The CR Series electric upright bass has a lean, solid-body crafted in the Czech Republic made from select European hard maple and ebony, with a flame maple face. The neck has a traditional upright shape, but with extended access to the upper register of the fingerboard. The solid-body body design enhances sustain and clarity, and is resistant to the effects of temperature change and humidity.The full-scale, seasoned fingerboard is hand graduated for consistent response from note to note, with adjustable relief and bridge height to suit all playing styles. Small dots across the neck provide accurate position markers. NS Design's Polar bridge pickup system combines great sound with directional sensitivity, sensing lateral or vertical string vibration, as well as a combination of the two. Set in the lateral mode, the pickup has incredible sensitivity in the direction of the bow. In the vertical mode, plucked notes are remarkably even and sustained. The Polar bridge ensures a rich and expressive response to pizzicato and arco technique. The CR-4M features low-impedance EMG pickups incorporating neodymium magnets and individually adjustable coils for a full sound quality with very low noise. Controls include volume, a blend control for magnetic and piezo pickups, a toggle switch to select the mode of the Polar pickup, and individual bass EQ & treble EQ controls. The 18-volt power supply insures plenty of reserve overhead for full dynamics. This compact bass also has a convenient, self-supporting tripod stand.According to Bass Player Magazine, the Czech made CR Series "boasts impeccable craftsmanship from a country with a reputation for quality upright bass building. It's clean aesthetics, excellent playability, and great sound put it ahead of the pack."