New Kala U Bass

jkevinwolfe

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Bought this from musicguymic for $600. Yeah the price seems a bit steep, but it comes with a decent hard foam case, a nice little humidifier from Mic and a very nice Shadow passive piezo bass pickup with four separate crystals and jack which goes for about $125.

The uke itself is not that special. It's a mahogany baritone Kala made in China. It's fitted with a wide neck and special bridge to handle Owen Holt's Road Toad poly bass strings and to hold the Shadow saddle.

The sound is where this thing kicks. The Shadow needs no preamp and comes through nicely with absolutely no hum. Un-amped volume is lacking, but you'd expect that with such a small body. Still, it's loud enough for practice.

The strings are a dream to play. Very easy on the fingers (for those of us non-bass players used to thin little nylon soprano strings.)

Here's a sample. This was recorded with a touch of distortion and compression. Nothing musical, just gives you an idea of what it sounds like.
 
The price tag scared me off for about three minutes. Kidding. I'm not a bass player but needed a bottom end for my recordings. I like to play bass chords and this is a good option for that. Much easier than doing it on a standard bass or the fretless Ashbory.

The body joins at the 12th fret and the fretboard is only 16 frets long, so playing the upper octave is pretty much out, but overall I think it will give me years of practical use. I have been told by a few people that these strings are good for a few years. I like that part.
 
I'm positive the Bufo is a substantially better uke. Owen Holt makes great stuff. This has Owen's strings and a really nice pickup so it will suffice for my needs.

PD: Definitely liking it more the more I use it.
 
I just played one of those at the vendor area at the Tahoe Uke Fest. It really was fun, and sounded great through a little cube bass amp. Those strings are funny, but it all worked.

$600 is not much for a nice instrument.
 
Bluke, Glad to hear you got a chance to play one. Owen Holt, the guy who invented the strings and designed the U Bass was there. I hope you got to meet him. Can't say enough about good things about him.

Nice to know you think it was not too pricey. I had been wrestling with that notion. But realizing that the custom HipShot tuners and the Shadow pickup together retail for about $225, the price seems justified.
 
roadtoad for sale

Hi Guys/Gals:

I've got one of Owen's semihollows for sale. It's in perfect condition and is a great little instrument. why do I want to I want to sell?

1) I'm really a tenor player

2) It would make my wife feel better because I bought a Kanilea tenor this past summer

3) I just don't have time to focus on both tneor and bass

I would sell it for $600 which is what I paid. No scratches, no nothing wrong hardly played. It took Owen 6-8 months to have it ready for me. I picked it up at his house.


Here's the thing: I live in Berkeley and am not real hit to doing things by mail where I could get cheated and you should want to see it first. Any potential buyers in my local area? or someone willing to drive? Send me an email and I'll send pictures: kjbjarne@yahoo.com no haggling, please. firm price. I don't need to sell. It would just be nice for me and you. p.s. look it up at the road toad site and you'll get all the specs. semi-hollow
 
roadtoad for sale

Hi Guys/Gals:

I've got one of Owen's semihollows for sale. It's in perfect condition and is a great little instrument. why do I want to I want to sell?

1) I'm really a tenor player

2) It would make my wife feel better because I bought a Kanilea tenor this past summer

3) I just don't have time to focus on both tneor and bass

I would sell it for $600 which is what I paid. No scratches, no nothing wrong hardly played. It took Owen 6-8 months to have it ready for me. I picked it up at his house.


Here's the thing: I live in Berkeley and am not real hip to doing things by mail where I could get cheated and you should want to see it first. Any potential buyers in my local area? or someone willing to drive? Send me an email and I'll send pictures: kjbjarne@yahoo.com no haggling, please. firm price. I don't need to sell. It would just be nice for me and you. p.s. look it up at the road toad site and you'll get all the specs. semi-hollow
 
I just played one of those at the vendor area at the Tahoe Uke Fest. It really was fun, and sounded great through a little cube bass amp. Those strings are funny, but it all worked.

$600 is not much for a nice instrument.

I played that, too, and I agree. I liked it.
I liked Road Toad's "Scarab" bass really well, too. (And those people are super cool.)
The string tension and scale length really, REALLY freaked me out, but I couldn't put the thing down! I couldn't hear it without the amp, but I'm hard of hearing, the room was loud, and I wasn't wearing hearing aids at the time. I don't know; does it make sound unamplified?
Nice axe!
 
wow i want one ! how do you even play a uke bass ? lol like a normal bass ?

Yes, like a normal bass.
That's what was so weird to me. I'm used to my (regular electric) bass, so the very loose string tension and short, short, SHORT scale length of the uke bass was really weird, but I would think one would get used to it very soon.
Those "rubber" strings were freaky, too, and all part of its charm.

It was funny watching people pick those up and start trying to strum them like a regular ukulele! ;)
 
$600 is not much for a nice instrument.

Agreed. "Normal" bass guitars go for $600 all the time, and no one bats and eye. I guess we're all just used to so many ukes being sub $300.

JJ
 
duuuude tht is soo sic i will let u kno if i ever have tht much money...i wuld buy it so quick
 
Yes, like a normal bass.
That's what was so weird to me. I'm used to my (regular electric) bass, so the very loose string tension and short, short, SHORT scale length of the uke bass was really weird, but I would think one would get used to it very soon.
Those "rubber" strings were freaky, too, and all part of its charm.

It was funny watching people pick those up and start trying to strum them like a regular ukulele! ;)

hahah i bet ! i really want one now ! i have been playing bass alot but i dont own one myself.. but i play it in 2 bands lol .. so im thinking i might get this for me to jam on at home
 
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