Thanks BB. I've emailed them. Will post back on what they say. Thor's hammer it ain't so maybe that's the problem....
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Double Bass NS Design NXT Megathread
- Thread starter dbassnut
- Start date
Just wondering what speaker cabs you've tried. I find a 4x10 box with horn gives a good tight sound, but with plenty of bottom end. I have an Ashdown 4x10 with horn box and an Ampeg 2x10 with horn (which I bought because the 4x10 is pretty heavy and impractical). The Ampeg isn't quite as gutsy, but I still get a great tone from it. Might pay you to take your amp to a shop and try various cabs out.
(My head is an Ashdown EVO III 500, btw.)
(My head is an Ashdown EVO III 500, btw.)
You can try to knock at both sides of the bridge with the strings muted. If one side sound substantially thinner/higher that might indicate a broken piezo (assuming that they use two piezo elements).
I never had an NS EUB and never tried NS Contemporary strings, but only a stiff wound gut E had a bit less bass on my acoustic bass, any other had plenty of it.
So it might be an electrical problem of some kind (from badly set controls up to a broken element).
If you haven't used a preamp I might have assumed a low input impedance of the next connected amp to the bass. Does a Bb or a B on the A and E sound similar or is there a big difference in sound? If they are similar, it is rather pitch related than string related and this might be because of a high load (low impedance) to the piezos. Since the NXT is passive there might be something wrong with the wiring or component values inside. I changed my Clevinger EUB with passive electronics to a direct piezo out and that sounded a lot better than the connected to the passive electric bass guitar style electronics that were directly connected to the piezos before. Now I have two homemade bridge feet piezo elements with individual buffers and a mixing stage behind and that sounded much better than anything before.
It might be that the electronics in an NXT make the signal worse than it could be (because they use passive electronics in front of any high impedance preamp), but then either all of these NXTs should behave the same way or something was made wrong on your instrument.
I think if you put the NXT to full volume the pot is switched out of the circuit and the sound might be a bit better.
I never had an NS EUB and never tried NS Contemporary strings, but only a stiff wound gut E had a bit less bass on my acoustic bass, any other had plenty of it.
So it might be an electrical problem of some kind (from badly set controls up to a broken element).
If you haven't used a preamp I might have assumed a low input impedance of the next connected amp to the bass. Does a Bb or a B on the A and E sound similar or is there a big difference in sound? If they are similar, it is rather pitch related than string related and this might be because of a high load (low impedance) to the piezos. Since the NXT is passive there might be something wrong with the wiring or component values inside. I changed my Clevinger EUB with passive electronics to a direct piezo out and that sounded a lot better than the connected to the passive electric bass guitar style electronics that were directly connected to the piezos before. Now I have two homemade bridge feet piezo elements with individual buffers and a mixing stage behind and that sounded much better than anything before.
It might be that the electronics in an NXT make the signal worse than it could be (because they use passive electronics in front of any high impedance preamp), but then either all of these NXTs should behave the same way or something was made wrong on your instrument.
I think if you put the NXT to full volume the pot is switched out of the circuit and the sound might be a bit better.
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Thanks for your input guys. I went back and had another fiddle around with things, setting all of the EQ values flat and going from there. The A, D and G strings are fine. Whilst not the best sounding strings (for the reasons most of you have objected to the contemporary strings), they aren't bad and they at least have substance and good volume, sustain, dynamics etc. The problem with the weak, buzzy C string can, I think, be explained away simply because it is thin and wiry. So there's no complexity to its tone. The E on the other hand sounds 'empty' to my ear, has less volume and none of the character or body of the A, D and G.
I'm not sure a cabinet change would help Chris. It might, but at this point my gut says the string or, as DoubleMidi suggests, some electronic fault. I fully expected the preamp to sort this tonal issue out but it hasn't. The preamp has certainly boosted the signal massively compared to no preamp (previously the bass EQ and input gain were cranked right up just to get enough volume to play at home). But it hasn't given any 'guts' to the low bass notes.
As for DoubleMidi's question on the note comparison, any notes fingered on the E are weak and hollow compared to the same notes fingered on the A. The volume on the bass is always up full and clicked into 'jackpot' position by the way.
What I might try tomorrow is putting the low B string back on, taking the high C off and shifting all of the strings over. Then seeing if the E string's lack of tone travels with it across the bridge to the current A string position. If the string suddenly springs to life then I'll know it's something to do with the transmission of vibration through the bridge at that section of the piezo. If it remains empty then I guess it may simply be the string, or some problem with wiring or components as DM suggests. If this is the case then I'd expect the low B to also sound weak for the same reasons.
I'm not sure a cabinet change would help Chris. It might, but at this point my gut says the string or, as DoubleMidi suggests, some electronic fault. I fully expected the preamp to sort this tonal issue out but it hasn't. The preamp has certainly boosted the signal massively compared to no preamp (previously the bass EQ and input gain were cranked right up just to get enough volume to play at home). But it hasn't given any 'guts' to the low bass notes.
As for DoubleMidi's question on the note comparison, any notes fingered on the E are weak and hollow compared to the same notes fingered on the A. The volume on the bass is always up full and clicked into 'jackpot' position by the way.
What I might try tomorrow is putting the low B string back on, taking the high C off and shifting all of the strings over. Then seeing if the E string's lack of tone travels with it across the bridge to the current A string position. If the string suddenly springs to life then I'll know it's something to do with the transmission of vibration through the bridge at that section of the piezo. If it remains empty then I guess it may simply be the string, or some problem with wiring or components as DM suggests. If this is the case then I'd expect the low B to also sound weak for the same reasons.
Just a quick update. I shifted the E string over into the A string position and recorded the string played in this position and compared it to its original position. Kept all the levels the same. The recording level meter shows a difference in volume of maybe 20% or more between the two positions. With the E string in the A string position it has more 'body' and tone too. So there's definitely something amiss. Probably with the piezo. I'm still waiting on a reply from NS.
Even with the fault repaired I think the E string doesn't sound great. The A, D, and G aren't bad, but maybe a set of Spirocores would give me a much better hybrid tone on the NS with a lot less of the metallic overtones. Anyone using Spirocore Weich or similar on an NXT?
Even with the fault repaired I think the E string doesn't sound great. The A, D, and G aren't bad, but maybe a set of Spirocores would give me a much better hybrid tone on the NS with a lot less of the metallic overtones. Anyone using Spirocore Weich or similar on an NXT?
Just an update on my NXT5 for anyone interested. NS have sent me a new piezo, so I'll be fitting it and hopefully that'll be the solution. I can't imagine it's anything else as the electronics appear to be very simple inside the control cavity.
- Jul 20, 2005
- 881
- 76
- Disclosures
- Endorsing Artist: Samuel Shen Basses, NS Design, D'Addario Strings
Hi BB, yes I got it in the mail last week. Have yet to fit it though. Will report back when I get it installed. Hopefully we'll be talking Thor's hammer by then!
It's a pity because there are not many inexpensive solutions for stringing this guy....Also, I live in the Middle East, so I don't have a quick replacement. Amazon is my only resource ; ( bummer.
I guess GHS will send me a replacement. Anyone know if they have a member here on staff?
I had the G snap on my new EUB as I tuned it up, I also took it slowly.
This was my workaround, it gave me enough length at the tuner end to have a second go. I took it really slowly tuning up that time.
I used an short length of old bass guitar string with the ball end on, a bit of electrical sleeving (not really required but I didn't want the string marking the finish my brand new EUB), and the centre part out of a nylon electrical screw connector (usually called chocolate blocks or choc blocks here).
The small diameter bass guitar tuners would be a reason for me not to put any double bass strings on it.
I'm not sure if changing them for the old fender style bass guitar tuners would destabilize the pegbox and it would be a permanent change, so talking to the manufacturer about that would be a good idea.
Steel core strings should not break, but some have a very thin core which dislikes narrow bending and may break on a thin peg.
I'm not sure if changing them for the old fender style bass guitar tuners would destabilize the pegbox and it would be a permanent change, so talking to the manufacturer about that would be a good idea.
Steel core strings should not break, but some have a very thin core which dislikes narrow bending and may break on a thin peg.
I wonder if the Hipshot tuners would eliminate this problem. I put them on mine when I put a self Obligatos on because the E was so thick
The problem is not the tuners. I had a set of those same strings and the G broke in the same manner. I got a replacement string and it did the same thing so I just gave up on them. I had forgotten about that until I saw this. I gues it wasn't just me.
I don’t think the tuners are at fault. My 2006 NXT is still on the original strings, and I only changed the stock tuners out for Hipshots a few months ago.
I built a prototype 42” scale 5-string EUB on the cheap in the late ‘90’s, using a set of Gotoh sealed electric bass tuners that I had in my parts bin. We’re talking the small, 3/8” posts, not the 1/2” ones you see on Fenders.
I bought a set of Spirocores because they were the only strings I could get in a low B at the time. It hasn’t seen much use because it’s too heavy, and I lost interest after my first couple of attempts at amplifying it were unsatisfactory. I was a total noob when it came to upright bass, so when I strung it up, I brought it straight up to concert pitch in a matter of a couple of minutes, as if it were a bass guitar.
It has remained strung up at concert pitch for the last 20 years, and I’ve had no problem with string breakage. In fact, the only problem was the B-string tuner. It failed under the high tension the first year, but I swapped in a spare, and it’s been fine ever since....
I built a prototype 42” scale 5-string EUB on the cheap in the late ‘90’s, using a set of Gotoh sealed electric bass tuners that I had in my parts bin. We’re talking the small, 3/8” posts, not the 1/2” ones you see on Fenders.
I bought a set of Spirocores because they were the only strings I could get in a low B at the time. It hasn’t seen much use because it’s too heavy, and I lost interest after my first couple of attempts at amplifying it were unsatisfactory. I was a total noob when it came to upright bass, so when I strung it up, I brought it straight up to concert pitch in a matter of a couple of minutes, as if it were a bass guitar.
It has remained strung up at concert pitch for the last 20 years, and I’ve had no problem with string breakage. In fact, the only problem was the B-string tuner. It failed under the high tension the first year, but I swapped in a spare, and it’s been fine ever since....
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I put an inexpensive clip-on piezo transducer under the bridge of my NXT 4. I listened to it through the 1/4 jack included on it. It didn't sound too bad...actually, I think if I fiddled around with it a little, I could get it sounding okay. Which inspires a question....Given that I am not all that wild about the NXT's onboard piezo, what are my options in terms of getting a better sound, either with an add-on pickup or some other modification?
Folks, I'll be joining the group. Just won an Ebay auction for an NXT4. NS Design NXT4 double bass, Free bow and upgraded strings included | eBay
I have missed my old King "white plywood" Mortone bass for years; I had to sell it when my parents moved from the big house to the small house, and I didn't have a way to get it 2000 miles to where I was living. I played upright bass in Jr. High and High school, but only sporadically since then, and I kinda miss it.
I have a dozen electric basses but didn't want to haul around another 3/4 size upright bass. This ought to give me some of the upright neck experience in a more portable package. I'll be visiting and checking in to learn more; the bass should arrive late next week.
I have missed my old King "white plywood" Mortone bass for years; I had to sell it when my parents moved from the big house to the small house, and I didn't have a way to get it 2000 miles to where I was living. I played upright bass in Jr. High and High school, but only sporadically since then, and I kinda miss it.
I have a dozen electric basses but didn't want to haul around another 3/4 size upright bass. This ought to give me some of the upright neck experience in a more portable package. I'll be visiting and checking in to learn more; the bass should arrive late next week.
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- Jul 19, 2000
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- 2,224
- Disclosures
- Owner/President, Gollihur Music LLC
What are you plugging the NXT into? Is it an NXTa (active) or the original NXT?
