Enjoy the benefits of a premium membership!
Upgrade Account
-
TalkBass has been independent since 1998. Add your voice.
Create a free account to reply to discussions, view embedded media, and browse with fewer display ads.
Join free Log in
Want zero display ads or expanded classifieds tools? Compare plans.
Double Bass NS Design NXT Megathread
- Thread starter dbassnut
- Start date
Differences:
WAV - solid beech; fingerboard used to be ebony, now rosewood; black/trans red/amberburst finishes
NXT - solid maple; ebony fingerboard; black satin/amberburst finishes
Why they haven't bothered to include even the most basic of preamps is beyond me.
I'm assuming the picture of the amberburst is flipped, otherwise one would think they're offering a left-handed NXT.
WAV - solid beech; fingerboard used to be ebony, now rosewood; black/trans red/amberburst finishes
NXT - solid maple; ebony fingerboard; black satin/amberburst finishes
Why they haven't bothered to include even the most basic of preamps is beyond me.
I'm assuming the picture of the amberburst is flipped, otherwise one would think they're offering a left-handed NXT.
- Jul 28, 2009
- 387
- 314
- Disclosures
- Is not compensated for endorsements. Does not sell for profit.
The biggest different is where it is made, thus the quality. The WAV is made in China. The NXT is Czech, like the CR's.
From the website:
"The new instruments will incorporate the same styling and workmanship as the CR series, but use more cost effective materials and passive pickup technology to bring the price in at midway between the CR and WAV series."
If that quote can be believed, it'll be $2050 list price for appears to be a maple WAV4.
Wow. I look forward to hearing first hand reviews from other people. I sincerely hope they work on that price point by a LOT.
I'd send NS Design an email but I'm afraid they'd bill me $25 for the privilege.
"The new instruments will incorporate the same styling and workmanship as the CR series, but use more cost effective materials and passive pickup technology to bring the price in at midway between the CR and WAV series."
If that quote can be believed, it'll be $2050 list price for appears to be a maple WAV4.
Wow. I look forward to hearing first hand reviews from other people. I sincerely hope they work on that price point by a LOT.
I'd send NS Design an email but I'm afraid they'd bill me $25 for the privilege.
Link Removed
According to the above website, $1195.00. This may be the one that gets me into the EUB. I am borrowing a CR4M to learn on and try on my next gig for about 4-5 tunes that call for an upright more than an electric bass. I'm liking it so far, but can't swing the $2500+ price tag for a CR4M to call my own. Plus, I will never be more than a dabbler in the upright world, so it wouldn't make sense for an EUB to be my most expensive, yet least-played-at-gigs, instrument. I would much rather buy a Czech-built model than the WAV though, so this might be perfect. I look forward to hearing the reviews when they hit the store shelves.
According to the above website, $1195.00. This may be the one that gets me into the EUB. I am borrowing a CR4M to learn on and try on my next gig for about 4-5 tunes that call for an upright more than an electric bass. I'm liking it so far, but can't swing the $2500+ price tag for a CR4M to call my own. Plus, I will never be more than a dabbler in the upright world, so it wouldn't make sense for an EUB to be my most expensive, yet least-played-at-gigs, instrument. I would much rather buy a Czech-built model than the WAV though, so this might be perfect. I look forward to hearing the reviews when they hit the store shelves.
That's much more reasonable.
Still, I will not be an early adopter. I'm going from the WAV4 to ordering an acoustic double bass (maybe later this week).
I like my WAV4. My biggest complaint would have been the price (I got a killer deal on it used). Look forward to hearing reviews of the NXT, especially as compared to the WAV4.
Still, I will not be an early adopter. I'm going from the WAV4 to ordering an acoustic double bass (maybe later this week).
I like my WAV4. My biggest complaint would have been the price (I got a killer deal on it used). Look forward to hearing reviews of the NXT, especially as compared to the WAV4.
My initial reaction is that they're taking what they learned from the WAV and making a better second generation instrument.
- Body wood: going from beech to maple. With the beech, they had to have been using European beech, as kiln dried American beech is way too unstable to use for musical instruments, especially in the dimensions required for a EUB. But Euro beech is nothing special - it's viewed as a decent utility wood (Ulmia makes workbenches out of it), not really a tonewood. Going to maple, the new basses may have a brighter sound, FWIW.
- Fingerboard wood: they had problems with some of the ebony WAV boards. Presumably, that has all been resolved.
- Tuners: I can't tell for sure, but it looks like they may have upgraded the tuners.
- Stand: they finally upgraded the quality of the WAV stand several months ago, after taking a lot of complaints about the original stand. So that improvement presumably passes along to the NXT.
- Country of manufacture: I think a Chinese shop is capable of producing an accurately made bass, but the Czech facility will likely do a better job with the final fit and finish (no more overspray and incomplete finishing inside the central slotted area of the headstock, etc.).
- Color choices: red wasn't that popular a color with the WAV, so they seemed to have dropped it. Me, I would have bought a red WAV, because it was the only color choice of the the three where you could see the quality of the body wood through the finish, which is important (at least to me).
Then we'll have to see if the made any improvements to the case, etc.
To me, improvements like these would justify the increased street price.
- Body wood: going from beech to maple. With the beech, they had to have been using European beech, as kiln dried American beech is way too unstable to use for musical instruments, especially in the dimensions required for a EUB. But Euro beech is nothing special - it's viewed as a decent utility wood (Ulmia makes workbenches out of it), not really a tonewood. Going to maple, the new basses may have a brighter sound, FWIW.
- Fingerboard wood: they had problems with some of the ebony WAV boards. Presumably, that has all been resolved.
- Tuners: I can't tell for sure, but it looks like they may have upgraded the tuners.
- Stand: they finally upgraded the quality of the WAV stand several months ago, after taking a lot of complaints about the original stand. So that improvement presumably passes along to the NXT.
- Country of manufacture: I think a Chinese shop is capable of producing an accurately made bass, but the Czech facility will likely do a better job with the final fit and finish (no more overspray and incomplete finishing inside the central slotted area of the headstock, etc.).
- Color choices: red wasn't that popular a color with the WAV, so they seemed to have dropped it. Me, I would have bought a red WAV, because it was the only color choice of the the three where you could see the quality of the body wood through the finish, which is important (at least to me).
Then we'll have to see if the made any improvements to the case, etc.
To me, improvements like these would justify the increased street price.
I've got one pre-ordered from Bob G. I'll try to post a review once I've had some time with it. However, I don't have another EUB to compare it to, only my '45 Kay.
Fabio
Fabio
I'm thinking that I'll probably try Corellis on it, the 370M which I really like on my Kay. I think they'll be thin enough to wrap properly on the tuners. I've also got a set of Oblis which I hear sound good on these new NS EUBs, but I don't like them as much for arco.
Ok, I seem to have one of the 1st NXT basses so even though I've never posted here I feel obliged as I have been watching the posts on this site in order to decide what EUB I would purchase.
Background;
I play in Orchestras, Jazz bands, church groups, and I perform electronic music. I also play Bass guitar and have played in Metal Bands, Avant Garde bands, Jam Bands.....
Let It be known that my experience with EUB's is limited I've tried a few out in stores and I had a student that had a WAV, so it will be difficult for me to compare the NXT to other basses.
Now, to begin with the bass looks beautiful. I love the black Satin finish on it. The stand is good and sturdy and setting up the bass was simple. The Action is set much lower than what I am use to on an Acoustic but I kind of like that. It makes the bass ridiculously easy to play.
The G string was broken in shipping, no big deal, so I put an acoustic red label string on the bass. This was slightly awkward because of the length of the string but after a bit of time and effort I was able to put it on.
Now, I have read a lot about having to eq the wav or having a pre amp and I can see how this would be necessary if one wanted the bass to sound more like an acoustic, but being that I want to use this bass more for my electronic music and the occasional Jazz gig I am not too worried about that. So as soon as i plugged the instrument in I loved the sound. I am not completely sure about the switch settings yet (I seem to prefer it in the downward position) but both setting sound extremely different, one thick and fat, the other lighter and mellow.
Remember I had to change the G string? I think the cheap Red Label string sounds better than the Helycores (or whatever you call them) so I guess, like the rest of you, Trying to figure out which string sounds the best.
On the old WAV basses there was a button on the back to show you where the end of the neck was (D) on the finger board, or where one would go into thumb position. there is no such button on my NXT bass. This is not really a problem just something that I will get use to and one of the differences between the NXT and the WAV.
Overall, even though I have only just received the bass I am extremely happy with my purchase. I am using the bass at an electronic music festival in NJ next week. I'll let you know how it goes
Background;
I play in Orchestras, Jazz bands, church groups, and I perform electronic music. I also play Bass guitar and have played in Metal Bands, Avant Garde bands, Jam Bands.....
Let It be known that my experience with EUB's is limited I've tried a few out in stores and I had a student that had a WAV, so it will be difficult for me to compare the NXT to other basses.
Now, to begin with the bass looks beautiful. I love the black Satin finish on it. The stand is good and sturdy and setting up the bass was simple. The Action is set much lower than what I am use to on an Acoustic but I kind of like that. It makes the bass ridiculously easy to play.
The G string was broken in shipping, no big deal, so I put an acoustic red label string on the bass. This was slightly awkward because of the length of the string but after a bit of time and effort I was able to put it on.
Now, I have read a lot about having to eq the wav or having a pre amp and I can see how this would be necessary if one wanted the bass to sound more like an acoustic, but being that I want to use this bass more for my electronic music and the occasional Jazz gig I am not too worried about that. So as soon as i plugged the instrument in I loved the sound. I am not completely sure about the switch settings yet (I seem to prefer it in the downward position) but both setting sound extremely different, one thick and fat, the other lighter and mellow.
Remember I had to change the G string? I think the cheap Red Label string sounds better than the Helycores (or whatever you call them) so I guess, like the rest of you, Trying to figure out which string sounds the best.
On the old WAV basses there was a button on the back to show you where the end of the neck was (D) on the finger board, or where one would go into thumb position. there is no such button on my NXT bass. This is not really a problem just something that I will get use to and one of the differences between the NXT and the WAV.
Overall, even though I have only just received the bass I am extremely happy with my purchase. I am using the bass at an electronic music festival in NJ next week. I'll let you know how it goes
I owned an NS Wav before, but I sold it. Overall I was rather pleased with it, and I did not miss the active preamp from the more expensive models at all. The passive system sounds just fine and has enough output for the passive input on a regular bass amp, but of course not for a line input on the mixing desk. I did have a few minor complaints though. The arc and pizz mode are a bit confusing, since I find the arc mode better suited for pizz if you're after a more true upright bass sound. But instead of a switch NS ought to have made it a balance knob or two separate volume pots so that you could blend the two pickups in any proportion. Also I found the relief to be somewhat inadequate att trussrod zero, and since the trussrod isn't double action you cant' actively force more relief. And you might hesitate about the cost to have the fingerboard professionally re-planed on a budget instrument like this.
A street price of 1195 USD is really attractive, but I haven't seen and street prices here in Europe yet.
/Mats D
A street price of 1195 USD is really attractive, but I haven't seen and street prices here in Europe yet.
/Mats D
I kwill but it might take me a while. I'm playing at this festival over the weekend
http://event.electro-music.com/
