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Double Bass NS EUB megathread
- Thread starter FretNoMore
- Start date
A lot of the wobble comes from how it's set up. You really need to get it in the right spot to make it really stable, both for the tripod and the endpin. I mostly use the endpin stand and I've gotten it figured out to the point where I can pretty much do anything (within reason. no crazy stuff) without it wobbling or anything.
Has anyone tried these? They are pricier than the standard steel flatwounds, just trying to figure out if they are worth the extra cash...I could get a set of Thomasticks for less and I know where I stand with those.
Steve
Steve
I just bought (last week) the NS CR5M!!! I am totally new to the Double Bass ... I live in NYC and do not care to carry a Double Bass around. I will eventually because I do love that sound, but I am learning how to play upright on this. It does have a lot of I guess you would call it sustain .. Do the Pirastro Flexocors help with toning that down or alleviating it altogether?!?! What strings should I buy immedicately that would get me the closest to the Upright sound. Currently I leave the magnetic pickups off and the treble off and keep the piezo pickups all the way and the bass I believe I have it set in the middle. On my amp, I take the treble out and the mid range very low (2 or 3). It has a nice warm sound that way but I can not get rid of the sustain or vibration of the low B string. HELP!!!!!!!
I guess I have to change picture now!
I guess I have to change picture now!
Well done on your purchase, I hope you love it as much as the rest of us. You'll certainly get plenty of comments on it if you are out playing in public. The sustain has always been an issue with everyone.
I think it was Bruce Lindfield who has recomended Flexocors and he had great results with them. They are orchestral strings therefore have a lot less sustain than pizzicato strings. Whatever regular DB strings you put on make sure you get 4/4 strings as 3/4s are too short. Flexocors only come in 4/4 I think.
Someone else has suggested leaving the NS low B on and replace the rest with regular DB strings.
Anyway enjoy the instrument and welcome to the club.
I think it was Bruce Lindfield who has recomended Flexocors and he had great results with them. They are orchestral strings therefore have a lot less sustain than pizzicato strings. Whatever regular DB strings you put on make sure you get 4/4 strings as 3/4s are too short. Flexocors only come in 4/4 I think.
Someone else has suggested leaving the NS low B on and replace the rest with regular DB strings.
Anyway enjoy the instrument and welcome to the club.
Meant to say that though Flexocors have a shorter sustain don't expect it to be too short on the NS. They should have a much shorter sustain than the stock strings.
So I guess everyone but me suffers the enviable problem of having a B string that sounds too good on the NS...
Thinking of trying a Permanent B. The Corelli TX-B may settle in and improve (I hope) but out of the box was underwhelming for pizz.
The search continues.
Thinking of trying a Permanent B. The Corelli TX-B may settle in and improve (I hope) but out of the box was underwhelming for pizz.
The search continues.
It was Francois who recommended Pirastro Orchs to me for a darker, more DB-like sound and I only changed the top 4 strings - not the B.
I think the biggest difference was in the G ...?
OK ... I am playing the NS 5M ... how come there is not a thread that features or gives instruction for this instrument?!?! Mostly what I see are people with a ton of Acoustic Upright Skill bash the EUB. They probably did the same thing when the EB came on board. So ... why can't we get over the fact that there will be people who do not want to lug the BIG BOY around or can not afford one and choose to play the EUB exclusively!!! Or is it that it will only become acceptable if Stanley Clarke or the like touches it. Or ... I guess I will have to make it famous. I am studying totally out of the Simandl, My First Simandl and I am making great strides and progress. I use Dr Mortons Miraculous Scales for the Double Bass, some Eugene Levinson works and Carl Flesch. Now ... I do not have the problem that many of you experts have since you have been mastering the Acoustic for many years. So ... i do not have the challenges of comapring etc. I will play Jazz with this instrument at a high level. I have no choice now ... I spent my $3500. NOW ... who is going to give me good advice for moving forward on this instrument NOT compared to the DB?!?!?! This is where I am going. Notes are notes ... music is music and I will get everything I can out of this bass to make it acceptable in my endeavor. Damon Smith, if you get this, I would be particularly interested in hearing from you as you seem to "GET IT"!!! Is there anyone in DB Land that can help me with my quest?!?! Again ... I own it and I am not giving it up ... 
I just picked up a CR4M on a trade and it is absolutely fantastic.....My band mates are blown away as I am....
Now I just need to work on my DB technique and intonation...
Any good books or on line sites for NS bass technique?
Now I just need to work on my DB technique and intonation...
Any good books or on line sites for NS bass technique?
I've just bought an original NS tripod stand to replace the WAV4's standard tripod and I have the following problem : it slips down.
There is a knob to allow tuning the height of the tripod but it seems I cannot tighten it enough as, when I play the bass, it may rotate left/right and the height decreases...
Have I got a defective tripod or should I wait some time for this problem to disappear ?
There is a knob to allow tuning the height of the tripod but it seems I cannot tighten it enough as, when I play the bass, it may rotate left/right and the height decreases...
Have I got a defective tripod or should I wait some time for this problem to disappear ?
There's a hex head bolt opposite the finger knob. Try tightening that a bit with the finger adjust knob loose. That should fix it, although you may have to play with the amount of tightening on the hex bolt to get it adjusted where you like. Also, make sure there isn't any machine oil left over from assembly on the adjustable shaft.
HTH
HTH
Hi Bruce.
When comes the time to change those Flexocors, let me recommend the Belcantos (Thomastik)
They're very comparable to Flexocors, but are better balanced across the set, and have a bit more sustain.
For the G, however, I use the Flexocor, as I don't like the Belcanto one.
Best,
François
Ive been saving to get a new bass. Was originally thinking a new acoustic, but the wav4 is what I play most. Does someone sell an upgraded wav4, or maybe I should just go ahead and get something like the CR5? Anybody ever compare the two? Is it worth the difference? The fifth string calls me
What about the different models CR5, CR5M, or CR5MG?
One TBer did an upgrade himself. You may find details and pics on the WAV4 megathread. However I'd say get a CR but then I have a CR4M and love it. There have been some issues with the tuners on WAVs but no-one, and I mean no-one, has any issues with the CRs. What model you go for depends on what you will use it for. CR5-only bridge pu, 5M-mag pu, 5MG-graphite fingerboard which gives it a brighter tone. The active eq and pu pan is also very useful. They are just great basses full stop. If you want a tone closer to DB put proper DB strings on though. Otherwise it has a tone of it's own which is just fine.
