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NS Design Club

#41
TheBass said:
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.
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Update Jan 2021:

Should have posted this earlier., I guess. After I contacted NS in Oct 2020 they told me that my bridge was an older design which had already been updated. They directed me to their Czech manufacturing site. Their quality manager sent me a complete new bridge free of charge. After installing the new bridge all tuning problems disappeared. Great customer support !
 
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#42
SgtHulka said:
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.

View attachment 4142879
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Ah so you’re the guy who bought that WAV from the classifieds. I was curious how that CR Neck sounded mixed with the WAV Electronics. I honestly wasn’t thrilled with the neck of the WAVS.

Almost felt like playing a squier neck and the fretboard made the notes of that bass sound shrill. I’ve tried a lot of strings on that bass just to work around that sound..
 
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#43
sonojono said:
Ah so you’re the guy who bought that WAV from the classifieds. I was curious how that CR Neck sounded mixed with the WAV Electronics. I honestly wasn’t thrilled with the neck of the WAVS.

Almost felt like playing a squier neck and the fretboard made the notes of that bass sound shrill. I’ve tried a lot of strings on that bass just to work around that sound..
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Hmmm. We're u gonna buy it instead?

The bass and the pickup are very clear. Plays very nicely. I haven't heard shrill, but it's not a vintage sound either. Again...no more peizo and the preamp is great so....not getting what ur describing.

I have an extra WAV neck now if you want to buy one.
 
#44
IMG_20190316_132508843.jpg
 
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#45
Since I started this thread, I figured I should give a little update. At the time of my first post here I owned an NXT upright, a WAV Radius and a CR Radius. I loved the Radius's (Radii?)--the quality, the sound, the ingenious design--but could just never get comfortable with the way they hung on me when standing. I ended up selling both. I used a fraction of the proceeds to pickup a couple of early 80's Ibanez Roadstars that, for some reason, feel utterly comfortable to me (go figure). I used the rest of the proceeds to buy an NS Omni CRM 4 string (fretless). So currently I own two NS Design basses: an NXT upright and an Omni CRM upright. I'm probably going to sell the NXT because I love the Omni so much--it does everything the NXT upright does plus has more tonal options, and the 34" scale (as opposed to the NXT's 42" scale) is more familiar and comfortable to me.

Here a post where I shared a video giving a quick demo of the Omni:
NBD - NS Design Omni bass
 
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#47
Hello everyone from Russia. I apologize for my English (this is a google translator).
On my NS Design Radius CR5, an overlay peeled off and the master sent a photo of what was under it. I think you might be interested in the design of the neck.
The guitar maker also said that the fingerboard was poorly glued and very easily peeled off, since the glue on the epoxy resin is very poorly applied. And that it is necessary to make the overlaying part of the lining rougher, for better gluing.
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GvgjAODZ25U.jpg HzRr8cayp-E.jpg
 
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#50
I tried installing a set of Rotosound RS66LDN's (180 lbs) on my Ric 4001, and string tension was a little too much for that particular truss rod system.

I don't possess any 2+2 headstocks, other than an Ibanez and it's a 5'er.

Has anyone ever tried these, or similar tensioned strings, on an NS Wav Radius 4?
 
#55
I was curious about the NXT5a bass and as I look at pictures it looks like the reach is a little longer than a traditional Fender style, etc. body. Maybe it looks that way because there's no headstock? Could anyone confirm this observation?
 
#56
FeltTipPen said:
I was curious about the NXT5a bass and as I look at pictures it looks like the reach is a little longer than a traditional Fender style, etc. body. Maybe it looks that way because there's no headstock? Could anyone confirm this observation?
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It's probably pretty close. The overall length of your typical Fender is 46.5 inches. The Fender headstock is about 7 inches long to the nut. That would make it about 39.5 inches from the end of the body to the nut. The length of the NXT is 42.25, with about 2.5 inches of headstock so the actual length from the end of the body to the nut on both instruments is very, very close. But that does not tell the whole story.

First, the NXT neck is 24 frets, while a Fender has only 20. So the fingerboard is that much longer, perhaps that is what may give the appearance of a longer neck. Another difference is that a regular Fender is 34" scale while this is 35". The body is also more compact and the neck heel sits closer to the bridge as well. The fact that the overall reach to the nut is about the same with 35 scale and 4 more frets is a testament to Ned's design.

After having my NS for a while now, I can also tell you that not only does the extended horn look dope IMO, but when it is hanging on a strap, the extra horn length essentially shifts the sitting position of the bass to your right, and that puts more of the notes I play the most (around the 5th fret) in a much more comfortable position for my fretting hand and in effect, reduces the reach to the first fret. So it doesn't feel at all like the same stretch I make on a Fender.

Along with the curved body that sits still against you, no heavy headstock helps with left arm fatigue. And the curved arm rest along with the body allows your plucking hand to sit around 45 degrees instead of bent a full 90 resting on the top of a Fender, which can cause discomfort.

It's the most comfortable bass I've ever played. Ned put a lot of thought into these - they are very well designed.
 
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#57
SgtHulka said:
It's probably pretty close. The overall length of your typical Fender is 46.5 inches. The Fender headstock is about 7 inches long to the nut. That would make it about 39.5 inches from the end of the body to the nut. The length of the NXT is 42.25, with about 2.5 inches of headstock so the actual length from the end of the body to the nut on both instruments is very, very close. But that does not tell the whole store.

First, the NXT neck is 24 frets, while a Fender has only 20. So the fingerboard is that much longer, perhaps that is what may give the appearance of a longer neck. Another difference is that a regular Fender is 34" scale while this is 35". The body is also more compact and the neck heel sits closer to the bridge as well. The fact that the overall reach to the nut is about the same with 35 scale and 4 more frets is a testament to Ned's design.

After having my NS for a while now, I can also tell you that not only does the extended horn look dope IMO, but when it is hanging on a strap, the extra horn length essentially shifts the sitting position of the bass to your right, and that puts more of the notes I play the most (around the 5th fret) in a much more comfortable position for my fretting hand and in effect, reduces the reach to the first fret. So it doesn't feel at all like the same stretch I make on a Fender.

Along with the curved body that sits still against you, no heavy headstock helps with left arm fatigue. And the curved arm rest along with the body allows your plucking hand to sit around 45 degrees instead of bent a full 90 resting on the top of a Fender, which can cause discomfort.

It's the most comfortable bass I've ever played. Ned put a lot of thought into these - they are very well designed.
Click to expand...

Wow, thanks SgtHulka for the detailed response! I really appreciate that versus a general "I love it" or "Buy it, it's great" response.

I figured there were more variables affecting reach. I'm quite intrigued by the various parts of the design. I also appreciate your note on the design of the body for the plucking hand.

Not totally sure I could get along with the string spacing and scale as my current basses are 17.5mm and 34" but I may pull the trigger on a fretless and give it a try especially with all the positives you listed! :bassist:
 
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#58
FeltTipPen said:
Wow, thanks SgtHulka for the detailed response! I really appreciate that versus a general "I love it" or "Buy it, it's great" response.

I figured there were more variables affecting reach. I'm quite intrigued by the various parts of the design. I also appreciate your note on the design of the body for the plucking hand.

Not totally sure I could get along with the string spacing and scale as my current basses are 17.5mm and 34" but I may pull the trigger on a fretless and give it a try especially with all the positives you listed! :bassist:
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When I got my fretless, the string spacing took a little getting used to, but it happened fairly quickly.
This is by far the most ergonomically satisfying bass I’ve ever played.
 
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#59
FeltTipPen said:
Wow, thanks SgtHulka for the detailed response! I really appreciate that versus a general "I love it" or "Buy it, it's great" response.

I figured there were more variables affecting reach. I'm quite intrigued by the various parts of the design. I also appreciate your note on the design of the body for the plucking hand.

Not totally sure I could get along with the string spacing and scale as my current basses are 17.5mm and 34" but I may pull the trigger on a fretless and give it a try especially with all the positives you listed! :bassist:
Click to expand...
No problem! I enjoy writing. FYI, the spacing is 18mm - not too far off.

I think these would be way more popular if they had a real headstock, which seems to be a stickler for many, but if you can get beyond that, they are great instruments - and sound glorious.
 
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