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Double Bass NS EUB's: Anyone use the endpin stand?

robert_stuart

robert_stuart

Gold Supporting Member
Mar 28, 2017
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Denver
#1
I'd really like an EUB that moves and looks like a DB. E.g., the [Invalid or Expired Link Removed] nails this. But it's fairly spendy. Some NS EUB's seem to accept an endpin, but [Invalid or Expired Link Removed].

Any experiences here? I like to really move around with the bass when I play, and can't imagine being locked in to a static tripod.
 
#2
I bought an NS with the exact same reservation. I sold it with a month. If you've ever played upright- you will hate the tripod, the strap, or even the endpin which is poorly designed. I tried and hated all of them.

What you seek is an EUB that is designed to feel and sound as much like a DB as possible. I believe you will find that here. Also, most if not all Azola basses will do a great job of replacing a full sized double bass within reason. And will do it better than any other EUB (and I do like the Yamaha). If you can find an Azola that you like- you will not regret it. They are well designed and are meant feel like a real DB - not a new invention or something modern like the NS.

IME.

Hope that helps!
 
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#3
IMG_1084.JPG
the MK line of EUBs are not as spendy as the Yamaha but quite close to the feel of a DB
 
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#4
After playing an Azola Bug extensively over the last 17 years, and having spent some time with the NS endpin stand on an NXT model. I'd disagree with member Speyer's comment above. The Azola is very nice, super solid and well crafted..but the the NS endpin is infinitely more adjustable by comparison. You've got to experiment with it a little, but I found it to be 100% more acoustic bass feeling than the Azola. And I've been playing acoustic bass for close to 50 years now ..LOL...Speyer did manage to pitch the Azola he had owned for only a month in the classifieds though. Bravo! Whatever works. But yeah, the NS Endpin Stand eclipses the Azola system, hands down imo. :) You can really get fully behind the bass withe NS, rather than standing next to it which is what the Azola offers. In all fairness, Steve Azola had very little upright bass experience when he designed his basses..he nearly copied the Ampeg Baby bass system. NS spent a lot more time in Research and Development and it really shows..not hard to imagine that he consulted with a some legit players with a lot of upright bass experience.
 
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#5
MR PC said:
After playing an Azola Bug extensively over the last 17 years, and having spent some time with the NS endpin stand on an NXT model. I'd disagree with member Speyer's comment above. The Azola is very nice, super solid and well crafted..but the the NS endpin is infinitely more adjustable by comparison. You've got to experiment with it a little, but I found it to be 100% more acoustic bass feeling than the Azola. And I've been playing acoustic bass for close to 50 years now ..LOL...Speyer did manage to pitch the Azola he had owned for only a month in the classifieds though. Bravo! Whatever works. But yeah, the NS Endpin Stand eclipses the Azola system, hands down imo. :) You can really get fully behind the bass withe NS, rather than standing next to it which is what the Azola offers. In all fairness, Steve Azola had very little upright bass experience when he designed his basses..he nearly copied the Ampeg Baby bass system. NS spent a lot more time in Research and Development and it really shows..not hard to imagine that he consulted with a some legit players with a lot of upright bass experience.
Click to expand...

At first I didn't think the endpin stand would work, it took me some time experimenting with it to get it set up where it felt comfortable and more natural.
 
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#6
I agree, it took a little experimenting. There are a lot of possibilities for adjustment. The stock promo photo was the least comfortable one for me. Once I dialed in the adjustments, shifted the bout higher up on my body, i was able to be hands free of the bass, and the would only move in the direction of my body shift..very much like an acoustic bass. Since the NS weighs significantly less than a true upright, being hands free was even easier than it is on upright. The only downsides of the NS endpin stand is obviously the visual, and then the various other pieces of hardware you need to be able to put it in a stage stand withe endpin. And the latter downside is that it depends on the model you own. NS really should standardize the hardware. That surprises me. The NXT stand is pretty useless to me..it is so wobbly. That might not bother others.
 
#9
MR PC said:
After playing an Azola Bug extensively over the last 17 years, and having spent some time with the NS endpin stand on an NXT model. I'd disagree with member Speyer's comment above. The Azola is very nice, super solid and well crafted..but the the NS endpin is infinitely more adjustable by comparison. You've got to experiment with it a little, but I found it to be 100% more acoustic bass feeling than the Azola. And I've been playing acoustic bass for close to 50 years now ..LOL...Speyer did manage to pitch the Azola he had owned for only a month in the classifieds though. Bravo! Whatever works. But yeah, the NS Endpin Stand eclipses the Azola system, hands down imo. :) You can really get fully behind the bass withe NS, rather than standing next to it which is what the Azola offers. In all fairness, Steve Azola had very little upright bass experience when he designed his basses..he nearly copied the Ampeg Baby bass system. NS spent a lot more time in Research and Development and it really shows..not hard to imagine that he consulted with a some legit players with a lot of upright bass experience.
Click to expand...


All fair comments above... I have only played upright for a decade or so. Anyhow, I sold the NS after a month NOT the Azola. I always loved my bug bass and... I did eventually let go of my Azola but it was only to help fund the purchase of a new home! That said, Its not a total loss due to the fact that I purchased all Steve Azola's leftover tops, bodies, fingerboards, patterns and jigs to build all versions of the Bugbass and Scarab! I am a huge Azola fan (obviously) and I feel he did MUCH more that bring back the Ampeg baby bass and expand from there (as you say). My next Azola bass will be built by me... Thanks to Steve and all he did for the world of EUB's! :thumbsup:
 
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#10
Man, it worked out beautifully for you in the end. Dissing the NS bass and it was the perfect shoe in to advertise your bass for sale. I think the NS deserves more credit. For that reason, I was compelled to move this thread forward, because it was hanging in space as a negative on a really great instrument design. Azola used a small and growing customer base to do their research and development, the same way that Clevenger and other small EUB companies did in order to grow and survive. NS marketed a completed product, not a series works in progress. Unfortunately, by the time Azola had got it all together design wise to really compete in the marketplace, they went belly up.
 
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#11
MR PC said:
Man, it worked out beautifully for you in the end. Dissing the NS bass and it was the perfect shoe in to advertise your bass for sale. I think the NS deserves more credit. For that reason, I was compelled to move this thread forward, because it was hanging in space as a negative on a really great instrument design. Azola used a small and growing customer base to do their research and development, the same way that Clevenger and other small EUB companies did in order to grow and survive. NS marketed a completed product, not a series works in progress. Unfortunately, by the time Azola had got it all together design wise to really compete in the marketplace, they went belly up.
Click to expand...

Think what you will... my original post was simply an honest opinion on Azola and NS bass EBS pin stands. I've used both on both bases... I didn't like the NS stand or the bass I had. Also note, it was an NXT model which didn't hold a candle to the Azola tone wise or ergonomically IMHO. And frankly, I've always wanted to try a Czech NS bass with mag pups but sadly never had the opportunity.

But, Saying I made my post to plug the sale of my Azola is ridiculous. It's a well made hard to find bass that sold within few days (expectedly). So much for trying to share my own experiences with the best data reference I could find! Oops.

Anyhow, I agree NS makes good instruments as did Azola but I disagree your reasoning for Azola going 'belly up'.
That is a discussion for another time and place so I'll leave it at that.

I hope the OP has the opportunity to try a bunch of different basses with various end pin setups that work for him! For me... between NS and Azola (dissing aside) I was far more comfortable on the Azola.
 
#12
Well, Azola as a company went belly up, out of business, kaput. Couldn't keep up with a regular production schedule as demand increased. If it had been more than a ma and pa operation, maybe they could have survived. As it was at the end they were simultaneously discontinuing models and introducing new models on a regular basis. I guess none of the owners were interested in continuing the company when the time for splitting the blanket came to be. Had just one completely functional, great sounding, and well thought out design been executed from day one, there might of been a stronger market demand for the familiar that could of interested outside investment and kept the ball rolling.

It would be interesting to hear what the OP needed up doing. I acquired a CR4 (non magnetic) recently, I am seriously considering modifying my Azola Bug to accommodate the NS endpin stand, since they are readily available for public consumption, and it's an extremely simple (read universal) mounting design.

When I built my first EUB in the '80's, the biggest problem was the ergonomics, how to make that contraption be comfortable to play. Had the NS endpin stand been available at that time, it could of been game over for me in the quest for an EUB. The closest thing at the time was the Clevenger set up which was pretty nice and quite impossible for me to copy.
 
#17
After these puctures i added an extra little bolt to secure the bout part. I had it jump loose during a gig once. :confused:
It al fits inside the standard ns gigbag, except for the bout part. That piece has to stick out for a bit.
 
#18
Nicely done. Thanks again for posting. There's a guy on the NXT megathread who also did a great job on a DIY endpin stand. I'm putting ideas together for one I could build myself as I'm not entirely convinced that the NS one is the best use of money.
 
#19
#20
I’m still using this setup. It has proven to be pretty durable. I just haven’t used the EUB very much lately.

This construction works, but I would probably make some improvements. The bout is the most fidgetty part. As it is bent, it does not really fit in the gigbag. And connecting it to the main part needs a bit of finesse. Also, I would connect the stand differently. I’d probably let it go through the lowerpart and make the screw on connection to the upper part. Not really nescessary but it would make for a stiffer construction.

I don’t have measurements, but I’ll see what I can do. A lot of the sizes were based on my DB, so the playing positions would be identical. The heel is also a copy of my DB. You might want to do that too.

The width if the main part is based on the length of the bolt that attaches it to the EUB. I used the bolt of the original stand, because it is in a hard to get medieval anglo-saxon size that would have been hard to find over here.
 
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