Double Bass Is NS Design NXT4a a Big Step Up from a Stagg EDB?

[OldFenderPlayer]

I’ve had a Stagg EDB for several years and while I used it on many jazz gigs, since I don’t play jazz anymore, it gets used for silent practice for my old-time music group through an iPod and headphones.

There’s a Ned Steinberger Designs NS NXT4a EUB available for $1,400 here in Richmond, Virginia; it looks good and includes a gig bag plus all the extras you might want or need.

I’ve never had concerns about the Stagg’s quality or ability to be setup properly; the only repair was a new endpin mounting post, which stripped while the bass was under warranty. While I never thought the Stagg sounded great, it vastly improved when I replaced the factory strings with ZYEX DZ610s that I received from Missy Raines for attending a workshop.

If all I use an EUB for is at-home practice, is the NS Design’s advantages over the Stagg in its sound and build quality worth the investment?

 

[Zbysek]

Yes, IMHO

 

[DoubleMIDI]

A Stagg with the rosewood fingerboard is not that bad. Except that the fingerboard might need some dressing. The body support is too flexible and needs some (storage looking) shaping to work well. Also some coating with a less polished surface helps to let it spraying place. And don‘t use the bass boost. Better strings and maybe a better (lighter) bridge.

I am more comfortable with the Stagg as a DB player, the NS EUBs are more targeted at the BG player than the DB player. Making it more pleasant for a DB player can get expensive. And as a DB player I would prefer a MK EUB over the NS EUB if I want something better than a Stagg. But my old Clevinger is not too bad too after some tweaks.