Normal Solidbody UBASS vs. S-U-B UBASS?

I'm looking into getting one of these but I want to understand this better first.

Does anyone have any insight on the huge price difference between the normal and S-U-B solidbody UBASSes? The normal model is $1200 and the SUB one is $550. The normal model looks to be made in the USA, has better specs, etc... Is the $600+ difference mostly paying for US labor?

Opinions appreciated. These look really cool, but I don't want to sell myself short by automatically looking at the cheap one. ...Or should I just get a normal bass if they are tuned the same?

From what I've read, the US model uses a swamp ash body whereas the S.U.B uses a poplar body. The person who wrote that also theorized that the pickup is better in the US model.

That's what I gathered. It looks like the cheap one has a Shadow pickup and the high-end one has a MISI.

One more question: has anybody messed around with string gauges and tuned to GCEA? You'd only be losing what? Three notes?

I'm not really a fan of the Ubass. In its acoustic form, it is not really loud enough to be used in an acoustic setting. In electric form, it has less fret access than your typical bass would have. Plus it is rather expensive. I suppose the best thing about it is that it is more portable than your typical bass.

While I think it's a good instrument concept, it is nowhere worth how they've priced it, neither the original acoustic version nor the new solid body.

You can get a bass guitar with much better specs. There are also other short-scaled basses that are similarly sized to the Ubass without the humungous price tag.

Fernandes Nomad bass... Samick mini Corsair... Beaver Creek mini acoustic bass.. just to name a few.
Even the Ashbory bass, which predates the Ubass, uses the same strings but costs a lot less.

Or just get a proper bass guitar.




The solid body Ubass has an active Misi pickup with tone and volume control, while the cheaper model is just a passive Shadow pickup with no tone and volume control

For 550 or 1200 dollar you can get yourself a MIM or MIA Fender. So to me there really is no justifying buying a gimmicky tiny solid body bass.
Note that I am mainly a bassist who only plays full scale or extended scale basses.
But apart from that, I'll +1 everything kissing said.

I just caved and ordered an acoustic one (fretted spruce/mahogany). I got an incredible deal ($320) on a new one through a friend who works at a large online retailer. If I don't like it, there are a few bass players in my area that have expressed an interest in it so I think I'd be able to sell it off at the same price I'm getting it for. They are currently out of stock but due in next month.

Thanks for the replies peeps. You've kind of confirmed what I've been thinking. The short scale concept is very interesting though. I guess I'll do some more research on other normal short-scale basses.