Double Bass NS Design WAV4 megathread part I

[jasonbraatz]

Guitar Center in Cherry Hill NJ just got one in. I tried it last nite and it blew me away for the price!!

I just called my local Guitar Center and while my Madison, WI branch doesn't have one, the Twin Cities and Chicago Guitar Centers do.

I really want to check one of these bad boys out, but I might hold off for a 5 string.

 

[glivanos]

Try guitarcenter.com or bobgollihurmusic.com too.

 

[Bob Gollihur]

Try guitarcenter.com or

correction: http://www.gollihurmusic.com too.

 

[jasonbraatz]

If I buy one, it'll definitely be through Bob. I think I want to play one first, though.

 

[mccartneyman]

Just picked up an NS WAV and although I have never really played URB or EUB before, I love it! (Last time I Played URB Was in 1965, when I taught myself to play using my brother's old Kay. Since then, it's been all EB.) The dot markers are a welcome addition for me, transitioning from electric and very little fretless playing. I didn't find it hard to play in tune at all, although I do need to concentrate on left hand hand position and actually moving my entire hand rather than just the fingers. Yes, my fingers turned black, and I do suspect it's the strings. I plan to wipe 'em with alcohol or even just a rag today. I played only for about an hour but will tackle it in earnest over the holiday weekend. Setup seems good -- low for a dedicated URB Player, I'm sure -- although I think the G string is a bit too close just because it rattles aginst the fingerboard (not mwah, but buzz) in the extremne high regsiter. Other string heights seem good. Again, this observation is based on only a very short session.

Some questions, though:

I have been running my EB direct to the PA through a Radial Bassbone, but the signal on the WAV is too low to work through this setup (at least at home). Plugged straight into my Genz-Benz amp, the WAV sounds fine, but there's hardly any signal through the Bone into the amp. Is the impedance from the piezos wrong for the Bone, and will I need an actual preamp to go direct to the PA, since I use no amp on stage?

I've read that the height of the bass for playing should be judged so that either the nut is at ear level or the left index finger is at eye level when in first position. However, this seems a but too low (I'm 5'9") to allow me to pluck at the bottom of the fingerboard. Should I be actually at the end of the fingerboard or beyond it, over the body of the bass? Or does it matter?

Finally, since I read, should I get the Simandl method for positioning, or would I be better off to grab something like Essential Elements since it's a new instrument to me?

I think this is a great EUB for the money. I owned NS's L2 electric in the '80s and the quality on this is just as good.

Thanks, and Merry Christmas to all.

 

[jasonbraatz]

Has anyone tried wiping down the fingerboard? I'm worried that people's fingers are turning black due to cheaper ebony being used that was dyed black.

 

[mccartneyman]

I haven't but I will, probably tonight. I have a feeling it's the strings because my right index & middle fingers also turned black, but not as much. I play trombone and it is not uncommon for some metal to leave a black funk on your fingers, although I can't remember the last time bass strings did this to me. As soon as I have a chance to play I'll report in.

 

[adam on bass]

I am waiting for mine directly from the source and I can't wait.......

 

[tkozal]

flat wound nickel strings especially, and various other types will turn your fingers black. I have 30+ years of black fingers to show for this!

Keep the reports coming, I'm about ready to order from Bob!

 

[adilindborg]

the fingerboard is not dyed black, like on my previous Palatino. I know, because I have both.

And the wav plays like a son of a b$tch! If these had been around 40 years ago there wouldn't be any bass guitars.

I just wish I knew what the "pizz" mode is for. It sounds like a fretless BG then. But in the arco mode it really makes me play!

 

[mccartneyman]

I had a chance to play today and the blackness is definitely caused by the strings, not the fingerboard. I wiped the strings down with a plain cloth and it helped but I think alcohol is the ticket. It plays very well, although I still need to push up the bridge on the G side to keep it the G and D from bottoming out above the octave. Soundwise, it is sweet, and I like both settings for the piezos, but favor the pizz mode. In arco, the plucked sound is a bit TOO percussive for me. Very nice instrument, and I think he transition will be easier than I thought. I think having played on a 35" Lakland fiver for the past four years has helped.

 

[war_n_peace]

I really wish that Ned would have used a headless design
with the WAV upright. After all, he invented the Headless
Tuner.

The violin and viola are headless.

 

[tkozal]

I just came from playing a Wav at the 14st GC in Manhattan. They also have a NS CR4 there, (its been there awhile), so I had the chance to compare and contrast.

I was impressed with the build quailty and everything else given the price. However the action was very high compared to the CR4 they had there, this one would need some work for me. Which of course is intimitading as hell to me, coz' I don't see no adjustable bridge saddles! (once an EB'er, always an EB'er). How does one adjust?

The sound was good though, and compared well, very well to the piezo sound from the bigger brother. Of course, the mag p/u sound cannot be gotten.

No bow, but the arco setting was useless to me for pizz.

I was impressed with the range of the tone control.

If set up well, and if it can be set up well, very good for the $$

(oh, and my fingers were slightly black - cheapo chinese strings?)

update:

I see Bob's pdf explains adjustments. I am probably going to have to get one of these.....perfect for this folk rock thing I have been doing....

 

[Bob Gollihur]

I really wish that Ned would have used a headless design
with the WAV upright. After all, he invented the Headless
Tuner.

The violin and viola are headless.

I am theorizing that they decided not to go that way because of the string limitations; the EU and CR bass models also use tuning machines. The selection and tonal result of URB strings are far more diverse than violin or viola, and a headless model would restrict that choice. Even the use of a clamp arrangement that allows non-double ball strings, such as is available for some headless instruments, could likely be unsuccessful (and damaging) with some string types.

Just my guess.

 

[adam on bass]

However the action was very high...at GC

I have never picked up a bass that was set up good at GC, that is one reason out of 100's that I will never shop there again.

 

[gurzil]

Just to add to the reports, I tried one out for a bit at GC this afternoon. Most of my opinions are based on owning a CR4M (almost 4 months now).

The main thing about the appearance I noticed was the incredibly glossy finish. It seems laquered and very shiny. The visible wood seemed well finished, and the overall built loked as good as the cr4m.

The knobs feel a bit cheaper, as well as the switch (mine has the pan pot for the piezos. I was playing through an Ampeg, which I have learned I don't like much. Switching between both the arco and pizz positions but playing only arco, there seemed to be weak spots either in the neck or in the tone. I had the amp as flat as possible, but that still could have been the cause. Also, the stock strings... always feel like banjo strings after playing db strings.. could have contributed to the weak tone.

The stand, although stable, certainly feels a grade flimsier. I think it contributes to a slightly worse opinion that it may not deserve.

I guess my feelings so far would be: not feeling any buyers remorse on the cr4m. The pre-amp, magnetics, and panning between the mags, and the two piezos contribute a lot of capability. I'd have to try a wav with db strings and with a known amp to better compare the piezos alone.

Hope my wishwashy ramblings contribute some.

 

[Huy Nguyen]

Hope my wishwashy ramblings contribute some.

Yeah it does as I just bought a CR4 from another TB. So far I'm liking it. Such a breath of fresh air after having owned an Ergo bass. The improvement between the two is like night and day in terms of sound and feel. I was wondering if I had a little remorse having bought the CR4, but it's good to have more tonal controls and I just figured out how to use the tripod stand while sitting.

I have a strap system on order from All Hail Bob and will report once I get a chance to try it on my CR4.

 

[Alain Bass]

"I have a strap system on order from All Hail Bob and will report once I get a chance to try it on my CR4."

Please do. I am also interesting by this strap.
I will wait for your report.
Alain

 

[mccartneyman]

I adjusted the treble side of the bridge and am happy with the action. It was only a problem if I had been craving to play all the way up the neck, which I'm not. I love the sound, although I don't like plucking in the arco setting because it adds a tinny quality to the sound and just doesn't sustain enough. Of course in arco, the bow does the sustaining. If there are any of you electric bass players out there who are worrying about transitioning, I have to say that my fears were unfounded. Yes, I'm gonna have to work on my left hand technique, but if you have ears, you will soon learn to adapt. I like the fact that using different hand positioning and fingering has forced me to think more like an "upright player." If the action on the CR4 is lower than that on the WAV, I think it would be too low for me (but I like the action on my electrics high anyway). I still think URB players will find the action to low. I wiped the strings down with alchohol swabs again, and the blackness is getting steadily less. I may eventually try URB strings, but at least for now I like the way the stock strings sound. Having owned an XL2 Steinberger when they first came out, I can appreciate the headless design, but I don't think it would work as well for the EUB. For one thing, you'd have to reach all the way down to the bottom of the bass to tune, plus I think the arch factor would be harder to do on that style bridge.

 

[Huy Nguyen]

If the action on the CR4 is lower than that on the WAV, I think it would be too low for me (but I like the action on my electrics high anyway).

I dont' have a Wav4 but I doubt if it's lower. My strings are up pretty high as they're close my URB.