Help me pick an amp for a Kala U-Bass

marymac

marymac

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Hi UUers -

I'm thinking to get a Kala U-Bass sometime soon but I've never had any amplified instruments so I have no amps. Can you help me pick one out?

Parameters:
  • Up to $250 (a little more if its perfect in other ways)
  • Small and lightweight as possible
  • Low power since this is for home use, not gigs/performance
  • Effects/compression a bonus but not essential

I've read good things about the Roland Micro Cube amp but that seems to be for electric guitars, not a bass. Is that right?
 
I've been impressed with the Fender Rumble amps with the U-bass.
Mine is the 30 watt 30 pound version ($189). I use it with our acoustic uke band and also use it with my bass guitar at my small church.
My mother in law has the 15 watt 22 pound version and it sounds equally as good. ($99) I use it over at her house when we practice with the uke band.
UbassRig.jpg
 
cb56 said:
My mother in law has the 15 watt 22 pound version and it sounds equally as good. ($99) I use it over at her house when we practice with the uke band.
Click to expand...

Sounds like a cool family... :)
 
Yep. Mother in law got us all started on uke a few years back. My wife and two of her sisters play and my two step daughters sing. We go to nursing homes and play a few times a month. We love it!
 
cb56 said:
Yep. Mother in law got us all started on uke a few years back. My wife and two of her sisters play and my two step daughters sing. We go to nursing homes and play a few times a month. We love it!
Click to expand...

Awesome. :)
 
What about a combo amp? Is that an amp that can be used with either a bass or an electric guitar/uke? If I ever did get a uke with a pickup would I need an acoustic amp or would a combo amp work? I'd rather have one amp than two of these big buggahs!
 
Hi marymac, Roland does make a Micro-Cube Bass RX amp. It has the features you asked about, and can be battery operated. Advertised price is $249. I bought one used (about 5 times). Still had the stickers on it. Here is a link to Sweetwater.
http://www.sweetwater.com/store/detail/MicroCubeBsRX/
I got my U-bass from them. If you call them, ask what they can do, price-wise. They knocked some off the price of the U-bass for me. It was out of stock, don't know if that had anything to do, but I didn't complain. I like them because they put a 2 year warranty on their stuff, even if the factory warranty is shorter.

There are a lot of good amps out there. Good luck in your search. Let us know which one you end up with.
I plan to use this with my tenor after I intall a Mi-Si pickup. Bass amps can be used for other instruments more so than the other way around, because bass amps are designed to handle those low frequencies.
Sometimes a "combo" amp refers to the electronis and speaker being in the same cabinet as opposed to an amplifier head and separate speaker enclosure. Less stuff to haul around!

Bill
 
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KamakOzzie said:
Roland does make a Micro-Cube Bass RX amp.
Click to expand...

Bill: Cool! Thanks for info. I take it you're happy with the sound of the Roland amp? I haven't bought from Sweetwater before but it's good to know they have extended warranties - that might make it worth paying retail instead of looking for one used. I really like the specs on this amp (approx 12x12x9) and only 15lbs. I can handle that. I was also thinking of getting a VOX headphone amp but it seems like most of these amps have a headphone output anyway.

cb56: Nice photo of your UBass rig!

Bill and cb56: I'm so glad to know that I could use a bass amp with a regular uke or guitar. Thanks!
 
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"Combo Amp" refers to the kind that is the amp and speaker in one box, as opposed to a separate head/cabinet. So all of your criteria rule out MY favorite, which I was GOING to suggest: the Ampeg SVT! Just kidding.. that is a ginormous amp used for big stages.
There are a lot of small decent amps, especially for home use. I have a little Crate that I use for practice sometimes, but I couldn't imagine gigging with it even in a very small room. But that's more because I'm kind of a tone-snob with my basses. I didn't actually buy the Crate, though. My niece borrowed one of my basses for a couple of years when she was in 9th or 10th grade, and when she gave it back, she also gave me the little amp that my sister bought her. I would look at Fender. I know they make little amps in that price range, and the ones I've looked at sounded surprisingly good. But there are a lot of others that fit your bill.
 
Chris Tarman said:
So all of your criteria rule out MY favorite, which I was GOING to suggest: the Ampeg SVT! Just kidding.. that is a ginormous amp used for big stages.
Click to expand...

I forgot to put in my original post that the amp has to fit through the doorway!
 
The GK goldline 4 X 10 cab, tube preamp, and 600W PA amp I use with mine is awesome ... but I think it breaks all of your criteria (price, weight, size, etc.) The cab alone is 92 pounds. Needless to say it stays at the church and I use a small combo if I play elsewhere. :)

It is kinda cool being able to rattle the clock on the back wall with a "uke" though... LOL

John
 
OldePhart said:
The GK goldline 4 X 10 cab, tube preamp, and 600W PA amp I use with mine is awesome ... but I think it breaks all of your criteria (price, weight, size, etc.) The cab alone is 92 pounds. Needless to say it stays at the church and I use a small combo if I play elsewhere. :)

It is kinda cool being able to rattle the clock on the back wall with a "uke" though... LOL

John
Click to expand...

Yep - that's pretty much the setup I'm trying to avoid ;-) I'm kind of thinking about getting one of the Peavey practice amps like the Peavey MAX 158. It doesn't have all the cool bells and whistles that the Roland Micro does but it's $100 instead of $249. Maybe I can get an inexpensive modeling doodad like this to do some of the effects, or do these only work when connecting direct to a sound board? http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B000KIPUQG/ref=ord_cart_shr?ie=UTF8&m=ATVPDKIKX0DER or http://www.amazon.com/BP80-Bass-Mul...8&s=musical-instruments&qid=1291613247&sr=1-2
 
marymac said:
Maybe I can get an inexpensive modeling doodad like this to do some of the effects, or do these only work when connecting direct to a sound board? http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B000KIPUQG/ref=ord_cart_shr?ie=UTF8&m=ATVPDKIKX0DER or http://www.amazon.com/BP80-Bass-Mul...8&s=musical-instruments&qid=1291613247&sr=1-2
Click to expand...

Those should do the trick. They go between the uke and the amp
Digitech makes quality gear. Behringer-you get what you pay for.
I got the MicroCube for the battery capability. I have several other amps, too.


OldePhart
I'll see your 4x10s and 600 watts, and raise you 2 double 15" JBL cabs and 2 Crown K2s (2400 watts)
It's kinda cool being able to break the clock on the back wall ! :D:cool::D
 
KamakOzzie said:
Those should do the trick. They go between the uke and the amp
Digitech makes quality gear. Behringer-you get what you pay for.
I got the MicroCube for the battery capability. I have several other amps, too.


OldePhart
Click to expand...

The battery option IS pretty cool. Well, I don't have the uke yet so I have a little time to decide.
 
Would anyone please comment on how the U-Bass would sound through a Roland MicroCube Guitar Amp?
I already have the amp and am toying with the idea of getting a U-Bass
Would it work at all?
 
btw, IMO a bass amp always sounds great with acoustic instrument like ukes or acoustic guitars. I actually got the $100 roland cube for my mother in laws bari uke first, and she and I were very dissapointed with it. It's possible we got a bad one though. I brought over my rumble 30 and tried her uke through it and we both loved it. That's when we decided to get her the rumble 15. I've played my tenor through mine and it sounds great.
IMO getting a non bass amp would be a mistake for playing your ubass through. I would stick with either the bass amp or get one of each.
 
Paul December said:
Would anyone please comment on how the U-Bass would sound through a Roland MicroCube Guitar Amp?
I already have the amp and am toying with the idea of getting a U-Bass
Would it work at all?
Click to expand...

It will "work".

However, running a bass through a guitar amp isn't very healthy for the amp in the long run. The speaker cones are built for high frequencies put out by guitars, not the low frequencies of a bass. It can damage the cone severely. (So the textbooks tell me)

You won't get as much low end either.

But in the end, you own the amp already, and they aren't that expensive to replace.

I ran too much electric guitar through my bass amp, and it really hasn't sounded good ever since.
 
Hi Guys - Well, with my U-Bass shipping shortly I pulled the trigger on a new bass amp: I decided to go with the Roland Micro BASS Cube after all. I could have gotten a Fender or Peavey for $100 but I love playing my uke outside - why should a bass be different? Definitely the battery op and portability that sold me. KamakOzzie - thanks for info on Sweetwater. I was going to buy from a local Guitar Center but the 2 year warranty from Sweetwater makes it worth waiting for the shipment. I'll let you know how it goes once everything gets here.

Thanks again! - Mary
 
I just wanted to add this (about myself!)

You know you are a geek when...you're as excited about the amp as you are about the new uke :p
 
marymac said:
I just wanted to add this (about myself!)

You know you are a geek when...you're as excited about the amp as you are about the new uke :p
Click to expand...

Nah...that's not even close. It's when you start building...then designing...tube amps that you realize you are a hopeless geek!

John
 
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