Catalyst Instruments nXt

Made in 1999. I bought it from a friend who Custom Ordered it from Wolrd Class Guitars. Then he sold it to me. He had it for almost a year. Luckily, this was not his main guitar, so he barely used it.

This one features an awesome green quilted top, jumbo frets, 2 Seymour Duncan TB Humbuckers, 3-way toggle, 1 split mini switch and sunken volume knob. It looks like and Steinberger, but it has a headstock, which looks great and adds a lot to the style.

Made of Sound Compound (ceramic/graphite), one piece neck-thru, no heel at all. It also features the nXtrem. Great Steinberger styled tremolo with huge differences regarding strin change and limitless possibilities on the rotation axis, trem bar stiffness, individual string action.....need I say more?

It came with a TKL HSC.

I play hard rock/heavy metal.

This baby is just too good to be true. The sustain, the playability, the comfort. Everything is great. I think it suits my style well. Also, I have been looking for a light-weight guitar with great sustain and I've found it.

The Seymours work great with this one. Excellent bright sound for the bridge and warm, smooth sound for the neck. I love Seymours. They are so quiet, even at high gain settings. But, when you split the coils, it becomes noisy and that's the only complaint I have. I rarely split the pu's with distortion. But if you are playing clean stuff, they sound bright and glassy. Excellent variation of sounds.

My band plays on D, so I had to drop the action, set the intonation and the tremolo. It was a pain in the rear end the first time, cause I was not used to the process. Once you do it the first time, it's just plain simple.

The action is smooth and very low. Since there is no wood, there are no wood fluctuations and the neck stays where you adjust it forever. String changing is simple, easy and fast.

The green quilted top is great looking, but it had some small white stains in the upper part. It seems it was not properly bookmatched, but it is not noticeable at all.

The controls and electronics are perfectly soldered and solid.

Everything came just great!

I can say that the nXt is one durable guitar. The Sound Compound is just unbelievable. Great resonance and endless sustain. Also, the hardware seems pretty reliable and durable.

The strap buttons are solidly placed, but I am considering putting a DiMarzio QuickLock strap, as my other guitars have. I think it is easier if I ever have to swap guitars in the middle of the gig. Just unlock this one and put on the other one with the same strap.

Sure I can depend on it. Even if have I play to the Amazonas and then Iceland the next day. The Sound Compound will stay in place forever. Also, I always play a gig with a back up guitar. I don't like changing strings in a middle of a song or something.

Well, I haven't spoke to them. I will email them for sure, cause I want to know if they have spare parts for the nXtrem.

I have been playing for 10 years. I own a Mcnaught Custom Made Phoenix, a Parker Fly, a couple Ibanez.

If this got stolen, I would buy another one for sure. This is an excellent instrument. I love every feature it has, but I could do it without the split mini switch. I don't like Single coils, so I don't use the splitting coils feature. I'd stuck to good old humbuckers.

I have heard this one before and I really liked it. Since my friend was getting rid of it, it was my chance to get one of the best new guitars I've ever heard/seen/played.

To anyone looking for a great guitar loaded with excellent, new technnology features, at a great price, check it out. the nXt will surely knock your hats off!!!!

This is 2001 model, just like the one above. It is amazing in that you can change a string with a quarter. No more damn allen wrenches!!!!!! The lack of a tone knob might bother some people. The tuning knobs are a little difficult to get used to. They are easy to turn to tighten the string but a little awkward to loosen. Luckily it stays in tune well and once you get used to the tuners the are ok!
I have the Catalyst pickups which sound great. They are pretty bright but this is easily one of the best sounding guitars I have ever heard.
It has an all in one tool that is part of the guitar and does just about everything that that a coin won't. I would have made it so the tool fit the screws on the back though.
I wish it had 36 frets like my Washburn but what are ya gonna do??
Oh, it came with a real nice gigbag which makes it light and compact. I wouln't want a hard case unless I were going to fly in then I would probably just want to carry it with me so I can beat terrorists to death with it and after write a song about it.
The strings are a little closer together than my Washburn but I got used to it!

I play a very heavy style (www.sparklemania.com)and though I did not Have this guitar on our last recording, I wish I did because it it gorgeous!!!!!!!!.
The electronics are passive but it is very loud. The sound is bright and clear. The tone is amazing and the tremelo is a bad mutha!!!!
It sustains FOREVER and the attack is fast and strong.
Their special nut system seems to improve intonation on the lower frets but I am no expert. I have quit using my Washburn E-36 which I thought that I would never do.

Set up the way I asked...... AWESOME!!!!!
This guitar is amazing!!!!!!
Beautiful work of art.
Can't say enough so I won't try.

This thing is a rock. If some were to break into my house and I were scared for my life, I would grab this thing!!!!!!!!
I broke the socket for the trem arm within one hour of getting it. The socket may not have been screwed in all the way. Or I may not have had the arm all of the way in. I got a new one and have had no problems.
I opened the back and took a look at the guts. When I put the screws back in one of them stripped. It is in but it will just keep turning and will cause no problems I am sure.
The finish is thick and hard.
I can depend on this thing and with the quick string changes (under a minute)I probably won't ever bring a backup unless someone wants to carry it for me and change the NXT's string when it breaks.

When I initially contacted them they took forever to email a reply until I told them I was about to buy one from someone else. They were quick to respond then!!!!!
They are very slow about returning emails but I can forgive that because they are small company.
When the trem arm socket broke it was on a weekend and it took them a few days to respond but they sent me a new part ASAP free of charge.

I have played for about 15 years. I have had several guitars and played many more. I would go straight to this one if given a choice of any that I have played.
If this were stolen I would be furious and I would have to have another ASAFP.
It is beautiful,classy, strong, light, compact and no nonsense!!!!!! It sounds and plays great and people are very jealous of it.
Everthing I want in a woman...I mean guitar.
For one of the nicest guitars in the world it is STEAL at $1250. Buy one before they get popular and cost $3000!!!!!
Anyone in the area who would like to check it out let me know.

One piece construction neck through body, integrally moulded with SoundCompound, which is a Ceramic-graphite composite material. SuperPhenol fretboard with 24 nickel-alloy jumbo frets. Neck width is 1.61" at the nut to 2.05" at the 12th fret, scale is 25.6". Weight is 6.4lb. Seymour Duncan Trembucker (TB-11) at the bridge position, Seymour Duncan The Jazz (SH-2N) pickup at the neck position. Master volume control with a 3-way toggle switch and a min. toggle switch for humbucker split. Specially designed floating tremelo with reverse stringing (no special strings needed), adj. rotation axis, adj. arm friction, saddles are separately adjustable in height and intonation. Specially designed locking nut wich makes individual string intonation possible for a perfect pitch at the lower frets.
Body style is own design, resembles a crossing between a strat and a Steinberger GM. This instrument was made in The Netherlands in the year 2000

The material which the instrument is made of (SoundCompound) is a specially for music instruments developed composite material. The ceramic cell structure gives the nXt an enormous resonance and sustain. For example, the natural unamplified sustain of the low E-String of the is 45 seconds. Due to the stiffness of the instrument and the one piece construction, loss of vibrational energy is minimized. You immediately notice that when you hear the attack and the response of the nXt. The rigid structure contributes definition and sparkle to a very rich sound. Although you could describe the sound of SoundCompound as transparent and clear, it's certainly not cold or metallic. It can actually sounds quite warm and 'alive'. The fundamental tones and its harmonics are more balanced and have a longer 'life' than with wood. When played with other instruments the nXt won't be absorbed as much as its unbalanced wooden counterparts. The definition of the separate strings is very much in balance. Chords can cut through sound barriers without losing certain tones and you'll be able to hear yourself a lot better in the studio or on stage. Furthermore, due to the tonal stability of SoundCompound you can play with a lot of distortion without losing that definition. Now you can sound dirty without sounding muddy.
I normally play the nXt through a Marshall 112 with a Rocktron Chameleon as a preamp.

The nXt was perfectly set-up for my taste, I lowered the action of G, B, high-E a little with the individual adjustable saddles. Because the material the nXt is made of is always of the same consistency there are are no flaws in the material (unlike wooden guitars)

You can play at an underwater gig with this guitar. The material doesn't react to ambient temperature or other climate changes..... so no warped necks anymore!!! (almost sounds to good to be true). The graphite compound of the composite makes the nXt very rigid and strong, it can double as a battle axe. No backup required!

In the unlikely event that you'll ever need Customer Support, they're there for you!

I'm playing the nXt for only one month now and I have to say that the nXt is probably the guitar of this millennium. Stop thinking that only guitars made out of wood can sound good, be an innovator, save the trees, and try a Catalyst. I also own a custom Jackson Soloist with emg-active pickups and a Ibanez Jem 777, but I rarely play them anymore.