"NS took plenty of time putting the CR5 together and not a single millisecond has been wasted... it is a wonderful instrument that manages to look cooler than a headless bass has any right to... we think it's worth every penny" Gareth Morgan | Guitar & Bass Magazine | April 2014
Meticulously crafted in the Czech Republic, the NS CR5 Radius Fretless 5 String Bass embodies the breadth of experience, insight and design brilliance which only Ned Steinberger can bring to the creation of a new classic. His approach to the Radius, as with every new instrument, was to re-explore each facet of a bass guitar, leading to innovations such as the Fusion neck, the Diradial body design, the NS tuning system and NS/EMG pickup system.
However, what makes this instrument most remarkable is its seamless integration of feature, form and function. The sensuous lines of the Radius are balanced and refreshing, which is exactly how it feels to hold and to play it.
Most of all, the Radius is, by design, amongst the most sonically dynamic, versatile and exciting basses available today.
NS Fusion Neck
The CR5 Radius Bass features a bolt-on one-piece maple neck with an embedded continuous carbon fibre core and adjustable truss rod. This combination has the natural feel of wood, but the core provides enhanced sustain and definition to each note. The fingerboard is ebony, with a 35" scale and familiar 15" radius.
Heavy conventional tuning machines are replaced by an aluminium head plate with ball-end string mounting slots, custom produced for NS Design by Hipshot with the tuning system integrated into the body.
NS Diradial™ Body
The Radius' maple body, with flamed maple top, has a convex back radius (from which the bass derives its name) which provides enhanced contact and stability against the torso and gives the instrument a slight angle towards the player, making the fretboard easy to see. The front of the instrument is more tightly radiused, which, in combination with the general wedge shape of the body, shifts it into more comfortable orientation with the right hand.
The distinctive horn provides a natural grip, and the configuration of the body cutaway provides easy access to the highest frets. The instrument as a whole is perfectly balanced, no downward dip of the neck, giving the left hand unprecedented freedom.
Combined, the shape, balance and light weight of the CR5 Radius, just 3.9kg (8.63 lbs), make this instrument exceptionally comfortable to play.
NS Patented Tuning System (US Patent 6,528,710)
Based on a design originally created for the NS Violin, the Radius has a self-clamping, precision tuning machine, built into the body. This fast, simple system accepts any standard single-ball end, full-scale bass guitar string. No tools are needed: simply rotate the knurled knob to change a string or tune the instrument.
NS/EMG Integral Pickup System
NS Design and EMG have collaborated to create this integrated piezo and magnetic pickup system. It features an 18 volt onboard preamp, which provides extraordinary dynamic headroom. The active electronics are combined with the NS bridge-mounted Polar™ pickup system, the marriage of which puts an exceptionally broad, musically rich spectrum of tone at the player's fingertips.
Controls
The controls on the Radius Bass give the player full ability to shape and mix the magnetic and piezo output: Master Volume, active Treble cut/boost, active Bass cut/boost, rotary magnetic/piezo pickup blend, 3-position magnetic pickup selector switch, and 3-position piezo EQ switch.
Bridge & Saddle
Custom crafted for NS Design by Hipshot, the aluminium one-piece bridge and saddle assembly provide full height and angle adjustment, allowing the player to precisely tailor the action and tweak the intonation.
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