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Kala UBass Megathread, Part 3

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#901
Hi all,

My name is Mark and I work for Kala. I'm new here (and at Kala) and I'm hoping to connect more with the UBass community.

I can not believe how many postings are in this MEGATHREAD ( 3 Megathreads actually!) I will be taking some time to catch up and learn more about your experiences.

We just started a UBass specific Facebook page today, and I will be checking and updating it multiple times a week. If you guys have cool UBass vids of pics please share them with us!

Thanks!

Mark Milazzo
 
#904
KalaBrand said:
Hi all,

My name is Mark and I work for Kala. I'm new here (and at Kala) and I'm hoping to connect more with the UBass community.

I can not believe how many postings are in this MEGATHREAD ( 3 Megathreads actually!) I will be taking some time to catch up and learn more about your experiences.

We just started a UBass specific Facebook page today, and I will be checking and updating it multiple times a week. If you guys have cool UBass vids of pics please share them with us!

Thanks!

Mark Milazzo
Click to expand...

Welcome, Mark.
 
#905
Just a quick plug for the Roland Bass Microcube. I've been trying to use my Hog ubass as a portable upright replacement. Even with the amp (which fits in a messenger bag), this setup is still much lighter and easier to transport than an URB. It doesn't sound exactly like an upright, but it's close enough that you can get away with it.

I've done a few jam sessions with amplified and unamplified instruments and the ubass has held its own with that little amp, including a jazz jam with loud amplified Rhodes and electric guitar. I had it outside yesterday. It was closed to maxed out and got a little farty if I played closer to the bridge, but I was able to keep up with accordion, acoustic guitar and a ton of traffic noise. I haven't tried to play with a drumset yet, but I doubt it could keep up. Being able to quickly turn on the drum machine or play MP3s has been really nice for rehearsal settings. I def recommend this amp for portable play. It's not perfect, but the combination of size, weight, price, low end, and battery type seems to be the best of all the portable amps out there.

You really need a preamp for the input though. I hope the new community guy from Kala reads this so they can start thinking about a 10Mohm preamp. Something simple and nigh quality like the Fdeck would be perfect. I think the overly complex and low quality preamps they stuff into most acoustic-electric instruments these days like the Artec stuff would be a shame to put in the ubass. Reading Tim and Caemans preamp stories (journeys really) has been very informative, and shows how difficult, personal And nuanced each preamplifier choice can be for this instrument. I've been using an MXR M-80 that I had lying around. It's a 1.5Mohm input, which makes a noticeable improvement. But, the Fdeck is next on my list.
 
#906
For Shabbat service today, the U-Bass was called into duty. The G4 was used to slightly darken the tone, but the sound was otherwise clean.

ShabbatSetup.jpg


I got a few compliments. The folks at the Synagogue really like the sound of the U-Bass. The Fdeck allows the clean, natural tone of the U-Bass to come through.
 
#907
I've been keeping my eyes out for a good deal, and finally took the plunge and bought a mahogany fretless off of e-bay. Not quite as good a deal as fjadams got, but I got one that looks brand new for $470 shipped (I can't find a ding or nick anywhere on it). I still have to re-stretch the strings, but so far I've been having a good time playing it.

Mine has 2 strap buttons on the heal. I thought I read somewhere in one of these megathreads that Kala started putting them on at some point. Does anyone know if these are factory buttons, or did the previous only probably put them on? Not that it makes much difference, I'm just curious.
 

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#910
KalaBrand said:
Hi all,

My name is Mark and I work for Kala. I'm new here (and at Kala) and I'm hoping to connect more with the UBass community.

I can not believe how many postings are in this MEGATHREAD ( 3 Megathreads actually!) I will be taking some time to catch up and learn more about your experiences.

We just started a UBass specific Facebook page today, and I will be checking and updating it multiple times a week. If you guys have cool UBass vids of pics please share them with us!

Thanks!

Mark Milazzo
Click to expand...

Hi Mark, good to have you here. There's a lot of interest in the Pyramids here. Personally, I'd love to see good video reviews of the Pyramids on the acoustic and electric U-Basses. Please let us know if you post reviews on Facebook or anywhere else.
 
#911
KalaBrand said:
Hi all,

My name is Mark and I work for Kala. I'm new here (and at Kala) and I'm hoping to connect more with the UBass community.

I can not believe how many postings are in this MEGATHREAD ( 3 Megathreads actually!) I will be taking some time to catch up and learn more about your experiences.

We just started a UBass specific Facebook page today, and I will be checking and updating it multiple times a week. If you guys have cool UBass vids of pics please share them with us!

Thanks!

Mark Milazzo
Click to expand...

Hi Mark,
Welcome to the site. Good to see Kala spending some energy interacting with its existing customer base not just trying to trying to get new customers. Very smart thinking from my perspective.

I've had my u-bass for a short while now and love it to bits. I'm so impressed by it (acoustic, fretted hog) that I desperately want a 5 string acoustic version. I've tried a few luthiers but it prices way out of my range. Any chance of Kala bringing a 5 string acoustic onto the market soon?
 
#913
...think I've finally found a plastic fret-slot filling material like! (no wood filler for this, there will be no 'finish' on the board & I don't want shrinkage happening in 6 years) Operation de-fret spruce U-Bass to commence soon!
 
#914
I feel like I'm the only guy on here who doesn't want a high-pass filter on his U-Bass. :confused: I want as much sub-sonic the sub-information going to the front-of-house as possible! Then again, I get wanting to control rumbling if you rely on your own amp for room sound or for preamp headroom in your rig.

Come on guys - don't roll of the spleen-shredding, hiccup-curing, stomach-churning power of your U-bass!!!! unleash it upon an unsuspecting audience filled with warm beer and nachos!!! :bassist:
 
#915
scotch said:
...think I've finally found a plastic fret-slot filling material like! (no wood filler for this, there will be no 'finish' on the board & I don't want shrinkage happening in 6 years) Operation de-fret spruce U-Bass to commence soon!
Click to expand...

Wow. Cool. If you can, take lots of [DEL]bass porn[/DEL] pictures and post them.

Now, when you mentioned shrinkage, you were talking about the fretboard right, not about George Costanza's problem after going swimming in cold water. :)

images?q=tbn:ANd9GcRfl-DTg_5yt7jHCvJ2kLxqCNx6SMtE4E-4o5jzX8qcYEFyGchgaA.jpg
 
#916
SBassman said:
Wow. Cool. If you can, take lots of [DEL]bass porn[/DEL] pictures and post them.

Now, when you mentioned shrinkage, you were talking about the fretboard right, not about George Costanza's problem after going swimming in cold water. :)
Click to expand...

Ha! I'm concerned about wood-filler shrinking (even epoxy) over time with no sealing finish to prevent it. Not just the 'filler' material, but the rosewood board itself expands and contracts with the seasons (and the way I travel) - it's inviting future problems.
 
#917
scotch said:
I feel like I'm the only guy on here who doesn't want a high-pass filter on his U-Bass. :confused: I want as much sub-sonic the sub-information going to the front-of-house as possible! Then again, I get wanting to control rumbling if you rely on your own amp for room sound or for preamp headroom in your rig.

Come on guys - don't roll of the spleen-shredding, hiccup-curing, stomach-churning power of your U-bass!!!! unleash it upon an unsuspecting audience filled with warm beer and nachos!!! :bassist:
Click to expand...

Each of us have a different sonic goal. The low rumble and its resulting distortion doesn't fit my music at all. It muddies the clear, tight tone I seek.
 
#919
scotch said:
I feel like I'm the only guy on here who doesn't want a high-pass filter on his U-Bass. :confused: I want as much sub-sonic the sub-information going to the front-of-house as possible! Then again, I get wanting to control rumbling if you rely on your own amp for room sound or for preamp headroom in your rig.

Come on guys - don't roll of the spleen-shredding, hiccup-curing, stomach-churning power of your U-bass!!!! unleash it upon an unsuspecting audience filled with warm beer and nachos!!! :bassist:
Click to expand...

I'm with you in spirit bro. The overall sonic benefit of this fdeck device on the front end is so great that my ears are telling me it's right...SO right. And I am definitely not wanting for low end. My amp is clearer and has a noticeable added volume and power. It does not sound weaker in that rumble. It just seems to take the brakes off the low end punch. And I am one of those you speak of...rarely go into a PA and my amp carries it all the way. This fdeck is worth the try. I am going to buy a second one. It works wonders on my upright too.
 
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