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Double Bass NS Design WAV4 megathread part II

#281
mrpackerguy said:
I am hoping some of you use this combo. I recently bought a WAV4 and have been practicing leading up to last night's jazz trio gig. At home, I was able to get what sounded like good bass tone from the Walkabout. At last night's gig, I felt as though the tone was just not right, despite multiple settings. Primarily, I've got the Walkabout dialed in:

Gain 12:00
Bass 1:00
Med: 9:00
Parametric EQ - flat or off
Treble: 7:00 (off)
Master 12:00

On the WAV4 I've got it dialed in with almost no treble.

What I was getting semed to be inconsistent volume across the strings - more boomy in the lower registers, and less volume in the upper registers on the D and G strings. It just to me was not a consistent tone that I seemed to struggle with all night.

Any suggestions?
Click to expand...


Couple of notes..

1-have learned a preamp is almost manditory with the WAV

2-Speaker location to surfaces makes a huge difference

3-I ended up reporting a small enclosure only for the WAV.. mated to the frequency response..

When everything is perfect a NS will freakin sing.. saw a guy Sunday night that had stunning sound.. DI to a PA
 
#282
MNAirHead said:
Couple of notes..

1-have learned a preamp is almost manditory with the WAV

2-Speaker location to surfaces makes a huge difference

3-I ended up reporting a small enclosure only for the WAV.. mated to the frequency response..

When everything is perfect a NS will freakin sing.. saw a guy Sunday night that had stunning sound.. DI to a PA
Click to expand...
I do have the option in our jazz trio setting to run it through our small Peavey PA (1x12 and tweeter). Since I've got the K&K coming, maybe that's the route to go (less to set up too).
 
#289
Hi,

I just found this morning that there was a neck heel for NS Design, but I also have found that it won't work with my WAV4. Bob Gullihur didn't say why it won't fit. Did someone tried to fit this neck heel on a WAV? How have you done it?
 
#290
Got my WAV4 this last week. I love it so far. I am playing thru a Fishman Platinum Pro Bass EQ/DI into an Ampeg BA500. I really like the feel. I have found a couple good tones so far, one that pretty closely resembles an upright and the other sounds a lot like a fretless P/J. I think I am going to stick with the stock strings for awhile. I like that they are not quite as thick as a regular upright string.

I am starting a jazz trio with a guitarist and a trumpet player, should be a lot of fun. I will post some sound clips/videos after we get a few rehearsals behind us.
 
#291
Jean-Pierre said:
I just found this morning that there was a neck heel for NS Design, but I also have found that it won't work with my WAV4. Bob Gullihur didn't say why it won't fit. Did someone tried to fit this neck heel on a WAV? How have you done it?
Click to expand...

Hi Jean Pierre,

I was also looking around for a neck heel and could not find one. What I did is: I stuck a patch of stick-on felt, the kind you use under furniture to prevent scratches on a floor, on the neck at the position of the neck heel. It's not the same as a neck heel, but it works well enough for me.
 
#292
Hi Matthijs,
Thanks for your answer. I did the same thing and it works for me too, but my wife said it was very ugly on my black WAV4. I also think that the neck heel - or something similar form another company - would be better. That's why I was wondering if I could buy the neck heel, paint it and fit it on my bass.
 
#293
I found some black felt, what makes it tolerable, but you're wife is right: it's not the prettiest solution. I did wonder why the standard NS neck heel from Gollihur won't fit. I have the impression the neck sizes of the WAV isn't that much different from the CS basses. Anyway, my problem is just the look, for me felt is sufficient to feel the location of my hand on the neck.
 
#294
My felt is not black but nearly white, not very attractive. I will check for black one.

But I found somebody in another bass forum (Basschat.co.uk) that it is possible to sand the Gollihur's neck heel in order to fit it on the WAV. I would like to hear about someone who tried it.
 
#295
Matthijs said:
I found some black felt, what makes it tolerable, but you're wife is right: it's not the prettiest solution. I did wonder why the standard NS neck heel from Gollihur won't fit. I have the impression the neck sizes of the WAV isn't that much different from the CS basses. Anyway, my problem is just the look, for me felt is sufficient to feel the location of my hand on the neck.
Click to expand...

The information from NS Design stated that the neck heel was specifically designed to fit the neck profile of the CR model basses; apparently the profile on the WAV4 basses is different enough that they say it won't work. Taking their word for it, we've never tried to install one on the WAV, but it's a simple item that could potentially be modified if you have the tools and the drive to do it.

It's also color-matched for the CR's, so you'd have to figure out how to stain or paint it.

It installs quite simply with the industrial-grade foam adhesive tape. (Perhaps the finish on the WAV neck might have something to do with their recommendation as well?)
 
#297
Matthijs said:
Thanks Mark,

what material is the neck heel made off? If it's wood it shouldn't be that much of a problem to make it fit.
Click to expand...

I'm pretty sure it's wood, it looks and feels it, though it might be a cleverly disguised composite. I seem to recall from a few years ago when they first came out that they said that they are wood. It's super lightweight. I sold the last in-stock one last week, so I have to get some more in when the NS folk get back from NAMM.
 
#300
sixandeightstringer said:
I'm pretty sure it's wood, it looks and feels it, though it might be a cleverly disguised composite. I seem to recall from a few years ago when they first came out that they said that they are wood.
Click to expand...

I' might give it a try then and order one, just out of curiosity if it will fit the wav.

There's something else I wanted to share with you all. I haven't used my wav over the last month. As I only used my DB. I had a rehearsal last week where I unpacked the wav after its hybernation and found the action was much much higher. I complained before about the small amount of neck relief and having to turn the truss-rod almost completely loose. Well that's over now, suddenly the relief is there and I had to re do the setup completely. It's fine now and I was able to get a setup closer to my DB, but i was surprised though. Is it normal for a instrument to suddenly "wake up" to the tension? I have used it intensively over several months without any sign of change.
Is it because it's a new instrument? I've never owned a completely new instrument before, so maybe it's part of the getting played in proces?
 

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