NS Design Club

[TheBass]

I just aquired a NS CR5 Radius in charcoal black. Initially I had some difficulties with the string clamping and tuning system but I guess I managed it now. I like the piano like endless sustain from the CR5 Radius and ability to blend in the piezo and give the tone kind of an acoustic flavour. The magnetic PUs have a nice growl which fits to many styles and makes it a quite versatile bass. I do not miss a mid EQ because the sound alread sits very nicely in the band mix. The low weight and very comfortable balance of the instrument makes it a fun to play.

The Radius is not my 1st NS instrument. I also have a CR4M EUB with magnetic and polar piezo PU since about 2,5 years. For the EUB I prefer the piezo as the main PU and only use the magnetic PU only with a slight blend.

Of course the CR4M and the CR5 Radius are completely different beasts and I am also not using them in the same bands and for different types of music.

I also had a 5str Synapse before strung as EADGc. I sold it mainly because I couldn't get used to the small body and the - at least for me - strange handling.

BTW: as an European used to metric tools; which *%&#* imperial hex keys do I need to buy to adjust the PU screws on the Radius ?

 

[sonojono]

Any other NS Design players out there?

I've owned the WAV4, CR4, and NXT4A Basses within the past three years playing them out at gigs, studios, countless rehearsals and jam sessions, college ensemble.


They each have their own unique stories behind them. I love all of them respectively and I miss them dearly as I no longer own any of them however I am expecting to own the NXT4A again sometime next month thanks to a friend.

I’m in at number 2! Ive only had this a couple of months but I’m really enjoying it. It as ergonomically perfect as I’ve found and love introducing just a little bit of the piezo with the active EMGs to give me a snap not heard with another basses. I really wish this bass had a mid freq control though.

View attachment 3803893

Nice to see my old CR bass in this club! I'm happy it's been serving you well <3

Basically, if you ever played/owned a WAV4, you know how its pickups are VERY clear in tone, and sounds nothing like typical basses--be it P, J, or MM. While that clarity is good for certain things, it's not good when I want to dial in a more traditional tone. I tried using both the onboard tone shaping knobs and EQing with my amp, but I haven't been able to get it close enough to my other basses with more traditional tones. Has anyone been successful in dialing in a traditional bass tone with the WAV? I have ghs pressurewound strings on it currently, I've tried flatwounds and La Bella black nylons tapewounds too. I think the problem is that the "clack" noise from the piezo is nearly impossible to get rid of, and if I EQ it out, then I'd lose the zing I'd want from roundwounds, or any of the definition left in flatwounds. If I blend with the EMG, the piezo is still too dominant. If I use only the EMG, the sound is bright and a bit thin. I can beef up the lows and low-mids, but if I EQ the brightness out, I also take out the zing of roundwounds (which I need for the slap tone), which makes the E and A strings sound too dull.

Yep, the piezo on the WAV’s has been an addressed issue to a lot of users when it came down to it that turned people off. It served me well for the punk rock gigs at the time and solo/chordal music but it lacked some low end despite eq’ng from the amp and DAW’s which is why I later on went with the CR4 because of the added capability of controlling the piezo frequency which I liked in the low position.

No matter how many different string companies I went through on that bass; (I found that the EB Cobalt Flats and Pressurewounds to be the best strings to compliment the WAV’s) the WAV still has that brightness and clarity which I think is inevitable.

I love the Wav for my personal needs but I feel like it’s not for everyone in fact, It pissed off one of the engineers when I had brought in the WAV to a studio where he just handed me his P bass off the wall and told me to record off that instead.

Judging from your sound recording, perhaps the WAV isn't best suited for that style of music. The SR650 though on the other hand packed a good punch and bottom despite it's differences in pickups compared to the WAV. Not sure about boxy as OP described it but you can easily eliminate that from the onboard EQ of the 650.

Almost every bassist in the 80's rocked a P/J Bass so the 650 was a good choice for your style. If $$$ isn't an issue for you (especially during these unfortunate circumstances) maybe a CR4 would be good or the NXT4A if you don't care for a piezo at all after your first hand experience with them.

 

[sonojono]

Here’s some photoshoots of the three NS Design Basses I’ve owned.

 

[Lunatique]

I just bought a 6-string, so I had to cull the herd a bit because I can't justify keeping all these basses. My WAV4 Radius (metallic crimson) is now up for sale in the classifieds:
For Sale - NS Design WAV4 Radius (metallic crimson)

 

[Danny O Danny]

I started reading the Ned Steinberger biography today. So far I'm finding it very interesting and enjoyable.

 

[Danny O Danny]

That was a very enjoyable read. Gave me a much greater appreciation for Mr. Steinberger, and it also filled in a lot of information I had wondered about, like why Gibson bought Steinberger, why they stopped making the graphite instruments, what prompted his reentry into instrument making as NS Design, why the emphasis on bowed instruments, why build them in Czechoslovakia, etc. The guy truly is a genius and I came away with a greater appreciation and sense if pride to own and play these unique and ingenious instruments.

 

[sonojono]

Finally got an update from Sweetwater on my NS Design NXT4A. Should be coming in this coming Friday, can’t wait to play with the familiar!

Also picked up the Ned Steinberger book and hope to get that in soon as well!

 

[TheBass]

I started reading the Ned Steinberger biography today. So far I'm finding it very interesting and enjoyable.

View attachment 3881565

I sincerely hope that the release of Mr.Steinbergers Memoires does not indicate that he has decided to stop his inventions for the bass playing community.

 

[sonojono]

I sincerely hope that the release of Mr.Steinbergers Memoires does not indicate that he has decided to stop his inventions for the bass playing community.

I can imagine the soaring price hikes on the original Steinbergers if that were to happen...

 

[TheBass]

I just aquired a NS CR5 Radius in charcoal black. Initially I had some difficulties with the string clamping and tuning system but I guess I managed it now. I like the piano like endless sustain from the CR5 Radius and ability to blend in the piezo and give the tone kind of an acoustic flavour. The magnetic PUs have a nice growl which fits to many styles and makes it a quite versatile bass. I do not miss a mid EQ because the sound alread sits very nicely in the band mix. The low weight and very comfortable balance of the instrument makes it a fun to play.

The Radius is not my 1st NS instrument. I also have a CR4M EUB with magnetic and polar piezo PU since about 2,5 years. For the EUB I prefer the piezo as the main PU and only use the magnetic PU only with a slight blend.

Of course the CR4M and the CR5 Radius are completely different beasts and I am also not using them in the same bands and for different types of music.

I also had a 5str Synapse before strung as EADGc. I sold it mainly because I couldn't get used to the small body and the - at least for me - strange handling.

BTW: as an European used to metric tools; which *%&#* imperial hex keys do I need to buy to adjust the PU screws on the Radius ?

I guess I still owe you a picture:

BTW: I also wrote that in this thread. I still have some trouble with the string clamping system. In the instruction videos Ned was demonstrating the quick and easy string change procedure. It looks quite easy when he does it but it doesn't seem to work that easy for me. 1st I ruined a fresh set of strings to find out, that the levers and screws had to be turned fully counter clock wise to properly install a new set of strings. It also doesn't seem to accept all kinds of strings. The clampining mechanism sometimes seem to damage the strings in a way that it cuts of the windings, which then cause the string to slip out of the clamping and makes them unusable.

Some clever advise ?

 

[sonojono]

I guess I still owe you a picture:

View attachment 4003673

BTW: I also wrote that in this thread. I still have some trouble with the string clamping system. In the instruction videos Ned was demonstrating the quick and easy string change procedure. It looks quite easy when he does it but it doesn't seem to work that easy for me. 1st I ruined a fresh set of strings to find out, that the levers and screws had to be turned fully counter clock wise to properly install a new set of strings. It also doesn't seem to accept all kinds of strings. The clampining mechanism sometimes seem to damage the strings in a way that it cuts of the windings, which then cause the string to slip out of the clamping and makes them unusable.

Some clever advise ?

Email this to NS Design and Ned (or some other guy) will make you a new bridge from what I’ve heard other NS players do. I’ve heard this quite the issue during its early release of the CR Radiuses not accepting Flatwounds so well.

I think the newer made CR’s are now able to accept flatwounds and all the other fancy strings that may have not been able to handle from the old bridge.

 

[TheBass]

Email this to NS Design and Ned (or some other guy) will make you a new bridge from what I’ve heard other NS players do. I’ve heard this quite the issue during its early release of the CR Radiuses not accepting Flatwounds so well.

I think the newer made CR’s are now able to accept flatwounds and all the other fancy strings that may have not been able to handle from the old bridge.

Thanks. I will do that. I hope the support also works for Germany.

BTW: Is there any way to find out when the bass was built ? I can't find any serial# or build date.

 

[sonojono]

Thanks. I will do that. I hope the support also works for Germany.

BTW: Is there any way to find out when the bass was built ? I can't find any serial# or build date.

Serial should be behind the bass where you feed the single strings to the bridge.

 

[coyoteboy]

Somehow missed this club. Owned a total of three NS Design instruments, still have two:

CR5 Omnibass and CR6 Cello. I cannot say enough good things about both of these. Got my eye on the new CR6 Radius, but thats some scratch.

Currently running Ernie Ball Group Flats on the Omni, and theyre staying. Custom mashup set of GHS Precision flats on the Cello.

 

[PaulPriest76]

Hey NS friends! I've been on a bit of a break, but so glad to see this group. I've played NS exclusively since 2015, and played a WAV upright a few years before that. I currently have two fretted, and one fretless CR5, an early NXTa 5 string fretted, and an NXTa 5 string upright. I can't wait to get my hands on one of Ned's 6 strings! Good to see y'all!

 

[Bassconbeatz]

I just picked up a used NXT5A 5 String. I should have it by the end of the week. Here's a pic.

 

[sonojono]

I just picked up a used NXT5A 5 String. I should have it by the end of the week. Here's a pic.

Nice! Love those Basses, they respond extremely well to dirt pedals if you’re into that kind of stuff. Good find!

 

[PaulPriest76]

Here are my babies. I love 'em!

 

[sonojono]

I miss my CR. The NXTA not so much but that CR was magic!!!

 

[SgtHulka]

Can I have a #?

I got this Wav Radius a few months back. I had always wanted to try one of these instruments and was seeking a bass with a significant bump in comfort. This came up for sale used and I jumped on it as there are not many out there.

The specimen I found was a WAV 4, but with the CR carbon fiber neck which also has an ebony board and aluminum nut as an upgrade and a few others that I thought would be a perfect fit for me. Mine has the piezo removed and a Noll 2 band preamp with a coil switch and a passive active switch. Very happy w this setup.

This bass is incredibly stable and has the lowest action by far of any bass I've ever had. Insane. Has a great modern tone that can be very funky and the clarity is awesome for metal and rock. Judas Priest never sounded so good. Comfortable to play, love the looks, under 8 lbs, curved body, relaxed hand position, etc....this is a real winner and a pro instrument IMO. Already #1 in my stable.