REIVEW: NS Design CR series 5-string electric cello
One year ago, I saw Clean Bandit perform live for the first time. Grace Chatto, their cellist had the most amazing electric cello, which was on a stand and she could play and dance to the beat of the music. I loved that! Immediately I had to find out which brand it was, and found out it was the CR series Poplar Burl model by Ned Steinberger, or otherwise known as NS Design.
Buy NS CR5 (in 2015 I bought it for €3190,-) https://thmn.to/thocf/bhyy893m7x
Click here to see more electric cellos: https://thmn.to/thocf/bhyy893m7x
It took me one whole year to save up to buy the cello, but finally, I did it! I decided to get the 5-string edition (F-C-G-D-A), so I could have an extra bass string handy. I also bought the Frame Strap System, which is a wooden belt/harness so you can play the cello attached to your body instead of on the stand. More on this later.
Here is my humble take on it:
PROS
The sound is amazing! For an electric cello, the sound is rich, natural and is the best sounding electric cello on the market in my opinion (better than Yamaha.. yes, I said it).
The two tone controls (treble & bass) come in handy when you don't have an equaliser around and your speaker isn't the most flattering.
The tuning pegs are like ones found on a guitar. They are smooth and work very nice.
There are 3 modes for the pick-up: one for pizzicato, one neutral and one for arco. In pizzicato mode, the cello sounds very much like an electric bass and the notes pop out much more than any classical cello can with a piezo pick up or microphone.
The build is very sturdy. It feels strong and well made.
It is not too heavy.
CONS
The need for 2 x 9V batteries! I'm not a fan of batteries in general for sustainability reasons, but in this case I think it's not safe to do a performance when there's the risk that the batteries go dead. There is also no battery monitor so you don't know that the batteries are going dead until you hear it going fuzzy.
The dot on the back of the neck to show you where the 5th note is, is so tiny you can barely feel it as a reference. It may have been better to have a line not a dot. You can also buy a specific 'thumb stop' in case you really need it, but I think there's a beauty in having such a long and free neck.
The strings are NS Electric Cello brand and once I replaced the A and D string with my preferred Larson and Spirocore tungsten strings and immediately the sound was better.
The Frame Strap System is terrible! It is not built for different sized people and it is not adjustable in the right way so that the cello is able to sit comfortably away from the body.
The bag on the Thomann website is incorrect. That is the bag for the bass version, which has a separate bag for the stand. The cello version doesn't have a bag for the stand.
OVERALL: an amazing investment, which has changed the possibilities to perform live in an amplified situation and to be free to move while playing instead of sitting down. I have a love-hate relationship with some of the peripherals, but because of the natural and beautiful sound of the electric cello, I stand firmly behind the NS Design CR series electric cello!
Buy NS CR Series electric cello: https://thmn.to/thocf/bhyy893m7x
Click here to see more electric cellos: https://thmn.to/thocf/bhyy893m7x
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My Ibanez S series electric guitar - white S570B
When I joined all-girl bandTHE FOX as the electric guitarist, I didn't even own one, nor played in a band with one, nor with an effects pedal. For a time I borrowed the guitar of Celine's (our lead singer) little brother. Until I realised it was his only electric guitar and it became tricky logistically. I fell in love with the Swedish Hagstroms and it was by a strike of luck (or fate) that we won one on Facebook. For a couple of years the Hagstrom Super Swede has been doing just fine, and my guitar baby. Only, I've realized that it's not suitable for me physically or for the type of music we play. It would be awesome for jazz, funk and blues. It's a really well made guitar, but it's just very heavy and the neck is not as thin as I desire, to manage the fast pop/rock licks in THE FOX.
So I decided it was time to make an investment in a sexy* guitar that was light and has a thin neck so I can play fast (*sexy because THE FOX, apart from the music is all about having a stage presence that blows audiences away). I wanted the Hagstrom Metropole in white so my Super Swede could have a little brother but I couldn't find a store in Amsterdam to try it without buying it first. Then I also considered the Gibson Melody Maker (and the Gibson Junior) in white (like that of Joan Jett) but when I played it, it seemed suitable only for punk rock power chords. It's not well made, and it's quite cheap so you're paying for the name. I managed to try out an Ibanez S series in another colour and I absolutely fell in love with the playability. A fast neck with a matte finish neck and an incredibly thin body (15mm at the thickest point) which made it super light. The only thing was the colour. I had set my mind on white or creme, and just my luck, I found one at a Dutch online store Rockpalace (now Key Music). Ibanez S series electric guitar, white, model S570B.
I must say that I'm definitely in love! I've started to have guitar lessons as well. It's everything I need right now in a guitar. I think it still needs playing in and needs to be cranked up through the amp really loud but for now I'm really happy with my new guitar baby - still unfortunately unnamed.
I bought it online for €450 at Rockpalace.com (now Key Music)
The Ibanez guitar case I bought at conrad.nl
REVIEW: Marshall Major White Headphones
3 years ago I decided for a pair of WESC headphones over URBANEARS because I've only ever had Sennheiser technology headphones. Times have changed. And now I just got a new pair of Marshall Headphones that are made from the makers of URBANEARS. Well, at least they're still Swedish. They are called Zound Industries and if you're looking for something even more stylish, where headphones meet fashion, check out Molami.
I must admit, not only do the Marshalls look amazing (especially with the gold connectors), they also feel super comfy over the ears (while semi noise-cancelling). Most importantly, the sound quality is also so good that I've been using these while recording. I got the MAJOR WHITE on sale for €50 (usually €100) during their Black Friday sale.
I think my (loan) cat Issy likes them too.
REVIEW: d:vote™ 4099 Condenser Microphone for Cello
I found the best clip on microphone for cello for a live performance. I've had my loop station(s) for a while now, but still haven't been able to create the desired sound with my various piezo pickups (read my review about Headway's The Band).
So I decided to invest in a d:vote™ 4099 Condenser Microphone for Cello. First impressions? W-O-N-D-E-R-F-U-L!
PROS
- The biggest plus point is the sound. The sound is beautifully natural and doesn't need EQ. You can hear the instrument breathe which reduces the chance that you need to add reverb, which is an advantage over contact microphones/piezo transducer pickups (because they usually only capture the scratchy sound of the bridge).
CONS
- The cable. I cannot afford a digital wireless system (yet, or don't deserve one) so I need to use the cable. There is one very thin cable which leads to a belt clip, for saxophone players or mobile players or to the DI but it is so thin and delicate.
- You still need to find phantom power somewhere so you can't just plug it in a PA or bass amp. You'll need a pre-amp or DI.
- It is a bit fiddly to attach it and bend the goose neck to the right spot. Again, it feels so delicate that it might break if you're not careful.
- Takes time to find the right placement, and in the wrong spot can cause feedback.
I found one B-stock which is around 40 EU cheaper than a new one which is great, and don't see any differences. Price: 399.00 EUR from http://www.thomann.de/
See the official DPA website here: https://www.dpamicrophones.com
--- UPDATE 15 APRIL 2018 ---
I performed live with the DPA microphone with Paul Freeman for NH Radio. See the video below to hear how beautiful it sounds!