Ned Steinberger
NS Design was founded in 1990 by Ned Steinberger to develop electric bowed string instruments: violin, viola, cello and double bass. Ned Steinberger violins (and other instruments) are nowadays played by an impressive range of artists. The NS Violin has a solid body, and a removable body segment to provide the left-hand reference position of a traditional instrument.
Ned Steinberger instruments use the so-called 'Polar ™ bridge-mounted piezo pickup system'. This pickup works in two modes: In the vertical mode it senses mainly vertical string vibrations. Plucked notes are then remarkably even and sustained. In the lateral mode, the pickup has the highest sensitivity in the direction of the bow, with more attack when plucked.
A range of control options offers the player maximal tonal flexibility. Two tonal qualities can be chosen. The first position gives has the frequency response of a more “electric” sound. The alternate position activates electronic filters that replicate the frequency response of the traditional violin, for an “acoustic” sound. Additional controls include volume and individual bass EQ and treble EQ controls.
The Ned Steinberger CR Series offers 4- and 5- string violin models, as well as viola.