Kala UBass Megathread, Part 6

[imperialbari]

I love this video. That guy keeps poking at it like it's some strange otherworldly thing. I think he really wants one.

Who among us would blame him for that wish?

As told I gave a close friend a fretted hog (he had helped me with all logistics like shopping and moving when I was very ill some years ago). With my improved preamp situation the Pahoehoe strings sounded way better than I remembered them.

I gladly gave the hog to my friend, but an itch had started, as I also like the Thunderguts. Looks like I will get my money back from a deal, where somebody on eBay sold me a guitar that he didn't have access to. So I am dreaming of a HH with Thunderguts and then putting the Pahoehoes on my fretted acacia.

Next step, if the money really returns, will be about finding a HH in Europe.

Aging doesn't stop dreaming.

Klaus

 

[edmidlifecrisis]

Hey folks, is there someone from Kala watching this thread? I have been trying to contact support via email and telephone with no success. Have a busted tuner.

Thanks..send me a PM if you see this.

edmidlifecrisis

 

[scotch]

What's that?!?

left to right: Aquila Shortbass One Basic, Kala U-Bass, Epiphone El Capitan, (rear) Shen SB-80 3/4 Upright

In the coming weeks I'll be evaluating this new Shortbass One from Aquila in Italy! U-Bass tone and big-instrument volume? How does it stack up against these other acoustic instruments? Stay tuned....

http://www.talkbass.com/forum/f8/new-acoustic-bass-guitar-shortbass-one-small-loud-968706/

 

[fjadams]

Well, mine is in for a fret dressing. If that doesn't work I'm not sure what I'll do. Not under warrantee as I'm not the original owner.

 

[scotch]

Well, mine is in for a fret dressing. If that doesn't work I'm not sure what I'll do. Not under warrantee as I'm not the original owner.

Hopefully the fret level will do the trick (or at least get you close enough- who plays a U-Bass way up there anyway?).

If not, de-fretting may be cheaper than re-fretting. Not much, but a little.

 

[SBassman]

Well, mine is in for a fret dressing. If that doesn't work I'm not sure what I'll do. Not under warrantee as I'm not the original owner.

I wish I would have seen this in time.

Hopefully, the statement about no warranty help came from Kala, not the store. Because I wouldn't trust the store to know the best path. Kala really stands by their stuff. I would have recommended as a first step sending the pics to Kala support with an explanation and getting a consult from them before taking it to another shop. If the work wasn't started yet, and you haven't spoken to Kala first, you might want to attempt to pause the work and do so.

 

[SBassman]

Hey folks, is there someone from Kala watching this thread? I have been trying to contact support via email and telephone with no success. Have a busted tuner.

Thanks..send me a PM if you see this.

edmidlifecrisis

How are you trying to contact them? How long have you given them?

 

[fjadams]

I checked their website and it states very clearly that the warrantee only is for the original owner. If this doesn't work I'll go to Plan B, don't have one yet, but that's a minor technicality.

 

[edmidlifecrisis]

How are you trying to contact them? How long have you given them?

One week ago, email through web site, and left message voice mail on their CS phone listed on web site. No response. I think a week is enough to try another route. Most companies I deal with at least acknowledge the contact a lot quicker than that. The bass is completely out of commission.

 

[RAGZDADDY]

Well, without going into a bashing fit, FYI, Kala is not what I call stellar in customer support. They seem to have one guy fielding all customer concerns, tech support questions and warranty issues. Ask for Ryan and PUSH.

Last I spoke with Ryan and chatted about concerns was over a resonator Uke. Not to sound rude here, but Ryan kind of sluffed me off saying , " YOU DO KNOW THESE THINGS ARE MADE IN CHINA DON'T YOU " ?

With a follow up discertation about how they can't see what the Chinese factory is doing. IMHO, the Kala UBass is overall pretty sweet and mine was setup awesomely. Maybe mine was all good because of where I bought it. But and even greater truth , IMHO of course, is that Kala ukes are at best bottom of the Uke barrel in QC.

The amount of work it took on my reso was pretty extensive to get it close to right. But now it truly is a worthy player for the price point. My guess is that if Road Toad wasn't involved , the UBASS would be another Kala.

Not intending to be offensive here. It's just the real deal. Kala is pretty low class in my book. I pretty much snuff off ALL their ukes.

Just my opinion and experience though.

 

[dougness]

Well, without going into a bashing fit, FYI, Kala is not what I call stellar in customer support.

My experience with Kala customer support is consistent with yours, RAGZDADDY. In my case, they promised to address some concerns and then didn't follow through. Then they just stopped communicating with me. Not very professional, IMO. Like you, I don't hate them for it and I'm enjoying my U-Bass. I do have to pay a local repairman make adjustments, however.

For all of our enthusiasm here, we have to keep in mind that these are Chinese production line basses (except for the Calis) and adjust our expectations accordingly.

 

[RAGZDADDY]

My experience with Kala customer support is consistent with yours, RAGZDADDY. In my case, they promised to address some concerns and then didn't follow through. Then they just stopped communicating with me. Not very professional, IMO. Like you, I don't hate them for it and I'm enjoying my U-Bass. I do have to pay a local repairman make adjustments, however.

For all of our enthusiasm here, we have to keep in mind that these are Chinese production line basses (except for the Calis) and adjust our expectations accordingly.

Like I mentioned .Mine was 'high and tight ' as the saying goes as far as my UBass and it's a great little beast of an instrument. I as you have NO shame in owning it . But it really isn't going to take much for someone to come along and kind of wipe the actual "UBass " off the map with some QC efforts in consistency for sure .

But then again . Unless I purchase hands on and or custom luthier built, I really only expect to get a canvas somewhat worthy of an instrument to be birthed out of . lol

Really though . Let's be real . What $459 bought just a hand full of years back is by no means what it will buy now . Truth be told, a person really needs to be in about the $1,000 range on about any instrument to be getting it nailed to the rail for quality .


But then again, that's just the angle I view it all from .

My UBass is expected to be around for many years to come with no intention of letting it slip away . But until some added CSR efforts are sent Ryans way at Kala , it strikes me he is more than swamped . IMHO, any one man cuold find himself overwhelmed with such a job . I know I would . It would be hard to maintain chin up for sure .

 

[RAGZDADDY]

Hey folks, is there someone from Kala watching this thread? I have been trying to contact support via email and telephone with no success. Have a busted tuner.

Thanks..send me a PM if you see this.

edmidlifecrisis

OH YEA ! I of course am only assuming your busted tuners is NOT from dropping it . It seems a few folks have suffered such from NOT following manufacturers instruction on the UBass .

UH, how do I put this without sounding a bit negitive towards anything or anyone . But ...... I too was warned about this by a few working bass players before I bought my UBass .

Seems the biggest NO NO of the whole UBass is to absolutely NOT let the strings overlap on the tuner pegs when tuning while waiting on the strings to distend .

Without a long winded explanation here , I'll post Kala's link to the .pdf they have on their site .

[Invalid or Expired Link Removed]

Apparently , this is most critical info if you have seen this .

 

[edmidlifecrisis]

I know all that from reading TB. I was installing Thunderguts when this happened and it was not because of the excess wraparound of the stock strings. Thanks. Ed.

 

[RAGZDADDY]

I know all that from reading TB. I was installing Thunderguts when this happened and it was not because of the excess wraparound of the stock strings. Thanks. Ed.

 

[edmidlifecrisis]

They called me today. Thanks.

 

[jburtonca]

They called me today. Thanks.

Scotch, thanks for posting a the photo of the Short Bass with the Kala. Looking at the photo makes me realize that the Short Bass is not for me. It is, when I listen to the recently posted Youtube video, quite loud for an acoustic. Unfortunately, for me, its just not going to work. The problem is that the size of the instrument means the portability factor is lost. When I play my Kala without an amp its just to practice alone if I'm away from home. I long ago resigned myself to the fact that with the exception of an upright in a small group, a bass needs an amp.

I hope that there are some major benefits to the Thunder-Red strings regarding tone and ,hopefully, less stickiness. So far I find ALL of the non-metal strings sticky to some extent.

 

[SBassman]

Scotch, thanks for posting a the photo of the Short Bass with the Kala. Looking at the photo makes me realize that the Short Bass is not for me. It is, when I listen to the recently posted Youtube video, quite loud for an acoustic. Unfortunately, for me, its just not going to work. The problem is that the size of the instrument means the portability factor is lost. When I play my Kala without an amp its just to practice alone if I'm away from home. I long ago resigned myself to the fact that with the exception of an upright in a small group, a bass needs an amp.

I hope that there are some major benefits to the Thunder-Red strings regarding tone and ,hopefully, less stickiness. So far I find ALL of the non-metal strings sticky to some extent.

I think the Shortbass and the UBass serve different segments.

If a person's prime directive is the Smallest bass period, then yeah the UBass is smaller.
On the other hand, the Shortbass serves people looking for:
- A comfortable micro scale neck attached to a Regular looking body
- More acoustic volume
- Possibly more tone options

With more choices, everybody wins.

 

[RAGZDADDY]

I think the Shortbass and the UBass serve different segments.

If a person's prime directive is the Smallest bass period, then yeah the UBass is smaller.
On the other hand, the Shortbass serves people looking for:
- A comfortable micro scale neck attached to a Regular looking body
- More acoustic volume
- Possibly more tone options

With more choices, everybody wins.

Well, I suppose my input is only expected to of minimal consideration in these forums due to the fact that bass is my third instrument and I am new to it as well .

BUT . Be as it may be, I'd like one of those cools Short Bass' myself to keep my UBass company at the least .

I can't for the life of me recall who is making the Short Bass at this time . But in my base ignorance of bass, KUDOS on the way cool factor IMHO .

 

[scotch]

jburtonca:

I hear you. Not every instrument will appeal to everybody. Thats a given!

The Shortbass will definitley appeal to a lot of people, though! It's far louder than my Washburn AB-20 abg and Epiphone El Capitan abg. The U-Bass doesn't even come close in terms of acoustic volume (or usable/mic-able acoustic tone).

The stock Shortbass as-is may very well be the best campfire/couch/back porch bass ever! I haven't spent much time with the plugged-in characteristics yet, it just sounds so rewarding acoustically! I'm starting to think that the mic'ed potential is gonna be my favorite unique feature. We shall see... It's far from "perfection", but man oh man- it's amazing what this budget instrument can do!