Luna UKEBASSHT High Tide Bass ?

strumsilly

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Saw these for sale online for $150. anybody have one or played one. I think these are tuned an octave up, like a guitar. I've asked the seller. My uke group is short on bassists, so I bought an Ibanez Mikro. I put some tapewound strings on and for the price, I think it's way ahead of most uke basses. a friend has a timber and those are nice, but pricey. I'd still like to get a bass that's more portable and back friendly but I like the mikro so I'm in no hurry. i need to find a lighter amp, my current one is a crate BX 50 I took on trade many moons ago, it's over 40 pounds! boy do those Double fours look sweet at under 10 pounds. Also looking at the GK MB 110. I would be playing with my uke group and these amps probably would work for inside gigs, but I know you need some power outdoors. I've had Kalas and a haeden, but never bonded with the strings. Love these Diadario tapewounds so it would be nice to have steel core strings.
 
I will only play 21 to 24 inch scale bass, so a couple of years ago I bought a SmallGuitars.com 1/2 size 24" scale mini P-bass on which I put steel flatwound LaBella 25" they make for Gold Tone, it's very compact and really nice, of the 25 basses I have, it's my favorite. I also have a few Rondo Hadean solid body bass ukes that I changed the poly strings to the La Bellas, in humid weather they're better than the poly strings.

I replaced my Crate Limo 50w amp with a Double Four, I recommend that amp without hesitation, especially with the added battery. I use it for rehearsals with my 35 person uke group in a large multipurpose room. Save up and buy it.

Michael Kohan in Los Angeles, Beverly Grove near the Beverly Center
8 tenor cutaway ukes, 4 acoustic bass ukes, 10 solid body bass ukes, 14 mini electric bass guitars (Total: 36)
•Donate to The Ukulele Kids Club, they provide ukuleles to children in hospital music therapy programs. www.theukc.org
•Member The CC Strummers: www.youtube.com/user/CCStrummers/video, www.facebook.com/TheCCStrummers
 
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I will only play 21 to 24 inch scale bass, so a couple of years ago I bought a SmallGuitars.com 1/2 size 24" scale mini P-bass on which I put steel flatwound LaBella 25" they make for Gold Tone, it's very compact and really nice, of the 25 basses I have, it's my favorite. I also have a few Rondo Hadean solid body bass ukes that I changed the poly strings to the La Bellas, in humid weather they're better than the poly strings.

I replaced my Crate Limo 50w amp with a Double Four, I recommend that amp without hesitation, especially with the added battery. I use it for rehearsals with my 35 person uke group in a large multipurpose room. Save up and buy it.

yes, I'm thinking double 4 too. what battery did you get? and that smallguitar bass wasn't on my radar,I'll check it out. thanks again.
 
Yes, I'm thinking double 4 too. what battery did you get? and that smallguitar bass wasn't on my radar, I'll check it out. thanks again.
I bought the one recommended by Phil Jones when I bought 4 years ago, the Lenmar PowerPort PP916RS, but it's not available anymore. Specs are 5500mAh/11.1V, input 15-23V, 2.5-4A max., output 5.35V/16V/19V. I also tried a higher capacity battery, but it had a circuit in it that shut down the battery when it hit peaks, no bueno. I don't see a current recommendation on their web site, I just emailed to find out.
 
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I bought the one recommended by Phil Jones when I bought 4 years ago, the Lenmar PowerPort PP916RS, but it's not available anymore. Specs are 5500mAh/11.1V, input 15-23V, 2.5-4A max., output 5.35V/16V/19V. I also tried a higher capacity battery, but it had a circuit in it that shut down the battery when it hit peaks, no bueno. I don't see a current recommendation on their web site, I just emailed to find out.


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
• Member The CC Strummers: YouTube: www.youtube.com/user/CCStrummers/video, Facebook: www.facebook.com/TheCCStrummers
this one is PPU916RS one of the reviewers even mentions he uses it for the PJB.I ordered one, and the amp. thanks; https://www.ebay.com/itm/Lenmar-Uni...rentrq:b5b5a53416b0a99b2c33a9b7ff9e2be7|iid:1
 
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Good find, I just ordered one since mine is over 4 years old and I want to be ready if it dies. Jumped the gun a little for an answer from Phil Jones. Thanks very much, and Happy 4th.
 
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I will only play 21 to 24 inch scale bass, so a couple of years ago I bought a SmallGuitars.com 1/2 size 24" scale mini P-bass on which I put steel flatwound LaBella 25" they make for Gold Tone, it's very compact and really nice, of the 25 basses I have, it's my favorite.

Why that scale in particular?
 
Why that scale in particular?
I played rhythm guitar for almost 50 years and was often told I should play bass because I had good rhythm and feel, but I didn't like the cumbersomeness of a large electric bass, forget a giant standup bass. Then 5 years ago the leader of my uke group asked if anyone would like to take up the bass to fill in our sound, I discovered the U-bass and other small basses and went for it. Having a very strong case of gear acquisition syndrome, I'm now up to 25.
 
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Strumsilly,
You're learning to play bass? Fabulous!
Or have you played bass before?

I'd steer clear of Luna ukes. I Don't know anything about their guitars, but my experience with Luna was dismal. They care about looks, not playability, and have been known to sell things with warped necks, etc.

I think I'd choose the lightest weighing amp you can find! Lugging weight is no fun.
 
I played rhythm guitar for almost 50 years and was often told I should play bass because I had good rhythm and feel, but I didn't like the cumbersomeness of a large electric bass, forget a giant standup bass. Then 5 years ago the leader of my uke group asked if anyone would like to take up the bass to fill in our sound, I discovered the U-bass and other small basses and went for it. Having a very strong case of gear acquisition syndrome, I'm now up to 25.

Sorry, I meant, why not a 20" scale?
 
Strumsilly,
You're learning to play bass? Fabulous!
Or have you played bass before?

I'd steer clear of Luna ukes. I Don't know anything about their guitars, but my experience with Luna was dismal. They care about looks, not playability, and have been known to sell things with warped necks, etc.

I think I'd choose the lightest weighing amp you can find! Lugging weight is no fun.
My local group has lost our main bass player, though we have a few others that can play bass, they aren't always available, and you can really tell when the bass is missing. So...
No. I have never seriously tried to play bass, just flirted with some Ubasses. I did play guitar however, so learning ukulele and bass is somewhat easier .
I went for the lightest decent [ but pricey] bass amp I could find, a PJB double 4. It sounds great, and when I crank it up and use a preamp [my mikro has passive pickups] it's pretty darn loud. I can feel the vibrations from our wooden floor through my bare feet. I can also line out to my big, heavy amp for more volume if I have to. I tried it and it really boosts the volume. Did I mention the discounted double 4 I got off MF is red, just like the bass?

https://drive.google.com/file/d/1dYZRmIWSeB4nHISp8eSUwW7GdMj9F_Y5/view?usp=sharing
 
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Strumsilly - did you go ahead and buy the Luna High Tide bass uke? If so then how do you rate it?
I was looking at exactly that model - I want steel strings not polyurethane, I love the fret markings on the high tide range, and I'm a sucker for a sunburst finish!
Unfortunately this model is difficult to find in the UK so I haven't been able to try one, never mind buy one!
 
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At the weekend I tracked down maybe the last Luna High Tide bass ukulele for sale in a shop in the UK!
It looks very nice indeed, and sounds OK to my untutored ear so, of course I bought it!
A bonus is that strings are readily available and not expensive at all.
Now I need to spend time learning how to play it ....
 
At the weekend I tracked down maybe the last Luna High Tide bass ukulele for sale in a shop in the UK!
It looks very nice indeed, and sounds OK to my untutored ear so, of course I bought it!
A bonus is that strings are readily available and not expensive at all.
Now I need to spend time learning how to play it ....

Congrat's! Gotta post pics or it's not real...:shaka:
 
A bonus is that strings are readily available and not expensive at all.
What strings does it use? The low four from a flatwound guitar set?

I missed an opportunity to try one out at a workshop a couple of weeks ago. Not sure if I'm kicking myself for missing the opp or happy that I didn't generate more GAS by doing so ;) Probably should work on learning to play before I extend the collection too much anyway
 
replacement for LENMAR PPU916RS 5,500mAh PowerPort ??

Good find, I just ordered one since mine is over 4 years old and I want to be ready if it dies. Jumped the gun a little for an answer from Phil Jones. Thanks very much, and Happy 4th.

Arrggghhhh.....I've had one of these batteries for about 4 years, using them a couple of times a year to play outside, and now I find it has died all of a sudden, and nobody stocks/sells even used ones since they apparently stopped making them a while ago (after this thread started but before my reply here in mid-2021).

Anybody have an recommendations on a substitute? This was so perfect for the Double Four with it even fitting snugly in the amp handle.
 
Kaohnamike, I think his question was about: "I will only play 21 to 24 inch scale bass, so..."

Rondo has a 23" scale bass that I'm interested in. You sold one of these in Marketplace a while back. What is your opinion (quality, playability, intonation, reliability - things like that) after owning and playing one?

Should I instead be looking at another brand?

-Wiggy
 
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Arrggghhhh.....I've had one of these batteries for about 4 years, using them a couple of times a year to play outside, and now I find it has died all of a sudden, and nobody stocks/sells even used ones since they apparently stopped making them a while ago (after this thread started but before my reply here in mid-2021). Anybody have an recommendations on a substitute? This was so perfect for the Double Four with it even fitting snugly in the amp handle.
Watch out for the new RADPower and PowerAdd batteries, they have the protection circuit I mentioned that shuts off the power when the PJD4 pulls too much. Happened to me. I don't know if there are any available without the protection, might be why Lenmar stopped making them.

Kohanmike, I think his question was about: "I will only play 21 to 24 inch scale bass, so..." Rondo has a 23" scale bass that I'm interested in. You sold one of these in Marketplace a while back. What is your opinion (quality, playability, intonation, reliability - things like that) after owning and playing one? Should I instead be looking at another brand?-Wiggy
I like any of the Rondo Hadean bass ukes, the only caveat is the pickup system, which is the same as most bass ukes including Kala. It has an inherent design flaw that will cause the string volume to be unbalanced when amplified. I've posted a fix that works, but takes a little effort to accomplish. Intonation is always going to be limited because of the comparatively short strings, so on my Rondo solid body bass ukes, I'm replacing the partially adjustable wood bridge with a fully adjustable metal bridge. I'm also replacing the poly strings (Aquila Thundergut and Road Toad Pahoehoe) with Kala/Galli flatwound, got very tired of dealing with stickiness and trimming the poly strings.
 
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