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Kala UBass Megathread, Part 7

#1,001
Hi Mark,

If it helps, I'm still in the middle of that build with the Shadow system under a Fender-style bridge on a 30" body. It got slowed down by me breaking the pickup... I ordered a couple replacements and will report on progress as it happens. I did try the Shadow system on my Fender precision fretless -- it sounded surprisingly U-Bass-like (I have Thomastik Jazz flats on it).

I tried an electric with a piezo bridge (not the hipshot) and thought it had too much high end and string noise vs the shadow electronics. But it had roundwounds so who really knows....
 
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#1,003
1stnamebassist said:
I kind of liked the idea of no battery! I had a gentlemen I contacted on here come to Florida to see his mom and we met up so I could check out the Ubass for the 1st time. He had a acoustic and a California solidbody. The soildbody preamp was dead so he plugged in a guitar cable into the output jack and held a 9 volt battery on the other jack for a minute or so and it charged it up at least long enough to play it and see how it sounded! What a great community we have here on Talkbass! People you don't know coming together from everywhere to help one another, even meeting up to check out others instruments!
Click to expand...
Here's the thing about the no battery. KALA didn't have people who were skilled enough to use a soldering gun, or feed and fit the pickup from the cavity end like I just did. So over the objections of the designer of the MiSe pickup They made him put a plug on the board so they could then feed the pickup from the bridge side The plug has a bad ground and causes terrible hum unless you touch the jack with your hand. KALA, wanted my repairman to send them a photo of the inside so they would know what was in it. They were so unhelpful he refuses to be a dealer for them. Then he contacted the inventor of the MiSe pickup and got the story of why it is bad. His fix was to wrap a copper sheet around the jack going into the board, which only reduced the hum 90% The other thing is the day the charger fails, you will have no idea it failed until your bass sounds like crap. Also the instructions tell you how to make an emergency charger out of a 9v battery with more little wire and fittings and fail points. And one other thing, be careful you don't overcharge it. So anyway I have the old pickup assembly if you want it. My other 9V peizo on a guitar lasted over 2 years.
 
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#1,004
Wow, that's pretty crazy. I never had a kala with those electronics so I wasn't aware of any issues. I did try a kala 4 string at a store near me that is known for having lots of high end stuff that is set up well, but the kala was not in a good way, nothing terrible, but they didn't know where the charger was so I couldn't hear it, just play it for feel, and the strings were wrapped around the tuners so many times that the tuners wouldn't even turn. You really have to know the quirks of the kalas. Come to think of it, the acoustic, one of the passive ones, was all distorted until I pushed on the saddles a bunch and seated the pickup.

That all being said, it's a fun bass to play! The lr baggs system sounds great, so I think you'll enjoy it now.
 
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#1,005
mrufino1 said:
Cool! I have the u-bass working with the fender style bridge as well and it does work, but I'd still love to get a wood type bridge working. Check out Steve swallows citron bass, the bridge they designed is very cool.
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Looks brilliant -- $475 for a bridge and pickup, though. More than twice the cost of the Hipshot. I would have to really really want it. When I get the replacement pickup, I'm going to have my luthier file a slot into the body so the bridge isn't elevated at all, and the pickup has good pressure. Itll probably be a month or so before its happening but I will definitely report back.

Also, Kala has been very responsive to my inquiries and has at least feigned interest in the project, and Shadow sent me specs on the pots when I asked. Not to contradict anyone else's experience, just to add to the mix.
 
#1,006
SassyHardwrench said:
Here's the thing about the no battery. KALA didn't have people who were skilled enough to use a soldering gun, or feed and fit the pickup from the cavity end like I just did. So over the objections of the designer of the MiSe pickup They made him put a plug on the board so they could then feed the pickup from the bridge side The plug has a bad ground and causes terrible hum unless you touch the jack with your hand. KALA, wanted my repairman to send them a photo of the inside so they would know what was in it. They were so unhelpful he refuses to be a dealer for them. Then he contacted the inventor of the MiSe pickup and got the story of why it is bad. His fix was to wrap a copper sheet around the jack going into the board, which only reduced the hum 90% The other thing is the day the charger fails, you will have no idea it failed until your bass sounds like crap. Also the instructions tell you how to make an emergency charger out of a 9v battery with more little wire and fittings and fail points. And one other thing, be careful you don't overcharge it. So anyway I have the old pickup assembly if you want it. My other 9V peizo on a guitar lasted over 2 years.
Click to expand...

Very interesting. I wonder if that was the reason for the hum I was getting on the fretless acoustic Kala UBass I used to have. I mean, it's a different instrument and circuit, but the uncommon 2.5-mm plug they used to connect the pickup to the output jack was suspicious.
 
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#1,007
SassyHardwrench said:
Here's the thing about the no battery. KALA didn't have people who were skilled enough to use a soldering gun, or feed and fit the pickup from the cavity end like I just did. So over the objections of the designer of the MiSe pickup They made him put a plug on the board so they could then feed the pickup from the bridge side The plug has a bad ground and causes terrible hum unless you touch the jack with your hand. KALA, wanted my repairman to send them a photo of the inside so they would know what was in it. They were so unhelpful he refuses to be a dealer for them. Then he contacted the inventor of the MiSe pickup and got the story of why it is bad. His fix was to wrap a copper sheet around the jack going into the board, which only reduced the hum 90% The other thing is the day the charger fails, you will have no idea it failed until your bass sounds like crap. Also the instructions tell you how to make an emergency charger out of a 9v battery with more little wire and fittings and fail points. And one other thing, be careful you don't overcharge it. So anyway I have the old pickup assembly if you want it. My other 9V peizo on a guitar lasted over 2 years.
Click to expand...
Wow, didn't realize it was such a PITA! Glad I play a fretless hog with no preamp!
 
#1,008
Temcat said:
Very interesting. I wonder if that was the reason for the hum I was getting on the fretless acoustic Kala UBass I used to have. I mean, it's a different instrument and circuit, but the uncommon 2.5-mm plug they used to connect the pickup to the output jack was suspicious.
Click to expand...
The source
1stnamebassist said:
Wow, didn't realize it was such a PITA! Glad I play a fretless hog with no preamp!
Click to expand...
No kidding. That way you can choose the preamp of your choice.
 
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#1,012
as I was going thru my junk drawer, I found a set of (4 string) Kala U-bass Silver Plated Round Wound strings, and now I have no U-bass to put them on. Still in sealed plastic, never opened, never installed. If anyone is interested, send me a convo on here, I would give club pricing just to move them on to someone who can use them.

IMG_0394.jpg IMG_0395.jpg IMG_0393.jpg
 
#1,013
A little over 5 years ago, I placed an order with Sweetwater on what would be the most money I had spent on an instrument that was not a full drum kit. Christmas, 2011 I plunked down $351 (Christmas sale!) for my U-Bass. Five years later, I have not regretted the purchase. I am still using my original strings, nothing has had to be repaired, but I did lose the small back entry plate. No biggie. The only thing I have added is a sound hole cover to reduce feedback.

My Kala U-Bass has matured into a nice sounding bass.
 
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#1,014
U bass 5 string at a wedding showcase, fender adjustable bridge, kala rounds, ramp under the strings. In this medley I have my foam mute on as well. You'll also see my new Krappy electric upright onstage (there's another video on my channel featuring that one). 34" scale upright. I'm loving short scale on any instrument. Short scale tuba may be next... ;-)

 
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#1,016
caeman said:
A little over 5 years ago, I placed an order with Sweetwater on what would be the most money I had spent on an instrument that was not a full drum kit. Christmas, 2011 I plunked down $351 (Christmas sale!) for my U-Bass. Five years later, I have not regretted the purchase. I am still using my original strings, nothing has had to be repaired, but I did lose the small back entry plate. No biggie. The only thing I have added is a sound hole cover to reduce feedback.

My Kala U-Bass has matured into a nice sounding bass.
Click to expand...
I once had a ubass with a missing back plate. Kala will send you one for nothing if you call and ask.
 

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