Double Bass NS NXT more sustain - strings ?

[MAGUS®]

Unlike many people, i'm looking for more sustain from my NXT, and i have read a few posts on TB regarding the matter of strings.

Someone posted that they had way too much sustain from their strings, and found out that the scale length was 1/2 , when the NXT uses 3/4 strings. Would using the slightly shorter 1/2 scale strings bring more sustain ?

Also, the strings currently fitted to my NXT4 were put on by the previous owner, so i do not know what make they are,
( someone said maybe D'addario Trads ). These have different coloured silk windings at the tuning peg end. Green E, Black A, Gold D, Red G

At the bridge end, the silk windings are all blue but with a thin gold spiral thread.

While also reading the forums, people have stated that Spirocores ( T.I ) give a lot of sustain, so would that be my best bet ? Unlike my regular electric fretless, EUB strings are too expensive to just simply buy and try, around £180-£200 , which is about $241 - $266 , so i would appreciate some help from those with much more knowledge than me to recommend strings for big sustain

Cheers folks

 

[Sam Dingle]

Unlike many people, i'm looking for more sustain from my NXT, and i have read a few posts on TB regarding the matter of strings.

Someone posted that they had way too much sustain from their strings, and found out that the scale length was 1/2 , when the NXT uses 3/4 strings. Would using the slightly shorter 1/2 scale strings bring more sustain ?

Also, the strings currently fitted to my NXT4 were put on by the previous owner, so i do not know what make they are,
( someone said maybe D'addario Trads ). These have different coloured silk windings at the tuning peg end. Green E, Black A, Gold D, Red G

At the bridge end, the silk windings are all blue but with a thin gold spiral thread.

While also reading the forums, people have stated that Spirocores ( T.I ) give a lot of sustain, so would that be my best bet ? Unlike my regular electric fretless, EUB strings are too expensive to just simply buy and try, around £180-£200 , which is about $241 - $266 , so i would appreciate some help from those with much more knowledge than me to recommend strings for big sustain

Cheers folks

The strings you have on your bass are d'addario orchestra strings. They are dark strings with little sustain. Grab a set of spirocores and you'll be happy

 

[MAGUS®]

Many thanks - do you have a suggestion for which style of Spiros ? I keep reading about Mittels and others.

And what do you think about the NXT user who fitted 38 " scale strings to his, which actually should be 41.73"

Its only a 3.73" difference in string length, but they reckoned this gave too much sustain, for them at least

 

[Sam Dingle]

Many thanks - do you have a suggestion for which style of Spiros ? I keep reading about Mittels and others.

And what do you think about the NXT user who fitted 38 " scale strings to his, which actually should be 41.73"

Its only a 3.73" difference in string length, but they reckoned this gave too much sustain, for them at least

Start with mediums.

 

[DoubleMIDI]

Putting 1/2 size strings on a 3/4 size scale is (if they fit at all) more a question of tension than of sustain. Shorter strings usually have more mass per length unit, so on a longer scale you have more mass and to bring that to the same pitch you need higher tension.
For comparing string tension on the same scale (which can be defined on the top right) check out my excel file from my Dropbox (see signature).

Orchestral strings have internal damping that reduces sustain (sometimes more than you might like for pizz), jazz oriented steel core strings have no or very little damping. Synthetic core strings like Obligato, Evah Pirazzi Weich, Innovation Braided or Polychromes might be work well, but only with piezo pickups, not with magnetic ones. Some solid body EUB manufacturers recommend some of these synthetic core strings. The sustain of these strings is also a bit shorter than the sustain of undamped steel core strings, but not too short for pizz.

 

[MAGUS®]

Thanks DM. It seems that Sprios are the way to go for me. I'll get a set of Spiro mediums as suggested.

Another thing i don't know is whether there are any manufacturers that make undamped jazz strings like Spiros, other than Tomastik ? I can buy T.I. Spiros from Thomann, but other makes of undamped jazz 3/4 might be more difficult to obtain in the UK

 

[monkeyland]

Why not try a set of the ns contemporary strings? New they will be a lot cheaper than spiros and most players take them off as soon as they get the bass because they have too much sustain so you can probably find a set of those take offs. I'm pretty sure gollihur sells them.

 

[DoubleMIDI]

Pirastro Jazzer
Pirastro Flat-Chromesteel
D'Addario Helicore Pizzicato

are undamped strings and rather bright.

But the damping varies a lot between ringing bright and almost dead.
Some damping might be needed due to construction of the string and softer material cores damp themselves. But it is a matter of degree.

Also strings made like a bass guitar string do sound like a bass guitar string, even on a EUB. I once got a double bass set from an asian (bass) guitar string manufacturer for testing and they sounded like a bass guitar (on my Stagg), my double bass strings sound a lot more like a double bass on the same instrument.

If you want a electric bass guitar sound (that you can bow also), get the NS contemporary strings. Probably cheap in the classifieds.

 

[MAGUS®]

Why not try a set of the ns contemporary strings? New they will be a lot cheaper than spiros and most players take them off as soon as they get the bass because they have too much sustain so you can probably find a set of those take offs. I'm pretty sure gollihur sells them.

Monkey, i've not heard about NS strings. Most recommended strings were spiros for mucho sustain, but i've also been told that Mittel Spiros might be too much tension, and maybe Weichs would better. Also, 3/4 Spiros dont fit the 3/4 NXT, and that if i want Spiros, i should buy 4/4 set

I'll do a bit more research into your suggestion. I've emailed Bob to see what he recommends, but sadly i will have to buy my strings in the UK, as we got robbed blind by the UK Gov with VAT. They even stick VAT on top of the shipping, not just the purchase value of any item. Go figure.

 

[MAGUS®]

Pirastro Jazzer
Pirastro Flat-Chromesteel
D'Addario Helicore Pizzicato

are undamped strings and rather bright.

But the damping varies a lot between ringing bright and almost dead.
Some damping might be needed due to construction of the string and softer material cores damp themselves. But it is a matter of degree.

Also strings made like a bass guitar string do sound like a bass guitar string, even on a EUB. I once got a double bass set from an asian (bass) guitar string manufacturer for testing and they sounded like a bass guitar (on my Stagg), my double bass strings sound a lot more like a double bass on the same instrument.

If you want a electric bass guitar sound (that you can bow also), get the NS contemporary strings. Probably cheap in the classifieds.

Thanks DM
I'm not bowing at all, and do not intend to , and also i'm not bothered if the NXT ends up sounding a bit like an electric bass. I guess that maybe the downside of wanting sustain. I'll check out your recommended strings though - cheers

 

[monkeyland]

Monkey, i've not heard about NS strings. Most recommended strings were spiros for mucho sustain, but i've also been told that Mittel Spiros might be too much tension, and maybe Weichs would better. Also, 3/4 Spiros dont fit the 3/4 NXT, and that if i want Spiros, i should buy 4/4 set

I'll do a bit more research into your suggestion. I've emailed Bob to see what he recommends, but sadly i will have to buy my strings in the UK, as we got robbed blind by the UK Gov with VAT. They even stick VAT on top of the shipping, not just the purchase value of any item. Go figure.

No need to email him. It's all there on the site...

Strings: Choices for NS Design NXT and WAV4 Basses at Gollihur Music - Double Bass, Upright Bass, String Bass Specialists

 

[MAGUS®]

He's already replied and advised i go for Spiro Weichs. He didnt mention whether 3/4 fit the NXT

I've emailed the guy in the UK that mentioned he had to fit 4/4 Spiros on the NXT and see if he can elaborate on that

 

[monkeyland]

And you sound like a good candidate for the GHS Crossover set.

 

[MAGUS®]

What is a crossover string dude ?

Arco AND Pizz ? I dont arco, just to let you know

And wow - they're cheap ! There's a review but they dont particularly mention how much sustain they give and this is what i'm after

GHS Crossovers: A New Sonic Color for the NS Design Upright

 

[monkeyland]

What is a crossover string dude ?

Arco AND Pizz ? I dont arco, just to let you know

And wow - they're cheap ! There's a review but they dont particularly mention how much sustain they give and this is what i'm after

GHS Crossovers: A New Sonic Color for the NS Design Upright

They have similar sustain as the NS Contemporary strings, but not quite as bright, and a little bit different feel. I had a set for a while. Have you read the page that I linked from the Gollihur page earlier? You should, it will answer basically all of your questions.

I think that it's a colossal waste of money buying real upright strings to put on an NS if you are looking for lots of sustain and a bright tone when there are sets designed for the NS that will do that just fine. Really though the NS Contemporary set, which has been mentioned multiple times already in this thread, is probably exactly what you are looking for.

 

[equill]

I use the GHS Crossovers on my WAV4, playing exclusively pizzicato, and they're pretty nice. I've been thinking about replacing the existing ones with an NS Contemporary set, for the reasons posted earlier in this thread. However, I have a spare set of Crossovers, because I just don't fly without a net, and I'm tight-fisted enough that I'm not excited about buying a different set and possibly wasting what I spent on those.

I can try recording a sample so you can compare the sustain with what you get now. If you like it enough, I can post those to you in the knowledge they're going to a good home, and get Contemporaries for myself.

FWIW, Welcome to Bass Strings Online - A Bass Store for Bass Players! have been a good supplier for me, with very responsive service when a new string broke while I was fitting it.

 

[MAGUS®]

They have similar sustain as the NS Contemporary strings, but not quite as bright, and a little bit different feel. I had a set for a while. Have you read the page that I linked from the Gollihur page earlier? You should, it will answer basically all of your questions.

I think that it's a colossal waste of money buying real upright strings to put on an NS if you are looking for lots of sustain and a bright tone when there are sets designed for the NS that will do that just fine. Really though the NS Contemporary set, which has been mentioned multiple times already in this thread, is probably exactly what you are looking for.

yeah i read his page, and i am now considering the NS comps, as you mention. Good advice

 

[MAGUS®]

I use the GHS Crossovers on my WAV4, playing exclusively pizzicato, and they're pretty nice. I've been thinking about replacing the existing ones with an NS Contemporary set, for the reasons posted earlier in this thread. However, I have a spare set of Crossovers, because I just don't fly without a net, and I'm tight-fisted enough that I'm not excited about buying a different set and possibly wasting what I spent on those.

I can try recording a sample so you can compare the sustain with what you get now. If you like it enough, I can post those to you in the knowledge they're going to a good home, and get Contemporaries for myself.

FWIW, Welcome to Bass Strings Online - A Bass Store for Bass Players! have been a good supplier for me, with very responsive service when a new string broke while I was fitting it.

Thanks equill - very kind of you. I'll keep that link just in case, but if you can manage to record for my benefit, and i like your GHS strings, i'd be more than happy to cover postage via paypal or whatever. Experimenting is expensive,
and this could take the sting out of the equation

Much appreciated
Pete

 

[MAGUS®]

Well, i took monkeys advice and bought a set of NS Comtemps Light. My good luck, there was a string store here that
were selling their last set of NS Contemps Light, for £80 delivered. Nice.

Fitted them, up and the bass is now singing like i wanted. Good call pal

Took a photo of the NS Trads that i removed, and check the size of the string anchors on the Trads, compared
to the new Comtemps. Trads are massive, and Comtemps seem much closer in size to regular bass strings

 

[Persona87]

Well, i took monkeys advice and bought a set of NS Comtemps Light. My good luck, there was a string store here that
were selling their last set of NS Contemps Light, for £80 delivered. Nice.

Fitted them, up and the bass is now singing like i wanted. Good call pal

Took a photo of the NS Trads that i removed, and check the size of the string anchors on the Trads, compared
to the new Comtemps. Trads are massive, and Comtemps seem much closer in size to regular bass strings

View attachment 2858999

Depends on your definition of "regular". The Traditional use upright bass-style ball ends, and the the Contemporary use the bass guitar-style ball ends. They're both "regular", just depends on if you're used to upright or electric.