Kala UBass Megathread, Part 3

[SBassman]

Do you know for sure that he's still building?
That website looks like it hasn't been touched in a long time.

I know he still sells parts and stuff, but I'm wondering if he's actually still building Uke basses. I agree - if you Could get that custom build for < 700, that would be very reasonable.

I still need the 4 - 500 dollar version. Really, I need the 300 dollar version.

While I Love the UBass, I'm also of the belief that we're paying a premium for them at this point in history. There are not tons of complex additional steps to build uke basses. They Should be in the price range of a baritone uke.

Someday, other manufacturers will wake up and see how easy this is, and there will be models on the market for 2 - 300 dollars. Just a matter of time.

The Beaver Creek could be an instant entry and winner in the U.S. market - if that company would only wake up. Very entertaining to see Kala selling a ton of these in the U.S., while Beaver Creek has a design with on board volume and tone controls at a much lower price point - yet, they don't market in the U.S. Money left on the table.

 

[slaerts]

The limited info out there on the beaver creek shows an interesting bass. The one youtube review had some questions on build quality in regards to fret finish, and gunky glue at the neck pocket. Has anyone done a side by side comparison of the kala and the BC travel bass as far as build quality and sound quality goes?

BTW I'm about to pull the trigger on a kala u-bass, anyone considering off loading theirs?

 

[Joe Nerve]

I guess it's time I should plug in here. Probably missing lots of important ubass info and updates.

Fer what it's worth, did some recording finally w my ubasses. Started with the sub, but wound up getting a punchier sound out of the acoustic. I may have dropped the action a bit too much on the solid body, and lost some of the tension. I'm starting work on an amusing video to go with the song I recorded. A cover that I redid. I promise it will be entertaining.

Anyone want to give me a quick update on whatever's going on with the steel strings? I don't want to read through 500 posts. They're pretty expensive at the kala site, don't know if I want to take the gamble. And I promise I'll never abandon this thread again.

 

[SBassman]

For anyone else, we'd make them read the 500 posts, but for you Joe, we will make an exception.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5JzF-5k0pog

 

[cultrvultr]

I imagine they are much louder, but those metal strings remind me of my least favorite tones from an ABG. I guess they really would turn a solidbody into a mini j-bass, but I prefer the thumpier sound of the poly strings.

Here are the fun tunes I've been playing along to with my new 'hog:

100 Years of Django. Its a french site with tons of Gypsy Jazz songs. Pretty well-laid out with chords and audio for easy play along. There is bass on most of the recordings, but its pretty sparse and quiet, so I'm able to eq it out and ignore it. Having a blastworking on my pseudo-upright technique. http://nuagesdeswing.free.fr/jouer/100_ans_100_playback/008/index.html

 

[cultrvultr]

Here is the strap button again.

Thanks Tim,

are you still happy with that strap placement?

Did you drill it yourself?

 

[Timmy-Watts]

BTW I'm about to pull the trigger on a kala u-bass, anyone considering off loading theirs?

My Cali 5 fretless is up in the classifieds. But I'm still not sure about parting with it. I have played a good bit of U basses by now and this one is a special one.

 

[slaerts]

A shame Tim, its lovely but I'm after an acoustic rather than a solid body.

 

[Timmy-Watts]

A shame Tim, its lovely but I'm after an acoustic rather than a solid body.

Good man. I would never part with my fretless Hog.

Right now I am trying to figure out which of my instruments are too redundant with others I have. This one is basically the lower and higher range ubass but with less punch and more sustain. But the wood grain is awesome. And my Latin band likes it. But...I have 4 other instruments that would do just as good a job... But... All but one of them are not ubasses... But... I can carve a niche with this... But... It has not paid for itself yet.... These are my daily struggles that I go through all day every day.

 

[AMJBASS]

Well, is it one of those instruments that you sell and then a situation comes up where you think "now I really wish I had that fretless 5 string U-Bass, it would be perfect!". I'd keep it!

Strongly thinking about getting a set of Pyramids for my Ubass. I just have to justify the cost. I'm thinking I could get a Steve Swallow-esque sound with them(minus the playing part ).

 

[NOLA Bass]

I finally got a chance to play the acoustic the local shop has. They replaced the piezo that was bad. I thought the acoustic had much more of an upright tone and really preferred it to the solidbody. In fact, they'd just gotten a used Palatino EUB in, and we thought the acoustic Kala sounded more like an upright!!

Question: this one is the spruce top with spalted sides and back. Can anyone compare to the tone of the Mahogony?

I'm still on the fence re fretted vs fretless.

 

[Joe Nerve]

For anyone else, we'd make them read the 500 posts, but for you Joe, we will make an exception.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5JzF-5k0pog

Thanks. But now I want them. For the electric. Where can they be found for the best price?

 

[SBassman]

I don't see them anywhere but at the Kala website.

They Are very expensive.

 

[scotch]

For anyone else, we'd make them read the 500 posts, but for you Joe, we will make an exception.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5JzF-5k0pog

I thought metal strings would totally defeat the point of the U-Bass. Maybe not! The 'E' string sounds a little muted, but that might be the mic compression?

Am I buying a set? You bet! (hope I don't regret it)


...better yet...

If anyone at Kala is listening, how about sending me an Acacia fretted U-Bass with Pyramids for an all out 3-way sample clips extravaganza!!! Pahoehoe vs. Thundergut vs. Pyramid? Clips, clips, clips!!!!

(just missing one entrant)

 

[3 fingered bass]

Whenever someone mentions they have an item for sale (in the classifieds) it would be helpful if they included a link. Sometimes things can be hard to track down...
Just a thought...

 

[dougness]

I'm also very curious about the Pyramid strings. I'm wondering if fret buzz will be an issue on the fretted instruments. Also, they could be epic on a solid body Ubass. And finally, I'm wondering if there will be concerns about fingerboard wear on the fretless basses. Ultimately, I'd like to have a fretted with Pyramids and a fretless with the standard strings. Why not? Hmmm, a 5-string Pyramid set for the solid body is needed.

I love the upright sound of the Ubass, but I think the Pyramid strings open up a whole new range of cool possibilities.

 

[gimmeagig]

I listened to the Pryramid clip and it sounds pretty close to a regular electric bass. Might sound good,but the whole vibe is gone.

 

[dougness]

It's all about what you're looking for. I've got some back issues. A four-hour gig with a full-size bass is a little rough on me. The Ubass offers realistic alternatives in a compact, light-weight, good sounding package. It's a bonus I didn't expect to find. But I still love the upright tone out of that little thing with the standard strings. It's all good!

 

[SBassman]

I can't hear enough in those clips to know if I would want them or not.
For 20 dollars, I'd give them a spin.
For 60 dollars, I'm waiting for you guys to go first.

Would be fun to have three of the same UBasses and then string them with the 3 different string types.

Still would like to know if they did anything special to increase the tension to compensate for the short scale. If they Did, those strings would have value Outside the UBass world, too.

 

[caeman]

One of us should contact Kala as our representative and ask for a set to demo and review.