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Kala UBass Megathread, Part 7
- Thread starter olitoon
- Start date
I liked that till I found this:
Kala UBass Megathread, Part 7
Less bulky, easy on and off with the straps....haven't had the luxury of pairing it with a Dog Days blue velvet...but with this and the Galli Nylon Strings this little bass is near perfect. (I'm gonna go look for the DD Blue Velvet!) - Edit: OK I just went looking...Amazon has a bunch of the Guitar Strap versions but all of the Banjo/Mandolin ones are "Temporariny out of stock"
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I've now gigged twice with the Gallistrings. I love them. I just need to go get my nut filed so they fit right. Absolute keepers.
Great to see this thread alive and well. I am recent convert to Kala basses.
I just sold my SUB5, mostly because of the poor condition when I bought it and being 5 strings.
Currently rockin' a Kala Journeyman with rounds and pending delivery, today I hope of a new Kala USA California Koa.
Extremely excited especially after a purchasing a brand new rig to use with it.
I just sold my SUB5, mostly because of the poor condition when I bought it and being 5 strings.
Currently rockin' a Kala Journeyman with rounds and pending delivery, today I hope of a new Kala USA California Koa.
Extremely excited especially after a purchasing a brand new rig to use with it.
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Not sure why but can't view the attachment.
Journeyman is a great instrument! Enjoy............
I have that same Journeyman, but had to send it to Kala to fix a slightly twisted neck. I also replaced the round wounds with Aquila Thunderguts, which really look good on it, I tolerate the stickiness.
I'm debating between the Journeyman and the Hadean cutaway (I already have an Oscar Schmidt, which I love but can't reach the higher frets so I want a cutaway). I prefer the looks of the Kala (F holes! body looks thinner!) but the price of the Hadean.
Has anyone done a comparison of the two? Thanks!
Has anyone done a comparison of the two? Thanks!
I called Kala and they told me just use a little Windex applied to a paper towel and that keep the strings clean and reduces the stickiness. Using it that way for months on the Journeyman. Sound is great if you want that stand-up kinda sound. Useful for the bluegrass band in which I play.
Not me, but how do you not love this tone?
I have. Buy a Kala - get the hard case. See above.
Thank you! Luckily I already have a hard case because I keep banging my baritone uke into things, and the OS fits too.
I really want a fretless, but I've not found a rated fretless cutaway. Maybe I'll get my OS defretted after I get the new u-bass.
I'm going to try Windex. Love the sound of that sample.
I have a Hadean walnut cutaway and the Kala Journeyman. I don't discern a difference between them, I actually like the configuration of the Hadean preamp better.
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Thank you! I'd seen others of your posts about the Hadean, but I hadn't realized you also have a Journeyman.
I ended up ordering a Journeyman, because Amazon Prime (it would be easiest to return if needed). And I do love my Kala baritone uke.
Thanks everyone!
Thanks everyone!
The one bass that gives me recurrent GAS is a Kala U-Bass--especially now with the availability of Galli black nylon strings, which get a ringing endorsement and a nice demo here: Play UBass!
It seems like Kala has narrowed its offerings a bit; there are quite a few discontinued models on the website, so it seems the acoustic-electric offerings are the Wanderer, Journeyman, Rumbler, Exotic Mahogany, and Striped Ebony. I'm not entirely sure how the models differ in terms of quality and what accounts for the various prices; it's easier to see the aesthetic differences. So my questions:
1) Any pointers on which Kala acoustic-electric model to choose?
2) And any recommendations on fretted vs. fretless, assuming tapes (or flats) for strings?
Thanks!
It seems like Kala has narrowed its offerings a bit; there are quite a few discontinued models on the website, so it seems the acoustic-electric offerings are the Wanderer, Journeyman, Rumbler, Exotic Mahogany, and Striped Ebony. I'm not entirely sure how the models differ in terms of quality and what accounts for the various prices; it's easier to see the aesthetic differences. So my questions:
1) Any pointers on which Kala acoustic-electric model to choose?
2) And any recommendations on fretted vs. fretless, assuming tapes (or flats) for strings?
Thanks!
They have done away with quality to compete. These offerings don't require nice solid woods since they don't play acoustically to speak of. However i had a beautiful solid wood mahogany model about ten years ago. Aesthetically still not worth the about 600 price. But gorgeous nonetheless.
I think the Striped Ebony and Exotic Mahogany are slightly better materials, though still not solid. Last I saw you could still get the Solid Mahogany.
I opted for the Striped Mahogany fretless. Zero regrets. I put the Kala flatwounds on it. Sounds amazing, plays super smooth, absolutely the most fun bass to play that I own.
I bought a mahogany acoustic-electric in 2015 and have been quite happy with it. It was an import version. It looks like they still offer one now and for less than I paid (probably a virtue of competition). The only mod has been to buy a sound hole cover to reduce feedback when playing amplified. Oh, and since I live in a winter climate, I had to have the fret ends sanded once.
The best advice I got was to play a bunch in the store. Some of the fretted models had better intonation than others. Mine had great intonation, so I bought it. Fretted or fretless is just preference. Obviously fretless will get you further into "fake upright" territory.
I agree with @jdc866 : it is one of the most fun instruments I own.
The best advice I got was to play a bunch in the store. Some of the fretted models had better intonation than others. Mine had great intonation, so I bought it. Fretted or fretless is just preference. Obviously fretless will get you further into "fake upright" territory.
I agree with @jdc866 : it is one of the most fun instruments I own.
I have a solid spruce top fretless model. Couldn't sell it on ebay. Couldn't sell it on facebook. Been on consignment now for months in a guitar store that is only asking 125. About like new. Hadean and the like just killed the market with cheap but good playing knock offs. But, yes they are fun. I just moved to 22 to 23 inch scale because i could use solid core flatwounds and moving to 22 to 23 guitars from baritone and tenor ukes again for steel strings.
