Double Bass NS Design WAV4 megathread part I

[TimoMetzemakers]

I gigged mine for the first time today on a celtic gig, and it sounded awesome, far more appropriate to the genre than my usual electric bass. There is a real percussive thump going on there that works well with the bohdrans and other acoustic instruments. Tons of dynamics available too, and it allows me to make a huge difference by playing only a few notes. What more could you want?

I don't know, a double bass, perhaps?

Resistance is futile.

 

[JazzDude]

Has anyone mentioned the lack of a 'heel' at the 4th position on this instrument? I think I would have problems on a reading gig if there were no heel to find the D or Eb note. That's why I don't use a fretless electric when I have to read a part.

 

[smakbass]

The lack of a heel is odd for sure I havent played a normal DB in a number of years but I am still adjusting to that and how to stand in relationship to the bass.

 

[endorka]

What more could you want?

I don't know, a double bass, perhaps?

Sure... if you offer to roadie it for me

 

[Jeffn]

Hmm, I see what you mean. I have ordered a set of Thomastic Superflexibles from SAITENKATALOG.DE so I'll let you know how it goes.

My stand (replacement after the first one broke) lost its split pins too, so like you I've put a bolt through. It's worth noting to anyone who does this the stand top is a cast metal so don't over tighten the new bolt, you could break the casting. I think it might be worth the extra investment in a CR4 stand. A word of warning to UK owners though, don't try to buy a CR4 stand from The Bass Centre in London, because I didn't buy the WAV4 from them they would barely give me the time of day and couldn't put the phone down quick enough , so I got a quote from Bob Gollihur. I'll have to see how the funds go.

BTW, after having done two gigs now I have radically altered the settings on the PX3B. I found the original settings, while sounding good to my ears at home, sounded way to boomy at the gig and didn't cut through at all. I also got a copy of Todd Phillips' Essential Techniques for Acoustic Bass and realised a 'real' upright is actually quite 'bright'. Here are my new settings, let me know what you think.

Tube1: +14, Low: +3, Mid: +14, High: -8, Presn: 0, Trim: -12, Gara1: 10

I turned the EQ.Trim down because I found some distortion when playing two note chords and the slight reverb gives it a livelier sound too. I've also raised the bridge height, and that changes the tone as well. I play with a quartet made up of myself, two electro-acoustic guitarists and a percussionist. We play Latin oriented material and the new settings sit much better than the earlier ones.

Mike

Thanks for passing on those new settings on Mike. I've been using your original ones with good results, and will certainly try these and let you know how they go.

Glad to hear the bolting mod helped. My bolted-up stand is behaving well - very rigid. NS very kindly sent me a replacement, but I have similar concerns about the pins in the head going the same way as there is already movement there. So mod'ed stand it is.

Your point to avoid overtightening is quite right.

The CR4 stand certainly does look a superior product (you get what you pay for ), though I must say personally I'm finding my WAV stand with this improvement in place is doing a good job.

I raised the bridge height a little too when I got it, and prefer the action now.

Hope you have success with the Superflexibles - would be very interested to hear your views on them.

Jeff

 

[andrewd]

Looks like I'm picking up a WAV4 on Monday. Assuming that I can play it well at some point, I plan on using a radial bassbone for switching between the WAV and my EBG. I'll be using both instruments in some songs. luckily we aren't recording again until summer

I know that the bassbone doesn't have a proper impedence match for the piezos, but will the boost and EQ of the second channel suffice until I can get a proper preamp? As long as the volume differences between the two basses aren't drastic I'll be happy. If need be I could probably just roll off the volume on my 6 string.

Anyone else have success with a similar setup?

 

[mccartneyman]

My brief experience in running the WAV4 through the BassBone, even with channel two and boost, was that the signal is drastically lower than if you put the WAV4 straight into the amp. I go straight to the board in church - no amp. So I just picked up a K&K Pure Preamp from URB Bob. The K&K not only boosts the signal, it makes the tone on the WAV4 much fuller. This is what Bob promised, and he was right.

 

[Bob Gollihur]

The Bassbone is a great box, but it is not designed to be a preamp. It is a unity gain device: the level in equals the level out if the volume control for a channel is all the way up, the only exception being if the EQ controls are higher than flat and/or boost is on.

I use one on most every gig where I'm using more than one bass.

 

[danhorne]

After following this thread for awhile and doing alot of research into EUB's i've ordered a Wav from Bob.

However i have a question concerning my amp. I'm currently using a Mesa Walkabout head running into a single Aguilar GS12. Is this going to be a good match for the Wav or is the impedance match going to be all over the place? any body use a rig like this with their Wav's or EUBs?

 

[Motorhead Mark]

I had the chance to play with one of these at my local music store. Very nice feel, nice layout. The fret markers are fairly discreet, and the neck had a nice feel to it. Now, I cannot play this style bass at all, but plaing in a rock-a-billy outfit has me looking around. A full size double will cost an arm and a leg, and is freakin huge to transport, but it has 'that' sound and 'look'. The WAV almost has 'that' sound, and no look, but is easier to carry than my 4 banger, and price compared to the fullsize is nice...the WAV was going for $1050 CDN...What's a guy gonna do?

 

[cairomike]

Hope you have success with the Superflexibles - would be very interested to hear your views on them.

Jeff

Bad news. TI Superflexible 3/4 Orchestra strings DON'T fit. I started restringing with the G and it was fine, then came to the D and it's way too short when strung through the holes in the rear plate, the binding at the nut extends to around the E position, and they are way to long when strung through the normal holes, the end binding extends past the bridge by more than an inch or so. I didn't try the A and E but they also look too short. £70 down the drain, not happy

 

[smakbass]

After following this thread for awhile and doing alot of research into EUB's i've ordered a Wav from Bob.

However i have a question concerning my amp. I'm currently using a Mesa Walkabout head running into a single Aguilar GS12. Is this going to be a good match for the Wav or is the impedance match going to be all over the place? any body use a rig like this with their Wav's or EUBs?

I really recommend buying the K & K or similar pre It will sound ok with your set up but very few amps have imputs that match the impedence levels of Piezos.

 

[mccartneyman]

After following this thread for awhile and doing alot of research into EUB's i've ordered a Wav from Bob.

However i have a question concerning my amp. I'm currently using a Mesa Walkabout head running into a single Aguilar GS12. Is this going to be a good match for the Wav or is the impedance match going to be all over the place? any body use a rig like this with their Wav's or EUBs?

Volume should not be a problem, particularly if the amp has active/passive inputs or hi/lo inputs. However, Bob suggests that using the preamp between the bass & amp will help with tone quality as well. He will correct me if I'm wrong, I'm sure. Depending on how the cabinet is ported, you should have plenty of low end. But its a different kind of low end than you get from an electric.

 

[Francois Blais]

Bad news. TI Superflexible 3/4 Orchestra strings DON'T fit. I started restringing with the G and it was fine, then came to the D and it's way too short when strung through the holes in the rear plate, the binding at the nut extends to around the E position, and they are way to long when strung through the normal holes, the end binding extends past the bridge by more than an inch or so.

You can remove several inches of the silk at the ball-end without any problem.
I have to do it on most TI strings because the silk thread is so long.
Take a sharp knife, and cut some silk while holding the blade flat against the string, so you don't harm the metal itself.

 

[cairomike]

You can remove several inches of the silk at the ball-end without any problem.
I have to do it on most TI strings because the silk thread is so long.
Take a sharp knife, and cut some silk while holding the blade flat against the string, so you don't harm the metal itself.

Thanks for your suggestion Francois. The trouble is if I do that although the string will sit properly on the bridge, the main body of the string then winds around the machine head rather than the binding. What's really needed are holes in the back plate about 80mm lower. What we all need is some guidance as to which 'standard' strings fit the NS basses, some one in the 'business' must be able to do the measurements, it's not rocket science.

 

[Moog1000]

Thanks for your suggestion Francois. The trouble is if I do that although the string will sit properly on the bridge, the main body of the string then winds around the machine head rather than the binding. What's really needed are holes in the back plate about 80mm lower. What we all need is some guidance as to which 'standard' strings fit the NS basses, some one in the 'business' must be able to do the measurements, it's not rocket science.

I remember reading something similar elsewhere and it transpires that although the WAV is a 3/4 Scale, you actually need 4/4 length when ordering Thomastik strings.

 

[cairomike]

I remember reading something similar elsewhere and it transpires that although the WAV is a 3/4 Scale, you actually need 4/4 length when ordering Thomastik strings.

That makes sense, but I think the G will be too long. Anyway, I'll donate them to a friend who plays a 'real' upright, and stick to buying NS strings in future, at least I know they'll fit.

 

[4stringsgood]

Hey everyone,

Well, I bought myself a "wav". Thanks to everyone's input on the forum. Very Helpful. I'll intro myself and then give my review for what its worth.

I started by playing electric about 20 years ago and owned the heaviest bass in the world (ibanez musician 8 string). Moved to fretless then to upright. I've played straight ahead rock, jazz then folk. Now playing with celtic, flamenco and klezmer musicians and really into world music generally.

So I walk into to the store to get a pickup for my DB and see the wav, WOW. How much? That's it! Wow! I play it and gee its fast. No body means getting close to the instrument with more arm movement.

I came back for a sober second look with my fender bassman 25 practice amp. I know some of you are laughing OK OK. Had to crank it up and still not much volume. The guy there said you really need a pre-amp, which I thought was reasonable considering the cheap price of the instrument (only passive pickups). However they hd sold their last preamp the day before.

Went to another store and saw 2 more. They played very differently one to the next. I thought this was interesting and of course instruments do have their personalities, even electrics. On closer inspection one them had the nut coming away and the pots weren't really lined up and the bridge actually felt cheaper. The twangy tone did not cut it unplugged or juiced.

Using the same bassman amp these two instruments were loud and clear no need for a preamp. The electronics and even the basic quality of these things seem to vary greatly. The finish on the fretboards was also discernable different. Well IT IS about 1/4 the price of the cr.

Two instruments one a clear winner, the other a dud.

FIRST PIECE OF ADVICE- Unless you are buying from a very reputable dealer like say Gollihur, go and check out the instrument carefully in person.

NOW THE GOOD NEWS- Practiced all afternoon and then played a gig that night. I was neither tired nor sore. For us guys with a tinge of grey that's important after years of muscling around a DB.

That gig was Greek and Turkish with accordian, violin and percussion.
Going for that authentic non amplified sound instead of the non-amp DB I used, you guessed it, the bassman 25. Heck if I need that much power now a days, I go DI into the board. I am not hauling a ton of gear anymore thank you.

Plays nicely and I could easily double the melody lines. The others thought the sound was pretty nice too after some tweaking. Awesome sustain. I mention it only because it seems a bit odd and it brings me back to those early days of brass and mahogany on the ibanez. I don't use a bow. The tone was "very bright". Rolled off a lot of high end. Maybe that's just me. For gearheads getting a great sound out of this thing may be some work.

The stand adjusted easily, however it does seem a bit wonky. I may get the end pin attachment, we will see.

Next week I'll be with a electric bluegrass outfit. I think there will be no going back. Easy to pack, easy to play, easy on the wallet. I won't have to choose between the fretless and the DB, I'll just pack the wav. And I won't even have to put the seats down anymore. Thanks

 

[Francois Blais]

Thanks for your suggestion Francois. The trouble is if I do that although the string will sit properly on the bridge, the main body of the string then winds around the machine head rather than the binding.

No problem with that either.
I do it all the time since I switched to EUB.

 

[cairomike]

No problem with that either.
I do it all the time since I switched to EUB.

Ok. Thanks again, maybe I'll take another look at the problem at the weekend when I have more time.