Michael Kelly Sojourn 24.5" scale Acoustic Bass - Page 3

MichaelVee · #41 02-02-2013, 06:10 PM

I have a Sojourn now. I bid on an eBay listing and ended getting one, unexpectedly, for a very nice price. What a fun little bass! It's quite attractive. I do not like the stock strings, though, I will replace them with black nylons and report back on them. Also, the bass smelled bad, oddly enough. I think it'll be okay after I treat the fingerboard with lemon oil or better still, my Dunlop fingerboard treatment, and after it airs out more.

The nut is really sharp edged on the underside (G-string). I will file it down and make it smooth.

But it sounds really nice! It's amazing how bassy and big this inexpensive bass is. I believe it's a good middle point between full-size ABGs and Kala U-basses. The scale is not too hard to figure out. I really think it'll be nice with black nylons - or maybe flats. Of course, no one makes strings for a 24.5" scale bass, so I'll probably just cut down some 30" strings.

It is a very light weight bass, and to a lot of players, might feel somewhat cheap as a result. I've never held or played a Kala U-Bass, so don't have any reference as to whether they feel the same way.

3234718 · #42 02-02-2013, 06:41 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by MichaelVee

I really think it'll be nice with black nylons - or maybe flats.

I briefly had one but sold it cuz I couldn't find tapewounds that short.

SBassman · #43 02-02-2013, 07:11 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by MichaelVee

I have a Sojourn now. I bid on an eBay listing and ended getting one, unexpectedly, for a very nice price. What a fun little bass! It's quite attractive. I do not like the stock strings, though, I will replace them with black nylons and report back on them. Also, the bass smelled bad, oddly enough. I think it'll be okay after I treat the fingerboard with lemon oil or better still, my Dunlop fingerboard treatment, and after it airs out more.

The nut is really sharp edged on the underside (G-string). I will file it down and make it smooth.

But it sounds really nice! It's amazing how bassy and big this inexpensive bass is. I believe it's a good middle point between full-size ABGs and Kala U-basses. The scale is not too hard to figure out. I really think it'll be nice with black nylons - or maybe flats. Of course, no one makes strings for a 24.5" scale bass, so I'll probably just cut down some 30" strings.

I would love to hear how you do with the black tapewounds.

I evaluated this bass, and I thought it had great potential. It was really nicely built. It looked and felt great. I thought the strings it shipped with were not doing it justice. I have a feeling black tapewounds would be just the ticket. I couldn't try that with the bass I was evaluating because it wasn't mine.

Please keep us posted.

MichaelVee · #44 02-03-2013, 02:17 PM

I took the plunge today and cut a G nylon string from an old set today. The nylon wrap promptly started loosening all the way down the string. Fail! I don't know if all nylons would do the same thing. I suspect they would. I've read elsewhere that you can't cut them below the silk windings. So, I'm going to order a 30" scale set of flats and try cutting those down.

The Sojourn is a very simple instrument. Since it doesn't have onboard controls, it is very bright at the output with those bronze strings. It's a bit too bright for a bass amp. I haven't tried it with headphones or into a recording setup, but I imagine it'd still be pretty bright. Flats that are broken in might be just the ticket.

I have not heard anything further from Jason at Bass Strings Online about the availability of strings for the Sojourn. I'll ask him when I order the strings if he's heard anything further from D'Addario. Since there aren't any other basses out there AFAIK that are this scale length, I think it's unlikely that D'Addario would make any production strings for the Sojourn. That would be a very small, niche market.

MichaelVee · #45 02-03-2013, 02:28 PM

While trying the nylon string experiment today, I broke out the Jim Dunlop cleaning/polish kit and worked the Sojourn over thoroughly. The bass had a lot of hard-to-see gunk on it as received. I don't know if the factory didn't clean it up before it shipped. If they did, then it must have been on display at the dealer for a while. It cleaned up very well. The fingerboard had been dyed, so the Dunlop fingerboard conditioner took up a lot of black and gunk. After applying the fingerboard finishing, it looks, and smells, a lot better. Clean! Now if I just had some strings..

It is interesting that I just noticed today that the bass does not have an upper strap button- only the one at the end which is really the output jack. The Sojourn is very comfortable to play, seated, with no strap. But I will have to figure out a place for an upper strap button to go.

mongo2 · #46 02-03-2013, 02:28 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by MichaelVee

I've read elsewhere that you can't cut them below the silk windings.

IME this is true.

Quote:

Originally Posted by MichaelVee

So, I'm going to order a 30" scale set of flats and try cutting those down.

I wouldn't if the cut is below the silk.

SBassman · #47 02-03-2013, 02:31 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by MichaelVee

I took the plunge today and cut a G nylon string from an old set today. The nylon wrap promptly started loosening all the way down the string. Fail! I don't know if all nylons would do the same thing. I suspect they would. I've read elsewhere that you can't cut them below the silk windings. So, I'm going to order a 30" scale set of flats and try cutting those down.

The Sojourn is a very simple instrument. Since it doesn't have onboard controls, it is very bright at the output with those bronze strings. It's a bit too bright for a bass amp. I haven't tried it with headphones or into a recording setup, but I imagine it'd still be pretty bright. Flats that are broken in might be just the ticket.

I have not heard anything further from Jason at Bass Strings Online about the availability of strings for the Sojourn. I'll ask him when I order the strings if he's heard anything further from D'Addario. Since there aren't any other basses out there AFAIK that are this scale length, I think it's unlikely that D'Addario would make any production strings for the Sojourn. That would be a very small, niche market.

That's a bummer with the wrap coming off.

If you are going to experiment with flats, you might want to consider contacting these people:

http://www.curtmangan.com/bass-guitar/

They will make custom length sets, and they don't charge an arm and a leg to do it. They once quoted me $30 for a custom set.

cycler · #48 03-08-2013, 07:35 AM

Just got mine - UST is uneven so needs some adjustment but most of all needs flats .....any ideas ?

3234718 · #49 03-08-2013, 07:41 AM

I just got one yesterday. I asked Jason at bassstringsonline about options. I'm waiting to hear back. I love the bass but despise phosphor bronze.

Rob Martinez · #50 03-08-2013, 08:42 AM

I am not a fan of acoustic basses, but this seems like it would be fun and the way to go.

3234718 · #51 03-08-2013, 08:55 AM

So I heard back from the tech and Michael Kelly. He basically said "no, you're stuck with those". I contacted a tech from D'Addario, who I've read makes the strings for that bass, and they said there's no options. I like the bass a lot, but boooo to Michael Kelly for not having options.

SBassman · #52 03-08-2013, 09:12 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by 3234718

So I heard back from the tech and Michael Kelly. He basically said "no, you're stuck with those". I contacted a tech from D'Addario, who I've read makes the strings for that bass, and they said there's no options. I like the bass a lot, but boooo to Michael Kelly for not having options.

That's precisely what I concluded after the test drive.
I think that bass is built Very well. It has tons of potential, and
the electronics are good. The one I tried had perfect string to string balance. But - the strings sucked. For me, anyway.
I'm just not a fan of phosphor bronze anything.

3234718 · #53 03-08-2013, 09:14 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by SBassman

I'm just not a fan of phosphor bronze anything.

+1000

Love the bass. Hate the strings. It's like they're designed to create as much finger noise as possible.

SBassman · #54 03-08-2013, 09:14 AM

There Are options, though:

1. Use the first 4 strings of a 5 string set. Get them to proper length by: unwinding at the top of the string.

2. Use the first 4 strings of a 5 string set. Get them to proper length by: cutting off the ball ends and jbwelding caps on after cutting to length. Multiple people in this forum have done that with success.

3. Contact Curt Mangan custom strings. http://www.curtmangan.com/ He will do a properly sized set, and he won't charge you an arm and a leg for it.

3234718 · #55 03-08-2013, 09:14 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by SBassman

There Are options, though:

Like what?

SBassman · #56 03-08-2013, 09:24 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by 3234718

+1000

Love the bass. Hate the strings. It's like they're designed to create as much finger noise as possible.

Exactly. I think the inventor of phosphor bronze strings should be flogged thoroughly.

Unfortunately, the MK company basically just dropped that bass on the market. No marketing. No audio samples. No effort.
It's a shame, because it's a really, really good bass. I'm a UBass fan, and I think that Sojourn is a step above in build quality. And it looks great, too.

That bass is a set of strings away from a grand slam.

SBassman · #57 03-08-2013, 09:25 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by 3234718

Like what?

Refresh the page.

3234718 · #58 03-08-2013, 09:27 AM

Jeepers. I think I'm gonna go with the third option. If I start trying to mod strings I'll either end up burning myself or my house down, and most definately ruin a perfectly good set of strings.

3234718 · #59 03-08-2013, 09:30 AM

@sbassman, did you get strings from http://www.curtmangan.com? How were they?

SBassman · #60 03-08-2013, 09:31 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by 3234718

Jeepers. I think I'm gonna go with the third option. If I start trying to mod strings I'll either end up burning myself or my house down, and most definately ruin a perfectly good set of strings.

Definitely possible.

Let us know what happens with Mangan.
Let him know we could possibly be hooking him up with other people wanting the same set. Again, go for BEAD gauges to make up the tension for 25 inch scale.