strings for Ned Steinberger EUB

[Bassoon]

I finally bought the NS upright bass and I'm really happy with it. But what strings do I have to buy for the NS?
There are "custom" d'addario strings on it, which i can't buy here in germany. For me these strings look like regular e-bass flatwounds. Can I also use d'addario super long scale flatwounds?

[Bruce Lindfield]

Any Double Bass strings will fit, by wrapping round the back - there's a huge choice available - although non-metal will only work with the piezo and not mag pickup.

Look through the forums for suggestions - I liked Pirastro Orchs!! Bought them mail order from Vienna - www.polychord.com

[Bassoon]

But aren't regular db strings too thick for the EUB? The strings on my bass are really thin, like ebass strings.

[Bruce Lindfield]

Originally Posted by Bassoon

But aren't regular db strings too thick for the EUB? The strings on my bass are really thin, like ebass strings.

Certainly not - I've got an NS CR5 and normal Double Bass strings fit perfectly - I also own a couple of bass guitars and the strings on those would be way too short and thin for the EUB!

The NS EUBs are built to have the same speaking string length as any Double Bass - about 42" , whereas most BGs are 34" scale - huge difference!!

Are you sure you haven't got the NS Cello...?

Pics!!

[Bassoon]

This is my bass(yes, No cello):

http://www.soundland.de/catalog/prod...178dcd55a1fe49

The strings on the NS are thinner than the ones on my double bass, but on my db i play tough ones.

I contacted NS and they also said, that the regular EUB strings on their instruments are "lighter" than normal db strings. The NS comes with custom D'addarios
But your right: The NS strings are thicker than the strings on my bass guitar.

AND: THE BASS CELLO IS ONLY AVAILABLE WITH 5 STRINGS!

[Bruce Lindfield]

Well I noticed a big improvement when I replaced the stock strings with proper DB strings - huge step up in quality of tone!

And I have a 5 string!!

[Bassoon]

I'll try db strings, too.
But the Bass Cello is only available with 5 strings right?

[Bruce Lindfield]

I have no idea!

[daHammer]

Originally Posted by Bassoon

...The strings on the NS are thinner than the ones on my double bass, but on my db i play tough ones.

I contacted NS and they also said, that the regular EUB strings on their instruments are "lighter" than normal db strings. The NS comes with custom D'addarios
But your right: The NS strings are thicker than the strings on my bass guitar.

You may want to try Corelli 370 double bass strings (made in France). They suit my NS CRM5 very nicely. Even the 370Fs (F=forte, which are slightly thicker and have higner tension than the lighter weight 370Ms) are thinner than comparable DB strings and perform well for both pizzacato and arco use.

[Bruce Lindfield]

It depends what you want - something that sounds more like acoustic bass or something that is easier to play....?

As I find my NS CR5 very easy to play anyway , I think that there is no point going for anything other than the thickest strings you can find!!

[Bob Gollihur]

Originally Posted by Bassoon

I'll try db strings, too.
But the Bass Cello is only available with 5 strings right?

Yes. I took one out on a gig a couple weeks ago, I like it a lot. I got it with a low B, but it is suggested for use with a high C or even a set tuned in fifths a la cello.

[maxr]

Bruce - so your Bass Cello has a bottom string a half step below the low C of an 'octave cello' tuned version - how do the low strings respond and feel on that scale length?

Bruce from Brighton - Are Steinbergers affordable in UK, or is it a no-brainer to buy them in/from USA/Canada, even paying the UK customs duty?

Thanks, Max

[Bruce Lindfield]

Originally Posted by maxr

Bruce - so your Bass Cello has a bottom string a half step below the low C of an 'octave cello' tuned version - how do the low strings respond and feel on that scale length?

No - I don't own an NS Cello and have never seen one in the UK - I own an NS CR5 - electric upright bass or "electric double bass" - tuned BEADG - same as most 5-string basses - but with DB scale length and DB strings.

Bruce from Brighton - Are Steinbergers affordable in UK, or is it a no-brainer to buy them in/from USA/Canada, even paying the UK customs duty?

I bought mine from the Bass Centre in the UK on interest-free credit!!

I would never buy anything like a bass, mail order! The Bass Centre got a number of examples in for me and I spent a morning trying different NS basses and bought the one I liked best and walked out with it under my arm! The only way to buy IMO!!

[maxr]

Sorry Bruce, misstype - that first question should have been addressed to Bob, for Bob Gollihur.

Which model Steinberger did you think sounds most like an amplified acoustic DB (i.e. least 'electric')?

Max

[Bob Gollihur]

Originally Posted by maxr

Bob - so your Bass Cello has a bottom string a half step below the low C of an 'octave cello' tuned version - how do the low strings respond and feel on that scale length?
Thanks, Max

The string supplied by NSD is a B string, the tension is fine, unlike with many other low B instruments, the string is well integrated and feels and responds like the remainder of the set.

[Bruce Lindfield]

Originally Posted by maxr

Which model Steinberger did you think sounds most like an amplified acoustic DB (i.e. least 'electric')?

Wel - I felt that the magnetic pickups sounded too much like BG - so I bought an NS CR5 - with piezos only.

Changing to "proper" DB strings helped a lot as well!!

[maxr]

Thanks guys, that sounds good. I don't think I'll be buying one in UK though. The NS CR5 is available from a well known US electric strings outlet (not Bob's shop, just another one I've dealt with before) at £1345 equivalent today. If you brought it into UK at that price and paid full duty at 17.5% you'd pay roughly £1550, maybe £1600 with freight. The first UK price I found is about £2050 - 30% more expensive, and this instrument had to go '000s miles past here from the factory in the Czech Republic to be sold cheaper in USA!

Max

[Bruce Lindfield]

And if it's damaged in transit or is not exactly what you expected - then you have to pay to ship it back and wait...

Plus - the Bass Centre were very helpful to me in several ways - like setting basses up and they took strings off another bass so I would have spares!

As I said I'd always rather walk out of the shop with a bass I am certain I'm completely happy with - i.e. that I've got the one I wanted and it's in the best playing condition/state for me....if that costs a few pounds extra - it's well worth it!!

[Dragonlord]

+1. If you can't get it shipped to you as a gift with a lower declared price, I don't think it's worth it. Plus I don't think that taxes will be 17,5%, it must be 3% more and if it's shipped with fedex e.g. they might ask for more to do the stuff needed themselves, or you must go to the airport and do it yourself... I'd say walk into a store, offer them 1700 cash and you might end up taking it home for 1800-1900. You get to see the instrument and always have them near if you need to use the warranty.

OT edit: Bob, I sent you an email yesterday.. haven't got an answer yet. It's from my personal domain so maybe it's in your spam folder.

[maxr]

Yep, all that's true, and if there wasn't such a big difference I wouldn't think about it. But UK importers (not neccesarily the retailers) often add far too much to the cost of imported instruments IMO, and I don't like to encourage them. When the bow maker Arcus appointed a UK agent a few years ago instead of selling direct, as I remember it the retail prices went up something like £300 overnight - on a £700 bow.

Max