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Kala UBass Megathread, Part 5
- Thread starter smperry
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Realistically, The Th500 sits on 2 Berg 12's, but my living room has never sounded better with the EA! Haven't put the U bass through the bergs yet... just got the bass yesterday.
I have two quick solid body questions questions:
It sounds like the F-Deck works great with the hollow body U-basses. Would it work well with the solid bodies too? I didn't know it would help much with their existing pre-amp.
Also, does anyone know if the pre-amps in the solid bodies eliminate the impedance mis-match issues with standard electric bass amps?
Thanks!
It sounds like the F-Deck works great with the hollow body U-basses. Would it work well with the solid bodies too? I didn't know it would help much with their existing pre-amp.
Also, does anyone know if the pre-amps in the solid bodies eliminate the impedance mis-match issues with standard electric bass amps?
Thanks!
The solid bodies match well with EB amps. Their DC output resistance is about 11 kOhms, a range where many magnetic PUs work...
BUT: my Cali4 sounds way better through the HPF3. I bought it to eliminate subsonic low end for speaker protection and was pretty amazed about a very tight and clear sound of the E and A strings and a better overall string balance. Best pedal I ever got.
Has anyone compared an Ashbory with Thundergut strings and a Kala solid body U-Bass?
It seems the Ashbory is the only cheaper _fretless_ solid body bass available (though it seems it went out of production, but you can still order one ant large sound). Are there any reasons not to buy an Ashbory, besides the weird design?
It seems the Ashbory is the only cheaper _fretless_ solid body bass available (though it seems it went out of production, but you can still order one ant large sound). Are there any reasons not to buy an Ashbory, besides the weird design?
The Ashbury is only 18" scalewise. Either very loose strings or tuned up somewhere between a whole step or a minor third.
Klaus
Klaus
scotch
It's not rocket science!
- Nov 12, 2006
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I dont have a solidbody U-Bass to compare to, but I do have an Ashbory strung with Thunderguts. Just played it a bit, actually... It's tuned to standard bass tuning EADG & actually frels like more tension than the 'stock' silicone rubber strings. Plays great!
You may compare the cut off frequencies with those of the open strings:
A=55Hz
E=41,2Hz
B=30,9Hz
Klaus
A=55Hz
E=41,2Hz
B=30,9Hz
Klaus
Interesting homemade ubass. I'm not crazy about the tone, but it's hard to really tell from the vid. It is pretty though.
I guess Steve won't touch one till they come out with a six string unlined fretless model.
I guess Steve won't touch one till they come out with a six string unlined fretless model.
Nope. The slope of the bass control on bass heads is usually shallow, meaning it cuts/boosts a wide area, and will impact the "good" part of your bass tone. You can cut the bass knob if things are too thick or boomy, but its not doing what a hpf does.
Sometimes, we come full circle with our experiments. As much as I would love an integrated unit with all of what I want in one convenient phantom-powered box. That goal is not financially possible, but I can still try to keep the pedal count to a minimum. The Fdeck HPF-Pre Series 3 sits at the head of my effects and then an EQ pedal and DI pedal. I still like the idea of a low-pass filter (LPF) in at least the form of "speaker sim".
Over a year ago, I had a Behringer ADI21 that didn't work by itself with the U-Bass as well, so I sold it off. Well, it is an EQ with a mids frequency that can sweep to the U-Bass' mids sweet spot, a DI. It should work great with the HPF-Pre in front of it and get me down to just two pedals.
Over a year ago, I had a Behringer ADI21 that didn't work by itself with the U-Bass as well, so I sold it off. Well, it is an EQ with a mids frequency that can sweep to the U-Bass' mids sweet spot, a DI. It should work great with the HPF-Pre in front of it and get me down to just two pedals.
scotch
It's not rocket science!
- Nov 12, 2006
- 6,944
- 2,081
- 51
- Disclosures
- Please see Profile for Endorsement disclosures
I think I'm the only guy not using a high pass filter! 
More lows! Give me more lows!!!!! (Of course, I don't know what the foh engineers are doing, but it doesn't sound like much out there!)
More lows! Give me more lows!!!!! (Of course, I don't know what the foh engineers are doing, but it doesn't sound like much out there!)
With the alternatives beyond Ashbory stock strings, that I found not usable, I think the Ashbory has great Potential. I think they are leaving money on the table not doing a design with a longer scale.
At an 18 inch scale, I think it's just a Little too short. There's only so far this should go, and my conclusion after spending some time with the Ashbory was that - it went too far.
Now, if they did a 21 or 22 inch scale model, I'd offer a very different opinion. I thought the neck and electronics on the Ashbory were really good.
I'm a small guy with short fingers. For me 21" is perfect, 22" or 23" would be fine too. I think I wouldn't complain about a shorter scale, but I also don't see any advantages in the 18" scale of the Ashbory.
Could you elaborate about the Ashbory neck? Is it in any way better than the neck of a Kala U-Bass?
And how is the feel of the fingerboard (allegedly made of plastic - never have been near a synthetic fingerboard)?
Are the fretting lines realistic, or are they better ignored when attempting playing in tune?
There are markings up to the 24th fret two octaves above the open strings. Are the strings at all responsive in that range?
Klaus
Are the fretting lines realistic, or are they better ignored when attempting playing in tune?
There are markings up to the 24th fret two octaves above the open strings. Are the strings at all responsive in that range?
Klaus
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