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Kala UBass Megathread, Part 3

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#861
ukulelelele said:
I played one at a music store- extremely fun, but i dont think ill ever spend $600 for one. Maybe in a few years when theyre cheaper used...
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timobee4 said:
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!
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I think it's funny to see so many people say that the UBass is too expensive. I'm frankly surprised at how affordable it is. And now that I'm playing it so much, I'll definitely be looking into a custom job next year by RoadToad, if he's still making them.

I love how a regular upright player comes along and looks at it and calls it inexpensive. I guess when you're looking at a $1500-2000 point of entry for a very basic new or well-used upright, the $500 UBass must seem like a steal!

I have basses that cost me $2600 and others that cost me $450, and several in between. But for all the enjoyment and use I'm getting out of the UBass, I'm blown away that it was only ~$500. I'm constantly getting compliments on the sound -- and the look! Now I'm completely willing to pay $650-$1500 for a custom one. Just not this year.

... here's a pic from our bluegrass gig last night on the patio at Avenue Brew in Bellevue, KY
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#863
My new/used Kala UBass. UBass SFS. Guy bought it, kept it 2 weeks and sold it to get a Fender.
I got it for $400 including bass, hard case, extra set of strings and strap. Absolutely perfect, not a scratch or blemish on it. So much thump thru the GK. Just loving it.

7167056693_59319efd0e_z.jpg
 
#865
Warning: The handle on the semi-hard case is only attached to the internal body of the case by a few short screws. If your case is wedged between two other pieces of equipment, move the equipment -- DON'T YANK ON THE HANDLE! The screws will come out easily and you'll have some repair work ahead of you to make the case useable again. Just found out this week the hard way.

They haven't released the new, fancier hard cases yet -- in tweed, etc. I'm holding out until then... they promised them this summer. Otherwise I'd buy their black hard case right away.
 
#867
SBassman said:
I really love the look of the mahogany ones. Wish my top was mahogany. I love the sound of mine, though.

Actually had a stoopid thought to sand the top lightly and then stain it dark. Probably a pretty stoopid idea, ay?

:bassist:
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If you go ahead, let us know how you go.

I'm wondering about using double sided tape to hold a thumb rest on the body. Will it alter the sound in any real discearnable way? There is a guy on e-bay selling some nice looking wood ones. I'm thinking they might fit nice on the mahogany top and not stick out too much.
 
#871
SBassman said:
I just joined another band, and they are enthusiastic for the UBass for some of the material.

Unfortunately, my busy, crowded household has swallowed up the magnetic back cover of my acoustic UBass. It's gone. Sux.
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Yes, they are a bit funny like that. Mine is stuck in quite tight but yesterday while practicing I sat it on the kitchen table to answer the phone. I picked it up and played some more and about 5 minutes later I looked at the table and there was the back cover. It had just fallen off. I'd thought that wasn't possible, now I'm gonna be checking it all the time I go anywhere with it. Hope it was just a one off incident.
 
#873
You could just customize your own hole cover. Go to Hobby Lobby and find some magnets. You have a 50/50 chance of getting the pole correct. :) You could get fancy and use a small brass plate, or any number of wood options at Hobby Lobby and similar arts & crafts stores.
 
#875
For me, it is unnecessary. I rest my thumb against the E string to keep it muted. I probably don't need to do that on the U-Bass, but it is a must-do technique on my Gretsch.
 
#876
Which Gretsch? One of the $200 - $400 ones? I picked up a G2220 I think a while back and wasn't crazy about it so I took it back. I got an Epiphone Allen Woody instead, which is fantastic, I think, though I still end up mostly playing my little sprucetop baby.
 
#878
Short scale all the way. I fiddled around with an Ibanez Mikro in Samash. I think it's something like 28 inches. I kinda want one though I think I should put that 170 bucks towards the Hofner Club that I plan on buying some day.
 
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