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Kala UBass Megathread, Part 5

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#781
SBassman said:
Silver Rumblers are back in stock at the Kala store, for those of you who were waiting for them. I was, and I just ordered. They have a discount in place, so if you type TWENTY13 at checkout, you'll get discounted from 24.99 to 19.99. Get em while you can.

31AUm6Tr%2BDL._SX270_.jpg
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Showing out of stock already - too bad they aren't available in five string sets, I'd like to try them on my new fretless five that's being built right now.
 
#783
They probably order, like, ten sets. They haven't been available anywhere for quite a while. I was gonna wait for the new copper-infused Aquila reds to come out in March, but at $50 a pop I'll need to see some pretty compelling evidence that they're worth it. They'll have to be a LOT better than any other non-metallic strings for me to make the jump. I knew what to expect from the Pyramids because I have Thomastik Acousticore strings on a 34" scale Godin Z-111.

Jeff
 
#784
Kuroth said:
So what is cool about them? I just ordered some.. :bassist:
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Get a glass of iced tea, sit on down, and read the history in the thread.
:)

Tons of dialog.

My quick net:
- More versatile range of tones available
- Reach stability in days rather than several weeks
- Now come with nicely designed caps on the ends
- But, yes, a percentage of folks experience some stickiness. I do fine with a small billiards talc bag.
- They can be put on the bass very easily. No stretching required. No loss of blood or poking your eye out, as I did with the stock rubber strings.
 
#786
MasterMonkeyMan said:
+1
I use that at the nut and this at the butt:
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Works just fine.
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I "invented" the same thing with a piece of string. Tie loop, loop it through itself and its on your strap for good. Then when you go to put it on your ubass, put it over the strap pin/jack and twist twice. Now its locked in. Price was good: 3 cents for the string. Shipping and handlinig 800$!
 
#788
I'm kinda waiting on my Ubass purchase. Probably get the spruce top but I want to wait for the one with the built in preamp. Also can't decide between fretted or fretless. I don't want to deal with the intonation issues which seem to be a bit of a problem with the fretted. Its probably obsessive compulsive behavior but i like to get the intonation perfect on my basses. Probably wouldn't hear the difference in a live band situation anyway! Any other thoughts or opinions on this? Am I just being to anal?
 
#789
1stnamebassist said:
I'm kinda waiting on my Ubass purchase. Probably get the spruce top but I want to wait for the one with the built in preamp. Also can't decide between fretted or fretless. I don't want to deal with the intonation issues which seem to be a bit of a problem with the fretted. Its probably obsessive compulsive behavior but i like to get the intonation perfect on my basses. Probably wouldn't hear the difference in a live band situation anyway! Any other thoughts or opinions on this? Am I just being to anal?
Click to expand...

With these basses, it's really hard to recommend the right one for a particular individual.

I started on a fretted, moved to a fretless, and moved back to a fretted.

If you are genuinely skilled with your ear, Maybe the fretless is the right choice. If you are a regular hack like me, Maybe the fretted is the way to go.

Best bet is to get a store with both and spend lots of time there.

For me, I'm not moving back to the fretless. I had my fun there, but, pound for pound, fretted is best for me.

Other other thing to consider:
The intonation is usually only questionable on the upper frets.
On the money frets, intonation will be solid. When you're on the upper frets, you're probably doing a run that won't sound out of tune even if the intonation is a bit off. It will just be, what the jazzers call - outside. :)

That's my two cents.
 
#794
Orangeclawhamme said:
Won't that void the waranty?
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Don't know, and don't care, considering that I've had the thing for more than three years.

And besides, what good is a warranty anyway? I've had no end of trouble with my U-Bass, as well as needless expense, because of what in my opinion is the wrong positioning of the saddle. The only way to fix that would have been to have given me a new one with a correctly positioned saddle. What do you reckon my chances were of that happening?
 
#799
So I am going back and reading this thread..

But can any of you give me some general advise on playing my U-Bass..

It just feels strange in my hands.. Maybe that is part of going from a full size Bongo to this small one for the first time?

I have not even yet figured out how to hold it where it is comfortable in my hands..
Only way I can describe it is I feel like a first time dad holding my new born baby and having no clue how to hold it..

The frets are so close.. I mean what I use to reach with my #4 finger on my Bongo I now use the #3.. Is that normal for all of you or do you still try and maintain your normal fretting despite the tiny size of the distance between the Frets?


I love mine and love the sound but have no clue yet how to pluck it and Fret it to get the best sound(Like I hear on Youtube Videos and such)... I find I want to pluck it way back near the pickups but I see most pluck it at the sound hole..

And I hear fretting can be very tricky with this one? Light Fret and you have to be right at the sweet spot?

I love this thing and WILL learn to play it.. But any tips from you guys would be greatly appreciated..

p.s. I also ordered that F-Deck Series 2 preamp as I have heard nothing but good about it and at $70, the price was right..

p.s.s. I noticed my U-Bass does not sound very loud in my TC Electric BG250 but I have herd others with BG250's say passive basses in general dont sound as loud on the BG250
On my Fender Rumble 15, my U-Bass sounds loud on volume 3 and 4...


Thanks!
 
#800
The best I can describe is: play it with a very light touch.
You may want to dig in, but I find max tone and intonation comes from a super light touch - both left and right hand.

Fatter tone is obviously over the soundhole or closer to the top of it. Cutting tone is further back.

Log enough time, and you'll figure out the touch and location inside the fret where farts won't happen. Just log the time, and it will come. Promise.

As far as the size change, that's one I can't relate to. :)
All my life I was looking for smaller sized basses. My current - and only steel string - is an Ibanez Mikro, and my other bass is my UBass. I don't usually feel like it's Too small. I Did feel that when I tried an Ashbory. I also Do think there is a potential big market for a bass like this that is a larger 25 inch scale, but, personally, with my height and hands,
the UBass still feels Comfortable for me.
 
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