NS Design NXT4 Electric Cello – Genuine NXTa Active Upgrade – Bow & Gig Bag

NS Design NXT4 Electric Cello – Genuine NXTa Active Upgrade – Bow & Gig Bag

For sale is my NS Design NXT4 four-string electric cello in black, fitted with NS Design’s excellent Polar pickup system and professionally upgraded using the genuine NS Design NXT-to-NXTa capacitor-powered active conversion kit.

The NXT is NS Design’s Czech-made solid-body electric cello, designed by Ned Steinberger as a genuine cello rather than simply a bowed electric string instrument. Its solid maple body and neck, graduated fingerboard and compact body make it extremely comfortable to play, while the solid construction largely eliminates the wolf tones and feedback problems associated with amplifying an acoustic cello. The adjustable bridge and truss rod also allow the set-up to be tailored to the player.

At the heart of the instrument is the NS Polar™ bridge pickup system. This is particularly clever: the pickup can be switched between responses optimised for arco and pizzicato playing. In arco mode it responds to the lateral vibration of the strings for dynamic bowing and a more percussive plucked response; in pizzicato mode it responds to vertical vibration, producing a smoother attack and longer, bass-guitar-like sustain.

This particular instrument started life as the original passive NXT but has subsequently been professionally converted to the later NXTa active/passive system using NS Design’s own conversion kit. The active circuitry is powered by a rechargeable capacitor rather than a battery: a short charge powers the active circuit for many hours, allowing the cello to feed ordinary low- or high-impedance equipment directly. It can alternatively be switched back to passive operation. This gives it essentially the very useful dual-output arrangement of the later NXTa.

It is in excellent functional condition and plays exactly as it should. It is fitted with a relatively young set of D’Addario cello strings, with plenty of life remaining.

Cosmetically, it has been played and there are various small marks, knocks and dings, which I have tried to show honestly in the photographs. These are cosmetic rather than structural and do not affect its operation. One point particularly worth mentioning is that the plastic outer covering of the central tone/active-passive control knob has been lost, leaving the metal control shaft exposed. The control itself remains fully functional. I have priced/described the instrument with these cosmetic imperfections in mind.

The cello is a standard four-string instrument, conventionally tuned C–G–D–A, with NS's 69.5 cm / 27.36-inch scale length. The instrument itself weighs only around 1.6 kg, making it exceptionally portable compared with an acoustic cello. NS Design

Included in the sale:

• NS Design NXT4 electric cello, upgraded to active/passive NXTa specification
• Bow shown in the photographs
• Official NS Design padded gig bag, with separate storage/stand compartment and bow storage
• D’Addario strings currently fitted

The reason for sale is simply that I am moving further up the NS Design range to a five-string CR cello. I have enjoyed this enormously; it is particularly good amplified and lends itself beautifully to effects, looping and more experimental playing as well as straightforward amplified cello work.

Currently retailing for over £2,200.  Collection preferred but delivery can be arranged.