NS Design NXT5a Cello - Fretted

List Price:  £2,245.00UK Price:  £2,185.00 - Inc. 20% VATSave:  £60.00 (3%)Worldwide:  £1,820.83
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NS Design Frame Strap SystemNS Design Frame Strap System
NS Design CR Tripod StandNS Design CR Tripod Stand
NS Design Custom Flight CaseNS Design Custom Flight Case

The NXTa Fretted Cello opens up a brand new horizon for progressive cellists looking for a great electric instrument on a limited budget.


These instruments, available in 4 & 5 string formats with a choice of Black Satin or Sunburst finishes, are crafted in the Czech Republic by the makers of the renowned NS Design CR Series and exemplify flawless workmanship and incredible value.

Adaptable to a nearly limitless range of music styles, The NXTa Cello brings unprecedented affordability to the player interested in world-class design, craftsmanship and performance. With a visual appearance a striking as its sound, the roadworthy NXTa is an exciting and reliable partner for the most demanding performance career.

NS Design NXT Fretted Cello


The Ned Steinberger designed NXTa Fretted Cello - the latest addition to the NS orchestra, is a unique instrument that blends the character and advantages of a guitar with the power and performance of an electric cello, opening up dynamic new possibilities.

Whilst a somewhat radical concept, even the most traditional cellist will find that frets offer certain advantages, as well as new performance and textural possibilities. The most obvious of these is that - particularly when playing pizzicato - frets provide “open string” sustain for every note. In addition, the fretted cellist can more fully exploit techniques such as tapping, hammer-ons, and “stepped” glissando. Frets also guarantee accuracy of pitch in high volume performance situations where there may be less-than-optimal individual monitor setups.

NS Polar™ Bridge Pickup System


Pizzicato and arco techniques have almost unlimited expressive potential, thanks to the NS Design Polar™ Pickup System...  Two separate mounted transducers beneath the bridge offer unlimited expressive potential and powerful dynamics. With each pickup specialized for a specific task, a convenient switch gives you the choice to select a traditional arco mode for percussive attack and a dynamic bowed response, or the pizzicato mode for a smooth, sustained tone.

Dual Mode Output


New NS Design dual mode signal output electronics take the convenience, versatility and performance capability of the NXTa to another level.

Active Mode - Using the supplied charger, the NXTa connects into any AC outlet for 60 seconds, powering the capacitor powered active circuit for up to 16 hours of performance time. The instrument can then be plugged straight into any low or high impedance device, no direct box necessary.

Since there is no signal loss over the full frequency spectrum of the instrument, the fundamentals of every note remain clear and strong, even with extra-long cables.

Passive Mode - The NXTa can be played in this mode when using a direct box or an amplifier with high impedance input. This mode provides performance capabilities identical to the original NXT.

Eco-Friendly Operation - NXTa instruments are battery-free, eliminating the hassle and cost of batteries while helping protect our environment.

Construction


The solid maple body and neck, together with the graduated ebony fingerboard, deliver a rich, full tone that rings true for every note. Asymmetrical fingerboard relief provides extraordinary ease of playability from the lowest to the highest positions. To suit individual player preferences, the fingerboard relief can be adjusted via the truss rod in the neck, and the string height is readily adjustable at the bridge.

An escutcheon pin on the neck, corresponding to the location of the heel on an acoustic cello, is standard; a more conventional wooden neck heel is also available for installation.

Strings


Equipped with NS Contemporary Bass Strings by D'Addario™, the NXTa is compatible with most standard electric or traditional acoustic upright bass strings. In combination with the easy adjustment of its basic set-up parameters, this versatile instrument is adaptable to many different styles of music.

Accessories


  • NXT Cello Tripod Stand - Sturdy, black painted tubular steel construction. Fully adjustable for a wide range of playing styles, this cello specific variant is shorter than the equivalent NXT Double Bass stand to better facilitate seated performance. Folds for easy storage and fits into the NXT gig bag (Weight is 2.7kg/6lb).

  • NXT Gig Bag - Supplied as standard, the NXT nylon gig bag, with carry handle and shoulder strap, has a padded inner case for the instrument and a zipper pouch for the tripod stand as well as a bow compartment and storage pocket with room for charger and accessories. Dimensions : 99cm (39") long x 18cm (7") in diameter. Loaded weight is 5kg (11lb) including stand. The compact gig bag fits in the overhead luggage compartment of most commercial aircraft.

Optional Extras


  • NS Traditional Cello End Pin Stand - Provides the traditional cello points of contact and position and is the best choice for cellists who have an animated style of playing while seated, or who play the instrument at a more horizontal angle.

  • NS CR End Pin Stand - Offers full freedom of movement. Height, tilt and "right bout" angle are fully adjustable providing a more conventional feel.

  • NS CR Tripod - Provides stable support for both the NS Cello and Double Bass with full height and tilt adjustments allowing the player to select the ideal position, seated or standing, vertical or horizontal. Folds for storage and fits in the NS gig bag.

  • NS CR End Pin Stand Conversion Kit - Attaches the NS CR End Pin Stand to the CR Series Tripod Stand to hold the instrument upright for on-stand performance or when not in use. 

  • NS Frame Strap System - Allows the cellist to stand up with full mobility for a new experience of freedom and expression.

  • NS Flight Case - Aluminum edged plywood measuring 136cm x 28cm x 27cm (53.5" x 11" x 10.5") with loaded weight of approximately 18kg (40lb) including tripod stand.

  << NS Design NXTa Cello User Manual

  << NS Design Fretted Cello Intonation Instructions

 NS Design NXTa Series Cello

Construction Solid, straight grain maple body & neck
Finish Black Satin with maple face or Sunburst with flame maple face
Fingerboard Hand-graduated ebony • Intonation referenced with cascading dot markers • Fretted Model also available
Bridge Pickup NS Polar™ directional piezo pick-up system
Controls Rotary volume control • Tone control (treble roll off) with push-pull selection between Active and Passive output mode • Arco/Pizzicato toggle switch for Polar Pickup
Truss Rod Single Action, accessible at nut
Tuning Machines 12:1 ratio, fully encased worm gear tuners, black finish
Length 94.2cm (37")
Width 13.9cm (5.5")
Thickness 9.4cm (3.7")
Weight NXT4a : 1.86kg (4.1lb) • NXT5a : 1.9kg (4.2lb)
Scale Length 69.5cm (27.36")
Strings NS Design/D'Addario medium tension, stranded steel core (NS510)
Stand NXT Cello Tripod Stand. Black painted tubular steel, adjustable, folds for easy storage & fits into supplied gig bag (2.7kg/6lb)
Gig Bag Nylon padded standard NXT gig bag, with handle and shoulder strap; 99cm (39") long; 5kg (11lb) loaded weight

The NS Design Polar™ Pickup System

THE POLAR™ PICKUP SYSTEM allows the player to select the direction of response to control attack, sustain, and bow response characteristics. The result is an exciting new dimension in string instrument performance, featuring:

  • Powerful dynamics
  • Rich, full sound
  • High sensitivity to the bow
  • Sustained pizzicato
  • Extended versatility

As a player, you may not think about the direction your strings are vibrating, or even be aware that string vibrations on a musical instrument are polarized in relation to the fingerboard and the motion of the plectrum and bow. Yet direction is one of the most significant factors influencing the tone and response of a stringed instrument. In fact, instruments from the violin family are different from the lute or guitar in large part due to the effects of string polarization.

The bow drives the string back and forth in the direction of the bow, while at the same time it suppresses the up and down vibration. You can see this effect with the naked eye by watching the wide excursion of the lowest strings when bowed. From the front, you can see a wide lateral pattern of string vibration, but looking from the side you can see almost no pattern at all. Instruments in the violin family have a tall bridge in combination with an asymmetrical support structure of bass bar and sound post that efficiently translate the sideways motion of the bowed string into sound.

The Polar pickup responds with a high degree of lateral sensitivity and vertical rejection that is tailored to mirror the polarity of the bowed string. The result is a remarkably dynamic, rich tone that responds effortlessly to the bow.

The Polar pickup takes this concept one step further, and is able to switch from lateral to vertical sensitivity, which is ideal for pizzicato. Unlike the violin, a flattop guitar or lute respond in the vertical direction, to minimize the plucked attack and store energy for longer sustain. With the touch of a finger, the polar pickup can switch from lateral to vertical mode. In the vertical mode the attack is controlled for a sustained, singing pizzicato response. The lateral mode has the opposite effect, and the plucked response is extraordinarily percussive, like a traditional bowed instrument, only more so. This dual capacity allows the player to control attack and decay, adding new expressive potential to the violin family of instruments.


All NS Design instruments are equipped with the dual-mode Polar Pickup System.

On EU and CR Series instruments, active bass and treble EQ controls combine with the Polar pickup options to provide tremendous tonal range. Additional magnetic pickups, switching and associated pre-amp circuitry vary from model to model.

 

CR Series

Sophisticated and versatile instruments, built to deliver outstanding performance.

NXTa Series

Featuring innovative, custom built, high performance, battery-free active electronics.

WAV Series

Affordable passive instruments featuring NS Design's Polar™ Pickup System.

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