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Kala UBass Megathread, Part 3

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#841
I had an www.allparts.com acoustic pre-amp ( in instrument mounting style) lying around and decided to experiment and connect it between my uBass2 spruce top fretted acoustic and my Ampeg Portabass 250 amp. Surprisingly the sound was actually usable and the EQ seemed to have enough range to work with the uBass. Anyone handy with a soldering iron and a little creativity could make a belt clip pre-amp for their uBass without to much trouble. Be aware, AllParts does not provide any specs on this thing and there are NO INSTRUCTIONS enclosed with the unit. The pre-amp weighs 5.6 oz with battery installed but that does not include any fabricated connectors or enclosure. If you want to travel super light and have at least some minimal control at your fingertips, building some sort of belt clip unit (with this pre-amp) may be a good answer...

my choice (because I already had one): PU-0873-000 - 3 Band EQ with Volume - Retail Price: $50.00


other choices: PU-0862-000 - Piezo Pickup with EQ- Retail Price: $80.00
 
#843
bryanspkr said:
I just find it interesting that many out there never seem to be satisfied.
Sorry if it sounded like a blanket statement.
.....
Just consumerism I guess.
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bryanspkr said:
As far as the U-bass goes, all I ever need to do is use my older AI head
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Amused at this. I agree with you that some people like buying gear for it's own sake. However all you do is use a boutique head designed specifically for the sort of instrument you are using. Someone coming from electric bass land and plugging a ubass (or an upright) into a good electric amp might get disappointing sound because they are not designed for piezos. Heck, the same can happen going into a cheap DI.

I will admit I've been hesitating over a preamp for upright for a long time, and also felt I wasn't getting the best sound out of my uBass. Based on this thread I just bought a Fishman.

I allocate a certain amount to buying new gear to expand my horizons. No substitute for practice, but can compliment it nicely.
 
#844
Weirdly enough, The u-bass seems to work well with most, though not all, preamps as long as the speaker reproduces the lowest 2 octaves. I like the (old!) AI head because I have a choice of Hi and low impedance inputs unlike the newer models. the low impedance input goes well with my fenders too. The new ones have a compromised single impedance (except for the mic of course). The really old 300IA was really great (though less power) because it had a hi-low button to chill out subtones from a piezo.

The u-bass in a way reminds me a bit of a bass drum. Deep with little highs above 1.5k and a higher frequency "articulation" peak. Drummers always seem to love the thing. maybe it fits their percussive sensibilities? Man, its a killer for salsa too.

For me, the only thing lacking is upper harmonic content. I like to play jazz on it, but i've never been a thumper ala 1940's-50's. same goes for upright.This whole gut no amp thing or the "thump" concept of bass sound ignored a lot of the development over many years, of a good modern amplified upright sound that is rich in complex upper harmonics.

BTW I never said people should not buy preamps, or any amount of equipment. It can all be useful. I own a bunch of stuff myself. What I do see sometimes is what amounts to an obsession. A belief that the next bit of gear will be an answer to some problems that should surely be worked out another way.
 
#845
Just got my Kala bass today! My sweet lord, what a great little instrument. Finding it hard to put it down. I am a double bass player although I do have a fender jazz bass somewhere, I never thought I could dig playing a horizontal instrument. I run it through my AI amp and and after some tweaking I found a great tone. Easy to play, ridiculously inexpensive and sounds fine unamplified too. Very happy with it!
 
#846
bryanspkr said:
Weirdly enough, The u-bass seems to work well with most, though not all, preamps as long as the speaker reproduces the lowest 2 octaves. I like the (old!) AI head because I have a choice of Hi and low impedance inputs unlike the newer models. the low impedance input goes well with my fenders too. The new ones have a compromised single impedance (except for the mic of course). The really old 300IA was really great (though less power) because it had a hi-low button to chill out subtones from a piezo.

The u-bass in a way reminds me a bit of a bass drum. Deep with little highs above 1.5k and a higher frequency "articulation" peak. Drummers always seem to love the thing. maybe it fits their percussive sensibilities? Man, its a killer for salsa too.

For me, the only thing lacking is upper harmonic content. I like to play jazz on it, but i've never been a thumper ala 1940's-50's. same goes for upright.This whole gut no amp thing or the "thump" concept of bass sound ignored a lot of the development over many years, of a good modern amplified upright sound that is rich in complex upper harmonics.

BTW I never said people should not buy preamps, or any amount of equipment. It can all be useful. I own a bunch of stuff myself. What I do see sometimes is what amounts to an obsession. A belief that the next bit of gear will be an answer to some problems that should surely be worked out another way.
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I probably didn't word the last post well. I was amused, not being critical. Sorry if it came out wrong.

Right now the uBass does not hold it's own for me against my good electrics (Rick, American Standard Precision, Ibanez Musician). I intend to work on it till it does. I am hoping a preamp is part of the trick. I genuinely believe that an amp and preamp designed for an electric bass pickup won't necessarily be optimal for a piezo, therefore some sort of middle stage is necessary.
 
#847
Not only directed at you.

I agree about the preamp for electric bass not optimal for Piezo, but in the case of the U-bass, the option is sometimes needed.

I also always seem to go back to my old fender for a lot of things. Leo really got something right. What a genius. And the Rick? one of the few unique and distinctive and recognisable sounds.
 
#848
With the Kala, I try not to think in terms of better or worse compared to other basses. I would rather think which of the one that has the most appropriate sound. For The Bible Blues Band, my Gretsch has a better tone for the blues. I need the greater sustain and upper harmonics. But, for bluegrass, folk, country gospel, the Kala has a fantastic sound. The thump is just what I want to hear.
 
#850
I'm probably the obsessed one that some talk of. You're probably right.

I have found:

That the ubass is unique and should not necessarily be compared to other basses, except... When replacing or trying to emulate other basses.

An AI head is the best plug and go head I have found for the ubass so far.

A preamp makes the ubass sound better, most of the time. So far the F-deck is my favorite. The f-deck makes all other instruments sound better IMO.

When I am replacing the upright, the F-deck and maybe some EQ gets me 90% there.

The ubass does compare to an old Jamerson P. very close especially when the Tech21 VT is properly set and kicked in.

I do not own an AI head (lowly Walter Woods) but play on a house one regularly. I play a variety of music and change my playing style accordingly. It is GEAR that gets the tone closer to what I'd otherwise be playing if I did not have the U-Bass. I cycle through stuff and try and go with what works best for a particular need. I do find common themes in my opinions on how stuff sounds (F-deck and VT bass being the consistent winners). That is because I am emulating other instruments on this one. So sue me. Check out my YouTube channel. I play the best I can. It is GEAR that gets the sound closer to what I want and brings out the full potential. We all know that there are badass players playing the ubass. Look at YouTube. But the baddest badass still sounds like crap plugged into crappy gear.
 
#852
Did anyone's tried a thumrest on his Ubass?

image-734749702.jpg
 
#854
Akami said:
You had me all the way up to this line here.
I'd personally re-word to say that although many of the best players can still sound good on sub-par equipment, they sound their best on the best gear available.
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Of course I mean no disrespect, and I agree with you. Jaco sounded great on his $90 bass. I probably should have re worded that like you said. I look at YouTube and see Tal or Bathiki playing a flurry of notes or what would be an infectious groove... And I hear scratch, clack, bow, pffft... Very frustrating. Because I know that this instrument can be so much more.
 
#855
TimWatson said:
I look at YouTube and see Tal or Bathiki playing a flurry of notes or what would be an infectious groove... And I hear scratch, clack, bow, pffft... Very frustrating. Because I know that this instrument can be so much more.
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Absolutely.

Uprights frequently suffer similar problems in live situations where it can break your heart to know that the guy soloing is just *killing* it but his improperly amplified instrument is making it easier to hear the strings clattering against the fingerboard over the bloom of the notes he's playing.
 
#860
for what it is worth, i have found the easiest way to attach a thumb rest is with double sided tape (bought @ NAPA Auto Parts). It holds great, can be colored with a marker and can be cut off with fish line so "no harm, no foul".
 
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