NS Design NXT5a Cello

UK Price £1,850.00 - Inc. 20% VAT
WORLDWIDE PRICE £1,541.67
(2 Reviews)
Colour
In Stock
Delivery
Free Shipping to UK / Selected EU Destinations
Description

EXPLORE new horizons

The NXTa Cello opens up a brand new horizon for the serious cellist looking to play a superb electric instrument on a limited budget. These instruments, available in 4 & 5 string formats, with traditional and fretted fingerboards and 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 cutting edge battery-free, dual mode onboard electronics and a visual appearance a striking as its sound, this supremely roadworthy instrument is an exciting and reliable partner for the most demanding performance career.

CONSTRUCTION

The solid, straight grain maple body and neck, together with the hand 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.

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 Preamp

All NXTa series instruments feature battery-free, high performance active electronics with new capacitor-powered custom circuitry designed  by Mi-Si™ Electronics Design, taking convenience, versatility and performance capability to an even higher 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.

NS / D’ADDARIO™ STRINGS

Designed in partnership with Ned Steinberger, D'Addario NS electric Cello strings are designed to enhance the expressive range of tone for even the most discerning player. In combination with the easy adjustment of basic set-up parameters, the NXTa Series Cello is adaptable to a nearly limitless range of music styles.

TUNING

4 String — C-G-D-A / 5 String — F-C-G-D-A (C-G-D-A-E available by request) / 6 string (CR Series Only) — F-C-G-D-A-E

INCLUDED ACCESSORIES

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

WAV/NXT Gig Bag
A ylon 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

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.

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

CR Tripod Stand
Provides ultra-stable hesupport 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.

End Pin 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. 

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

Cello Thumbstop
Provides accurate intonation in higher positions by simulating the heel of the neck on an acoustic bass/cello and is a great aid for fast playing. It is crafted from solid maple, lacquered with an amber satin finish, and includes a 3M™ adhesive pad for ease in attaching to the desired position on the neck of the instrument.

Custom 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.

Specifications
Construction Solid, straight grain maple body and neck
Finish Black Satin with maple face, or Sunburst with flame maple face
Fingerboard Hand-graduated Richlite™, intonation referenced with cascading dot markers (fretted fingerboard also available)
NECK Brass escutcheon pin on the rear of the neck serves as a reference point, corresponding to the heel of an acoustic cello
bridge Maple, height adjustable
Bridge Pickup NS Polar™ directional piezo pickup system
Electronics Battery-Free, with dual mode active/passive output
Controls 2-way toggle switch for Polar Pickup System (selects pizzicato/arco modes) / Rotary volume control / Rotary tone control (treble roll off) with push-pull selection between active and passive output mode
Truss Rod Single action, accessible at nut for precise fingerboard relief adjustment
Tuning Machines 12:1 ratio, fully encased worm gear tuners, black finish
Length 94.2cm (37")
Width 13.9cm (5.5")
DEPTH 9.4cm (3.7")
Scale LENGTH 69.5cm (27.36")
Weight - NXT4a 1.86kg (4.1lb)
Weight - NXT5a 1.9kg (4.2lb)
Strings NS Design/D'Addario NS510 medium tension, stranded steel core strings
Stand INCLUDED NXT Cello Tripod Stand, black painted tubular steel, adjustable, folds for easy storage & fits into supplied gig bag / Weight: 2.7kg (6lb)
Gig Bag INCLUDED Nylon padded NXT gig bag, with handle, shoulder strap, bow holder and accessories pouch / Length: 99cm (39") / Approx. loaded weight: 5kg (11lb) inc. stand
EXTRAS INCLUDED NXTa AC charger
COUNTRY OF ORIGIN New Bohemia Electric Corp., Czech Republic
NS Polar™ Pickup

All NS Design electric concert instruments are equipped with the dual-mode Polar™ Pickup System, a remarkable innovation that allows players 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 a rich full sound, powerful dynamics, enhanced bow sensitivity, sustained pizzicato and 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 differ 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 suppressing the up and down vibration. You can see this effect with the naked eye by watching the broad 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 which, in combination with an asymmetric support structure of bass bar and sound post, efficiently translates 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 specifically tailored to mirror the polarity of the bowed string. The result is a remarkably dynamic, rich tone that responds effortlessly to the bow.

The system also takes this concept one step further, being able to switch from lateral to vertical sensitivity, which is ideal for pizzicato. Unlike the violin, a flat top guitar or lute responds in the vertical direction, minimising the plucked attack and storing energy for longer sustain. 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 limitless new expressive potential to the violin family.

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

Customer Reviews
Write a Review and share your opinions!
2 Reviews:

Great product / Fast delivery
Rating:
05 March 2024  | 

Great product. meets all expectations. Fast delivery.


Excellent service
Rating:
20 February 2015  | 

Excellent instrument - very well constructed and lovely to listen to. Lots of potential for creating interesting backing to our next Tan Yows CD.

Also excellent service from The Bass Centre - thanks!