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Is The Kala UBass still fun?

C

CamsGod777

Jul 31, 2013
3
0
#1
I'm considering buying one, but I want to know if I will still find it fun 4 or 5 years from now... I'm one of those guys that likes to say I can play many instruments. I play Piano, guitar, ukulele (concert), and want to start on bass guitar, but my hands can't handle the big basses, so I figured the Kala Ubass would be good for my hands. Since I play on a bunch of instruments, I don't think I can commit to wrecking my hand to play the bass, but I can easily play the Ubass (from messing around in the store).

Do you Ubass owners still play on it every now and then and truly enjoy it?
 
#3
I want to expand my little collection of instruments and try a bass, but the only thing I'm worried about is buying it and then regretting buying it because I don't play it.
The thing I keep telling myself is that I will have a use for it. My soon to be college roommate and good pal of mine will be doing some street playing for tips at the big saturday market they have near campus every weekend. Nothing fancy. I figured it would be him with a ukulele and me with a guitar or Ubass.
 
#4
I have only had mine for around 5 months or so, but I play it often. Sometimes its just when i'm sitting watching tv and noodling around on it a bit. I have a fretless mahogany version, and have had no issues. I've used it at jams with friends playing classic rock and blues, and have played it at church often after playing a couple songs on my Thunderbird bass. Really an eye opener. It still needs to be amplified if playing with others, and I will recommend a product produced by a facebook regular called the f-deck. Its a high pass filter that really opens up the u-bass and makes it sound incredible and costs about 70.00. I'm hoping that someone comes up with some better strings sometime. I have used the standard paehoehoes and the silver rumblers, but prefer the paehoehoes although I wish they had more tension and would settle in a bit quicker than they do. Praying for a better solution besides the pyramid copper round wounds. I hope this helps!
 
#5
Thanks. It helps. I'm just hoping to get a good consensus before buying.
Aquila (a trusted uke string brand) apparently makes some good ones called "thunderguts." I of course haven't played on them, but that is what I see people recommend.
 
#8
I've had mine for a couple of weeks so I'm hardly a good yardstick, but - the things that interest me about it right now (and are likely to continue to for a long time):
* fretless stepping stone to fretless electric, or my ultimate goal at some point, upright
* small package for the tight gigs (I play a monthly gig on an extremely cramped set)
* tone suits my band better than my electric (jazz)
* tone is absolutely lovely (to my ears at least)

It really depends on what you plan to do with it. I have a lot of plans for it, so it's not going to get old quickly.
 
#10
rllefebv said:
Definitely!!! Two years into mine and I gig it regularly. Not only is it fun, but practical as well... Easy to amplify without feedback, and invariably the sound guys love it! Not a fanboy, just a satisfied user...

-robert
Click to expand...

Any tips to gig it without feedback? I was planning on running it through my Aguilar TH500 and a 2x12 cab.
 
#11
I've had my mahogany U-Bass since early June 2010. Played it at a concert the same night I picked it up at Fedex. It sees more playing time than any of my other basses. I also have a solidbody SUB with Pyramid strings on it. Aquila Thunderguts live on my mahogany while I wait for the long overdue appearance of the mythical Aquila Thunder Red strings.

The U-Bass is a love it or hate it kind of instrument and I strongly suggest that you take the time to try one out for yourself. Experiment with the different strings also. The Kala U-Bass Megathread will tell you everything you need to know about this unique instrument.

Jeff
 

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