Uke Bass for Fathers Day

Patrick Madsen

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My wonderful wife told me to pick out a Fathers Day gift and tell her where to buy it. As she said," You don't buy my camera equipment without my input and I don't buy your ukes without yours'"

SO.. I'm thinking on a uke bass to help fill in the bottom end when needed. I've played bass for 50t years but since I play from a wheelchair now, the reach on a reg. bass is challenging with limited balance. A uke bass would fit the bill.

Searching for many months, it seems the only acoustic basses around are the Kala Ubass. I'd like to support those who are so special on this site; hence would like to know where to look and where to buy.

Another UAS a coming. Will have to thank my kid for giving me the pleasure of Fathers Day and a new uke lol.

Thanks, Pat
 
Hello Pat,

The ubass is great. I own the mahogany fretless version, but previously I had the spruce. I found the differences merely aesthetic.

There is also the Kamoa bass. It uses flatwound strings, instead of the black polyurethane strings of the ubass. Although, I never tried it. Mike on Uke Republic sells it.

Good luck!
 
I bought a UBass from Mim, who is a member here. Her eBay store is currently empty (I think she's working on building out her new location), but you can try sending her a PM via Ukulele Underground.
MusicGuyMic is a respected seller. He works now for Hawaiian Music Supply (http://www.theukulelesite.com/), which has a solid acacia acoustic UBass on its website (http://www.theukulelesite.com/kala-all-solid-acacia-u-bass-pro-mini-bass.html). (I just bought a Kala travel tenor there and I'm very happy with it.)
Mike of Uke Republic (http://ukerepublic.com/index.html) is also a member here. Uke Republic's website has a sprucetop UBass (http://cargo.ukerepublic.com/product/kala-spruce-mhg-u-bass-fretted) that's significantly less expensive than the solid acacia UBasses.

Good luck, and happy Father's Day.
 
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The luthier who invented the Kala U-Bass, Owen Holt, has a website at Road Toad Music,and here's the link to the U-Bass Appreciation Society.

I'm interested in trying the Aquila Thundergut strings. I've had my U-Bass for two months now and those Pahoehoe strings are still stretching out.
 
My wonderful wife told me to pick out a Fathers Day gift and tell her where to buy it. As she said," You don't buy my camera equipment without my input and I don't buy your ukes without yours'"

SO.. I'm thinking on a uke bass to help fill in the bottom end when needed. I've played bass for 50t years but since I play from a wheelchair now, the reach on a reg. bass is challenging with limited balance. A uke bass would fit the bill.

Searching for many months, it seems the only acoustic basses around are the Kala Ubass. I'd like to support those who are so special on this site; hence would like to know where to look and where to buy.

Another UAS a coming. Will have to thank my kid for giving me the pleasure of Fathers Day and a new uke lol.

Thanks, Pat

We currently have the matte black, sunburst, and acoustic electric versions of the ubass too. Please let me know if I can tell you anything about them at all as they are at my disposal. Even if you decide to buy elsewhere we are more than happy to help you get into the uke your lookin for!
 
Thanks guys, I'm thinking I may just wait and try to find a used one. I'm in no hurry. Thanks Sean, I will defintly contacy you before buying anywhere else.
 
Steve Boisen, the fearless leader of the Tampa Bay Ukulele Society, has a U-Bass, and loves it, but I have no idea where he got it... he can really play it too.
 
As a fellow uke-and-bass-playing father, I'm pondering a similar acquisition, and have a further question--has anyone here tried the Kamoa bass? I'm intrigued by the possibility of having that same sort of instrument with "normal"-feeling bass strings.
 
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