Kala Ubass

Calebcat

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Does anyone in the UU community own one?
Bass was my first instrument, and I think combining my favorite two serves as a great invention. Back to my question, do you like it, or was it just a waste of money?
 
I played one at a music shop and thought it was kinda cool. The strings are pretty crazy feeling. What I didn't dig was the lack of volume. I thought it was going to have more. You really couldnt do much without an amp, and I don't like having to plug in. They seem pretty much just a novelty to me. One of those big fat mexican basses would be way more fun in my opinion, and there's not much uke-like about it, other than the look.
 
Really shines when plugged in. Excellent for the price.
 
Seems some major pros are buying and using Ubass. Sounds great and is very portable. I sure recommend it.
 
I don't own one, but I've played two in music stores. The strings are really weird feeling but after 10 or 15 minutes I started to get used to them. They have ZERO volume unplugged, but they're not designed for that. But plugged in, they sound really nice. They have something between a normal electric bass sound and an upright sound. I would think the fretless version would be closer to an upright. The big bonus, in my mind, is that they are very compact and lightweight.
 
I own one and I love it. You can read lots of comments from other U-bass owners on the "bass" forum here on UU. The U-bass does have some unplugged volume, at least enough for practice, playing along with recordings or jamming with an unplugged uke player. I would avoid the fretless version. Due to the strings you don't get any of the cool sounds you would normally get from a fretless bass. It sounds the same basically and it's tricky to play in tune due to the short scale. If you get one make sure the strings are installed correctly with no overlapping windings or you may wind up with a busted tuning machine. The strings usually have to be re-stretched and re-installed.

- Steve
 
I am also a bass player and checked one out in a music store and I couldn't put it down. All the bass licks I know were a lot easier on the shorter scale. I took to it like a duck to water. Had I not been there to buy my Jazz archtop Kala I would have snapped up that Ubass right there and then. It will likely be next on the list but I have bought a few tenors off the internet from Taiwan that are comparable to all the fancy $900 to $1000 Hawaiian ukes for a mere fraction of the cost so I need to stop buying them and save up for my Ubass. You can never have too many....
 
Own one and play it all the time in my family uke group. We play mostly nursing home/ retirement centers and at church ocassionally. There is a guy over at talkbass.com that plays one in a popular/rock style band so it is a real, gigable,versatile instrument. Not a toy.
It's a different instrument that takes a bit of getting used to. The strings are rubber so they have a different feel to them. It has enough volume to practice alone with but in group settings you'll need a small amp. I use a Fender Rumble 30 bass combo with great results. Sounds GREAT plugged in. Kind of like a cross between a P bass with flats and an upright. (IMO)
BUT I always recommend to folks that they go find one and try it first. You might love it but you might not. It took me about 10 seconds after plugging mine into an amp at the music store to know that I had to own it.
UbassRig.jpg
 
Am I losing my mind, or did I see a solidbody version of this (or something similar) somewhere?

Or was that a dream I had?
 
Yes, Kala has made a solid body Ubass. I'm not sure if it's on the market yet but Mike Upton played one on a video on their site to show that it is coming. They are also working on a 5 string version.
 
I'm a Bass player from way back and now into Uke, so you would think the U-Bass would tick all boxes. Tried one last weekend while on holidays. Innovative, and they sure put some thought into getting a big sound (amplified) out of a small instrument. The bottom end was great, less impressed with the mid and high notes and think some equalisation would help the sound here. The strings, as others comment are a trial, and while got used to them, they slow the ability to get across them while playing, and make fretting and intonation more difficult. Some type of "string glide" would assist, and unsure if manafacturers suggest a product. There were good full scale basses at the same store for less $$s so why bother unless you want the visual of a quirky instrument?
 
I've been playing bass since 1991 and started playing the UBass about 6 months ago. At first, I thought it would be similar to an acoustic bass, but for me it wasn't and still isn't. When I play the UBass I have to use a different approach than when I play a bass guitar or an acoustic bass. The strings give me a different feel and the size of its neck require me to think UBass, not bass guitar. I use an Ampeg Micro Stack with the UBass and it sounds really full. Nonetheless, to get the full satisfaction on recordings, I have to make full use of a compressor, something I hardly need with my Fodera or Music Man basses.

In conclusion: I love the UBass and I wouldn't want to miss it anymore, even if it means more work than my up-scale basses when trying to make it sound at its best.
 
I'm pretty much sold on the idea of playing a Ubass. But, I live nowhere near music stores and the few that are around tend to have guitars and marching band gear. Not even standard electric bass. This may be a stupid question, but what would be a cheap, decent Ubass that I could learn to like. I don't mind too much for aesthetics as much as quality. My price range is $0-$250. Or, just the cheapest you have come across.
 
I have the U-bass. I used to play a short-scale Supra bass, many years ago (a 25" scale). The U-bass is fun and has a nice, woody sound when plugged in (almost no sound unplugged but fair enough for quiet practice without accompaniment).

Advantages: size, short neck, lightweight, cool looking. Standard tuning.

Disadvantages: strings take a while to settle and stay tuned (like ukes, but better than the Ashbory which never really settles and continues to stretch). Strings are fat and rubbery, so they tend to roll under your fingers - you need to work on a different technique when playing to avoid this (not difficult but needs a bit of concentration) - escpecially when sliding. There are no active controls, and I find the output somewhat unbalanced in favour of the G string. Needs some moderation via the amp to sort that out. The short spaces at the higher frets make it more difficult to play above the 12th fret.

It's been fun re-learning bass. However, I'm looking at changing to a different style - either a Kona Walking bass or an electric upright like the Dean Pace. Might sell the U-bass to help finance one.
 
I got a spruce-top UBass about a week ago and have been having a lot of fun with it. I have never played bass before so I have nothing unlearn or adjust to. This is my first amp too (a Roland Bass Micro Cube) and I haven't really messed with all the effects on it yet but it sounds great and runs on batteries. I love that.

As far as the UBass, it seems easy to play, even for a novice. The sound is nothing special when it's not amplified but when plugged in it sounds fantastic. Lots of bottom end. The strings seem to be settling in but I do check the tuning each time I pick it up to play. The Snark tuners work great on the bass; the IntelliTuner 500 I have doesn't pick up the bass tones well enough to be useful.

The tuners on the UBass work quite well. It takes quite a bit of turning to get the tone to change on these strings when you first start using them but once they're stretched out the tuners are great for the fine tuning. I do find it easier to play this with a strap.The finish on it seems quite nice. No rough spots or weirdness in the finish. bindings are nice and clean. Only complaint I have on the appearance is that the battery cover is a gloss while the rest of the uke is matte. What's up with that?

I haven't played the mahogany top so I can't compare the sound of the spruce top and mahogany top. From the sound samples I found on youtube and elsewhere on the web I couldn't discern any difference so I went with the cheaper top (spruce) and spent the rest on a b-stock concert eleuke (hey, I had to get an amp for the UBass, might as well try out an electrified uke!) Another uke player mentioned to me that he didn't like the whiteness of the spruce top but in person it looks like yellowish spruce wood grain, not bright white to me.

Not sure what else to say about this instrument but feel free to ask questions and I'll do my best to answer.
 
I was not a bass player...well I'm still not a bass player, but I had to have this thing. I've got the spruce-top fretted. I echo the others comments as far as sound and playability. I've had a peg break once, for the reason that Steve mentioned above. The string was doubled up and caused a lot of upward tension on the peg. My music store ordered a new one for free. I hope I can learn to play this thing properly.
Here's a comparison of my UBass and Pocket Uke.
DSCF5548.jpg
 
Bakithi Kumalo on UBass NAMM 2011

I posted this to the "videos and links" forum, didn't get a lot of views, thought maybe some bass players might appreciate it. The stuff he does at 2:27 blows me away.

Updated video that starts at 2:27 of the previous:


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1zKCLHjSI9A
 
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