NBUD: Kala California Fretless U-Bass

Jim Hanks

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Please don't read back at my last NBD thread which was supposed to be the last. :rolleyes:

This is the "Made in USA" variant. It's a 2012 model I picked up off the "Prototypes and Seconds" page for basically half the price of a new one. It has some pinhole finish blemishes on the back, but you have to squint just right to see them. Other than that, I can't tell a single thing wrong with it.

It's going to take me some time to get used to the fretless thing before I'm ready to post a playing sample, but so far, I'm liking it a lot. Even the DI tone is really nice. Hard to describe - "smooth" but "beefy" if that makes sense. The tone and feel across the strings seems more even than the fretted S.U.B. with the Dreads. I'm not sure if that's the strings, the electronics, or both. I'll have to do some side-by-side comparisons to make sure.

Overall, the Cali just comes across as more "refined" than the import.

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Nice catch Jim. I tried a fretless acoustic for a while, but it became too awkward going from my fretted to the fretless, so I shelved it. Booli said he might be interested in it one day.


This is Michael Kohan in Los Angeles, Beverly West near the Beverly Center
9 tenor cutaway ukes, 5 acoustic bass ukes, 11 solid body bass ukes, 9 mini electric bass guitars (Total: 34)

• Donate to The Ukulele Kids Club, they provide ukuleles to children in hospital music therapy programs. www.theukc.org
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Wow! very nice!
 
Very nice Jim....I have been wanting one of those for quite a while but very expensive in the UK. I hope you enjoy it!
Mike
 
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