NBD: Warning! Ukulele bass content

[tijuana_bass]

To make the longer story at least somewhat shorter, my wife has moved back home to Honolulu to take care of her ailing mother. I came out to the island for a month to take care of my wife while she recovers from some surgery. (She's doing fine, thank you!) I knew I'd have plenty of time on my hands so I brought a bass to play while I'm here, which I've played daily, but (gasp!) I've been playing my ukulele even more, and really having fun with that.
Well, having had my curiosity piqued by reading the various threads here about the Kala U bass, and with Jenni getting around a lot better, we thought it would be fun to check one out, so after a couple of minutes on the internet and the phone, we were off to the Easy Music Center on King Street where they had one fretted and one fretless in stock.
Truth is I've never really enjoyed test driving instruments at the music store, but I had a blast playing that little uke bass! It played great, and sounded fantastic, with a real woody, organic tone that evoked an upright more than anything else. It took a little getting used to the sticky strings and the short scale, but it was an absolute gas to play, I had a huge smile on my face the whole time and within 10 to 15 minutes almost every one of the music store staff and more than a few of the customers, each and every one with the same big smile, had passed by to look at it and comment on how great it sounded and how cool it looked, with all that fat bassiness flowing out of what is after all and for all intents purposes and appearances AN UKULELE!!!!
So Jenni says "you should get it." Oh, I don't really need a new instrument, let's think it over, come back again some other time, we've got a lot of extra expenses right now, blah blah blah, she's hearing none of it, won't take no for an answer, pulls out the card and says "sold."
My wife is the nicest, prettiest, kindest, most generous example of womankind in the known universe. I am in awe of her awesomeness. I live with a saint. Saint Jenni of Pearl City, I salute you!

Here's the new bass with its joyous new owner


here it is along side my concert sized ukulele


and here with the beautiful and talented St. Jenni the Magnamimous! (View is from Aiea Heights, Ford Island and Pearl Harbor in the background.)

[metallicafan18]

I want one of these so bad. They sound massive through an amp!

[BgTckt]

Great story. Wonderful lady.

Sound clip! Sound clip! Sound clip!

[Tommygunn]

I want one them in a fretless!!!

[RS]

I want one of those!



And the bass uke too!

[patrickshofner]

Originally Posted by metallicafan18

I want one of these so bad. They sound massive through an amp!

did you play one at Guitar Emporium? i thought they were pretty cool myself.

[metallicafan18]

Originally Posted by patrickshofner

did you play one at Guitar Emporium? i thought they were pretty cool myself.

Yes I did. They had a great stock of basses from the last time I was there. I loved those Musicman Classic Stingray's they had in there. Very cool store with helpful employees.

[TolerancEJ]

Wow, a real live Bass-Genie! Do you think each TalkBass member is entitled to one bass-wish granted by her?

[tijuana_bass]

Originally Posted by TolerancEJ

Wow, a real live Bass-Genie! Do you think each TalkBass member is entitled to one bass-wish granted by her?

nope. you gotta get your own, this one's all mine

[tijuana_bass]

Originally Posted by Tommygunn

I want one them in a fretless!!!

you should play both first man, it's so short that the high notes are a real challenge to play on the fretless, while the fretted one is pure joy up and down the neck.

[Tommygunn]

Originally Posted by tijuana_bass

you should play both first man, it's so short that the high notes are a real challenge to play on the fretless, while the fretted one is pure joy up and down the neck.

I haven't tried either yet. It just seems it might be a bit clunkly on a fretted, but I have to try first

[yellofury]

Hey man congrats!!

beautiful Kala-U and a wonderful wife!!

[Lemoore-on]

Do you play Chords & strum it like a Uke or do you play it like a bass or both?

[tijuana_bass]

Originally Posted by Lemoore-on

Do you play Chords & strum it like a Uke or do you play it like a bass or both?

it's a bass, just a really short one, so you play it like any other electric bass. chords are easier on it than on my precision, and i can easily reach up a fourth on the same string without moving my hand. with not too much of a stretch i can actually reach a fifth! it's really amazing what a good sounding, easy playing bass it is.

[Lemoore-on]

Originally Posted by tijuana_bass

it's a bass, just a really short one, so you play it like any other electric bass. chords are easier on it than on my precision, and i can easily reach up a fourth on the same string without moving my hand. with not too much of a stretch i can actually reach a fifth! it's really amazing what a good sounding, easy playing bass it is.

Cool,

[chuck3]

How is it tuned?

[tijuana_bass]

Originally Posted by chuck3

How is it tuned?

EADG here's a link to the kala web site
http://www.kalaukulele.com/Ubass_Details.html

[tijuana_bass]

Originally Posted by BgTckt

Great story. Wonderful lady.

Sound clip! Sound clip! Sound clip!

working on a sound clip, but it might not happen until i get back to the mainland next week.

[oldrookie]

They are great little basses with a really excellent sound. Only played on a few minutes, but major fun to play.

[chrisallen8888]

Hi, my name is Chris and I'm the GM of Easy Music Center. Do you mind if I put some of the original post and pictures on our website? It's a great story and I'd like to share it with our other customers.

If not, no worries. Thanks and I'm glad you enjoy your bass