Calling all NS Design NXT owners - your experience please!

[Huge Hands]

Fellow NS Design owners!

Does anyone have issues with the output from these straight into an amp? I am guessing these are really high impedance pickups on these as they're passive?

I usually use mine with a Tonebone BassBone so that I have individual gain control to balance it with my guitar. but I notice there is a fair bit of difference between the gain settings on the two channels, whether I use a passive or active guitar. I also note that the piezo switch on my BB doesn't seem to do anything to the level.

I regularly do a gig where I use the venue's little amp which doesn't have an impedance switch or Hi-Lo input. I struggle to get any volume out of it, and because the stage is so small, there isn't room for my pedalboard (or guitar so no switching required). I don't really want to destroy my neat pedalboard for this one gig, so my questions are:

1) Does this sound normal for an NXT, or do you think I may have a fault? I've had the plate off and can't find any loose wires or bad connections.

2) If normal, can anyone recommend a cheap and cheerful pocket pre-amp that will drop the impedance/get the level up? I forked out a huge wad on the BB for larger gigs, so don't really want to spend that sort of money - I was thinking the £20-£50 range!

[BassInMyFace]

hmmm, doesnt sound good to me. I have been gigging my NXT constantly for 3+ years, it's my full time instrument and have never had output issues like you describe. I would say its output level is definitely comparable to a passive instrument (which it is after all) but not remarkabley low.

I have had issues from time to time with the bridge shifting away from optimal position, perhaps this has caused the pickups to get reduced signal? Look at the bass face-on and if the bridge is perfectly central it may have been knocked and therefore the feet arent flush onto pickup pads.

Worth a try

[fretmeister]

The amp needs to have a 1 MegOhm input otherwise the pickup doesn't work efficiently.

Some amps I've owned do have 1Meg inputs, but others have been 500K and the difference is massive.

I used to use a Fishman Platinum Bass preamp to solve those issues. Worked very well indeed. They've been discontinued so you'll have to look used. But they still shift at about £75

[Huge Hands]

[quote name='BassInMyFace' timestamp='1462964083' post='3047290']
I have had issues from time to time with the bridge shifting away from optimal position, perhaps this has caused the pickups to get reduced signal? Look at the bass face-on and if the bridge is perfectly central it may have been knocked and therefore the feet arent flush onto pickup pads.
[/quote]

[quote name='fretmeister' timestamp='1462964477' post='3047296']
The amp needs to have a 1 MegOhm input otherwise the pickup doesn't work efficiently.

Some amps I've owned do have 1Meg inputs, but others have been 500K and the difference is massive.

I used to use a Fishman Platinum Bass preamp to solve those issues. Worked very well indeed. They've been discontinued so you'll have to look used. But they still shift at about £75
[/quote]

These are both great bits of advice, thanks. In most cases I've noted it, I can usually just ramp up some gain somewhere. On the little combo I use in that venue, it just doesn't seem to be able to get enough out of it, even though I get loads with my guitar.
I'll look at the bridge thing when I get a chance.

It would be good to keep this thread open as I'm loving mine apart from this, it would be great to hear people's experiences of these instruments!

Edited May 11, 2016 by Huge Hands

[TKenrick]

[quote name='Huge Hands' timestamp='1462966562' post='3047331']
It would be good to keep this thread open as I'm loving mine apart from this, it would be great to hear people's experiences of these instruments!
[/quote]

I have to say that I don't feel the same way about mine - I bought it to allow me practise arco stuff without disturbing the neighbours (ah, the joys of living in flats!).

When I got it I found that the action was lower than my electric basses and it was way too easy to play. Bought some proper double bass strings and the tuners on the NXT couldn't take them so had to buy a set of hipshot tuners, then had to buy the end pin stand as the tripod one comes with the bass removes any possibility of movement when playing which IMO is an important factor for navigating the instrument.

So having spent £400 on upgrades it feels marginally more like a double bass, but nowhere near the real thing. It makes an adequate substitute for practising but I'm reluctant to gig it - the output on mine isn't particularly consistent from string to string. Did one gig on it about a year ago and loathed it.

I'd liken playing an NXT to drinking non-alcoholic beer; many aspects of it are similar to the real thing but it doesn't have the same effect.

[Marc S]

Hi, I have a shadow pickup on my eminence (as backup to the David Gage which it came fitted with)
It was bought 2nd hand on here, and wasnt expensive. Sorry, I can't recall exactly how much....
Its pretty good too, it boosts my output a lot, although its a tad more noisy than the Gage pickup

I also bought a Behringer pre-amp pedal recently, as someone locally was selling one cheap - I thought I'd try it, on bass guitar this time tho - not on DB / EUB. Again, the behringer gives me quite a few tonal options, and quite a boost in signal level. Its also quite noisy, and quite heavily "toppy" so careful eq'ing is needed. I use it for gigs sometimes, but wouldn't perhaps use it in the studio. That said, I gave only a tenner for it. They're about 25-30 quid on ebay, so may be worth a try for your budget.

Edited June 13, 2016 by Marc S

[el-gnomo]

Love my NXT, yes it's not a real DB, but I'll put up with that to be able to load it on the passenger seat ;-)
I use a Raven labs PHA-1 preamp in front of whatever amp I use, and the 3( or4?) MegOhm input impedance improves the tone, reducing the "clack". I can use the gain to push the input up a little, but the output level of the NXT is on a par with my passive basses.

Maybe keep a lookout for second hand preamps, then google the input impedance. OR get someone to make you an FDeck preamp ? http://basschat.co.uk/topic/232358-fdeck-clone-made-in-uk/

[Huge Hands]

Well, I think I've solved my problem. I have been trying various little preamps and such, but not getting very far. On Friday, I was playing straight into my own amp when I stood on the cable, and all of a sudden, I got an increase in volume.

It looks like I had a bad cable. I hadn't bothered changing this before, as I've known then cut out/be intermittent, but never had one work but cause a drop in volume. I can only assume there was a break with a small strand still attached acting as a big resistor?

I have now changed cables and had a much better level (including THAT gig with THAT amp on Saturday night).

One positive to come out of this is that I bought a cheap Behringer BDI21 to try, and that could become quite a useful little buy for me going forwards!

I still love my NXT!