My tiny amp these days is the GK MB112.
I also see some people talking about the Fender Bronco 40.
I also see some people talking about the Fender Bronco 40.
Enjoy the benefits of a premium membership!
Upgrade Account
-
TalkBass has been independent since 1998. Add your voice.
Create a free account to reply to discussions, view embedded media, and browse with fewer display ads.
Join free Log in
Want zero display ads or expanded classifieds tools? Compare plans.
Kala UBass Megathread, Part 3
- Thread starter smperry
- Start date
- Status
I wonder if LaBella would make a special order set? They do custom strings if you order them. I needed a longer E string (760N black nylon tape wound) for my Takamine TB-10 and they hooked me up.
Could be costly, but if they were good, they might have a new product to add to their line...
Anyone want to bite the bullet?
I would, but I'm very happy with the stock Pahoehoe strings and don't see any reason to change at all
Why tapewounds on this bass? Between the Pahoehoes, the Thunderguts, and the Pyramids, we have absolutely every tone available already.
edmidlifecrisis
Registered mediocre bass player
If anyone's in Palm Beach County, FL, George's Music in West Palm Beach has a fretted spruce model on the wall and is doing 15% off everything in the store since they are moving. The U bass is tagged at $450 less 15%.
As an aside, when I looked at it yesterday I noticed that the new ones have magnets holding the back panel hatch. My older one has small screws. When I went to remove it to tighten the output jack that had come loose, the hatch panel had stuck to the body so when I lifted it off it broke. Obviously they figured out this was a bad design and seem to have improved it.
As an aside, when I looked at it yesterday I noticed that the new ones have magnets holding the back panel hatch. My older one has small screws. When I went to remove it to tighten the output jack that had come loose, the hatch panel had stuck to the body so when I lifted it off it broke. Obviously they figured out this was a bad design and seem to have improved it.
Tapewounds have more clarity than either stock or Thundergut strings but have less of an ABG sound than the Pyramids. I would buy them if they were available, but the Aquilas are doing it for now!
Played my second gig out with my UBass and AI Ten2. I used my Fishman Plat Pro in between the UBass and the FX return of the amp. Worked great, love the sound. Lots of big compliments on the tone. Fits with my bluegrass group perfect. I don't even want to consider a bigger bass for the bg gigs - excellent for tight stages.
I added a [Invalid or Expired Link Removed] plugged into channel 2 of the AI. It was perfect to keep these crazy mandolin and banjo players from straying to far from the rhythm. Can be subtle and sound like an acoustic tap on the bass body, or a real thumping porch board or kick drum sound with a slightly strong tap.
I added a [Invalid or Expired Link Removed] plugged into channel 2 of the AI. It was perfect to keep these crazy mandolin and banjo players from straying to far from the rhythm. Can be subtle and sound like an acoustic tap on the bass body, or a real thumping porch board or kick drum sound with a slightly strong tap.
Anybody actually listen to this with good speakers or headphones?
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=os6zzBxUHYI
Makes me lust for a SUB. I think the tone on that video is fantastic.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=os6zzBxUHYI
Makes me lust for a SUB. I think the tone on that video is fantastic.
The Ubass I'm playing was loaned to me by a friend. I've probably had it for a month and have played it a lot at home. Fortunately, he's not asking for it back yet and I'm not inclined to return it. But I know the time will come.
Yesterday I was running through Jazz tunes at home with a guitarist. We both tuned before playing. The intonation as I moved up the fretboard got worse and worse. I carefully re-tuned but it was so bad that I put it away. The strings are nicely stretched, so that's not a problem.
This bass is one of the early models. Have they dialed in the intonation? Several players here have said they prefer the fretless version so they can adjust as needed. Since several pros are allegedly playing these live and recording with them, this can't be a consistent problem, right? Or is it?
Yesterday I was running through Jazz tunes at home with a guitarist. We both tuned before playing. The intonation as I moved up the fretboard got worse and worse. I carefully re-tuned but it was so bad that I put it away. The strings are nicely stretched, so that's not a problem.
This bass is one of the early models. Have they dialed in the intonation? Several players here have said they prefer the fretless version so they can adjust as needed. Since several pros are allegedly playing these live and recording with them, this can't be a consistent problem, right? Or is it?
It's really hard to tell without getting your hands on literally dozens to be able to draw a statistically correct conclusion.
I'm generally not a fretless guy, but for this bass, I eventually sold my fretted and got a fretless so that I had a shot at letting my ears improve the intonation.
I'm generally not a fretless guy, but for this bass, I eventually sold my fretted and got a fretless so that I had a shot at letting my ears improve the intonation.
I'm wondering if I'll do the same, or maybe convert what I have to fretless.
I am finding as I play the fretted more it gets easier to play it in tune. The strings are very susceptible to bending and changing pitch and it's not very forgiving if I'm sloppy. Likewise the string noise with the right hand gets bad real quick. But when it's played carefully and properly it is a delight.
I play fretless and upright, but I bought a fretted ubass because I was worried about being precise over such a short scale. If I had my time over I would probably buy a fretless.
Hey folks. I am beside myself in disbelief with my new F-Deck with the U-Bass. THIS IS A MUST HAVE. PLEASE MAKE THIS YOUR NEXT GEAR PURCHASE. Can't say any more now because my mouth is sore from the alternating jaw on the floor and wide grins.
Two potentially catastrophic U-Bass drops (on cement!) in two days!!
Last night, helping a friend audition a few players for a project he is putting together... I don't play bass in his band, but have in the past, know enough of his style to run these guys through the paces, etc... Since he's running acoustic guitars and hand drums, I brought the Kala and Acoustic B20 (small, CHEAP practice amp that gets all my coffee-house work)... One of the guitar players is eyeing the U-Bass and asks if he can give it a go. Since I never have a problem with someone who knows to ask politely, I say 'Of course'... He noodles nicely for a bit, sets it back in the stand and walks away with the cord wrapped around his ankle... THUNK!! THWAP!! BANG!! He was WAY apologetic, and it was a total accident. I'm cool with that as we're all human... We looked it over pretty carefully. One scuff on the headstock, a slight dent on the lower bout. Nothing to get too worked up about. We're all good...
Then today, coming back from the coffee-house gig, as I'm getting gear out of the car, the U-Bass (in it's soft case) slips out of my hand as I'm closing the tail gate... Landed hard on the edge... Hard enough to actually perforate the case... Some small dings in the binding, and what appears to be a slight, short crack following the grain for about 1/3 inch. I can feel it, but not see it. I've looked insinde with a mirror and cannot see anything out of the ordinary... Done a thorough tap test and can't hear any buzzes... Haven't run it through the amp yet, but that's first on the list for tomorrow... I'm still a gig-bag guy, but that was nerve wracking!!
-robert
Last night, helping a friend audition a few players for a project he is putting together... I don't play bass in his band, but have in the past, know enough of his style to run these guys through the paces, etc... Since he's running acoustic guitars and hand drums, I brought the Kala and Acoustic B20 (small, CHEAP practice amp that gets all my coffee-house work)... One of the guitar players is eyeing the U-Bass and asks if he can give it a go. Since I never have a problem with someone who knows to ask politely, I say 'Of course'... He noodles nicely for a bit, sets it back in the stand and walks away with the cord wrapped around his ankle... THUNK!! THWAP!! BANG!! He was WAY apologetic, and it was a total accident. I'm cool with that as we're all human... We looked it over pretty carefully. One scuff on the headstock, a slight dent on the lower bout. Nothing to get too worked up about. We're all good...
Then today, coming back from the coffee-house gig, as I'm getting gear out of the car, the U-Bass (in it's soft case) slips out of my hand as I'm closing the tail gate... Landed hard on the edge... Hard enough to actually perforate the case... Some small dings in the binding, and what appears to be a slight, short crack following the grain for about 1/3 inch. I can feel it, but not see it. I've looked insinde with a mirror and cannot see anything out of the ordinary... Done a thorough tap test and can't hear any buzzes... Haven't run it through the amp yet, but that's first on the list for tomorrow... I'm still a gig-bag guy, but that was nerve wracking!!
-robert
I just did another gig with the TGs on my SUB and got lots of compliments from the front of house engineer. Tonally, I think they are absolutely a good fit for this instrument.
Gear update: at rehearsal with the Latin band tonight I used the Fishman with both the solid fretless 5 and the Stingray fretless that I have heavily modded. It managed the tone of both wih flying colors. I never liked compression until I play all this tumbao stuff. The Fishman works very well for this. And since the solid body doesn't give you as much thump on the attack and it needs to be generated by the rig, a properly tuned high pass filter is a must. Solos and louder notes especially played at the bridge give potentially speaker damaging transients and the filter cleans up the low end very nicely.
I am borrowing a friend's Eden WDTI for a couple weeks. I will use it on the next couple gigs and report back.
Here were my settings for the Cali5:
View attachment 268597
I saw JamesCzar playing the Hog/Fishman
with his bluegrass band tonight. Big thumpy warm sound. Now I am not the only one gigging this thing in this town
I was just giving my fishman a run through at home prior to using it tonight. After adjusting all settings to get the best sound I could get, mine were almost idnetical to yours, my mids and hi mids were a little higher. Amazing! The one thing the fishman has over the lr baggs is the fishman has a dedicated tuner out, so if you turn the volume all way down a signal still goes to the tuner out. As my strings are still settling in this is a major benefit. Still cant get my planetwaves micro headstock tuner to stay put without a guitar pick on the front headstock to make the headstock thick enough.
Have to say while the fishman is a little warmer and has a little less clarity there is not much difference between these two. (lr baggs and fishman pro-eq bass). Enjoying it but wishing it had a 5th string. Hope your checking these posts kala.
It's odd isn't it. Piezo pick ups are ALL about the buffering pre-amp. I have an F-Deck and love it equally. I had a friend who is a tech (builds his own pre-amps) look at it and he said it is a well thought out and nice piece of kit, but not ground breakingly new in any way. Why can the major manufacturers not get their head around a decent buffering pre?
- Status
