Huge Hands

[quote name='Marc S' timestamp='1415117083' post='2596877'] I wouldn't worry about the type who turn their noses up If you enjoy playing it, and it sounds close to a DB - then it does what you want it to, and it's nice to play... [/quote] I think that was the point I was trying to make to the OP

I have played decent DBs and own a cr*p one, and have recently bought a NS Design NXT5. I am a bass guitar player who has tried to move on to DB, and have not had formal training. I have found that my intonation technique in terms of finding notes without looking has improved dramatically since playing the NS. Whether it is the correct technique is another matter! Most comments at gigs so far have been of puzzlement and compliments - mainly as it is a bit of a novelty. You do get the odd nose turn up at it not being the real thing, but I find that is often from the type of people who are more about style than substance. For me, it is fantastic to play, sounds close enough to a DB for me to feel I'm almost one of the boys and is light and portable. It is sitting next to me in my office at work after I carried it in on the train this morning. It was in its "over the shoulder" bag and could sit on a seat with it without taking up half a carriage (I have a rehearsal in London tonight). I also find the great thing is being able to set it up in playing position and be able to walk off and leave it without worrying about it falling over or where to put it. As for the theatre pit thing, I would have thought that you don't save that much space as height is usually the key dimension and you still need space to play it. However, I did a pit gig last year with my DB and needed extra space to lie it down when switching to guitar, so maybe there is something in it! As for the OP - I see you're in Sussex like me - I'd be happy for you to arrange a meet and you could try my NXT5 if it helps you?

I own a one of these with a much lower serial number. My points of suspicion would be: Mine doesn't have "Made in Japan" decal on the back of the neck. The scratchplate on the bottom horn looks much more pointy than mine. The headstock decal is wrong, but then again could have been changed. I'm always cr*p at these "is it genuine or not" threads, but I'd guess "not" in this case. Watch me get totally proved wrong now

Another great artist. I have the Love Oh Love album. I'm not sure the bass is that stand out, but I love his arrangements. The song that got me into him years ago was "Lucky Fellow" (not on the album mentioned above). The tight brass stabs used to get me every time.

[quote name='bassintheface' timestamp='1413275385' post='2576493'] 'These songs for you' is one of my favorite albums. [/quote] If it is the "These Songs For You - LIVE" one, I believe that album is made up from the "outtakes, alternate versions and extras" from the "Donny Hathaway Live" album. I also belive it features a 16 year old Fred White (later to be in EWF) on drums and my favourite guitarist Cornell Dupree (RIP).

His live album with Willie Weeks on bass is fantastic - and one of the best bass solos ever (IMHO)

Is the drummer still Pete Ray Biggin? I first worked with him as a FOH sound guy at a venue about 15 years ago when he was about 19 year old touring around the holiday camp circuit with Jimmy James and the Vagabonds. He would just borrow the house drummer's standard 4 piece kit back then but had such a fantastic feel and groove about him. It made me never want to play drums again! Since then, I've kept an eye for him and what he's doing - I understand he is now one of the top UK session drummers. He's worked with Incognito, and Mark Ronson but to name a few. If it wasn't him, then the above is probably irrelevant, but a fantastic drummer all the same. I remember him being a good laugh too! EDIT: I've just had a look at their website, looks like it still is Pete playing with them. I had a feeling it would be, after the OP's description!

Hi Bobo - I forgot to look at it, but from memory, there is a central circular section, a bit like a tilt joint on a cymbal stand, so you can change the angle between the short and long arm. There is a bolt sticking out the side of it, which screws into the instrument. Therefore it is square on between the bass and the "boomerang legs". However, it is not a symetrical boomerang - i.e. one leg is not the same length as the other. Therefore, I would have thought that for left handed, you would want the bolt sticking out the other side of the pivot joint so that the long one sticks out at the top again. That is the bit I need to check for you as to whether you can do this. I'll try and have a look tonight.

Hi Bobo - I bought one for mine, but I haven't really used it yet other than trying it on the day it arrived. I can have a look at it for you if you have any specific questions. I woiuld have thought the answer would be to somehow dismantle and turn the central mount around. Not sure if this is possible - I can check for you tonight?

[quote name='KevB' timestamp='1412330482' post='2567852'] He did a 3 piece with Eric Bell on guitar and John Coghlan on drums. I recall they had a go at Quo's 'Caroline' and it was like a Sunday afternoon jam down your local, Noel couldn't remember half the words and as you say he didn't look in th ebest of health but seemed happy enough. [/quote] It was a different location, but same trio. I don't remember Noel singing at any point, but I may be wrong. Eric Bell looked mega embarrassed when they started and were totally out of tune. I think "Sunday afternoon jam" said it all about the whole gig, but no one will take it away from me that I met one of my idols, even if I did nearly reduce him to a pile of bones just by trying to tap him on the shoulder...... I do remember seeing him laughing with everyone backstage afterwards.

About 12 years ago I was doing FOH sound for a blues weekend and Noel Redding was there as part of some "supergroup". I didn't speak to him much, but my defining memory was when I clapped him on the shoulder with one of my big paws to ask for a line check during setup and I nearly crushed him! He was pretty frail then and died about a year later. Such a shame. I seem to remember he was pretty drunk (I'm assuming it was drink) and had tuned up by ear - started the gig about a tone out with the guitarist! EDIT: I should mention that I posted this because he was nice and down to earth with me (even if we didn't say much) and seemed to have a lot of respect from the other musos backstage. Then again, if you'd played with Jimi Hendrix, you probably would get respect!

Gutted. I'm coming up to the homeland to see family the week before but will be leaving on the Friday (31st). I will probably have my latest exuberance with me (NS Design NXT5 EUB) to show off to my brother - would have liked to have brought that along and met some fellow geordie bass players! The Ginger Music Company would have been quite apt for a carrot top such as myself too! Hope it all goes well!

James Taylor's band (the American one, not the Hammond guy). Love those guys!

I have 2x Squier P5's which are basically jazz pups in a precision body. I bought both second hand for £100 each and modded both - one just new pickups, the other with a re-routed body and added a P set of EMGs, new pickguard etc. Little did I know that if I'd waited 7 years, Squier would produce a 5 string P with split coils! It depends on whether you want something good for cheap, in which case follow the advice above, or if you want to have a go at modding and not be too upset if it goes really wrong. My advice would be to do this when you have a gigging bass to fall back on if it does go wrong. My last comment would be that pickup casings can be different sizes, so make sure you measure in all directions (including the screw holes) when working out if a replacement pickups will fit. This is especially the case with 5 strings, when they use everything from 4 string to 6 string pickups in some basses!

[quote name='TimR' timestamp='1411377404' post='2558812'] Lesson #457: This is the common MO of all keyboard players. You may have some work to do to "re-educate" him on Left hand technique. Good luck, this may well be why their old bass player died. [/quote] Amen. Nothing worse than you going off on a run and the keyboard player is also walking in other directions. I always try and get keyboard players to roll off their bottom end and low mid so that the whole thing doesn't sound like a muddy mess. If reason doesn't work, you can always try threats of death :-)

Did you get the same sort of level when trying them individually? It could be that one cable had been "ground lifted" - i.e. had the shield disconnected for noise or anti mouth zapping reasons, but the other one was either wired unbalanced or had an issue with one of the signal cores which would mean it would need the ground to complete the circuit ? You would expect the unbalanced or "one legged" cable to be quieter, but you might not notice so much in a noisy barn!

[quote name='stingrayPete1977' timestamp='1411059012' post='2556105'] Doesn't everyone play with their plucking fingers over the finger board on DB or eub? [/quote] Hi Pete, you might be right. I don't have my cheapy upright at the moment because someone is trying to glue it back together for me yet again so I can't check, but I always thought I was plucking below the end of the fretboard. It might be that the fretboard is short on that, or the action is mega high at that point. I used to find my finger edge almost looped under the string when plucking, but this is not so possible on the NS because the action is so low. I will probably look at raising the action slightly to suit my style soon. I know what I mean - this probably doesn't make sense to anyone else!

Hi Marc, [quote name='Marc S' timestamp='1411043573' post='2555845'] The stand is just a plan for me, at the moment - but I will give it some thought, and experiment a bit I take the point of it getting knocked over though - so I'll look for something sturdy [/quote] Sorry, you may have misunderstood me here. The NS stand, once screwed to the bass, is pretty sturdy, even when I get a bit excited and start leaning the instrument over onto 1 or 2 legs of the stand. I was referencing the comparison of trying to fit a DB into stand when not in use - the one I borrowed once kept falling over as I was trying to slot the end pin into it, so you were trying to chase a stand around the stage whilst holding the instrument, trying not to drop it! My only worry is that the thread on the NS stand (or in the bass) feels like it might chew or strip over time as there is nothing to clip or seat the bass onto whilst you're trying to locate the thread into the bass.- something to be careful about. [quote name='Marc S' timestamp='1411043573' post='2555845'] I've heard others talk about the additional dots on the NS besses On another thread, someone suggested a dab of paint or a marker pen to take out any that distract - which is a good idea IMO [/quote] Erm.... each to their own. I'm finding it didn't take long to get used to and would be wary about drawing all over an instument I've just forked a wad of cash on. :-)

I just thought I'd add my hat on this one. I bought my NS Design NXT5 about a month ago and love it, but here are some of my experiences that may help your decision: 1. The stand is great - no more looking for places to lie the instrument down when not in use, or silly stands that fall over when you're trying to slot the end pin into them. However, I do find myself tipping the stand up when getting excited to change the angle as I typically never used to stand still with my old upright - I'm sure someone will tell me this is bad technique (I've never had DB lessons). 2. I find it quite lively - the strings will ring for ages which is great for sustain, and it will feedback through your amp a lot more quickly than a guitar will if the gains are cranked. 3. The shop I got it from had set the action really low on it which is great from a bass guitarists view, but I find (being used to my old cheapy DB) that it probably is a bit low to dig in from the upright angle and possibly to bow with (I'm not a good arco player). I think I will need to look into raising the bridge slightly on mine. Too add to this, for me, the fretboard is too long, so at the comfortable arm length where I want to pluck the strings, there is still neck underneath so it's like playing over ramps. 4. I've noticed that when I play it, it does sound like a fretless as others have said, rather than a DB. However, everyone I've played it with, says it sounds great. Last night I was at a rehearsal which someone recorded using an iPhone in the room. I've listened to the recording, and noted that it does sound very DB like (to me), so maybe it's the effect of standing with it? 5. The fret dots took me a while to get my head around because every fret is dotted, unlike a guitar where it is usually every other one. I kept finding myself going for the gap in the middle instead of aiming for the next dot! In summary - the above are the only obvious points I can think of that might make a difference to you, but these are little niggles I can live with as in the main I'm very happy. I did worry about getting the NXT and should I save up for the CR5, but I was never going to be able to justify that amount of cash and I am really pleased with the NXT so far. I am still a fair beginner with upright but my cheapy DB was a bit of a pig to play and I've come on leaps and bounds since getting the NXT. Unfortunately I have no experience of the other EUB's (I was a bit blinkered because my mate has a CR4 and I fell in love) so I can't comment on those. I would love to A/B with my mates one day to see what the tone and quality differences etc are.

I have to say I have worked with Chris (Limahl) on several occasions around 10 years ago in a live sound capacity and found him to be very difficult in a "prima donna" kind of way - I know he certainly had a reputation for it. Just my individual experience of course!

I've been known as "Banana Hands" and "Sausage Fingers" hence the username. I think it helps with my "fat" sound, but I'm never going to be a fast widdler as my chunky fingers keep tripping over themselves. I would have thought that someone with long slender fingers would have more of an advantage, a la Jimi Hendrix. Having said that, I'd have thought that practice makes perfect, regardless of hand size or shape....

Might be worth contacting the supplier. I had a string core break after about 3 days - the string was dull compared to the others when first put on. I was sent another in the post FOC. (this was Stringbusters).

This morning I found my new scratchplate in the smelly bin where the postie had kindly left it. Howard managed to make a perfect fit white pearl plate from a hacked up white original with c**p cardboard template after I dug out my Squier P5 (JJ pups) to fit a EMG split coil in the neck position to give the more aesthetically correct PJ layout. He kindly put up with my rambling emails, huge delays whilst I gave up and then finally turned it round very quickly after I eventually got a mate to cut the template and managed to brave the post office to get it to him. All in the run up to Christmas too! Thanks again Howard, pleasure doing my second business transaction with you, over 20 years after the first!

[quote name='Christoffcallaghan' timestamp='1387491419' post='2312734'] Connections are all soldered. How do I check for nicks? And how would I fix if this is an issue? [/quote] I would have just suggested wiggling the cables near the pots whilst plugged up to see if the hiss changes/goes away etc. Don't wiggle them too hard to snap the solder joints though (bitter experience talking here!) I had an issue with intermittent crackle/popping etc and put it down to poor stripping of the signal cables which have extremely tight braid around them. I tried to redo the connections, but the leads were getting shorter and shorter. I ended up buying a replacement set of pots/cables from an EMG dealer which made everything plug and play rather than soldered. However, I did this because I was pretty sure what the problem was - there is no guarantee this is what is wrong with yours, so it may be more prudent to spend a few quid getting it checked out as others have suggested, rather than blowing £40 or so on bits only to find it doesn't fix the problem.....