NXT 4 pickup/preamp advice required

[YKRJohn]

Hello, I have had the NXT4 DB (passive) for a few months now and have been trying to get rid of the "piezo" pick up sound. It sounds a bit nasally and harsh.

I prefer the sound of the Arco pick up position as It has a more DB sound.

So having tried a few things I bought a FishMan platinum Pro (new) pre amp. This makes it sound a little better but I still seem to get a kind of flat tone like the wave is topping out. 

I have looked for info about changing the pickup or after market pick ups but can find nothing on this subject.
So I guess my question is can anybody recommend a pick up or some setting suggestions for the fishman or just something I might have overlooked or just not aware of?

 

Thanks John.

 

[jrixn1]

Some info in this thread: https://www.basschat.co.uk/topic/497820-ir-for-eub-3sigma-in-a-live-setting/
 

 

[YKRJohn]

Thanks for the response, I have 2 of the Sigma IRs the Tango and the German. They add a lot of top end but do not really help with the issue. Maybe I am expecting too much? 

[JPJ]

No, you’re not expecting too much. I can get my NXT4 passive pretty close to my Boosey Hawkes Excelsior (ply) db. The secret to the nasal quality of piezo’s is in the upper mids. I’m using the TC Electronics Impulse pedal with the 3Sigma German bass IR, then from the Impulse I go to the marvellous EBS Stanley Clarke preamp pedal. IMHO you’ll never get the NS to sound exactly like a db, as you cannot get the airy breathy top end and squash that nasal honk but you can get close.  

[Hellzero]

Put some real double bass strings first as the ones factory fitted are more or less sounding like a fretless hence the upper mids peak.

 

Try the Thomastik Spirocore 3/4, they are really good and sound like double bass strings should.

[Burns-bass]

One of the beautiful things about the double bass are the overtones. Of course, you won’t get this with an EUB.

 

Adding a bit of chorus or reverb can help add another dimension to the sound, too.

[Jean-Luc Pickguard]

When I had a Dean Pace EUB I used to play it through a Behringer ADI21 — Cheap as chips and made it sound much more polished.

 

When I upgraded to an NS CR5M I used it to great benefit with that also.

 

 

 

Edited February 6 by Jean-Luc Pickguard

[Burns-bass]

37 minutes ago, Jean-Luc Pickguard said:

When I had a Dean Pace EUB I used to play it through a Behringer ADI21 — Cheap as chips and made it sound much more polished.

 

When I upgraded to an NS CR5M I used it to great benefit with that also.

 

 

 

 

This looks cool. To my eternal shame I have a Wav 4 bass and I’ve literally never played it.

[AndyTravis]

52 minutes ago, Burns-bass said:

 

This looks cool. To my eternal shame I have a Wav 4 bass and I’ve literally never played it.

I have always wanted one but fear the same would happen 

[Burns-bass]

7 hours ago, AndyTravis said:

I have always wanted one but fear the same would happen 

Once you’ve got a double bass there’s sort of no point. I did buy it for practice in the evening as I got an amazing deal on it, but it’s just sat in my living room shaming me every day!

[Beedster]

12 hours ago, Hellzero said:

Put some real double bass strings first as the ones factory fitted are more or less sounding like a fretless hence the upper mids peak.

 

Try the Thomastik Spirocore 3/4, they are really good and sound like double bass strings should.

Yep, start there 👍

[Staggering on]

5 hours ago, Burns-bass said:

Once you’ve got a double bass there’s sort of no point. I did buy it for practice in the evening as I got an amazing deal on it, but it’s just sat in my living room shaming me every day!

 

I have two DB's and a Yamaha SLB 200 and although I rarely play it at home I often use it for rehearsals and gigs where space is limited and also for informal jams with friends. It's easy to haul around and I have a small combo amp to use with it or at a gig I go into the PA. I have used it for rehearsals and gigs with jazz bands and also a bluegrass band, EUB's are being used by more bluegrass/roots bands over here although DB is what I use for most gigs.

I would have to admit that it stays in its case at home most of the time, I much prefer to practice on DB but is a useful instrument to have and on some gigs where I am playing DB I will take the Yamaha as a backup just in case I have a problem with the DB, they are rather fragile beasts.

I guess the only downside is that if you get an EUB it may lead you into the crazy world of upright basses and soon you will lusting after "the real thing" and you might go to a BC DB bash like I did in 2018 and end up with two DB's and bows and all the fun stuff that having a DB leads to. 

My lesson is this afternoon so it's time to practice, on a DB of course.😊

 

Edit: Another issue is cost, the Yamaha is more than twice the price of my laminate DB's.🙄

Edited February 7 by Staggering on

[YKRJohn]

18 hours ago, JPJ said:

No, you’re not expecting too much. I can get my NXT4 passive pretty close to my Boosey Hawkes Excelsior (ply) db. The secret to the nasal quality of piezo’s is in the upper mids. I’m using the TC Electronics Impulse pedal with the 3Sigma German bass IR, then from the Impulse I go to the marvellous EBS Stanley Clarke preamp pedal. IMHO you’ll never get the NS to sound exactly like a db, as you cannot get the airy breathy top end and squash that nasal honk but you can get close.  

Thanks I will give it a try 🙂 I nearly bought the Stanley Clarke Pre, but went for the Fishman instead, because it has compression. I am using the IRs inside a DAW so can't really get it to the front of the signal path as I have no Impulse pedal. I am only using the NXT for recording ATM, I use a Stagg for live & if the number really requires a prominent bass sound I use my Archer but trying to record that is a whole other "can of worms". 

[YKRJohn]

17 hours ago, Hellzero said:

Put some real double bass strings first as the ones factory fitted are more or less sounding like a fretless hence the upper mids peak.

 

Try the Thomastik Spirocore 3/4, they are really good and sound like double bass strings should.

I have the NS traditional strings on my NXT - I do have some Thomastik Spirocore's on my acoustic DB, but don't know if I would trust the back plate ball end system on The NXT that anchors "real" DB strings.

[Hellzero]

1 hour ago, YKRJohn said:

I have the NS traditional strings on my NXT - I do have some Thomastik Spirocore's on my acoustic DB, but don't know if I would trust the back plate ball end system on The NXT that anchors "real" DB strings.

You can trust it, it's fully working, no worries.

[YKRJohn]

13 minutes ago, Hellzero said:

You can trust it, it's fully working, no worries.

Hmmm, I have some Pirastro Evah Pirazzi Slaps that I got on a recommendation from a friend that I did not like much on the acoustic, I might give them a go 🙂 

[Hellzero]

Go on. 😉

[YKRJohn]

On 07/02/2025 at 15:46, Hellzero said:

Go on. 😉

I did it, wow! Don't know if it the low tension of the slaps or the extra string length, but yeah 99% better more DB sound. Thanks for your advice dude 🙂 I did need to shim the E and G string at the nut (with some card)