Gold Tone MicroBass Talk

[RedsFan75]

The Thunderguts I have on my Ashbory feels more dense and less sticky than the ones on the GT....

Did you get the regular set for the 20" or the 23" 5 string set?

 

[primespin]

I put the regular Aquilla Thunder Reds 91U on my GT23. They are listed as being for basses up to 21 inches, but they were plenty long. I ended up trimming about 3-5 inches off each.

 

[RedsFan75]

May try switching the ones off my Ashbory, since it's not selling, and see how they do on the GT23. I do like the feel of them much better.
Thanks for the reply.

 

[1stnamebassist]

Glad you solved the issue. The big difference to me between the guts and the reds is the sticky feel. The guts for me are unplayable while the reds are much less sticky and have nice tension to it also.

 

[banditcosmo]

Here's my new fretless Microbass 25" scale. It was sitting at the Sam Ash store in richmond Va. for a while and I kept picking it up playing every time I went there and loved but never pulled the trigger until this past weekend after I got them to knock $50.00 off. Loving it so far.

 

[ole Jason]

Hey guys sorry if I missed it in my searches but is anyone using the newer solid body fretless? Not a lot of videos or reviews out there but what I could find looks and sounds great. I'm looking for a second bass to bring to doubling gigs when I can't bring my upright. I know it won't sound completely the same but it should be different enough from my Warwick which has a really modern tone. I'm also considering the Kala basses which would be easier to transport but I'm not so sure about the shorter scale. I think I want to stay with a fretless but I'm not totally convinced yet.

I was surprised at how upright-ish the string attack sounded on the solid body in the Gold Tone video.

 

[1stnamebassist]

Hey guys sorry if I missed it in my searches but is anyone using the newer solid body fretless? Not a lot of videos or reviews out there but what I could find looks and sounds great. I'm looking for a second bass to bring to doubling gigs when I can't bring my upright. I know it won't sound completely the same but it should be different enough from my Warwick which has a really modern tone. I'm also considering the Kala basses which would be easier to transport but I'm not so sure about the shorter scale. I think I want to stay with a fretless but I'm not totally convinced yet.

I was surprised at how upright-ish the string attack sounded on the solid body in the Gold Tone video.

Either one should work. They all generally sound the same. I prefer fretless and have a Kala that's fretless. I got comfortable enough to play rock and blues with friends in a couple days. I find fretless on these very easy and recommend it. Rondo makes solid and hollow body uke basses that you can try for a smaller investment than the others. Good luck in whichever you choose!

 

[ole Jason]

I talked to Kurt at Rondo and they're expecting more fretless ukes soon so I will probably just go with that. I agree they all pretty much sound the same.

 

[Mediocrity Man]

I have a GT 25" scale due early next week. These look like so much fun. Can't wait!

 

[Hallic]

Nylon core string avaible for the microbass!

Goldtone facebook:

We’re happy to announce that we’ve teamed up with La Bella Strings to produce a new string option for our M-Basses! These new La Bella strings, called "Silverbacks", are built with a nylon core, covered with a double-silver-plated copper wrap.

The new Silverback strings provide: Very easy installation, without the lengthy "settling-in" period (common with rubber strings), acoustic output that is nearly twice as loud, a play and feel similar to a set of conventional electric bass strings, and less string stretching, resulting in fewer turns of the tuner for a given pitch change.

All of these great benefits, and they’re only $29.95!

Now, M-bass players have a clear choice: our rubberized Thundergut strings, which accurately reproduce the tone of an upright bass with low string tension, or the new Silverbacks, which play more like traditional bass guitar strings and offer louder acoustic output.

Buy them now at: MicroBass LaBella 'Silverback' Strings | Gold Tone Folk Instruments

 

[Gorn]

I really doubt this:

They should try installing these on a ubass and see what happens. It's not as simple as they think.

 

[mrufino1]

They sound just like the kala strings that labella makes...as well as the thunderguts they sell as Gold Tone strings for double the price (and d'addario sells for half the price).

Still, I better order the flats they have on there before they disappear, they'll fit my marleaux really well.

 

[HaphAsSard]

Nylon core string avaible for the microbass!

Goldtone facebook:

Cool. I suppose they're longer than the kala (nyloncore) "metal rounds".
On a related product note,

I better order the flats they have on there before they disappear

does the collective know what those are exactly?
MicroBass LaBella Flat Wound Strings | Gold Tone Folk Instruments
Flats? Tapes (like those few sets that came and went on BSO, some of which were never-released vapourware*)? "Flat" to the touch but actually nylon-wrapped, thus tapes? "Tape" as in wrapped in a ribbon but a steel one, thus flats?

*- and like that Pyramid set of course

 

[mrufino1]

Cool. I suppose they're longer than the kala (nyloncore) "metal rounds".
On a related product note,

does the collective know what those are exactly?
MicroBass LaBella Flat Wound Strings | Gold Tone Folk Instruments
Flats? Tapes (like those few sets that came and went on BSO, some of which were never-released vapourware*)? "Flat" to the touch but actually nylon-wrapped, thus tapes? "Tape" as in wrapped in a ribbon but a steel one, thus flats?

*- and like that Pyramid set of course

I am pretty sure they are standard flats, they mention that the bridge is adjustable for intonation due to using either type of string.

As for the new roundwounds length, I have the kala ones on my 23" scale 5 string.

I'm not trying to pick on gold tone, just making an observation. If I'm wrong, I'd definitely love to know.EDIT: I see that their rubber strings are now 19.99, and the flats say tapewound metal like regular bass strings, so not sure what they are!

I also know labella has no plans to make a 23" scale flat for now going forward , in either metal or nylon core, Jason from BSO tried asking them about it after i was unsuccessful and they said they are not able to make them at this time.

 

[Eilif]

I'm interested to see what these new strings are like. I've got the Rondo solidbody 24" instrument and the pahoehoes are pretty good sounding, but I'd really like something with a more standard feel.

 

[banditcosmo]

New Silverback strings ! I definitely need to try them out.

 

[ole Jason]

Anyone have clips or videos of someone playing jazz on the microbass? I can only find recordings of rock players

 

[Gorn]

Anyone have clips or videos of someone playing jazz on the microbass? I can only find recordings of rock players

Look for ubass clips. The sound is more or less the same.

 

[Eilif]

New Silverback strings ! I definitely need to try them out.

Interesting. The guy not playing (from Goldtone I assume) says these would work on a 34" bass. Can that be true? Not without making a special longer set I assume.

The tone is pretty good. I wonder if the twangyness can be dialed back a bit for a more boomy sound.

 

[HaphAsSard]

Interesting. The guy not playing (from Goldtone I assume) says these would work on a 34" bass. Can that be true? Not without making a special longer set I assume.

If you're interested, and have a 34" piezo-equipped bass to use them on, they do exist. From other brands, that is. An old post of mine:

Yep!
This is the set to get, to get one's feet wet:
elsewhere

If you end up hooked, and want to try a highly regarded company's version:
elsewhere
(I know, fracking expensive and includes two strings you wouldn't use.)

That's it, to my knowledge, for long-scale nylon-silk-core silver-plated copper round-wound strings. (Which I've re-dubbed "mouthfulwound" Invalid Link Removed.)

Then, there are bronze-wound nylon-cores, namely the Invalid Link Removed (phosphor bronze) and a Invalid Link Removed (80/20 bronze). La Bella too has periodically made Golden Alloy (80/20 brass) -wound nylon-core strings available but not currently (they also have two silver-copper sets for contrabass guitar - 6 and 4 string - but they're 30" only).

^The abovementioned two La Bella contrabass guitar sets are called CB40 and CB60 (4-string, EADG and 6-, EADGBE tuning respectively). Short scale only though, as mentioned. Pyramid and Spanish maker Royal Classics too make a mouthfulwound 6-string shorty set each. Savarez and Hannabach do short and medium too (I use and like Savvies on my 32" ABG).