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Kala UBass Megathread, Part 2

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#462
SBassman said:
Tim - ...You are bitten bigtime by the UBass bug
Click to expand...

my wife would agree with you.

I have encountered a lot of challenges and come across a lot of solutions to amplifying the ubass over the last year. I'd like any input on y'all's experiences. What rigs do you use? Speakers? Preamps? Anything in particular you have found that works well? Anything that doesn't? I will go into more detail in another post.
 
#463
TimWatson said:
BassfulOne, that is gorgeous.
Is it fretless?
How do you like that hard case? Mine has given me problems. I much prefer the bags. Anyone else have thoughts on the cases?
Click to expand...

Thank you Tim! This one is fretted. So far, the case hasn't given me any trouble. I have noticed, however, that my UBass tends to jostle around and isn't quite as snug in the case as I thought it'd be. Provides pretty good protection nonetheless, as long as I tighten that velcro strap that holds the neck to the case.
 
#464
I also wished the hard case would have held it tighter. My Velcro strap got knocked loose. I think the end is glued in and I can't get to it without ripping the case up. Also the ring that holds the shoulder strap broke and I don't like the side straps. The soft bag is snug, well padded, caries well, and overall well built IMO. I much prefer it for all ubasses.
 
#465
Looking forward to hearing more about amps and preamps folks are using with their Ubasses.
I'm currently using a GK MB210 500watt Neo combo with a VT pedal in line for those times I want to kick it out of DB territory and into full grind ampeg rock. I've only had this combo rig for a couple of months but I really like it so far. Before that I played my Kala Mahogany hollowbody thru an Ashdown MAG300 EvoII 210 combo and like the sound I got from that as well but the rig was just too heavy so I flipped it for the GK.
On both amps I ended up turning the treb off along with the tweeter on the GK. I bump the high and low mids way up and drop the bass a bit (this uke has plenty of that on it's own). Still experimenting with amp settings to see what I like best but so far this setting is working for me.
 
#467
I have been leaving Bass and Treble at noon, while nudging the mids a smidge. I am still experimenting with the mid frequency that is getting bumped -- using a Behringer ADI21.
 
#469
Got my fretted acoustic UBass about 3 months ago, and love it to bits! Great sound, little sustain (ho hum), fun, easy to play, loving the strings...love it full stop!

For the case though, I wish there were a better bag for the acoustic for travelling, and my hard case stripped a handle screw atfer a few days of commuting with it (reglued but still not sure if it is able to handle daily use). One thing I did start doing was to put the furry velcro strap under the strings and the hooked side over - stops the strings getting pushed into the frets as badly, and stays in tune better...just thought I'd mention it...

Andy
 
#470
TimWatson said:
my wife would agree with you.

I have encountered a lot of challenges and come across a lot of solutions to amplifying the ubass over the last year. I'd like any input on y'all's experiences. What rigs do you use? Speakers? Preamps? Anything in particular you have found that works well? Anything that doesn't? I will go into more detail in another post.
Click to expand...

I just finished testing a Fishman BII preamp with my UBass and I am sticking with my Behringer ADI21 for the now. The addition of the mids control is just too handy. I am still looking at other options, to see will offer me the control and long-term quality I desire, at an affordable price.

I am using my U-Bass at my synagogue, into the ADI21, into the house PA. My monitor is a Kustom KPM10. In my monitor, I primarily just hear ME. I can hear the piano and vocals through the main stage monitors very well, so no need to add them to mine.
 
#472
On the ADI21, with the BLEND at 0 (off) -- thus not using the tube emulation -- there is zero distortion.

The BII is distortion free with all settings at max. I suppose if I turned the gain thingy up all the way, I could force the issue. The BII is a very nice preamp for the U-Bass, but the lack of mid control means it loses this round.

I have to decide now if the extra $120 to go from the ADI21 to the Fishman Bass Pro-EQ is worth the price for my needs.
 
#473
I have not been able to get a good tone from the ubass straight into my walter woods (gasp!). The sound out of the instrument is naturally bow-bow and I want upright-like B'ohm-B'ohm. The highs have to be rolled back and the high mid (around 1k) has to be cut. The mid on the woods scoops out such a wide range that I lose punch and presence cutting it.

So my plan was to get a micro head (GK, Genz, Eden, etc.) and 2 identical small cabs (1-12, 2-10, 1-15, etc.) for smaller or bigger gigs. it was all thwarted when I was playing some GK rigs and stumbled on the MB115 combo. I could not duplicate that sound on any other GK configuration, not even big rigs or other combos. I was hung up on the low power (200 watts) and lack of extension cab option. I could not avoid the weight, tone, and price point of that amp. So I found a used one dirt cheap and got it.

I almost always have the VTBass inline for a second sound (pillowy bottom, smooth tube thumpy) it is on more often than not with any instrument, even with the upright it is a great alternate sound.

With the hollows there can be an impedance issue with some bass guitar oriented amps. Many newer ones are 1meg inputs and they work pretty well. But a piezo-specific preamp almost always balances the sound. It brings out the D and G strings, tames low end transients, and smooths out the highs and high mids. I like the Radial Pz-Pre and the L. R. Baggs Para-Acoustic. They both have the important piezo impedance buffers and tons of flexibility. Not hard to get a great tone even at the extremes.

I am lucky enough that the gig I sub on most with the hollow has a great house amp: An AI Clarus and Aguilar GS210. I only bring the VTBass pedal in.
 
#477
Interesting, I may have to backtrack on the distortion problem with the tube emulation. It may have been a problem with my studio monitors. I just cranked up the tube emulation knob on the ADI21 and just using my headphones, there is no distortion. Interesting.
 
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