Kala UBass Megathread, Part 5

[SBassman]

Originally Posted by scotch

I recently purchased my first double bass & am getting started on that instrument (first gig is in about 3 1/2 weeks on the Grand Ole Opry... Eek! Ricky Skaggs is sitting in too... Double Eek!!!!).

Anyways, it's pretty remarkable how similar these instruments sound alike while being so obviously disparate to look at! No comparison in acoustic volume of course, but plugged in it's remarkable what a super-short scale and 'rubbery' string can do!

Attachment 318534

What a great post and observation.

First gig on a double bass in a few weeks? You better get off of here and get to work.

[TimWatson]

Originally Posted by scotch

I recently purchased my first double bass & am getting started on that instrument (first gig is in about 3 1/2 weeks on the Grand Ole Opry... Eek! Ricky Skaggs is sitting in too... Double Eek!!!!).

Anyways, it's pretty remarkable how similar these instruments sound alike while being so obviously disparate to look at! No comparison in acoustic volume of course, but plugged in it's remarkable what a super-short scale and 'rubbery' string can do!

Attachment 318534

Congrats. That's bold of you to play a big gig a month after just getting an upright. It took me a year or so of intensive study and practice to feel like I had command of that beast, and that was after already being pretty proficient at electric!! Power to you!

Yes, the amplified sound does get close. But feeling air moving and wood vibrating is hard to substitute. But the load in and out make up for it

[scotch]

Yeah, I'm pushing pretty hard... I've played a little cello and double bass over the years... Just now going 'all-in'. Im fortunate to have had a really good touring winter so I can take time off to study/practice full time for a couple months (only a few road gigs and sessions on the books, then back on the road April, May, June).

The U-bass definitely delayed my commitment to the doghouse, that's for sure!

[Marial]

Quick question, please pardon me for not going through all four previous threads and all the pages in this one:

I finally got my recording gear together over the weekend and used my Kala hollowbody for the main bass part in the piece I was working on. Tone-wise it is perfect, fat, thumpy, old-school pick tone, but I'm getting some hiss. I'm using Cubase AI5 with the Steinberg CI2 interface. I went direct into channel one and found with the output of the Kala I didn't need to use the Hi-Z function, it was loud enough, but there is this hiss underneath. Any ideas what would cause this and how to get rid of it?

Thanks!

[caeman]

Possibly too much gain. The piezo on the U-Bass is completely passive and noiseless on its own.

[imperialbari]

I have experienced hisses, when I have plugged the UBasses into the setup I use for my ukuleles.

Basically the problem comes up when the very high frequencies are amplified too much.

On my EBS Session 60 there is a function for minimizing trebles while boosting mid’s. I use that function with the UBasses.

If you use your settings for more normal steel strings bass guitars, you will get disappointing results with the UBass.

Klaus

[Marial]

Cool, I'll try my preamps/DIs and see if I can minimize it before it hits the interface. I was going straight in over the weekend. I was a little disappointed since, other than the hiss, the tone was to die for, imho.

[SBassman]

Sounds like you have enough equipment, but, for whatever it is worth:

I found this very inexpensive DI to be helpful:

http://www.amazon.com/Behringer-ADI2...ehringer+ADI21

[rulyongo]

I experienced hiss when recording through my mac in garageband, but through other systems it has worked great... Also, try using other cables...

[Marial]

Originally Posted by SBassman

Sounds like you have enough equipment, but, for whatever it is worth:

I found this very inexpensive DI to be helpful:

http://www.amazon.com/Behringer-ADI2...ehringer+ADI21

Yeah, I have an Avalon U5 and a Tone Hammer DI, so I'll see what I can do with those. The Avalon sounds better over all, but the TH has more tone-shaping function.

I just have to say I'm still incredibly impressed with how good the Kala sounds, especially when using a pick... Such a fantastic instrument.

[SBassman]

Originally Posted by Marial

I just have to say I'm still incredibly impressed with how good the Kala sounds, especially when using a pick... Such a fantastic instrument.

Yeah - it rewrites the laws of physics as they relate to luthiery. It's pretty much a slam dunk in the face of people who insist a bass has to be the size of a tree to conjure good low end tone.

[SBassman]

Think there would be any market for a model of a UBass like this?:

A Double Bass inspired UBass. I'm calling it the
Doghouse UBass.

- Telescoping, removable pole at end to stand it upright
- Fatter, rounded fretboard - like an upright
- F holes instead of sound hole

Think there's a market for something like that?

[Orangeclawhamme]

Originally Posted by SBassman

Think there would be any market for a model of a UBass like this?:

A Double Bass inspired UBass. I'm calling it the
Doghouse UBass.

- Telescoping, removable pole at end to stand it upright
- Fatter, rounded fretboard - like an upright
- F holes instead of sound hole

Think there's a market for something like that?

That would certainly take care of any and all neck dive problems.

I'd like to see one, but I buy mostly bottom of the line stuff. I had the pleasure of playing percussion with Bogdon Vasquaf, the box bass maker. He was playing harp that night. I thought about getting one of his creations, which may be as close as you're gonna get to what you're talking about.

[imperialbari]

One of the megathreads tells of an Australian maker of micro uprights using Pahoehoe strings or something similar.

1/8 cellos would have the right string length for UBass strings, but the nut is way too narrow.

Klaus

[pauliebass]

Originally Posted by SBassman

Yeah - it rewrites the laws of physics as they relate to luthiery. It's pretty much a slam dunk in the face of people who insist a bass has to be the size of a tree to conjure good low end tone.

Well it does if you want proper acoustic volume. For plugging it in, yes the U bass is amazing.

[olitoon]

Originally Posted by SBassman

Think there would be any market for a model of a UBass like this?:

A Double Bass inspired UBass. I'm calling it the
Doghouse UBass.

- Telescoping, removable pole at end to stand it upright
- Fatter, rounded fretboard - like an upright
- F holes instead of sound hole

Think there's a market for something like that?

I believe there is a market for an upright in the 21" to 27" range. The question is which kind of upright über-short-scale bass the market demands. Maybe it's just a smaller version of a double bass, maybe something like Ned Steinberger's Omnibass, maybe just a neck-trough neck where people can design their own body / resonator around it or play just the plain amplified stick.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HDs95VzOc_o

For an upright I would think about using a 24" scale, an upright is always bigger than the bass guitar . There are Pahoehoe and (soon) Aquila strings available for 24".

Do you want to start your own business?

[yeelaberbin]

It´funny. I'm precisely working on a removable bass uke neck.
The idea is to try it on different body.

[scotch]

Originally Posted by SBassman

Think there would be any market for a model of a UBass like this?:

A Double Bass inspired UBass. I'm calling it the
Doghouse UBass.

- Telescoping, removable pole at end to stand it upright
- Fatter, rounded fretboard - like an upright
- F holes instead of sound hole

Think there's a market for something like that?

There's always the Takamine TB10!

http://www.takamine.com/guitars/bass_guitars/tb10

[Marial]

I really want one of those....

[Orangeclawhamme]

Originally Posted by SBassman

Think there would be any market for a model of a UBass like this?:

A Double Bass inspired UBass. I'm calling it the
Doghouse UBass.

- Telescoping, removable pole at end to stand it upright
- Fatter, rounded fretboard - like an upright
- F holes instead of sound hole

Think there's a market for something like that?

Somehing like this might be another option. http://www.hemage.com/ I can't read the writing on the site. I think there are only three of these. One of my favorite bassists, David Friesen plays one. http://www.globalbass.com/archives/m...id_friesen.htm