Kala UBass Megathread, Part 5

[3234718]

Originally Posted by TimWatson

I have arrived. A video of mine was quoted. Yay! Thanks all.

Were you in an especially good mood that night? Your bass face usually looks like you're either suppressing rage or doing calculus in your head.

[TimWatson]

Originally Posted by 3234718

Were you in an especially good mood that night? Your bass face usually looks like you're either suppressing rage or doing calculus in your head.

Don't know. Probably agonizing over mistakes and trying to remember the changes on bar 28. Everyone does it differently.

[3234718]

Originally Posted by TimWatson

Don't know. Probably agonizing over mistakes and trying to remember the changes on bar 28. Everyone does it differently.

I'm not judging. It's just interesting. What's up with your custom build?

[imperialbari]

We have discussed my problems about getting the octaves and upper frets in tune on the SUB I bought as a present for a friends upcoming birthday.

First response from the seller when I told about the problems in same details as here (measures) was that he didn’t know about problems, but he would ask Kala and the UK importer.

Response today says that they think there is a bad batch of SUB’s around and I shall return mine for an exchange.

Klaus

[imperialbari]

https://dl.dropbox.com/u/38765830/Gu...ing_Page_1.jpg
https://dl.dropbox.com/u/38765830/Gu...ing_Page_2.jpg
https://dl.dropbox.com/u/38765830/Gu...ing_Page_3.jpg

First sample of the UBass being incorporated in my project of providing church related music in several compatible scores.

This score is for 3 guitars with acoustic bass guitar, which of course in my own mindset is the UBass. Bass clef & tablature.

High resolution version and the others scores playable by all standard band and orchestral instruments + organ, recorders, and guitars - pick the the scores relevant for the players in your ensemble:

http://launch.groups.yahoo.com/group...rnwald%20ging/

I made this setting a few days ago. You may download it for free.

Klaus

[imperialbari]

True short scale bass:

[3234718]

Huzzah! 5 days later and tuning stability achieved. The input jack looks different from what I remember on the regular hog I had and I'm not sure but I think the string saddles were all connected. Question: I couldn't tune a D string up to G so I'd have a more substantial/thicker G string, could I?

[SBassman]

Originally Posted by 3234718

Huzzah! 5 days later and tuning stability achieved. The input jack looks different from what I remember on the regular hog I had and I'm not sure but I think the string saddles were all connected. Question: I couldn't tune a D string up to G so I'd have a more substantial/thicker G string, could I?

She's a beauty. Don't you dare get rid of her.

I agree about the G on the stock strings. I always noticed it was lacking.

[jburtonca]

I like the new Takamine-style endpin jack like the one on the exotic mahogany pictured above. It will be easier to re-wire the pickup or, if it's a stereo/TRS jack, to install a second soundboard style pickup like the K&K Pure Bass. Has anyone installed or considered installing a second pickup? If so, what do you think are the pros and cons?

Jeff

[3234718]

The g string on the stock set is really thin, and isn't as boomy as the others. I emailed road toad asking if I could tune a d string up to g, and if that would be a tension problem. They told me this:
"The D starts out at .156" and would probably end up around .085" stretched
to G. The G starts at .125" and settles in around .075". There is an in-between size at .139"
that could possibly work."
I'm going to try the d from th low tension set. Can anyone foresee any problems? I love everything about the stock strings except the thin/unsubstantial sounding g.

[caeman]

Radial Engineering PZ-DI compared to the Francis Deck HPF-Pre series 3

I asked Radial Engineering if I could demo the new PZ-DI.

http://www.radialeng.com/r2011/pzdi.php





They agreed to let me have one on loan for a month to review. My purpose was clear: How did the Kala U-Bass work with the PZ-DI?

After two weeks, the UPS truck delivered the package. Time to get to work!

The unit is brick-like in construction and weight. It is a hefty little bugger! All of the controls pictured above are fairly obvious. The low cut starts at 5Hz and stops at 500Hz @ -3 db/octave. The high cut starts at 3kHz @ -3 db/octave. And now, on to the audio portion of the demonstration, because, frankly, who cares what I think about the appearance. It is the tone results that matter.

The first part of the recording is a simple progression found in many CCM songs: G C E D. The second progression is: A G F E. I start with the PZ-DI first then switch to the HPE-Pre. There is an obvious audible difference to me.

http://soundclick.com/share.cfm?id=12048800

The PZ-DI has more treble coming through than the HPF-Pre. The high-cut switch is ON on the PZ-DI and it still sounds like more treble is coming through. The HPF-Pre seems to hide more of the piezo scratchiness.

That concludes round 1 of the comparo.

[TimWatson]

Interesting comparison. I was wondering about this piece. A few things:

First, I do agree the overall character of the 2 are a little different. Is the Radial set at the 10-Meg setting? That is what the HPF-Pre is.

And I wonder what the difference would be with no filter circuitry on in the PZ-DI? To my ears, I'd say the mids are voiced lower on the Radial and higher on the F-Deck. If I would guess, it would sound like a simple impedance difference, almost as if the DI were set at 1 Meg.

Also, it sounds like the DI was recorded a shade louder than the HPF-Pre. Being a direct box, I'd imagine it has a more powerful line driver on the output than the series 3 HPF-Pre, so all other things being equal, the signal coming out of the DI may be hotter to begin with.

I'm really trying not to want/need this new stuff :-)

I'd also like to hear the difference between the 3 different input impedance settings.

I have possession of the awesome Radial Firefly and will be putting it through its paces this week.

[caeman]

The PZ-DI was set to 10M. I tried to balance the level settings.

I will record samples of just the PZ-DI at all three imps.

[SBassman]

Originally Posted by TimWatson

I'm really trying not to want/need this new stuff :-)

Uh, yeah, sure.

[caeman]

Tim currently has the Radial Firefly in his possession. Yeah, he has temptation literally staring him in the eye.

[caeman]

I will be using the PZ-DI tonight at band practice, thus, also using the U-Bass for Shabbat service as well as the already-planned Fedora Menorah at the Chanukah celebration that night. I will be taking my FX board as a backup, just in case I really don't like the tone through the PA. By going just U-Bass -> PZ-DI, I won't have my EQ. The sound board will have to do it for me.

[caeman]

I am on my smart phone while the wife is driving, so just a quick report on the PZ-DI and playing direct to PA: it is awesome!

Tonight's test convinced me that it will work well for use all weekend. Two gigs Saturday and one Sunday. One big room and one small room.

[caeman]

Kala U-Bass => Radial PZ-DI => FOH was the setup for the Fedora Menorah band practice. We were working on our 3-song set for the Chanukah production at the Synagogue for Saturday the 15th. Three female vocalists, drum set, clarinet, electric guitar and my bass. The end result? My U-Bass stood out just fine. To be honest, I couldn't get much of a difference from my FX board (HPF-Pre, EQ, DI) and just using the PZ-DI by itself. I use the EQ to push the mids a little, rather the usual smiley face, anywho. I liked the sound through the PA in the total. I could clearly be heard and the acoustic thump could be felt. With the HPF at noon -- not sure what frequency that would equate to just yet -- I was able to dial out the "Hollow Stage Problem." Each string pluck was distinct, not muddy. Tonight's 90-minute practice convinced me that I will be using the U-Bass and the PZ-DI all weekend which includes two gigs Saturday and one gig Sunday.

[kevwalker]

I have been away from the UBass Megathread for months, so forgive me if I'm bringing up anything that has been previously covered.

I have been gigging regularly with my Hogcoustic, first with the original Pahoehoes, and then with Thunderguts. I was getting ready to go to a gig on Friday when I noticed that the Thunderguts were, well, I'll call it "sausaging". I don't have the bass handy, but as I recall, it was the E and the A that had become non-uniform in terms of gauge. As I looked along the length of the strings, I saw them getting thin, then thick, then thin.

Is this old news, or something new and weird?

I guess I will put the Pahoehoes back on. Or try the Rumblers. By the way, I got a little rosin bag--the kind that rock climbers use--to hold my corn starch, so that I can dip into it during gigs, rather than having to shake the stuff onto my fingers and make a mess. Hmm, I wonder if corn starch is making the Thunderguts "sausage".

Excuse me, I'm getting hungry.

[cire113]

As far as position and playing the classic Ubass i was mostly referring to sitting not standing playing...

When sitting and not wearing a strap it is very uncomfortable because of the right wrist angle