Kala UBass Megathread, Part 2

[caeman]

It's been 5 hours...where are the vidz?

 

[bryanspkr]

I was hesitant about posting this but I realise there are many players who have the Thundergut and prefer them. So just a personal opinion. Maybe it helps someone out there to decide if the strings might suit their own needs before spending some bread.

Here is a letter I wrote to aquilla about the thundergut strings:


SEE STRING REVIEWS FOR AQUILLA THUNDERGUT REVIEW

 

[Timmy-Watts]

Bryanspkr,
Thank you for such a detailed and thorough review of this topic. I have put it off for a while ("if it ain't broke...") because of the limited reviews and sound bytes I have heard. I don't want to quote your entire post, but you brought up several points that an obsessive tone chaser like me can appreciate. Sounds like your sonic goals are similar to mine. I like the dark, wooly bottom of the attack on the Kala strings. Mine are a year old and IMO sound a lot better than the new bass I just played yesterday. I even think the tone is opening up on that bass. I have found evenness from string to string is largely corrected for by making sure the impedance issue is right and the input gain is up enough. And from what I have heard I do not want all those upper harmonics ringing out in my tone. Great observations! I think I will stay with the stock strings for now. I have posted videos on YouTube of songs at gigs where I was happy with the tone (search Tim Watson ubass).

 

[bryanspkr]

Well, It makes me glad I posted it. The guy at Aquilla is a nice guy who runs a small business. Check out the film about the gut string making. The handwind of an "open" wound string is incredible.

I hope that maybe Owen Holt at road toad will start making real incremental diameters of the polys, then the feel and "timbre" issue can be solved. I feel sure that they are too thin. And some extra thickness should be allowed for the fact that thinner strings seem to stretch more.

I'll search you out when I get a chance.
Regards.

 

[bryanspkr]

BTW, I think the Spruce works better than the mahogany. I'll explain later.

 

[bryanspkr]

Great playing Tim! Nice to see a bass player who believes in the right bottom note. Often the power of the bottom note is used for evil or just plain in the wrong hands. Bravo!

 

[caeman]

I am trying out with two gospel groups this weekend, both of which the U-Bass' sound might work for, so I am taking it with me in addition to the Gretsch. The first is a gospel group seems to like their fast stuff, so the short sustain of the U-Bass won't be noticed. The second group is a gospel-blues band, and I am thinking the low end thump of the U-Bass might sound good in that context, and the bass tends to play very few whole notes in a blues setting, the lack of sustain shouldn't be a problem.

 

[bryanspkr]

What I have done is because the U-bass is so small, I would take it along to a gig too. Set up both the U-Bass and the bass the gig called for (double bass or electric if it was right for the gig), then just start with the U-bass. Often I never have to switch. This is how I know which people I can use the bass with in the future. Once at a very fancy "monkey suit" gig, In a very rough room for sound by the way, I started with the U-Bass and everyone loved it. Loud and clear. The singer/contractor turned around and immediately said "No Way, It doesn't look right". I picked up the upright and had a hard time being heard. Terrible room and a noisy crowd. Well people do "hear with their eyes" .

 

[caeman]

Musicians can be a vain lot.

I won't go with Thunderguts because the I think the white strings clash with the spruce top model.

 

[bryanspkr]

I agree. I prefer humans to musicians. And only Pu**ies like classical guitar and high pitched uke players use white strings. Ha!

 

[caeman]

Pot stirrer!

 

[scotch]

String descrimination! ;-)

I dont judge my U-Bass by the color of its string, but by the harmonic content of its character!

 

[caeman]

Someday, mahogany and spruce Ukes will be played together, fretless and fretted, hollowbody and solid body. I have a dream...

 

[scotch]

I cant believe this, but I'm fairly certain my next bass purchase is going to be a fretless U-bass! Who would have thought such a novel and 'niche' instrument would be so useful?

Fyi, if you're in Nashville, World Music just got a pair of fretted U-basses in yesterday. Buy 'em before they're gone!

 

[bryanspkr]

its the string on the inside that really counts. ....so true

 

[caeman]

That said, the fretless hollowbody is far superior in tonal qualities than the fretted.

Always.

 

[bryanspkr]

never played the fretted. my reason was intonation. what i heard on the net....

 

[caeman]

I am on bass Saturday morning for Shabbat. In the setting of a Jewish Synagogue, playing Jewish liturgical and contemporary music, the U-Bass has been working very well. Since I play through the PA, I have to have a preamp so I can have some control over my sound. I don't trust the sound THAT much.

I have had some good success with a Behringer ADI21, but I am curious how my Barber Linden EQ will work in that room. I haven't tried it yet in that big room, so I think that is the next experiment in order for my U-Bass.

It is nice being able to pack so light. My short-scale Gretsch is no heavy-weight, but the Kala is SO much lighter.

 

[Matt R.]

I've come to agree with that review of the Thunderguts posted a few posts back. I changed back to the Pahoehoes a couple weeks ago.

 

[Matt R.]

I still love the Thunderguts, I just think they are a work in progress for now.