Educate me on these cheap bass ukes.

[KohanMike]

I just ordered the UKBE-22 33", which is obviously their product code, not the scale length because their 20.75" scale model is UKBE-22 Blue and UKBE-22 SB (for sunburst, which I also have).

 

[Eilif]

Thanks for this thread and all the info.
A buddy dropped off a U Bass over the weekend and I love the tone but not the scale length.
What I want to do is buy a Rondo for the piezo and pre-amp to install on a longer scale bass.
I do think the polyurethane strings are part of the magic but can't find them is a longer scale length.
Do they exist?

I think it's funny that the Chinese U Bass is being copied by the Chinese Rondo.

They aren't commercially available right now, (the max seems to be 24 or 25") but they are probably out there because Kala is coming out with a longer scale next year that based on pictures looks to be 28 or 30". They're calling it an upright, but it looks playable like a guitar as well. Because of that, there's surely someone making strings for it right now. I'd contact Kala and Road Toad to ask.

Have you tried the Gold Tone micro bass? I felt the same way about the Kala, but the Gold Tone 23" scale felt much more natural to me and sounded great. Also, Gold Tone now makes a 25" model as well.

Lastly, as for making your own, I have heard -though I'll know more shortly- that the Rondo electronics are just ok. Kala will reportedly sell you their pickup separately and folks on the Hadean megathread Hadean Omega Bass Uke (Kala U-Bass copy) have reported that a $30 Artec preamp is an improvement over the stock model. If you want to make your own, it might be cheaper to just buy the parts separately.

 

[Eilif]

I just ordered the UKBE-22 33", which is obviously their product code, not the scale length because their 20.75" scale model is UKBE-22 Blue and UKBE-22 SB (for sunburst, which I also have).

Cool.
I'll be looking forward to hearing how you feel the models differ.

 

[tsokabajo]

Any insights about differences between the Hadean 20.75" and the Hadean 23-24"?

 

[Killed_by_Death]

I had a Hadean for 6 months & the bridge started pulling up.
My choices were to buy the proper clamp & re-glue it myself, pay $100 for someone else to fix it, or sell it.

Selling it was not easy, because of the fact that the bridge was pulling up, but it did finally sell.
No, it was not in a dry environment or super-humid, RH around here was around 40% during the time it was on the kitchen wall.

That's the other reason I sold it, since I got electrics I rarely played it, and it's sole purpose was playing outdoors in the park & such, which I found less appealing during the hot Summer months.

If I was going to buy another, I'd keep my eye on G.C.'s used gear.
Not long after I bought the Hadean a Harley Benton showed up on GC.com for less than $100

I just checked & there's a used Kala for the price of a new Luna:

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There's also a blemished Tattoo by Luna:

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This blemished Luna is marked down $50:

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