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Kala UBass Megathread, Part 7

#781
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#783
HaphAsSard said:
I'll just throw this here in case you guys missed it. Beside their infamous silver-plated-copper-wound-on-nylon-silk (henceforth mouthfulwound) Invalid Link Removed, Pyramid is apparently making a black nylon tapewound set for subshorters (up to ~22" tops):
[Invalid or Expired Link Removed]
Can't vouch for its worldwide availability (yet up for grabs for Brits), nor can I fill in missing details (lack of mention of ukuleles on the picture, material under the tape - are they magnetic? I assume they are, but still - and so on), I've just found it by accident.
Click to expand...
Just a heads-up.
 
#785
I feel like I'm the new most frequent user of this thread.

The bass sounds amazing in my singer-songwriter group. I roll off the tone, cut the bass and treble and boost the mids on my Orange TB500, and get plenty of thump but can still get singing articulation for some higher-up lines with I need it. Will try it with my Eden next just in case it's preferable. I still find it's got more of the uprightish "meow" when I play near the bridge.

The Hercules stand is GREAT. Fits the Ubass perfectly, is lightweight but also strong and sturdy and my cats can run into it without knocking it over. Thanks @GBassNorth !

A couple additional questions:

1. For the hollow body users, is anyone using the feedback freezer for playing live? Or a notch filter? Or if we're not at very high levels is this not needed? With my Martin ABG and a compressor (I like a little compression live for this kind of music) I found I could feed back.

2. Is anyone bothering with the HPFpre or some other high-pass filter? Do you find it makes a difference?

Thanks.

--JES
 
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#786
I use an fdeck hpf with my acoustic ubass, which is an older model without the preamp and it makes an incredible difference. However I had a Goldtone microbass with the preamp and it didn't seem to do much with that. I have the feedback freezer which does help in my home setup, but as far as playing out I couldn't tell you
but I imagine it would help, especially high volume in tight quarters.
 
#788
slaerts said:
Hey guys, about to buy a baritone bass case for my ubass. Will a standard baritone case fit.
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For most cases, no. The tuners stick out too much and the headstock won't fit. I have tried it in my baritone uke case. Generally the acoustic u-bass will fit in the hard foam zippered cases but not the hardshell cases. I have also tried to fit my acoustic u-bass in my solid body u-bass gig bag, and it does fit. I think that the u-bass will probably fit in most baritone ukulele gig bags - because there is a little more room for stretch. Unless you find an exceptionally large case, I don't think any hardshell case for baritone ukulele will fit it.
 
#789
JES said:
...

A couple additional questions:

1. For the hollow body users, is anyone using the feedback freezer for playing live? Or a notch filter? Or if we're not at very high levels is this not needed? With my Martin ABG and a compressor (I like a little compression live for this kind of music) I found I could feed back.

2. Is anyone bothering with the HPFpre or some other high-pass filter? Do you find it makes a difference?

Thanks.

--JES
Click to expand...

I have used a soundhole plug only a couple of times. I've found a notch filter works much better for killing run away feedback.

I own an fDeck but don't use it with my U-Bass (I occasionally do with my upright). In my opinion, the super low lows are what make the U-Bass special! If things are too 'boomy', I figure I'm playing inappropriately with it or am just using the wrong bass for the job and/or venue.
 
#790
Thanks for the replies. I tried the FDeck since my last post, and I have to agree. Somehow the "issues" with a piezo running into an amp head just make the thing sound better. Go figure.

In other news, I received my Pyramid nylon tape wound strings from strings direct. DO NOT BUY THEM IF YOU PLAY A FRETTED UBASS. The intonation is simply off, starting at the 1st fret. They feel and look cool. I wish they worked.

Full review is here: Review of Pyramid Black Nylon Tapewound Strings on a Fretted Kala U-Bass | TalkBass.com

For the curious or adventurous, I'm selling them (with full disclosure) here: For Sale - Pyramid Black Nylon Tapewound Strings for Ukulele Bass | TalkBass.com

--JES
 
#793
Nope. Ubassists have been hoping for flats for years. They don't exist. You might like Thunderguts. They have significantly more tension than pahoehoes but they have some problems. Most people find them sticky to the touch, they can become dented by frets, and they can sausage over time from uneven stretching.
 
#795
Has anyone seen these?

This unique bass string set is specifically constructed of a nylon core with silver plated windings. These round wound strings provide a warm booming sound that the U-Bass is known for. They feature lower tension compared to traditional built bass strings, making them easy on the fingers with a great overall feel.

  • Nylon core with Silver-plated windings
  • Specifically constructed for use with the Kala U-Bass
  • Provides player with extreme playability
  • Warm, powerful sound with clear note articulation
  • String construction and gauging gives player very accurate intonation

Kala Metal Round Wound 4 String UBASS Set

They basically sound like pyramid rounds but for half the price.
 
#797
Gorn said:
Has anyone seen these?

This unique bass string set is specifically constructed of a nylon core with silver plated windings. These round wound strings provide a warm booming sound that the U-Bass is known for. They feature lower tension compared to traditional built bass strings, making them easy on the fingers with a great overall feel.

  • Nylon core with Silver-plated windings
  • Specifically constructed for use with the Kala U-Bass
  • Provides player with extreme playability
  • Warm, powerful sound with clear note articulation
  • String construction and gauging gives player very accurate intonation

Kala Metal Round Wound 4 String UBASS Set

They basically sound like pyramid rounds but for half the price.
Click to expand...

Do they squeak?
 
#799
Interesting that Kala is responding to a U-Bass market that wants round wounds! Good for them!

Admittedly, I'm more from the 'Rubber strings are the whole point!" camp, but it's clear that many players want a more traditional electric bass style string. Good for Kala for responding to that trend.
 

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