Double Bass NS Design NXT Megathread

[FSSimon]

Hey folks! Brand new bass player here. Picked myself up an NXT Bass on the recommendations of this board. I've been playing cello for about 2 years so the transition isn't huge, but there's still some hurdles to overcome. I just started taking lessons as well, which is really an interesting experience. This teacher's pedagogical style is much different from my cello teacher - much less structured. I kinda like it!

One quick question though: I contacted the previous owner and she said that this particular bass has had the same strings on it for approximately 2 years. Is it time to change strings? I don't find anything particularly wrong with these ones, but then again I'm a total beginner. As an aside, how DO you change strings on this bass anyhow?

Hey there! 2 years is a good average for strings life time. A good sign it is time to change is unstable pitch. (tuner needle swinging back and forth on open strings)

Nothing too complicated in changing the strings. Take your time. Take some notes and pictures so you can go back.
Normal strings are attached in the back slots and custom NS Design ones just go trought the holes. The tuners have tiny holes so don't cut excess lenghts because you need the narrow string tips to start wrapping the strings.
As for choice. There is a wide variety of strings but the general opinion it that darker sounding strings balance well the brightness of the instrument.

 

[FSSimon]

Forestabri. Thanks. I guess I'm looking for that quality of tracks, but with idiot-proof bass lines written out, not just with chord names. I don't improvise yet, or know chords well at all. There has to be some site where accompanying tracks can be downloaded with the bass notes written out.

Thanks for any thoughts!

Look at "Building walking bass lines" by Ed Friedland.
It has a 30+ track CD with the bass panned to one side and the piano and drums on the other side. It has notes and chords symbols. The tracks are played by live musicians and sound good.
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[FSSimon]

Hi I have just purchased a set of NS610 strings from Thomann, for my recently aquired NS Design NXT5. When attempting to fit the "G" string (NS611) I notice the string is about 10cm longer than the original and the silk wrap would sit in the nut slot. If I string it using the anchoring slots on the rear of the body, the length is better but the silk extends further down the finger board. Have I got the wrong strings, or would it be ok to cut the excess string length off and unwrap enough silk to clear the nut?
Thanks in anticipation

Hmmm... I'm not sure but I would try what you said. Sorry for the late message. What did you do in the end?

 

[FSSimon]

I have 2 questions and apologies if I'm in the wrong thread -I have an NXT 4 string and find quite a bit of buzz, if that's what I should call it, when I release the string, especially on the D string. Is this a technique issue with fingering or do I need to adjust the bass somehow? I'm a beginner so am not familiar with adjusting the bass. Also, changing the strings is not an option as I'm in a remote location for the time being. The strings are the originals that came with the bass. I don't feel that the strings are the issue, it just sounds like the released strings are somehow interacting with the fingerboard in some way. Any thoughts would be much appreciated.
*snip*

The stock strings are buzzy and the initial setup is low. So you get that fretless electric bass sound. That's how my nxt5 was. You need an hex key to adjust the truss rod relief. Thicker strings will also help.

Here's what the NS design intructions say:
"TRUSS ROD
Use 6mm inch hex wrench. Access is just below the nut. Clockwise rotation tightens the truss rod to decrease
relief. To play well, the surface of the fingerboard should not be perfectly straight, but rather it should have a
slight forward curve from end to end."

source: http://thinkns.com/pdfs/nxtbass.pdf

 

[Abbyx007]

FSSimon. Thanks very much for both responses! I've ordered the book and will play with the truss rod today.

Much appreciated!

 

[Sam Reese]

I would raise the string height via raising the bridge before making any truss rod adjustments. Phillips head screw driver and accessible through the back plate. That's exactly what I'm going to do, probably tonight... and just for the record, you need to loosen the truss rod no more than a quarter turn at any given adjustment to make your neck have more bow (simple rule of thumb)...

 

[andyonbass]

Hmmm... I'm not sure but I would try what you said. Sorry for the late message. What did you do in the end?

I cut them to length and shaved a little off the silk and just put a dab of glue on the silk to prevent it from unravelling.
Seems to have done the job.....

 

[Sam Reese]

There are 2 easily accessible Phillips head screws on the back side. You won't even need to take the backplate off if you decide to raise the action. I raised my action to a much better "feel" within one minute. Have fun!

 

[Abbyx007]

I would raise the string height via raising the bridge before making any truss rod adjustments. Phillips head screw driver and accessible through the back plate. That's exactly what I'm going to do, probably tonight... and just for the record, you need to loosen the truss rod no more than a quarter turn at any given adjustment to make your neck have more bow (simple rule of thumb)...

Studiodawg. Thanks for the advice. I did a quarter turn.
Will also look at adjusting bridge height. By coincidence I Googled how much to turn the truss rod and found nothing. You've answered it for me.

 

[Sam Reese]

Abbyx007...you turned it counter-clockwise, correct?

 

[UpYoursPal]

Hey there! 2 years is a good average for strings life time. A good sign it is time to change is unstable pitch. (tuner needle swinging back and forth on open strings)

Nothing too complicated in changing the strings. Take your time. Take some notes and pictures so you can go back.
Normal strings are attached in the back slots and custom NS Design ones just go trought the holes. The tuners have tiny holes so don't cut excess lenghts because you need the narrow string tips to start wrapping the strings.
As for choice. There is a wide variety of strings but the general opinion it that darker sounding strings balance well the brightness of the instrument.

Thanks for the answer. I ended up ordering the NS610 set from Gollihur yesterday, so we'll see how that goes!

 

[buffalobillh]

My guess is that you'll like them. But that's just a guess. I sure like mine.

 

[Dadodeaf]

Just in time for two upcoming gigs - one this weekend and one in two weeks. Though it has been 30 years since seriously playing upright anything (electric since then) it was absolutely love at first sight. It will be awhile before i recalibrate to the use of a bow, but the sound and response is just what i was looking for. Love this thread and am looking forward to trolling the site for what looks to be very useful treasure.

I have never played with any effects (with the exception of a flanger many years ago), but any advice out there for a good well rounded box that may compliment the XLT? Many thanks in advance.

 

[FSSimon]

Hi Dadodeaf,

By "XLT" you mean "NXT", right?

My BG250 amp has a "tubedrive" knob. I dial it at 3 or 4 and it ads a subtle organic touch to the tone.

Also, if you have an IOS device and a mean to connect your instrument to it, check out either Amplitube or Jamup. These amp simulators are really fun to try. The b15 in Jamup sounds good with my NXT5.

And this flanger is not bad:

[SOUNDCLOUD]http://soundcloud.com/tcelectronic/jon-thornes-tom-for-vortex/[/SOUNDCLOUD]

 

[FSSimon]

Here's a video I did this morning of me practicing an exercise taken out the online Jazz Bass School with John Patitucci.

I have a set of D'addario Kaplan strings on. I'm recording direct to my camcorder's audio input jack.

 

[agfrag]

FSSimon, love the vid, there's just not enough NXT vids on the 'Tube for my taste. And I love the part where your daughter comes in at 3:29ish, clapping and taking a hit off her sip cup without missing a beat!

 

[Abbyx007]

Studiodawg. Yup. Counterclockwise.

 

[FSSimon]

FSSimon, love the vid, there's just not enough NXT vids on the 'Tube for my taste. And I love the part where your daughter comes in at 3:29ish, clapping and taking a hit off her sip cup without missing a beat!

Thanks... And at the begining, you see me shaking my head. That's when the younger one was asking me to help her undress her Barbie doll... I almost lost the groove.

 

[Spanky123]

Thanks for that. Your daughters are beautiful -- not to suggest that your playing isn't beautiful, also. ; )

If you put "NXT-4" in the tags of the video, which you can find on your Youtube page, then people searching for NXT vids can find this when they search. Then you and your daughters can be famous when the vid goes viral.

Here's a video I did this morning of me practicing an exercise taken out the online Jazz Bass School with John Patitucci.

I have a set of D'addario Kaplan strings on. I'm recording direct to my camcorder's audio input jack.

 

[FSSimon]

Thanks for that. Your daughters are beautiful -- not to suggest that your playing isn't beautiful, also. ; )

If you put "NXT-4" in the tags of the video, which you can find on your Youtube page, then people searching for NXT vids can find this when they search. Then you and your daughters can be famous when the vid goes viral.

Ha! Ok, will do!