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Kala UBass Megathread, Part 4

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#525
A relatively short fretboard is inherent in the design of the acoustical UBass. Even the Hutchinson cutaway model only has 16 frets.

Maneuvring the upper frets on the non-cutaways is tough especially on the lower strings. Still I miss one note very much: C in the 17th fret on the G string.

I have a large project where all tunes top on C, which has to do with flexible adaption across various ensemble types. The UBass could be made a compatible solo instrument in that project, if the said C had been available.

A few times I have been able to get an acceptable C by pressing the G string against the edge of the fretboard, but I am not good enough to do that consistently.

Klaus
 
#526
imperialbari said:
A relatively short fretboard is inherent in the design of the acoustical UBass. Even the Hutchinson cutaway model only has 16 frets.
Click to expand...

I share your frustration, Klaus.

It's interesting that the neck joins the body on a u-bass at the 12th fret, like a soprano ukulele.

All of my larger ukes, including a Kala baritone, join at the 14th fret and have at least 18 frets.

I read that the physics of the body dictate the optimum location for the bridge, and the neck placement flows from there.
I see that Kamoa bass ukes also join at the 12th.

If you stuck a s-u-b fingerboard on a u-bass, it would cover the sound hole.

My other acoustic bass is a Michael Kelly 5-str fretless, it joins at the 15th "fret".
The fingerboard touches the sound hole at the 22nd "fret", compared to the 16th on u-bass

I'm lucky to have a s-u-b solidbody to compliment my acoustic.
I think it's a conspiracy by Kala to force every serious u-bass player to buy at least one of each style. :rolleyes:
 
#528
imperialbari said:
A relatively short fretboard is inherent in the design of the acoustical UBass. Even the Hutchinson cutaway model only has 16 frets.

Maneuvring the upper frets on the non-cutaways is tough especially on the lower strings. Still I miss one note very much: C in the 17th fret on the G string.

I have a large project where all tunes top on C, which has to do with flexible adaption across various ensemble types. The UBass could be made a compatible solo instrument in that project, if the said C had been available.

A few times I have been able to get an acceptable C by pressing the G string against the edge of the fretboard, but I am not good enough to do that consistently.

Klaus
Click to expand...

I agree with high C. For me it's high D. On the 24-fret solid body it was usable to about D and pretty useless above that. So my custom will stop at D :-)
 
#529
caeman said:
Many acoustic guitar have the neck join at the 12th fret.

In other topics, I wonder how the U-Bass would respond to fifth's tuning (CGDA).
Click to expand...

Tried it briefly. You'd need custom gauge strings. With current offerings even detaining half a step does not work. Totally different response and tone. A half step translates to almost an entire turn of the tuner head!
 
#531
I tend to think the acoustic resonance is important for the desirable quasi-upright type of sound of the acoustic UBass. And I tend to think the present proportions between neck and body are part of the quality behind that acoustic resonance.

The solution to get one or maybe even three more frets on the G string for me would be an asymmetrical fretboard cut-off that would cover an insignificant snip of the sound hole.

Klaus
 
#532
I never would use a bass tuned to fifths. And ordering a custom selection from among the available strings would be disproportionally costly in import/red-tape costs.

So it won’t be me doing the test series necessary to determine the optimal CGDA-set of strings.

The pre-testing mindset could be like this one for the acoustic UBass and Pahoehoe strings:

The the low C string could be the low B string from the solid-body 5-string set.

The G string could be the low tension E string from the acoustic or the E string from the solid-body 5-string set.

The D string could stay as is.

The A string could be the low tension G string from the acoustic or the G string from the solid-body 5-string set.

If nothing else a serious test process, preferably by Kala & Pahoehoe, could tell the idea dead and out, if the problems cannot be solved within reasonable costs.

Klaus
 
#533
imperialbari said:
I never would use a bass tuned to fifths. And ordering a custom selection from among the available strings would be disproportionally costly in import/red-tape costs.

So it won’t be me doing the test series necessary to determine the optimal CGDA-set of strings.

The pre-testing mindset could be like this one for the acoustic UBass and Pahoehoe strings:

The the low C string could be the low B string from the solid-body 5-string set.

The G string could be the low tension E string from the acoustic or the E string from the solid-body 5-string set.

The D string could stay as is.

The A string could be the low tension G string from the acoustic or the G string from the solid-body 5-string set.

If nothing else a serious test process, preferably by Kala & Pahoehoe, could tell the idea dead and out, if the problems cannot be solved within reasonable costs.

Klaus
Click to expand...

Too bad all those strings are made of different formulas and have different textures. I say just leave a bass a bass. Even a tiny one.
 
#534
If Kala and Pahoehoedkfjfkl or ThunderGut would be willing to build a 4-string set to enable CGDA, I would be volunteer to test it. I have been intrigued by 5th's tuning for a while now and the short reach of notes on the U-Bass would seem perfect for it.
 
#535
Hey Tim, I see that the new FDeck HPF-Series 3 pre is now available. I'm not as savvy about these units as you are and I know you love the series 2 unit. For us U-Bass players, is there any reason to purchase the series 3 (more expensive) unit or is the series 2 adequate for what we're doing?
 
#536
dougness said:
Hey Tim, I see that the new FDeck HPF-Series 3 pre is now available. I'm not as savvy about these units as you are and I know you love the series 2 unit. For us U-Bass players, is there any reason to purchase the series 3 (more expensive) unit or is the series 2 adequate for what we're doing?
Click to expand...

After extensive comparisons and ear-testing, I conclude series 2 is perfect for upright and U-Bass. I am getting a series 2 installed right in my custom U-Bass. The 2 are ever so slightly different, I can't really even put it into words, but I prefer S2 with acoustic instruments and S3 with electric. Look at The HPF-PRE thread for more info.

You can't go wrong either way but I cannot recommend enough getting one.
 
#537
TimWatson said:
After extensive comparisons and ear-testing, I conclude series 2 is perfect for upright and U-Bass. I am getting a series 2 installed right in my custom U-Bass. The 2 are ever so slightly different, I can't really even put it into words, but I prefer S2 with acoustic instruments and S3 with electric. Look at The HPF-PRE thread for more info.

You can't go wrong either way but I cannot recommend enough getting one.
Click to expand...

Thanks so much, Tim, for the info. I'll be placing my order tomorrow for an HPF-Pre Series 2. Can't wait.
 
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