Double Bass NS Design NXT Megathread

[equill]

Is that a single or double ski case?

Because I live on a different continent to Gollihur, I went looking for a more local source, and identified the thing.
It's a Sportube. Of course, they have several models, and I'm not sure of which one of those it is, but that should help narrrow the options a little.

 

[ArtechnikA]

Is that a single or double ski case?

Mine is a double; works fine. A Single _might_ fit the NXT by itself but I think it would be snug. With the bag and a tripod stand, no way...

 

[Sid Fang]

Because I live on a different continent to Gollihur, I went looking for a more local source, and identified the thing.
It's a Sportube. Of course, they have several models, and I'm not sure of which one of those it is, but that should help narrrow the options a little.

I think you're right, it's a Sportube (or a no-name OEM clone from the same mold). Their web site is really stupid on only showing them from the side, so you can't see the difference in width between the models, but further image search seems to show that it's a "Series 2" double case. The single is definitely too narrow, and the triple is too wide.

 

[DanielW]

What alternative to the NXTa Tripod would you recommend? I have an NXT double bass and would like to be able to sit in my desk chair and play it. Now I'm on a stool with the bass on the tripod, which is alright but not what I really want.

NS Design has two strap solutions, the Boomerang and the Shoulder. Which would you recommend? Or is the endpin better?

(Of course I would also play standing at times with any of these solutions)

 

[Barticus]

What alternative to the NXTa Tripod would you recommend? I have an NXT double bass and would like to be able to sit in my desk chair and play it. Now I'm on a stool with the bass on the tripod, which is alright but not what I really want.

NS Design has two strap solutions, the Boomerang and the Shoulder. Which would you recommend? Or is the endpin better?

(Of course I would also play standing at times with any of these solutions)

I got the boomerang with my NXTa 5 but it was never really was a comfortable playing position for me. Maybe I should look into the strap too?

I got the tripod and really love it, I don’t play it like a traditional standup though... I position it more like a normal electric and lean the tripod back to me. So YMMV

 

[Bellbass]

What alternative to the NXTa Tripod would you recommend? I have an NXT double bass and would like to be able to sit in my desk chair and play it. Now I'm on a stool with the bass on the tripod, which is alright but not what I really want.h the .

NS Design has two strap solutions, the Boomerang and the Shoulder. Which would you recommend? Or is the endpin better?

(Of course I would also play standing at times with any of these solutions)

I've been playing almost exclusively my NX5 with the "Frame Strap" as I have to move on stage (Peter Gabriel Tribute). It took some time gettin' use to it but now I'm very comfortable with it. I haven't tried bowing that much... I guess for the ultimate bowing experience a nicer tripod would be necessary. Haven't tried the endpin, though.

 

[fivestringgecko]

Working on a little COVID remote collaboration with the rhythm and horn sections of my band, figured I'd post an audio sample of my NXTa using the 3Sigma Prescott 3c impulse response. Quite happy with the way it sounds!

Drums were recorded with a single room mic (if you couldn't tell), but I recorded direct. NXTa with NS Traditionals strings (The Gollihur Edition!) to HX Stomp with the Prescott IR, straight into my PC using Cubase. In the Stomp's IR block, I've got a high pass set at 3.5kHz and a low cut at 40Hz. Sounds great live! Well... the last time I played it live anyway, before the pandemic hit.

Cheers!
5sg.

 

[Persona87]

Working on a little COVID remote collaboration with the rhythm and horn sections of my band, figured I'd post an audio sample of my NXTa using the 3Sigma Prescott 3c impulse response. Quite happy with the way it sounds!

Drums were recorded with a single room mic (if you couldn't tell), but I recorded direct. NXTa with NS Traditionals strings (The Gollihur Edition!) to HX Stomp with the Prescott IR, straight into my PC using Cubase. In the Stomp's IR block, I've got a high pass set at 3.5kHz and a low cut at 40Hz. Sounds great live! Well... the last time I played it live anyway, before the pandemic hit.

Cheers!
5sg.

Meghan Trainor?

 

[fivestringgecko]

Meghan Trainor?

Indeed. But this one will end up being a horn arrangement with just our rhythm section and 5 horns.

5sg.

 

[GrooveWarrior]

So as someone new to having an EUB, what are some suggestions for songs I could play with that are fairly easy. I’m working on a couple of Sinatra tunes that are pretty simple.
I’m just trying to gain some comfort and confidence on this instrument.

 

[DanielW]

So as someone new to having an EUB, what are some suggestions for songs I could play with that are fairly easy. I’m working on a couple of Sinatra tunes that are pretty simple.
I’m just trying to gain some comfort and confidence on this instrument.

Try the old 50's tunes out of Memphis. Elvis Presley – "Fever". Johnny Cash – "Folsom Prison Blues". Whether or not rockabilly is your thing, those are simple tunes written for upright bass.

 

[jthisdell]

So as someone new to having an EUB, what are some suggestions for songs I could play with that are fairly easy. I’m working on a couple of Sinatra tunes that are pretty simple.
I’m just trying to gain some comfort and confidence on this instrument.

Not so much songs per we but it helped me to work on simple grooves based on scales as finger exercises. So I would work through a scale but putting a groove on it as opposed to playing straight through the scale. Not trying to play a particular song but just trying to get used to fingering on a longer scale and trying to do it musically. An important difference is using your pinkie more and shifting your hand slightly to adapt to the longer scale. Hope this gibberish helps.

 

[GrooveWarrior]

This is great info. Thanks.

Let's talk EQ. How are you EQ'ing your NXT. I have a Bassbone OD, so Bass, Mid (250, 500, or 1k), and high. What's your preference?

 

[Zbysek]

This is great info. Thanks.

Let's talk EQ. How are you EQ'ing your NXT. I have a Bassbone OD, so Bass, Mid (250, 500, or 1k), and high. What's your preference?

I don't EQ my NXT too much. I use HPF set at 60-80 Hz. I usually boost 150-200 Hz a little for my monitoring (not for FOH).

 

[equill]

This is great info. Thanks.

Let's talk EQ. How are you EQ'ing your NXT. I have a Bassbone OD, so Bass, Mid (250, 500, or 1k), and high. What's your preference?

I don't EQ it much at all.
Admittedly even less these days, now that it's my backup EUB and lives unplugged on another floor.

In general, though, I only use EQ to fix something that sounds noticeably wrong.

 

[Deleted member 132197]

This is great info. Thanks.

Let's talk EQ. How are you EQ'ing your NXT. I have a Bassbone OD, so Bass, Mid (250, 500, or 1k), and high. What's your preference?

I have the bassbone v2, and most of the time the bass is around 1-2 o'clock, mid around 10 and the high around 1, with the HPF at 80hz.

 

[jthisdell]

This is great info. Thanks.

Let's talk EQ. How are you EQ'ing your NXT. I have a Bassbone OD, so Bass, Mid (250, 500, or 1k), and high. What's your preference?

I also have a Bassbone OD but also use a Tone Hammer 500. The Bass on the TH is set lower at 40hz so I tend to adjust that as opposed to the Radial. I run the hpf on the Radial at 80 and adjust the Drive on the TH to about 11:00 (also acts as a hpf), then I adjust the Bass on the TH and see if any high mids need to be dialed out. To me the NXT often needs more adjustment based on the room than a BG,

 

[Zbysek]

I also have a Bassbone OD but also use a Tone Hammer 500. The Bass on the TH is set lower at 40hz so I tend to adjust that as opposed to the Radial. I run the hpf on the Radial at 80 and adjust the Drive on the TH to about 11:00 (also acts as a hpf), then I adjust the Bass on the TH and see if any high mids need to be dialed out.

Do you use OD and TH at the same time (in one signal chain)?

To me the NXT often needs more adjustment based on the room than a BG,

Agreed. My NXT is more "room-sensitive" than my bass guitars...

 

[jthisdell]

Do you use OD and TH at the same time (in one signal chain)?.

Yes the ToneBones are designed to go into the front end of an amp. They are not hot enough to go into an fx loop or dive a power amp. Going through two eq's can be a bit of a dangerous rabbit hole but I find it helpful to have the two Bass controls at different freqs. Mostly I use the lower TH one, sometimes I find that the radial Bass will work better.

 

[GrooveWarrior]

I also have a Bassbone OD but also use a Tone Hammer 500. The Bass on the TH is set lower at 40hz so I tend to adjust that as opposed to the Radial. I run the hpf on the Radial at 80 and adjust the Drive on the TH to about 11:00 (also acts as a hpf), then I adjust the Bass on the TH and see if any high mids need to be dialed out. To me the NXT often needs more adjustment based on the room than a BG,

Do you put your Tone Hammer in front of the Radial, or in the effects loop?