Anybody use either of these heads with their NS?

...with or without modeling/processing?

I don't really want the complexity of a stereo setup, so I'm thinking about running a modeling pedal on the high side, combining the bass and the pedal output with a passive or active preamp, then using the head with a pair of cabinets I already own.

Styles are mostly jazz/fusion/gospel/folk, with what you'd expect for bass tones on the low side. I'm looking at anything from clear & unprocessed to more retro/blues guitar to Pat Metheny/Lee Ritenour-ish tones on the high side.

I still don't even have an NS yet (haven't sold my tuba yet), and I already have a bad case of GAS.

I've been using the Hartke HyDrive 115C exclusively as my bass amp of choice lately for my half-fretlesss Grand Stick. I own many. many amps and this one is really doing a great job as far as power, clarity and tone.

SA

That's a nice looking combo! I see they have a 12" and a 2 x 10" as well.

Makes me think twice about going with a dedicated head/cabinet setup.

Still interested if anybody's had any experience with the LH500 or any other tube gear, in particular.

I'd like to establish a nice warm jazzy tone on the low side. In this case a modeling pedal may be moot for the high side, so perhaps just some basic effects pedals for distortion/reverb/chorus instead?

>>>That's a nice looking combo!<<<

More importantly the 115C sounds really great.

>>>I'd like to establish a nice warm jazzy tone on the low side<<<

Yes, that's what I use it for. Can simulate an upright or Jaco articulation flavor.

SA

Ooh. You know my wife keeps telling me - "simpler is better." You may have just saved me a lot of rig assembly headaches.

Lee - What do you use to combine your outputs from your stick - or do you run it mono?

>>Lee - What do you use to combine your outputs from your stick - or do you run it mono?<<

Far from mono. I have gone mono at jam sessions and to teach but for gigs, here's what I'm using now.
Bass side into Alesis Nanoverb for extra volume and a touch of verb into the Hartke 115C HyDrive. Warm yet articulate. Great amp.
Melody side, using GK3 Roland pickup into Roland VG99 processor split into 2 amps, Roland JC120 and Fishman soloamp (column).
All are tweaked depending on which Stick I'm using.
This, over many years of exploration with amps and effects, is my current setup. The bass and treble sound incredible.
Hope this is more useful than confusing.
SA

>>You know my wife keeps telling me - "simpler is better." You may have just saved me a lot of rig assembly headaches. <<

FYI- I can do the above listed set up in about 10 minutes.
SA

Your rig sounds like a dream rig, actually, but sounds like you've got as much invested in your rig as your stick.

Set-up time aside, I'm only working with about a $500-$650 budget after I buy the NS. So, I'm trying to find a *single amp* solution that will give me the range of tone I'm looking for across both the bass and guitar sides of the NS. I dunno, maybe that's not possible.

What about a stereo keyboard amp??? They're designed to cover the full range of sound. Peavy has some that are reasonably priced. On the higher end , Motion Sound has a 200 watt system that sounds , in my opinion, incredible. That thing will test your back in the WORST WAY. Hope you get your NS asap. I'm still trying to get mine paid off, can't wait to get it.

Two things that i love; one that the Stick has so many variables that the possibilities
are endless. You run out of money long before you could ever exhaust the tonal
possibilities. Also it can work with a mono attachment in any amp; so it can be as simple
as you can get. That being said if you don't have the instrument yet and you are not
experienced in what Emmett calls "the tapping arts" then I would say hold off
and do a lot of R&D. Save your money and just use what ever you have to get
some time with the NS under you belt. ...
Is that what I did? No! But I ended up selling
stuff that I never fully utilized and strangely found myself spending lots of hrs with
the smallest setup at a very low volume (Roland Mobil) and getting as many aha! moments out of that setup as I do with my more elaborate one. So the practice model of life with
Stick cant be over emphasized. And if your are thundering the house all the time
others might find your creative output less than entertaining

But i really started writing this because I thought Steve's current setup was so interesting.
Two years ago I was fortunate to attend a seminar in Canada with Steve and
I asked him so many questions that one of the other students said "Hey man this
isn't your own private lesson ya know" Steve the white Knight came to my defense;
"wait, these are good questions" ... Anyway because of Steve and his influence I have acquired a VG-99 and it in itself is a box of almost infinite possibilities. But perhaps
for simplicities sake I am not sure but Steve runs the melody direct to the VG
with only the bass from the Stick pickup. I have never found this to work outside
of recording. Live, IMHO the VG needs the sound from the melody side pickup to
come to life wether it's a Stick-up or a PASV. And really setup wise all that really requires
is the stereo wire.

Anyway I know that Steve is a Michael Hedges fan and MH in his later performances
totally surrounded himself with his sound (and speakers) so he could really "hear" what he was playing
and therefore give his best. This is so important because when you get "out there"
and all of a sudden for various reasons your sound is alien to yourself, it is hard to do that.

Z-Roland KC-350's are a work horse. It's a keyboard amp with lots of inputs but no
effects.
JRJ