HEAD NSWAV STEINBERGER BASS

The subject of electric ‘Stick’ basses often causes some consternation with those who work in the lower register. Needless to say, they’re more transportable and generally more easy to handle, but can they ever get near to the sound of the acoustic instrument, or will they forever be consigned to the realms of the convenient, but ultimately poor imitation. The Chinese NSWAV with it’s bolt on tripodian stand is a recent addition to the Steinberger line, offering a cheaper alternative to its cousins made in the Czech Republic. But just how good is this Far Eastern model? The answer is – very good!

Without even plugging the jack into the back, there is good sustain across the whole range. A fixed 42” scale length won’t of course suit every player, but the bridge position can be instantly raised or lowered by adjusting a couple of screws in the back of the body to give either a high or a low action.

The “flattened” bridge will be welcomed by many players, as it retains just enough angle to stop any string snag, while the ebony finger board on our sample was deliciously smooth, although we were surprised by the dot position markers - helpful though as they were in hitting top D/Eb! Plug this baby in with its single piezo pick up and it’s remarkable what level of volume can be achieved before feedback kicks in. Intonation was right on the button, harmonically it’s fine and there were no ‘wolf’ notes. Played straight without any tonal adjustment, the bass end of the NSWAV has a typical string bass sound, while the middle and treble are decidedly bass guitar.

By tweeking the tone knob and switch adjustment however, it is possible to get a very convincing string bass sound overall – indeed I failed the blindfold test! Well built, with solid machine heads and an even stronger stand, this is a great universal bass. However, we were left thinking how much better it might have been with a fitted pre-amp, so that you could don headphones and practice away to your heart’s content in complete privacy.

P MAURIAT PMX 66R TENOR SAX
With it’s antiqued lacquer finish, abalone pearls imported direct from Indonesia and a superb overall build quality, it looks (and feels) like a million dollars before you even get to play a note. Look more closely and you’ll see that the instrument has hand made rolled tone holes that come straight out of the body – there’s no soldering. The bell has also been enlarged from the standard size, and this gives some indication of what you might expect from the instrument. And boy, does this 66 live up to all those expectations! Handling is not dissimilar to a Reference 54, with very positive keywork and a relatively close action.

The rolled tone holes help to give a certain feel of solidity and offer optimum contact to the pods, while the palm key action is a sheer delight to play through – the positioning is near on perfect and those top notes really do ‘pop’. Intonation on our sample was exceptional, with a positive dynamic range that is not too overpowering, even allowing for the large bell, which gives the instrument a big, beefy bottom end. Tonally the 66 has a really distinctive, dark, centered tone that reminds you of the Selmers of the late 40s and early 50s. The mouthpiece supplied was a generic ‘C’, which we understand will shortly be upgraded, although we did try a metal piece which naturally gave a brighter sound, with an interestingly different palette of tonal textures.

The 66 is clearly a horn with a big personality, and if you’re looking for that full, big, rich sound of the likes of Ben Webster or Don Byas – then the 66 comes with our unreserved recommendation.

YAMAHA YD9000 ‘WASHI’ 40th ANNIVERSARY KIT
Never one to miss a birthday celebration, Yamaha have decided to reissue their legendary YD9000 drums. Based on the original specifications, this limited edition kit incorporates all the features and innovations that have been developed throughout Yamaha’s illustrious 40 year history.  As on the original kits, all Birch shells are combined with the original R3 bearing edge, giving that unique Yamaha Birch sound that drummers drool over.

Traditional “one-piece” lugs, again a YD9000 standard, are used in conjunction with vintage hoops to draw out the maximum potential of the drums, while high pressure bonding to the shells allows for some severe tuning. The 22” bass drum comes in 7 ply, with the two floor toms, two tom toms and snare coming in 6. ‘Washi’ is all down to the finish. These unique drums are wrapped in traditional Japanese Washi paper, as used in traditional Japanese arts, with artwork depicting scenes from the Genpei War, a full ten centuries ago.