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Kala UBass Megathread, Part 3

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#208
TimWatson said:
I found something by accident last week. If you wind the string around the post a few times when re-stringing it will get a subtle twist in it. If you put it in the tuner and wind it by hand it stays straight. The strings seem to behave differently when straight rather than twisted. Maybe a simple re-string would fix it. I would leave the nut alone unless it is just way too high. Part of the appeal is the low tension and higher action. It gives the string room to move without hitting anything else and gives you more thump.
Click to expand...

I'll give it a shot. It's about time to restring the D string anyways...getting stretched out and too many wraps.

bherman said:
Been a lurker, took the plunge this past week and bought a fretted mahogany. Really loving it - here's a photo of it with the rest of the family....
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Congrats on the new bass...love the look of the mahogany. I wish the spruce came with the HipShot tuners.

Scotch...

Thanks for the sound samples. I'm torn between the spruce and mahogany with Pahoehoe strings. They both sound good to my ears, but I think the mahogany takes the lead. I know it's flat and I could EQ for a similar tone, but as they are, the mahogany wins. Add the woods and tuners and I'd have to go for the mahogany.

I had my first jam with the UBass last night. It was acoustic and went well. I ended up plugging in to be heard, but it fit well into the mix. I've got an electric blues jam tomorrow night and another acoustic jam on Saturday. It makes for a good first week with the UBass.

My Fishman Platinum EQ is scheduled for delivery tomorrow. Not sure I'll have enough time to play with it beforehand so I'll probably leave it home tomorrow but will take it Saturday. I'm running through a Markbass CMD 102P.
 
#215
I don't have a SUB - yet. But I will.

- I'm sure the tone is somewhat different, but I'm not able to describe how.

- SUB has electronics - more on board tone options.

- Acoustics are the only fretless option for now, if you like fretless.

- SUB won't feedback if you plan to gig in a very loud environment.

- Acoustics can be played and enjoyed without being plugged in. Not enough volume to play with a band, but enough for you to hear it and enjoy it. Some - including me - play more these days because we keep our acoustic out and pick it up very often.
 
#216
Kolsti said:
What are the pros and cons of the SUB model vs the regular hollow acoustic ones?

I'm disregarding the Calis completely because the price is just ridiculous.
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I cannot speak for the SUB, but for the solid body Calis I can. The main difference is the attack. The acoustics have a thin top that reacts to the string vibrating and therefore gives you a more upright-like thump on the attack with a quicker decay. The solids have more of a balanced, almost compressed attack with slightly less decay rate. The solids also have onboard volume, bass, and treble. That makes it easier, in my case, to cut treble at the source. Even so, the solid with volume maxed and tones flat, has less punch than the hollow. I generally play the hollow on a gig that would normally have an upright, P-Bass, or baby bass. I play my fretless Cali 5 with the loud Latin band that calls for frequent lower notes. I have never had a feedback issue with the hollow, even at loud stage volumes. I have a YouTube channel under "WatsonTBass." There are a couple dozen vids of me playing all the basses at gigs.
 
#217
- Acoustics can be played and enjoyed without being plugged in. Not enough volume to play with a band, but enough for you to hear it and enjoy it. Some - including me - play more these days because we keep our acoustic out and pick it up very often.[/QUOTE]

Amen to that - spent a pleasant hour on my deck the other evening with my Ubass and a martini. Hard to do that with a Pbass or upright...:cool:
 
#218
Has anyone heard anything on the new acoustic models? My 18th birthday is coming up, and i'm a sucker for spalted maple haha.
I've been GASing for one for so long, figured now is the last chance i'll get to split the price with my parents and get one, I doubt i'll have the money for one anytime in the near future otherwise haha.

And I wonder why more companies haven't gotten into the uke bass market, it's obvious theres a market for them. And a lil competitive business never hurt.
 
#220
Anyone know anything about the pyramid wound strings for Ubass? Saw them on the Kala site but cant find any information on them or a post from anyone who has used them. They remind me of the strings that I use on my upright - Velvet Animas - but at $59 a set, I'm not going to get them without more info!
 
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