Kala UBass Megathread, Part 3

[J Posega]

*sigh*

I figured I'd trim some of the G string today. I started winding it on, with about an inch extra string pulled past the tuner. Got it tuned up, cut off the little bit of extra, leaving a little nub so the string would slip out, and then it just popped off the tuner. Now I don't have enough G to get it tuned up, AND I can't get my stock G stretched out enough to wind that on. Now I've got to see if I can get a replacement G from Aquila.

 

[Timmy-Watts]

*sigh*

I figured I'd trim some of the G string today. I started winding it on, with about an inch extra string pulled past the tuner. Got it tuned up, cut off the little bit of extra, leaving a little nub so the string would slip out, and then it just popped off the tuner. Now I don't have enough G to get it tuned up, AND I can't get my stock G stretched out enough to wind that on. Now I've got to see if I can get a replacement G from Aquila.

That happened to me. I used my wife to hold the body and pull tension towards the headstock then pliers to pull the last couple inches to the tuner. I started a knot and put the knot on the tuner. Keeping tension, I could pull it up to pitch without all the windings. The overlapping part of the knot goes through the middle of the post. I'll try to get some pics.

 

[J Posega]

That happened to me. I used my wife to hold the body and pull tension towards the headstock then pliers to pull the last couple inches to the tuner. I started a knot and put the knot on the tuner. Keeping tension, I could pull it up to pitch without all the windings. The overlapping part of the knot goes through the middle of the post. I'll try to get some pics.

I'll have to give that a try when my wife gets home. Thanks for the info!

 

[caeman]

"You're gonna put an eye out with that thing!"

 

[Holdsg]

Of course. I'm happy with my long scales, but I am thinking about one of these instruments for my kids, who have taken an interest in bass.

ah the next generation, way to go trainin' them up right (or is that upright?).

 

[caeman]

I have held the u-bass like an upright and played it that way, much to the laughter of my fellow band mates. I need to figure out some of a attaching a long peg to it so I can stand up and play it that way.

 

[SBassman]

I'll reiterate an opinion from the last page of Megathread #2: IF they make a fretless SUB model, it will sell like hotcakes, and make the U-bass a must-have for the multi-instrument player, and fretless novices.

Maybe some people here hoping for a fretless SUB might want to write to Kala and express that.

 

[SBassman]

I was afraid of that. Is the bridge saddle one piece, or can individual saddles be replaced? I'm thinking if I could get the right material, I could try and file a new one for better intonation on the E.

You should seriously consider getting a fretless.

I'm totally new to the fretless world, and I'm already hooked bigtime on fretless UBasses. I'll never go back.

 

[SBassman]

That's sig-worthy stuff!

 

[SBassman]

I have *no* idea of the market whatsoever, but for me, fretted ones are much more appealing. It's harder to play in tune on such a small scale.

Only for the first 10 minutes. Seriously, having played the fretted and fretless, I would now make exactly the opposite statement:
It's hard to play in tune - on the fretted.

 

[SBassman]

Of course. I'm happy with my long scales, but I am thinking about one of these instruments for my kids, who have taken an interest in bass.

Excellent. I think the UBasses are The Bass for young aspiring bass players.

 

[SBassman]

I'll have to give that a try when my wife gets home. Thanks for the info!

Note - Tim's procedure works - for the stock strings, which can stretch a lonnnnng way. If you are talking about Thunderguts, you don't want to do that. The Thunderguts are not rubber. They're closer to some form of a nylon.

If that G is a Thundergut, go lightly trying to get it back on. If you can't, you Should be able to find a dealer who will send you one string. If you don't find a dealer, I'd recommend you writing to Aquila in Italy. Unfortunately, Mimmo is at a show for the next few days. He still might be able to answer and offer a suggestion from the road. If you strike out with all of that, PM me, and maybe I can help.

 

[Holdsg]

I can see it now, within the next 12 months we're going to have some Youtube post of some insanely talented 8 year old bassist (like Tal Wilkenfield) tearing it up on a Kala. Not a dis to Tal, I love her work. Just sayin, it makes this 40-something green with envy to have such skills so young.

 

[caeman]

This is my setup at the Synagogue. Given the music, there is no point in taking my main board and its fuzziness. This works just fine for Jewish liturgical music -- traditional and contemporary.

 

[J Posega]

Got the TG reinstalled. Went as gently as I could, got it all wrapped up and tuned up.

I can see how the FL would be great for getting over the intonation issues I'm having, although that basically went away today when I rewound and trimmed the E.

 

[SBassman]

Excellent. Glad to hear.

 

[caeman]

Another weekend, another session for the U-Bass to shine. That little thing works so well with Jewish liturgical music, that I don't even try to pack my Gretsch anymore. The Gretsch gets used in the blues band.

 

[SBassman]

Another weekend, another session for the U-Bass to shine. That little thing works so well with Jewish liturgical music, that I don't even try to pack my Gretsch anymore. The Gretsch gets used in the blues band.

Face it. The Gretsch needs to go in the closet.
It's UBass everywhere.

 

[caeman]

Nah. The acoustic sound doesn't fit my blues band. At least, not THIS blues band.

 

[SBassman]

Nah. The acoustic sound doesn't fit my blues band. At least, not THIS blues band.

That's interesting. I would think the ubass would yield some cool tone for the blues.