Kala Ubass Megathread, Part 1

[LowDownDriver]

At last my fellow Kala Ubass Club members, my Hog has finally arrived! I ordered it through Gollihur Music last December, and my patience has paid off, may I please get a club number?? I have been wanting to gig with it and reading this thread since it began, and now I get the chance. In playing it it obviously is a totally different thang than my '58 Kay but I can tell this is gonna to be a real fun alternative on certain songs.

However, I am having a little problem with tone. Does anyone else have issues with E string in the lower positions being muddy or hard to hear defined notes? I am using an old '68 black face Fender Bandmaster, which I do use successfully for live sound reinforcement for my upright (with K&K Bass Max). Its only 50 watts and drives 2 old 12" speakers (pictured here). It just does not have good definition below the A string, no matter how I tweak the Treble/Bass knobs I can't hear the difference 'tween a F# and G.

So, with out starting a new can-o-worms here, I would like to ask, are there are any highly recommended amps, preamps, combos, and/or cabs that are known to work well for a ubass and upright doubler? Do you all think that 50 watts is just to small?

I have heard that AI Contra+ or the EA Doubler with a wizzy work very nicely, but right now my farm market bluegrass gigs would take a long time to pay off those high-enders ...(but I may take the plunge just from a weight standpoint). Are there any other solutions, or should I keep fiddling with the knobs on my ol' Fender?

 

[scotch]

At last my fellow Kala Ubass Club members, my Hog has finally arrived! I ordered it through Gollihur Music last December, and my patience has paid off, may I please get a club number?? I have been wanting to gig with it and reading this thread since it began, and now I get the chance. In playing it it obviously is a totally different thang than my '58 Kay but I can tell this is gonna to be a real fun alternative on certain songs.

However, I am having a little problem with tone. Does anyone else have issues with E string in the lower positions being muddy or hard to hear defined notes? I am using an old '68 black face Fender Bandmaster, which I do use successfully for live sound reinforcement for my upright (with K&K Bass Max). Its only 50 watts and drives 2 old 12" speakers (pictured here). It just does not have good definition below the A string, no matter how I tweak the Treble/Bass knobs I can't hear the difference 'tween a F# and G.

So, with out starting a new can-o-worms here, I would like to ask, are there are any highly recommended amps, preamps, combos, and/or cabs that are known to work well for a ubass and upright doubler? Do you all think that 50 watts is just to small?

I have heard that AI Contra+ or the EA Doubler with a wizzy work very nicely, but right now my farm market bluegrass gigs would take a long time to pay off those high-enders ...(but I may take the plunge just from a weight standpoint). Are there any other solutions, or should I keep fiddling with the knobs on my ol' Fender?

I'd be willing to bet that the lack of a well defined low end from your U-Bass has more to do with your amp. The particularly strong fundamentals coming from the U-Bass are likely being shunted by the Bassman's smaller value tone caps in the input stage. It was never really designed for that + the U-Bass' output impedance is very high - even compared to other piezo's I typically encounter. Honestly, I get more low fundamental frequencies from my Kala than any upright pickup I've used. Using a preamp with a compatible input impedance may help considerably, but while I LOVE that amp you have, I'm not sure it is ideally suited for the more novel tonal profile of the U-Bass. 50 watts just isn't a lot of power for loud & low notes...


The best results I've gotten out of my U-Bass is with either an Empress ParaEQ or ART TubeMP into either an amp or direct. I've also used an Avalon U5, but it didn't like the super high impedance source & had an annoying sub-harmonic hum. I'm sure there are lots of other great options.

 

[LowDownDriver]

Thanks for the reply Scotch. I tried using my K&K Pure Preamp and it got a little better, but not quite the tone I'm looking for, so I think I'll try that ART Tube MP. It sounds like a good tool to have in my kit for a reasonable price.

Is it just me, or is anyone else getting little buzz tone that happens with finger damping prior to you next pluck? Maybe when I get the amplification right or find a better technique, I will eliminate that problem.

When you get your rig set with the ART Tube MP are you able to tune out that little buzz out? I bet you can tune that out with the Empress parametrics, which makes me want to go that way...

 

[scotch]

Thanks for the reply Scotch. I tried using my K&K Pure Preamp and it got a little better, but not quite the tone I'm looking for, so I think I'll try that ART Tube MP. It sounds like a good tool to have in my kit for a reasonable price.

Is it just me, or is anyone else getting little buzz tone that happens with finger damping prior to you next pluck? Maybe when I get the amplification right or find a better technique, I will eliminate that problem.

When you get your rig set with the ART Tube MP are you able to tune out that little buzz out? I bet you can tune that out with the Empress parametrics, which makes me want to go that way...

No buzz issue here. Sounds like a technique problem maybe?

 

[bassuker]

Rick at Kala told me in Feb. that the Hutchinson Sig would go into production "soon." He didn't know how many would be made though.

Right now Kala is trying to catch up with demand for the acoustic models and gearing up the solidbody production, so it may be a while before we see any HH models in stores.

I asked a friend in England who used to be a Kala distributor to see if he could track down an HH Signature for me. A couple of weeks later, I received an email from Rick at Kala to inform me that Mike Upton had just brought one back from his visit to China and that it would shortly be on its way to me via the Australian distributor.

I couldn't be happier! Oh, wait...yes I could; when it's finally in my hot little hands!

 

[DeanT]

I asked a friend in England who used to be a Kala distributor to see if he could track down an HH Signature for me. A couple of weeks later, I received an email from Rick at Kala to inform me that Mike Upton had just brought one back from his visit to China and that it would shortly be on its way to me via the Australian distributor.

I couldn't be happier! Oh, wait...yes I could; when it's finally in my hot little hands!

Hey Bassuker, you're going to love the Double H. It's an amazing UBass. It looks really cool and sounds great. It's a bit brighter than the Mahogany acoustic, but not by a whole lot. It has a similar sound to the Spruce acoustic, but a bit mellower–probably because the sound hole is slits and not an open hole.

 

[bassuker]

Cheers, Dean.

I'm right with you on the cool looks. I suppose that, since Mike was able to get one in China, the HH may already be in production. Pure speculation, of course; I guess I could just ask him...

I'll be interested to hear the difference in tone between the HH and the Hog. I've been playing a fretted mahogany on loan from a friend for the past couple of weeks and it certainly is mellow, although it's possible to get a range of tones, depending on whether the string is plucked closer to the bridge or to the fretboard or whether it's played with thumb or finger. It doesn't seem to like picks at all.

So, if the HH is a little brighter than the Hog and a little more mellow than the spruce, it would be the perfect mid-point, although I'm wondering just how much difference there will be in the sound once it's plugged into an amp or directly into my Presonus Audiobox interface.

Cant wait to find out!

 

[DeanT]

Cheers, Dean.
So, if the HH is a little brighter than the Hog and a little more mellow than the spruce, it would be the perfect mid-point, although I'm wondering just how much difference there will be in the sound once it's plugged into an amp or directly into my Presonus Audiobox interface

Well the difference in tone is very subtle. You can just hear it when they are played acoustically. Plugged in you probably won't hear much of a difference. Still, the Double H is a lot of fun to play, as are all the UBasses.

 

[Voodoo Brother]

I would love to have a number. I currently have a fretted and I am waiting for my Fretless to arrive. I ordered it in March and was told June first but Im being told a few more months.

 

[bassmonkeee]

Yeah, I've had a fretted hog on order since the middle of February before my birthday. It's a present from my wife--I just hope I get to play it before my next birthday...


I do have the Pahoehoe strings on my Ashbory, though. Love the way they feel, and really looking forward to taking the fretted Kala to some gigs.

 

[Hothersale]

Same boat here. Ordered a fretted mahogany on Feb 11. My dealer told me last month that Kala was expecting the next batch at the end of May, but that is looking less and less truthful....

 

[DeanT]

Kala has been having a tough time keeping up with demand for the acoustic UBass models. Plus, bringing the Solidbody to market didn't make it any easier for them to keep up. Have patience, your UBass will come. Believe me, it'll be worth the wait.

 

[Tahoe_Ed]

I am so happy that I pulled the trigger for a spruce top while I was waiting for my Hog. I get updates every few weeks from my dealer. Lots of missed ship dates from Kala. I am sure it will be worth the wait. In the mean time I am enjoying what I have.

 

[bassuker]

My Hutch Hutchinson Signature model U-Bass arrived yesterday. Hooray!

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May I have a number, please?

 

[bassuker]

Cheers, cb56! I like that number. 39; there's a certain ring to it. Yes!

So, yesterday at work, the bass arrives, double-boxed and nicely cushioned with those little air bag things; a great packing job by Kala, and I instantly drop everything in order to get to the wee beastie inside without any further delay.

Imagine my disappointment when I saw this:

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Now I'm going nuts trying to figure out why, if the string broke in transit, there is no remainder; nothing on the tuniing post and nothing loose in the box. "Did Kala actually let it out of the factory in that condition?", I thought to myself and asked of my work colleagues who were standing around, observing the pageantry and spectacle of a musical instrument unboxing.

The penny dropped a little later, after taking this photo to give an idea of the total length of the string:

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Then it hit me: the string is meant to be STRETCHED from the bridge to the tuner. Gah.

A few minutes later, I had the G string on (I had to tie a knot at the end to keep it anchored in the slot of the tuning post) then removed and replaced the D and A strings to eliminate what I thought were too many winds around the posts.

I wonder how many other recipients of new U-Basses have been in this situation? I don't recall reading any other posts about slipped strings in this thread so I guess it's just me, then. Yep, that figures.

I'm so glad that the backplate is the magnetic type or I would definitely have lost the teensy weensy screws and probably put a scratch in the back while trying to get it off in my somewhat agitated state. Still, getting in there probably won't be necessary for at least another year or two.

 

[midijab]

When I first got my U BASS I took the strings off and stretched them so I have about 3 "windings" around each post. Snipped off the excess, seems like it's much easier to keep in tune too.

Here's my pic too, Can I join?

 

[cb56]

Right, these strings are big rubber bands. They will stretch (Slowly w/patience) Be careful about too many windings on the tuning pegs. Many have reported broken tuners by overtightening with too many windings on the post.
I actually don't use the tuners that much after a year on these strings. I just grab the string about the 1st or 2nd fret and slightly stretch it up or down, place it back on the nut then maybe tighten or loosen the tuner a wee bit if i think it's needed.
It works fine.
Also If you haven't already, watch the video on Kala's webpage about replacing Ubass strings. It'll save you some headaches in the long run.
cb

 

[bassuker]

Well the difference in tone is very subtle. You can just hear it when they are played acoustically. Plugged in you probably won't hear much of a difference. Still, the Double H is a lot of fun to play, as are all the UBasses.

You got that right, Dean. Comparing the (acoustic) sounds of the HH and the Hog, I'd say the HH has a more defined and, surprisingly, louder tone overall. To me, the Hog is woodier with slightly more thunk. I don't know what the spruce with round soundhole sounds like and imagine that it would be different again from the other two but I must say that I prefer the sound of the HH over the Hog when played unplugged.

Not that I'd done much unplugged playing of either before last night when they both got a good workout (the Hog's going back to its owner on Saturday). I did notice that, unless played with a very light right-hand touch, the E string on the HH would buzz a lot as it vibrated over the higher frets. It wasn't so noticeable on the Hog but the E string didn't ring as cleanly as the other strings on either of them.

Anyone else noticed this? The buzz was alleviated somewhat by pressing down on the E string between the nut and tuning post but, obviously, this is not a viable solution, although there may not even be a 'problem'; I'm just wondering if anyone has any comments on this 'flappy E string' thing.

 

[Euphonious_Six]

Can I get a number? I am picking my mahogany fretted in two weeks! Will post a pic then! Thanks!!

 

[kevwalker]

After having placed an order in March for my Hog (actually a 50th birthday gift from my wife) and waited patiently for many weeks, I was delighted when my Ubass arrived from Sweetwater about a week ago. My initial reaction? Disappointment. I found the super-short scale frustrating at first, as I had a tendency to "overreach", with my ring finger or pinkie ending up on the fret itself, producing a farty sound. In addition, I was slightly disappointed by some minor finish blems and a nut that is not flush against the top edge of the fretboard. (It leans ever so slightly away from the fretboard.) Oddly, the E string had only one wrap around its tuning post, while the G string had too many wraps. These observations made me wonder if quality control had suffered as Kala rushed to fill orders.

I put the Ubass aside and returned to it after a day or two. After playing it for a short time, I was able to adjust to the scale and get a good sound. I did find, however, that when I plugged it in, the pickup picked up the sound of my palm moving around on the top of the instrument. This will require some further technique adjustments to avoid having my hand come in contact with the top.

Initially, I seriously thought about returning the Ubass. Now, I'm inclined to keep it. It will come in handy for acoustic gigs and for practicing around the house. It also has an undeniable novelty aspect, while being a serious instrument that achieves unique tones. My wife, a non-musician who is by no means a tone connoisseur, immediately remarked on how much she liked the Ubass sound. My bass-playing friend pointed out that it may make me a better bassist, as I tend to play my other basses with a pick, and the Ubass will help me develop right-hand finger techniques.

On my to-do list: Check intonation all up and down the fretboard; rewrap strings and trim where necessary; and evaluate the nut situation. I could return the Ubass, but I’m always afraid that a replacement will be worse. I checked out a spruce Ubass yesterday at Sam Ash in NYC, and the top was cracked. The salesman dropped the f-bomb and said, “Man, you wait eight months for delivery, and then you get this!”

My band has a gig next month opening for The Smithereens, so if I'm really brave, I'll bring out my li'l buddy for that one! (And, no, that's not a Wiener reference.)

Kala Ubass Club #36