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Double Bass NS Design WAV4 megathread part I

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#321
I just hope the anchor points are the same as the CR4M and you don't get flack if they aren't.
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On the CR4M, the anchor points are 5 in. (12.5 cm) from the the bottom of the bass where the strings turn 90 degrees.

I wonder if it's possible to craft a short string extension (made from some strong material -- a coat hanger??) so that strings that are too short have an extra inch or so at the nut.

I also worry about the 90 degree turn. I fear could stress the strings with such sharp angle. I put some felt pads on mine to reduce the sharpness of the turn.
 
#322
On the CR4M, the anchor points are 5 in. (12.5 cm) from the the bottom of the bass where the strings turn 90 degrees.
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You'd have to measure the distance from the bridge to the anchor point to get better idea of the extra length required, compared to the stock strings. I'll try and do this with one of the stock strings on the WAV - unwind the string, move the ball end to the keyhole, put the string over the bridge, pull on it to make it "straight", and mark where the string meets the bridge. Bring back the ball end in the original hole, wind it up and bring it to just a little tension (like when the string was mounted to the keyhole) - now see how far the mark is from the bridge.

I also worry about the 90 degree turn. I fear could stress the strings with such sharp angle. I put some felt pads on mine to reduce the sharpness of the turn.
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On the WAV, the corner where the string makes its 90 degrees turn is rounded off. This part of the string won't move much, only as you drop the tension and bring it up again. You would think they've considered this on the up-market instruments as well.
 
#323
adje said:
You'd have to measure the distance from the bridge to the anchor point to get better idea of the extra length required, compared to the stock strings.
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Yes, but the extra length was not the info I was trying to provide. I was letting WAV owners know what the CR4M back side measures so that they can compare to the WAV back side and know the difference, if any. If there is very little difference, then my experience with fitting TI strings on the CR4M should apply to the WAV (since the rest of the measurements to the nut should be the same on the two models).

On the WAV, the corner where the string makes its 90 degrees turn is rounded off. This part of the string won't move much, only as you drop the tension and bring it up again. You would think they've considered this on the up-market instruments as well.
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The CR4M corner is also rounded, but the 90 degree bend stlll seems to stress the strings (maybe I'm paranoid), especially the E and A. You can feel the outer windings pop out. Putting a piece of 1/4 inch felt eases the bend.
 
#324
The distance from the bridge to the anchor points on the back side of a CR4M is 11.25". Add 41.75" for a 3/4 scale bridge to nut length and you get 53". So a string's wound portion (from the ball to the start of the silk at the tail) has to be at least 53" to fit a CR4M. A typical 3/4 scale string's wound portion is about 55" according to http://www.liutaiomottola.com/formulae/bassString.htm. I guess 3/4 TI Spiros and Superflexible strings are not "typical" and have a shorter wound portion. One wonders why TI did this.

It would be good to know the length between the bridge and the tailpiece anchor point on a 3/4 scale acoustic bass so we can compare it to the 11.25" of the CR4M. I bet it is less, since 3/4 TI Spiros fit a 3/4 AB.
 
#325
Thanks for sharing those measurements on the CR4. They may well be the same on a WAV, but you can't really be certain: the design on the front of the instrument is much the same, but the back side is definitely different.

A bit of lateral thinking ... we've been discussing putting on 3/4 and 4/4 length strings, but those are not the only ones available. Perhaps one of the other sizes (like 1/2) matches the stock NS strings?
 
#326
adje said:
Thanks for sharing those measurements on the CR4. They may well be the same on a WAV, but you can't really be certain: the design on the front of the instrument is much the same, but the back side is definitely different.
Click to expand...

So are there any WAV owners out there willing to report the measurements for their back side?

A bit of lateral thinking ... we've been discussing putting on 3/4 and 4/4 length strings, but those are not the only ones available. Perhaps one of the other sizes (like 1/2) matches the stock NS strings?
Click to expand...

It's great to think outside the box. It looks like the measurements would work. A 1/2 scale is 38", so the wound portion ought to be about 48". The stock NS strings have a wound portion of 46", so you're in the ball park. The concern I would have, however, is that a 1/2 scale string is designed for a shorter scale length (has a thicker gage to offset the shorter scale length), so putting it on a 3/4 scale bass would put more tension on the string to bring them to the right pitch. You would need about 9% more tension (41.75/38 - 1). If you use a light gage 1/2 scale string set, they would probably feel like a medium gage set on a 3/4 bass for tension. Whether the 1/2 scale strings can take the extra 9% tension is an open question. And there is always the question of tone.

Anyone willing to try this?
 
#327
My Wav 4 arrived today. First impressions:

Strings: The stock strings sound like a bass guitar. Took them off and put on Obligatos. Raised the bridge. Much better! Doesn't sound exactly like an URB, but pretty close and has its own cool vibe.

Finish and workmanship: Excellent! I got the amberburst and it's beautiful. No finish problems that I can find.

The stand: After reading other reports, I was concerned. But, so far it seems pretty study. I'll be careful not to overcrank the knobs.

Playability: Fantastic. This is lots of fun to play. If the Obligatos stretch out sufficiently I'll play it in church Sunday morning. This is much more fun than playing an electric bass guitar!

Thanks to Bob Gollihur for quick service, and to everyone on this thread for their advice.
 
#329
bluegrassboy said:
My Wav 4 arrived today. First impressions:

Strings: The stock strings sound like a bass guitar. Took them off and put on Obligatos. Raised the bridge. Much better! Doesn't sound exactly like an URB, but pretty close and has its own cool vibe.

Finish and workmanship: Excellent! I got the amberburst and it's beautiful. No finish problems that I can find.

The stand: After reading other reports, I was concerned. But, so far it seems pretty study. I'll be careful not to overcrank the knobs.

Playability: Fantastic. This is lots of fun to play. If the Obligatos stretch out sufficiently I'll play it in church Sunday morning. This is much more fun than playing an electric bass guitar!

Thanks to Bob Gollihur for quick service, and to everyone on this thread for their advice.
Click to expand...

How do you rate the Obligatos in the Pizz mode, compared to the stock strings, and what's the gauge like?
 
#330
The Obligatos are a slightly heavier gauge than the strings that come on the Wav. I believe the stock strings are considered to be a light gauge. Obligatos are more of a medium. There is no problem with them fitting on the Wav. The nut slots did not need to be adjusted. I was already familiar with Obligatos, because I have used them on my acoustic URB. Raising the bridge, which was really simple, and putting these strings on there helped a great deal. They sound great in the Pizz mode. The stock strings, particularly the G, sound like bass guitar strings. The Obligatos make it sound much more like an acoustic upright. A lot of people complain that the Obligatos have a short life. I like them more after a couple of months, but that may be because I play a lot of bluegrass and I'm looking for that good old bluegrass "thump". It will be interesting to see if that holds true for the Obligatos on the Wav. Again, I just received my Wav yesterday. I don't have it sounding exactly like my acoustic upright yet. It may never. But, I've already got it pretty close, and I'm very pleased so far.
 
#331
cairomike said:
G & A strings 129mm, D & E strings 135mm measured from the bottom of the slot to the right angle bend. Distance from the right angle bend to where the stock string ball ends sit is 56mm.

Hope this helps.
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Thanks for the data. So the CR4 at 125mm from anchor to right angle bend for all strings is a bit shorter than on the WAV, but the difference is at most 10mm, so I would think my experience with TI string length on the CR4 would apply to the WAV4. I have more than 10mm of the wound portion left above the nut on both the 3/4 Belcanto and 4/4 Spiros, so there is room.
 
#332
I played my new Wav 4 in this morning's church services. I got a lot of compliments from the other band members on the sound and, of course, a lot of people were asking me what sort of instrument it is. I like the sound I've got dialed in with my Tech 21 bass DI and my SWR amp. To me, the biggest difference between the Wav and my Fender P bass is that the Wav just sounds fuller. It's hard to describe, because I love the fat sound of the P bass. The Wav sounds even better.

The difference between the Wav and my Englehardt with a K&K bass max pickup is the sustain of the note. The Wav notes seem to sustain just a little longer, although I haven't played them back to back for a direct comparison. I could be totally mistaken. Has anyone else had this impression?

So far, so good! I love it! I will probably sell my P-bass. I like the Wav that much!
 
#334
Where did you hear or read that new ones are coming out? If I understood Bob Gollihur's message from the folks at NS, the current stands reflect some changes from the initial ones, and NS admitted that the design may change over time. But I don't recall reading here that new ones are coming...only that NS is sending replacements to those who've had a problem. The Wav's stand is different from the ones used on NS' higher end basses. But, I'm sure that's one factor in the big price difference as well. Bob, did I understand your conversations with the NS folks correctly, or have I missed something?
 
#336
My main bass is a Lakland 55-94,and the sustain with TI flats is equal to the WAV. The WAV has a rounder, smoother and fatter low end but is not lacking in punch. However, for faster lines and better articulation, I still prefer the Lakland. Because of the scale and string spacing of the WAV, I play it differently, which I think is a good thing. I also take full advantage of the ability to play slides on the WAV. For my money, the two basses give me every sound I can imagine.
 
#340
ofajen said:
Not sure if anyone followed up on this. I didn't see it in the remaining 12 pages. Mike at NS said to expect the next WAV instrument to be a violin, coming out in late fall or early winter.

Cheers,

Otto
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If the WAV had been offered in a 5 version initially, I would have bought it because I've been playing a 5 string electric for six years (after 35 years on a 4) and I do miss that low B when I play my WAV. If I were playing more -- like for a living, or at least making more money when I do play -- I'd bite the bullet and buy a CR5. After playing the WAV for a month in church, I have the G string sounding better than ever -- especially the "mwah" factor -- but it still doesn't sound as full as the others. I guess I'm used to the sound of my Lakland 55-94. All the strings (TI Flats) sound absolutely equal in sustain and tone across the entire range of the bass. The only other instrument I've owned on which that was true was ... a Steinberger L2 way back in 1982. Ned does know his stuff. Now, if the WAV just came with an automatic bowing device ... I stink at bowing.:bawl:
 
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