll figure out a technique and approach that works. Good luck.

I recently did some string experiments with my NS Design CR4M. The experiments were conducted with controls set to piezzo only, pizz only, and bass and treble at center.

1. Stock NS Design flatwounds: very ringy and too bright for my tastes.

2. D'Addario Hybrid mediums: not bad, but the A had too much thud followed by a bright twang. Sounded better when I turned the treble down halfway.

3. TI Spirocore weich: The E and A were very nice. Lots of growl and good fundamentals, not too bright and not too dark. My current fav for E and A. The D and G were good, too, except when playing above the octave position. They had very little sustain in those ranges.

4. D'Addario Pizzicato mediums: too bright and ringy, like the NS Design flatwounds (maybe they are the same?).

5. TI Belcanto mediums: The D and G are very nice. Warm tone, and good sustain all the way up the neck (unlike the Spiros). Bit darker than the Spiros but still nice. My current fav for D and G. The A was OK, but dark and a bit thuddy. I could live with it, but prefer the growl of the Spiro A. The E was very dark. Too dark for my tastes and not the growl that the Spiro E has. Good sustain, though. It may be an acquired taste thing.

Upshot: For now I am going with Spiro E and A, and Belcanto D and G, with the Belcanto E and A sitting in reserve -- willing to give them a second chance.


Hi guys...



I'm on the search for some good strings that would make my NS-Deisgn EUB sound a bit more acoustic.

What do you use on your NS?

I've heard that D'addario should be good...



Thanks a lot... :help:

My Kay URB is strung with Obligatos and it's equipped with both a Pierre Josephs String Charger magnetic pup and a Fishman Full Circle piezo pup. The Obli's DO work with the magnetic and sound good, but the signal is somewhat low so you have to crank the gain on your preamp, resulting in some hiss because of the signal to noise ratio. But, when you're playing with a guitar player that has 2 Vox AC30's on either side of the stage in stereo, noone notices that bit o' hiss... :eyebrow:

I love the Obli's thru the Full Circle! My NS WAV4 (no magnetic pups) is due to arrive on Monday and I have some Obli's just waiting to be used :hyper:

Tony

5. TI Belcanto mediums: The D and G are very nice. Warm tone, and good sustain all the way up the neck (unlike the Spiros). Bit darker than the Spiros but still nice. My current fav for D and G. The A was OK, but dark and a bit thuddy. I could live with it, but prefer the growl of the Spiro A. The E was very dark. Too dark for my tastes and not the growl that the Spiro E has. Good sustain, though. It may be an acquired taste thing.

Thanks for sharing your experiment with us!
I'd also like to try the Belcantos D & G on my Carruthers EUB.

Best,
François

Sample sound files of 4 different string types on my NS Design CR4M. Would be interested in people's impressions.

http://briefcase.yahoo.com/bc/hondam@pacbell.net/lst?.dir=/ns+design+string+tests

Tone controls set flat. 100% pizz setting and 100% piezo setting.

The strings:

TI Belcanto medium
TI Spirocore weich
Helicore Hybrid medium
Helicore Pizzicato medium

Recorded direct (no mic) to Audacity via M-Audio MobilePreUSB.

These are raw "apples to apples" comparisons. The only differences are the strings. In actual performance situations, one would apply appropirate EQ to tailor the sound to suit one's tastes. You're free to apply your own EQ to these files to see how the sound can be tailored (or not) to your tastes.

I added two files containing two performance segments of the Joe Henderson tune The Kicker by the same jazz ensemble, with the bass strung with Belcanto strings on one and with Spirocore strings on the other. The recordings were done in the same room with the same equipment. The CR4M was played through a GK MB150 with all tone setting set to flat on both the amp and bass. The recordings were made with an AT825 mic and a Zoom H4 recorder.

http://briefcase.yahoo.com/bc/hondam@pacbell.net/lst?.dir=/ns+design+string+tests

I think this is a more "real world" comparison. I have made some conclusions comparing how the bass sounds in the two files. I'll reserve my thoughts after I hear from others.

Sample sound files of 4 different string types on my NS Design CR4M. Would be interested in people's impressions.

http://briefcase.yahoo.com/bc/hondam@pacbell.net/lst?.dir=/ns+design+string+tests

Tone controls set flat. 100% pizz setting and 100% piezo setting.

The strings:

TI Belcanto medium
TI Spirocore weich
Helicore Hybrid medium
Helicore Pizzicato medium

Recorded direct (no mic) to Audacity via M-Audio MobilePreUSB.

These are raw "apples to apples" comparisons. The only differences are the strings. In actual performance situations, one would apply appropirate EQ to tailor the sound to suit one's tastes. You're free to apply your own EQ to these files to see how the sound can be tailored (or not) to your tastes.

MZH, thanks for posting those cuts. Nice playing! Between the two, I thought the Belcanto's had a richer sound, and a stronger sound (I could hear them through the mix better than the Spiro's, although perhaps you were playing stronger, it's hard to tell).

Did you still have the NS control set all the way to piezo, and all the way to pizzicato? In the first set of tests you posted, all four of the tests had that electronic NS sound, but in these two later cuts, the sound was less electronic. Perhaps due to other instruments covering up some of it, but also perhaps due to settings or recording technique? I'll be interested to hear what others think.

Greitzer:

Thanks for your reply (and your complement on my playing -- but I've played better: these were just rehearsals).

To answer your question, yes I had the piezo and pizzicato set 100%, just like the first set of tests, and all tone controls set flat on the amp and bass. I think the reasons the last two cuts sound less electronic are 1) I am playing through a GK MB150, which has very little high-end response (equivalent to turning down the treble control), which eliminates much of the electroinic feel, 2) the amp was also on the floor, which boosts the bass response, and 3) as you say, the other instruments cover up. If you take the first set of recordings of the raw NS sound and apply bass booist and treble cut, you will get a more natural, less electronic sound. YMMV.

I agree with you that the Belcantos sound better. There is more definition, due to the "thumpier" sound.

I think my theory on the NS is that it is like a very bright acoustic bass and darker strings make it sound better (in contrast to using brighter strings, like the Helicore Pizzicatos, on a dark bass).

The NS has tone controls, unlike an acoustic bass, so some of the string's brightness/darkeness can be tweaked. When playing the Helicore Pizzicatos, for example, the NS sounds best with the treble turned down a lot and the bass boosted a bit (plus maybe adding a touch of the arco PUs for bit more "thud"). So the choice of string for the NS is somewhat less critical due to it's tone controls.

Thanks again for listening and commenting!

MZH, thanks for posting those cuts. Nice playing! Between the two, I thought the Belcanto's had a richer sound, and a stronger sound (I could hear them through the mix better than the Spiro's, although perhaps you were playing stronger, it's hard to tell).

Did you still have the NS control set all the way to piezo, and all the way to pizzicato? In the first set of tests you posted, all four of the tests had that electronic NS sound, but in these two later cuts, the sound was less electronic. Perhaps due to other instruments covering up some of it, but also perhaps due to settings or recording technique? I'll be interested to hear what others think.

I agree about the Belcantos being fuller and more present in the mix; but I also felt the Spiros sounded "more acoustic", more like a quiet actual DB. So with better EQ and mixing in the PA, the Spiros might be preferable; but with only your own gear to depend on, the more aggressive Belcantos would be needed.

Of the samples, I definitely preferred the belcantos.

Any ideas how Corelli's would sound relative to your samples?

Also, what's a good B string to go with the belcantos - they only do 4 strings...

DB

I have Belcantos on my DB. I also have a NS CR5M.

FWIW, I listened to the sound clips. I have TI Superflexibles on my NS, and the tone is remarkably similar pizz to the DIed clips posted of the Belcantos. A very fair approximation, IMO.

Why is this relevant? They cost less than half what a set of Belcantos cost!

Superflexible has a B. Even if you go with Belcanto, it would match them well.

Very interesting. Did you have the tone controls set to flat on the NS and amp and the pickups on full pizz and piezo settings when you made the comparison to the Belcantos clips? In other words, is it an apples-to-apples comparison?



FWIW, I listened to the sound clips. I have TI Superflexibles on my NS, and the tone is remarkably similar pizz to the DIed clips posted of the Belcantos. A very fair approximation, IMO.

Why is this relevant? They cost less than half what a set of Belcantos cost!

Superflexible has a B. Even if you go with Belcanto, it would match them well.

Very interesting. Did you have the tone controls set to flat on the NS and amp and the pickups on full pizz and piezo settings when you made the comparison to the Belcantos clips? In other words, is it an apples-to-apples comparison?

The only tone control I ever use on my NS is the magnetic/piezo pan. I think my comparison is fair.

Based on my DB experiences, the Belcanto will definitely bow better, but I would not drop $180 on a pizz string. The Superflexible will serve you fine.

So I did it. Took the step from electric bass to electric upright bass. I traded my 6-string Status Graphite Stealth-2 headless for a NS Designs CR5M a week ago and haven't regretted the switch for a single second. What a sound and what an instrument! I am currently using only the piezo mic, as it gives me the most "acoustic" sound. It really has a sound of it's own. Like an acoustic fretless with the DB thump. Not to mention the sustain!!!

I really planned to buy an EU bass, but this trade was just to tempting. Got it with both the flightcase and optional endpin. I am using the tripod stand for the moment, though!

I have one question though. To enable the use of regular DB strings, there are slots on the backside to accommodate the extra length of those strings. How come there are only four slots? Where does the fifth (or first) string go? Is this the same on all CR5 (M) basses.

Just wondering how stable the strap arrangement is. Can you pizz without the thing swinging in the direction of the pluck? I see pics of people bowing while wearing it on the strap. Is this really possible?

It is rock solid. You can tighten the various arms to move as much or as little as you like. I keep mine tight but still moveable, so I can change positions whenever I want to. Bowing it is very possible, just did it this weekend.;)

I too recently acquired a CR4M. One day shipping form the wonderful folks at Gollihur Music.

I was thinking about the Wav. The GC on 14th st in NYC has a Wav and a CR4M. I had the chance to compare and contrast over the months. The Wav was getting beat by the abusers, umm I mean shoppers. The controls were wiggling, the stand was wobbly, etc.. But the CR4M was just fine. It just felt so much better than the Wav.

Plus at the price from Gollihur, it was much less painful than the GC price.

I am in love with this. I do need to start working on the modified Simandl or whatever for lower position playing.

I actually found myself keeping the balance even between the mags and the piezos, but in full Pizz mode. A little top rolled off due to the new strings.

Sounded just great through my SWR WorkingPro 12 Combo.

Well thanks to everyones responses in this thread I just ordered a NS CR4M. Looking forward to the challenge of learning to a play an EUB.

where does it say at bass centre that they offer the 12 months payment plan? I'm not calling anyone a liar I would just like to know.

I've been wanting a NS EUB for awhile but could never save up for it. With the 12 month Payment plan, I could easily pay it off.


Thanks, and sorry I got off topic.
-Scott

where does it say at bass centre that they offer the 12 months payment plan? I'm not calling anyone a liar I would just like to know.

I've been wanting a NS EUB for awhile but could never save up for it. With the 12 month Payment plan, I could easily pay it off.


Thanks, and sorry I got off topic.
-Scott


I bought my NSCR5 from the Bass Centre on interest-free-credit - 12 payments - no interest!! :)

But that was a few years ago - I think they may have stopped doing that now, as it was too expensive for them!!

Ring them up and say - I know somebody who did this - how about it!!?? :p

I think they do credit - but charge interest...

Still - it worked for me!! :smug:

Just wondering how stable the strap arrangement is. Can you pizz without the thing swinging in the direction of the pluck? I see pics of people bowing while wearing it on the strap. Is this really possible?

the strap is really cool, but i personally found it useless for arco.
holds the bass steadily in place, but it's so close to the body
it makes it extremely uncomfortable (for me) on my bowing hand/wrist.
i love arco on this bass(nscr5m)!

I need an Undercover Bag for my CR4M. Does anybody know where to buy them other than Bass Central?

What's wrong with Bass Central ? :confused:

Received my bass yesterday. Already 100% blown away by this bass. I've been playing everything with it. Construction, sound, feel... EVERYTHING about it is top notch. If I wasn't a bassist for life I'd probably buy the cheaper Wav but I'm glad I went with the CR series.

I ordered my CR4M from Lemur Music who didn't have them in stock at the time so mine came directly from the factory. Instead of the piezo vert/horiz toggle switch the CR's now have a piezo horiz/vert blend knob just like the EU Series. I guess they changed that on the CR's since coming out with the EU's.

Day 3 - 3 things I have noticed so far:
1) Tuning machines have a lot of backlash. I have Schaller's on a pbass fretless and a tele. They are very precise, these aren't.
2) I'm catching a faint feedback noise/hum from what I believe is the piezo pickups. I don't know if its the settings I'm choosing but its only when notes on the D and G strings are played (higher notes) and with the piezo pickups. I'm playing through headphones so its not the usual feedback I'm used to. [Fixed with foam under strings between bridge and body]
3) D and G strings are much brighter than the E and A... and the E will sustain forever as it is.. the D and G strings will actually get louder if you let them sing. Some sort of dampening on the strings is needed when played under most situations/bands - you can sustain a note longer than a synthesizer (lol). I'm sure a lot of this is resolved with DB type strings as mentioned by others earlier in this thread. [Foam helped].

Nothing to shy anyone away from the CR series but things I have noticed.

Edit: I found that the overtone/feedback was the D and G strings resonating between the bridge and where the strings come out of the body. Piece of foam to dampen the strings took care of it.

Day 4.. or is it 5?:
If you'd like to hear me attempting to play my CR4M check out Brighter Days on my myspace page (http://www.myspace.com/solocircumnavigation). Song was written and recorded by a friend of mine Jason Pfaff (http://myspace.com/jasonpfaff23) I added the bass after the fact with his permission. This recording was done the first night I had the bass and I'm far from being a capable fretless player much less a DB player. As much as I hate fret markers - thank you for the dots! I'd be pretty lost without them. Last time I touched an upright was about 20 years ago. :help: .

Anyone worried about construction can see that issues previously mentioned in this thread are not apparent in the pictures i posted.

Well my very last post was saying that I bought Pirastro Orchs ( a great recommendation from Francois) and didn't have to change anything when I put them on!

Which ones are the Orchs?

Pirastro (http://www.pirastro.com) lists these steel strings:

Permanent
Flexocor
Original Flexocor
Flat Chrome-steel
Original Flat-Chrome
Chromecor
Jazzer

Okay then.. figured it out myself.

http://www.talkbass.com/forum/showpost.php?p=1142655&postcount=13

So I switched to Helicore Hybrid Mediums on my NS CRT5M and what a difference! The instrument sounds much more upright now but still has lots of sustain. I dropped the low B and added a high C instead. This is the first time I change strings on an EUB. On an electric bass the strings always sounds too bright in the beginning and won't sound right before you have played a few hours on them. Is there a similar "grace"-period with DB-strings? Also I suspect that DB-strings lasts longer than electric bass strings. Anyone knows the difference. I know this is mor like a string question but I am mainly asking other CRT owners out there.

I know this is mor like a string question but I am mainly asking other CRT owners out there.
Can't answer your question, but the EUB forum covers everything EUB related, including strings, amps, etc!

All the excitement about the WAV seems to have hidden this, at least from me. Couldn't find any other posts about it.

http://www.nedsteinberger.com/prices/price-3.htm

CR4MG Bass* 4 CR4 Bass with Graphite Fingerboard New for 2006

(and a 5 stringer too)

I suppose I could email them to ask about it, but it is much more fun to hang out here and monger rumors. (: Anyone heard more about this or tried one? Does it exist yet?

Curious if any other EU5/EU6 users are having problems getting their B strings to speak properly. I have a set of the Corelli TX's, and I'm on my second B string which is better than the first, but still noticeably lacking in sustain compared to the other strings which sound great. They are anchored around the bottom, perhaps the B isn't achored well??

When I first got my EU6 I thought that maybe the B was a little softer than the E string. However, I think that was just my adjusting to how fat that B string is. A change of strings and a bit more oomph in my pluck did the trick.

It might be possible that something is wrong in your pickup system. If you bought it new, certainly talk to NS. They offered the best customer service I've ever experienced.

They haven't replied to my e-mail as of yet, I'll try the phone soon.

thanks!

Is there somewhere I can find a concise description of all the different NS models? I'm about to purchase a CR4t through the TB classifieds and I don't know how it differs from other NS basses except that it has 4 strings. What are the designations?

Is there somewhere I can find a concise description of all the different NS models? I'm about to purchase a CR4t through the TB classifieds and I don't know how it differs from other NS basses except that it has 4 strings. What are the designations?

The "T" models are without EMG pickups (piezo only) and are supposed to be set up to feel more DB-like

The "T" models are without EMG pickups (piezo only) and are supposed to be set up to feel more DB-like

OK. Thanks.

Hey guys, I'm seriously considering picking up a CR4M, but I have an issue regarding strings and tuning.

I've been playing electric in CGDA tuning for about 7 years now, and I'm not about to try to re-learn EADG. Does any manufacturer make a fifths set of strings that would work with both the mags and the piezos? I imagine I will primarily play pizz, but I'd like to try my hand at arco, too. I'm hoping to get a good upright sound, rather than a glorified fretless BG. I know I'm asking alot out of a set of strings, but surely there must be something available. No?

Thomastik makes a fifth-tuning Spirocore set. (called the Red Mitchell set)
It's 100% metal so no problem with a mag pickup!
Pirastro Obligatos are now available in a fifth-tuning set, but I'm not sure they work well with a mag pickup, since the core is synthetic.

However, you can also that kind of setup:
1st string: a solo-tuning G (A)
2nd string: a regular D
3rd string: a solo-tuning E (F#) tuned up to G
4th string: a low C or even a low B tuned up to C

With this setup you get a much wider choice.

Hope this helps!

When I first got my EU6 I thought that maybe the B was a little softer than the E string. However, I think that was just my adjusting to how fat that B string is. A change of strings and a bit more oomph in my pluck did the trick.

It might be possible that something is wrong in your pickup system. If you bought it new, certainly talk to NS. They offered the best customer service I've ever experienced.


Hey Jim. could you relay what make/model B string you are currently using on your EU6? thanks.

I'm considering a CR4M, but I haven't been able to actually get my hands on one. Can someone tell me if, using the standard tripod stand, it is possible to play the instrument in a vertical, double bass position while seated in a regular chair (not a stool), with both feet on the ground?

I'm considering a CR4M, but I haven't been able to actually get my hands on one. Can someone tell me if, using the standard tripod stand, it is possible to play the instrument in a vertical, double bass position while seated in a regular chair (not a stool), with both feet on the ground?

I think it is pretty much possible to adjust the stand to any position - I always prefer standing up - but there have been a couple of times, where I was a bit "hung over" and tired ;) when I lowered the stand and played sitting down! :p

the stand sure is nice when changing strings too. re: Corelli B-string: I've got a Forte guage to try with the group tomorrow, I'll report soon.

Hi there,

first of all please forgive my poor english ^^°

i was looking for an EUB to buy for a folk/songwriter project (much like brassens & similar) and maybe some jazz when i get older ;). i really dig NS compactness and design much over palatino-like EUBs but i read some opinions about NS sound much more like a fretless bass guitar than a double bass.

now

i think that an EUB can't simply sound as the real thing so i'd only like to understand if the NS (i'm looking for the CR4M for the flexibility of the magnetic pickups) can simply be up for the job.
I'll also appreciate some samples (bowed or pizzicato) of your NS if you're so kind to provide them ;) in return i can offer some free italian-english translations :D

I'll also appreciate some samples (bowed or pizzicato) of your NS if you're so kind to provide them ;)

Here's some samples that may give you an idea:
http://www.davidmallett.com/content.aspx?page=music
The bass is the CR4M strung with Spiro Weichs, with about a 20/80 mag/piezo mix.

-Mike

ps- your english is fine!
;)

Hi there,

i think that an EUB can't simply sound as the real thing so i'd only like to understand if the NS (i'm looking for the CR4M for the flexibility of the magnetic pickups) can simply be up for the job.
I'll also appreciate some samples (bowed or pizzicato) of your NS if you're so kind to provide them ;) in return i can offer some free italian-english translations :D

Giovane - there are lot of samples of artists using NS EUBs on the NS site. Goto Mike Rosch and you'll here the fantastic sound he gets from his EU6, IMHO. He uses the original strings too. Here's the link.

http://www.nedsteinberger.com/artists/artists.html

mburd - that's great stuff you had on your link. Very tastfull playing, spot on for the music. Have you raised the action at all on your bass?:)

I'm awating delivery of a CR4M. Excited? Like a little boy waiting for his new toy. Can't wait!!!:hyper:

Thx a lot for the links! I'm just wondering on the models mentioned in the ns design artists page... there are some EU Double Bass and CR Double Bass, but there are also a lot of NS Double Bass... it does refer to CR or EU model or it is a discontinued model ^^°°°

BassBus, My bass is out of reach, but off the top of my head I'd say the string height on mine is approx 7mm-4mm E-G measured fingerboard to string underside.
The bass is very easy to adjust, but I suggest that you record the measurements of the original setup spec before you start tweaking in case you need to "go back". Adjust in small increments too.. Have fun with your new bass! FYI, on my recent visit to the UK the bass was still in tune when I arrived at my first gig. The bass travels very well.

Giovane, The NS website details the model differences, but looking at the website "artist" page I can see where there may be some confusion. Somewhere on the website you may find some model history info, but I'll make a crude attempt at taxing the limits of my leaky brain:
For quite some time the CR was the only series offered following the discontinuation of the original US bass, so those links may be an artifact of that period.
The CR is made in the Czech Republic:
http://www.nedsteinberger.com/instruments/bass/crseriesbass.htm

The EU (also Made in CR) has more of the attributes of the original US model, such as the concave neck profile and laminated construction:
http://www.nedsteinberger.com/instruments/bass/eu/eubass.htm

One of the many benefits of living in Maine is the close proximity I have to the NS folks. David Kowalski (shop manager) has been very responsive to my needs.

Thanks mburd. Bass is not here yet but I shall try things out when it arrives. Good idea to recrod original string heights. Funny how the simple things don't always occur to you. :hmm:

[...]
Giovane, The NS website details the model differences, but looking at the website [...] has been very responsive to my needs.

thx a lot mburd, your answer has been really exhaustive :) i hope i don't become too annoying in asking if it is possible to hear some samples of the cr4m alone, in its more DB-oriented sound...

the stand sure is nice when changing strings too. re: Corelli B-string: I've got a Forte guage to try with the group tomorrow, I'll report soon.


Probably bad ettiquette to reply to onesself, but the jam with the new Forte B string went well, although, I'm still having definition issues with the B. I just got an interesting reply from Savarez saying that they will in fact make custom length strings. Why do I want a custom length string? To utilize the achor point at the end of the instrument instead of the one 'round the back. I can't think of why this string isn't working other than at this gague, that almost 90 degree bend at the bottom is too much. this would perhaps open up the possibility of getting NS length strings for the entire set from Savarez. Of course I don't really need them as the rest of the set sound fine, great in fact, but having a matching set would be nice. I'll report when something else happens on this front.

anyone else with Corelli experiences on an NS like to comment?

Can anyone give me some dimentions for the neck of the CR5. I'm looking for the width at the nut and at the 12th 'fret'. Thanks in anticipation.