The Gold Tone Microbass

[Oscar Stern]

I came across a little Bass made by Goldtone called a Microbass

This one happens to be the Fretted ME-Bass (Solid Body Electric Model w/ a 23 inch Scale) & this has Special Strings called Thunderblacks (Black Thunder guts) which produce a really special sound that's reminiscent of a Double Bass but w/ more sustain. The bridge on this one slides back & forth (I think the Acoustic Microbass needs an upgrade to feature that) so you can get it to play in tune with the Steel Core Flatwound Strings that they make model MBLS.

 

[pingvuiini]

The Gold Tone solid body Microbass started me on my journey towards playing uke sized basses exclusively several years ago. I started suffering pain in my fretting ring and pinky fingers, so I wanted to give the uke bass a go. Luckily they were available lefty and fretless, and there was no pain playing them at all. At that time the Microbass was only available with a volume and tone knob then later they made it volume, treble and bass. The white Aquila strings that came with it were very prone to 'thinning' and so I turned to Road Toad Pahoehoe strings which were much more stable (I believe Kala has bought Road Toad). Even so the silicon rubber strings were a total PITA to install. Later on I reached out to an olde luthier friend of mine to see if he would be willing to make a five string lefty fretless uke bass and he accepted. Soon after receiving that bass I was able to find a string manufacturer that was willing to make regular steel strings in custom uke scale, and I immediately ditched the rubber strings. Since that time my friend built me a four string fretless uke bass and I have bought a Tiny Boy and a Kala solid body. I currently have a Lignum headless fretless five string in the works. I also have an Ibanez Mikro which, at 28.6" scale, is my 'long scale bass' which doesn't get played much anymore. But the uke basses are a total blast and it's so nice to be able to play for hours without any pain. So have fun with yours.

 

[boamedt]

The Gold Tone solid body Microbass started me on my journey towards playing uke sized basses exclusively several years ago. I started suffering pain in my fretting ring and pinky fingers, so I wanted to give the uke bass a go. Luckily they were available lefty and fretless, and there was no pain playing them at all. At that time the Microbass was only available with a volume and tone knob then later they made it volume, treble and bass. The white Aquila strings that came with it were very prone to 'thinning' and so I turned to Road Toad Pahoehoe strings which were much more stable (I believe Kala has bought Road Toad). Even so the silicon rubber strings were a total PITA to install. Later on I reached out to an olde luthier friend of mine to see if he would be willing to make a five string lefty fretless uke bass and he accepted. Soon after receiving that bass I was able to find a string manufacturer that was willing to make regular steel strings in custom uke scale, and I immediately ditched the rubber strings. Since that time my friend built me a four string fretless uke bass and I have bought a Tiny Boy and a Kala solid body. I currently have a Lignum headless fretless five string in the works. I also have an Ibanez Mikro which, at 28.6" scale, is my 'long scale bass' which doesn't get played much anymore. But the uke basses are a total blast and it's so nice to be able to play for hours without any pain. So have fun with yours.

View attachment 7096878

cool collection! what are the 2 to the right most?

 

[Oscar Stern]

The Gold Tone solid body Microbass started me on my journey towards playing uke sized basses exclusively several years ago. I started suffering pain in my fretting ring and pinky fingers, so I wanted to give the uke bass a go. Luckily they were available lefty and fretless, and there was no pain playing them at all. At that time the Microbass was only available with a volume and tone knob then later they made it volume, treble and bass. The white Aquila strings that came with it were very prone to 'thinning' and so I turned to Road Toad Pahoehoe strings which were much more stable (I believe Kala has bought Road Toad). Even so the silicon rubber strings were a total PITA to install. Later on I reached out to an olde luthier friend of mine to see if he would be willing to make a five string lefty fretless uke bass and he accepted. Soon after receiving that bass I was able to find a string manufacturer that was willing to make regular steel strings in custom uke scale, and I immediately ditched the rubber strings. Since that time my friend built me a four string fretless uke bass and I have bought a Tiny Boy and a Kala solid body. I currently have a Lignum headless fretless five string in the works. I also have an Ibanez Mikro which, at 28.6" scale, is my 'long scale bass' which doesn't get played much anymore. But the uke basses are a total blast and it's so nice to be able to play for hours without any pain. So have fun with yours.

View attachment 7096878

You can use Gold Tone Flatwound strings on the Microbass also the Labella Silverbacks

 

[Oscar Stern]

Goldtone has 4 different string sets for the Microbass.

Thunder Guts

Thunder Blacks (the Black Versions of thunder guts)

Silver Backs (round wound nylon strings) And also Steel Core Flatwounds

 

[Don Hergert]

Basically a solid body uBass. I've got a fretless Kala, still using the original RoadToad strings. I find mine usable as a backup when I'm willing to be persecuted for playing amplified, which as it has worked out, is very seldom. Bluegrass does not tolerate amps very much, except on-stage if you're traveling long distances.

Truth is, I just really prefer playing my double bass.

 

[Oscar Stern]

Basically a solid body uBass. I've got a fretless Kala, still using the original RoadToad strings. I find mine usable as a backup when I'm willing to be persecuted for playing amplified, which as it has worked out, is very seldom. Bluegrass does not tolerate amps very much, except on-stage if you're traveling long distances.

Truth is, I just really prefer playing my double bass.

Yes but this instrument is a little bit larger than a UBass the scale length is also longer than a UBass

 

[pingvuiini]

cool collection! what are the 2 to the right most?

Here's everything from left to right:

•Gold Tone Microbass with custom Pyramid steel core tapewound strings, Dunlop Straploks, and stock piezos.

• Gold Tone Microbass with Road Toad Pahoehoe silicon rubber strings, Dunlop Straploks, and stock piezos.

•Tiny Boy solid body with stock steel core roundwounds, DiMarzio PJs, Dunlop Straploks, and concentric tone knob.

•Kala solid body uke bass. This bass has gone through a lot of upgrades (see photo below): Pyramid roundwounds, EMG Geezer split Ps, new pickguard, Dunlop Straploks, Hipshot bridge, Ultralight tuners and D-tuner.

•Ken Bebensee Baruke 5 string fretless with Pyramid steel core tapes, Nordstrand J-Blade pickup, Graph Tech piezos, Audere tone circuit, Hipshot Ultralight tuners and D-Tuner. This was the first custom uke bass Ken made for me and it was initially made for rubber strings, with just piezos. Then Max at Pyramid Strings made a custom set of steel core tapes and so Ken was able to shoehorn a magnetic pickup. Here is a link for more info and history.

•Ken Benesee Shmuke 4 string fretless with Pyarimid steel core tapes, Bart soaps and tone circuit, Hipshot Ultralight tuners and D-Tuner. Here is a link for more info.

You can use Gold Tone Flatwound strings on the Microbass also the Labella Silverbacks

I'm pretty much using steel core rounds and tapes and magnetic pickups on all my uke basses except the one Gold Tone with Road Toad Pahoehoes. I agree with you that the low tension rubber strings have a very nice 'blooming' sound to them and I wanted to have one bass setup with that. But I must say certainly I don't miss installing those pesky rubber strings. Gaugh!! Thankfully string manufacturers are starting to make uke scale steel cores more nowadays, which behave and sound much more like normal electric bass strings.

 

[Oscar Stern]

Here's everything from left to right:

•Gold Tone Microbass with custom Pyramid steel core tapewound strings, Dunlop Straploks, and stock piezos.

• Gold Tone Microbass with Road Toad Pahoehoe silicon rubber strings, Dunlop Straploks, and stock piezos.

•Tiny Boy solid body with stock steel core roundwounds, DiMarzio PJs, Dunlop Straploks, and concentric tone knob.

•Kala solid body uke bass. This bass has gone through a lot of upgrades (see photo below): Pyramid roundwounds, EMG Geezer split Ps, new pickguard, Dunlop Straploks, Hipshot bridge, Ultralight tuners and D-tuner.

•Ken Bebensee Baruke 5 string fretless with Pyramid steel core tapes, Nordstrand J-Blade pickup, Graph Tech piezos, Audere tone circuit, Hipshot Ultralight tuners and D-Tuner. This was the first custom uke bass Ken made for me and it was initially made for rubber strings, with just piezos. Then Max at Pyramid Strings made a custom set of steel core tapes and so Ken was able to shoehorn a magnetic pickup. Here is a link for more info and history.

•Ken Benesee Shmuke 4 string fretless with Pyarimid steel core tapes, Bart soaps and tone circuit, Hipshot Ultralight tuners and D-Tuner. Here is a link for more info.




I'm pretty much using steel core rounds and tapes and magnetic pickups on all my uke basses except the one Gold Tone with Road Toad Pahoehoes. I agree with you that the low tension rubber strings have a very nice 'blooming' sound to them and I wanted to have one bass setup with that. But I must say certainly I don't miss installing those pesky rubber strings. Gaugh!! Thankfully string manufacturers are starting to make uke scale steel cores more nowadays, which behave and sound much more like normal electric bass strings.

View attachment 7097037

Why not change the Road Toads to something like Gold Tone Silver backs?

 

[Matt Liebenau]

Here's everything from left to right:

•Gold Tone Microbass with custom Pyramid steel core tapewound strings, Dunlop Straploks, and stock piezos.

• Gold Tone Microbass with Road Toad Pahoehoe silicon rubber strings, Dunlop Straploks, and stock piezos.

•Tiny Boy solid body with stock steel core roundwounds, DiMarzio PJs, Dunlop Straploks, and concentric tone knob.

•Kala solid body uke bass. This bass has gone through a lot of upgrades (see photo below): Pyramid roundwounds, EMG Geezer split Ps, new pickguard, Dunlop Straploks, Hipshot bridge, Ultralight tuners and D-tuner.

•Ken Bebensee Baruke 5 string fretless with Pyramid steel core tapes, Nordstrand J-Blade pickup, Graph Tech piezos, Audere tone circuit, Hipshot Ultralight tuners and D-Tuner. This was the first custom uke bass Ken made for me and it was initially made for rubber strings, with just piezos. Then Max at Pyramid Strings made a custom set of steel core tapes and so Ken was able to shoehorn a magnetic pickup. Here is a link for more info and history.

•Ken Benesee Shmuke 4 string fretless with Pyarimid steel core tapes, Bart soaps and tone circuit, Hipshot Ultralight tuners and D-Tuner. Here is a link for more info.




I'm pretty much using steel core rounds and tapes and magnetic pickups on all my uke basses except the one Gold Tone with Road Toad Pahoehoes. I agree with you that the low tension rubber strings have a very nice 'blooming' sound to them and I wanted to have one bass setup with that. But I must say certainly I don't miss installing those pesky rubber strings. Gaugh!! Thankfully string manufacturers are starting to make uke scale steel cores more nowadays, which behave and sound much more like normal electric bass strings.

View attachment 7097037

I’m know I should probably check the bass uke thread(s). If I may hijack for a couple of dumb questions, the strings that work with magnetic pickups are, so to speak, commonly available or special order? The 5 string is tuned B-G like a typical 5 string?

I may have to build one or two of these.

 

[pingvuiini]

Why not change the Road Toads to something like Gold Tone Silver backs?

For fretless I prefer smooth strings for less finger noise when doing glissandos. Which reminds me of another issue I had with the rubber strings: they can get kind of sticky while playing. I had various mickey mouse remedies to help alleviate that problem but with the steel core strings it's all back to 'normal' again, thank goodness.

I’m know I should probably check the bass uke thread(s). If I may hijack for a couple of dumb questions, the strings that work with magnetic pickups are, so to speak, commonly available or special order? The 5 string is tuned B-G like a typical 5 string?

I may have to build one or two of these.

Things are *just* starting to pick up as far as 'normal' steel core strings for uke bass. At first I had to custom order the tapewounds from Pyramid strings ($$$$!). I gave Max very specific measurements of the strings based off the Road Toad Pahoehoes so they would fit the Gold Tones. Then I had Ken build the Baruke and Shmuke based off the Pyramid tapes so everything would fit properly. I have since bought custom made nickel plated and pure nickel roundwounds from Pyramid.

Dogal makes the Tiny Boy strings.

Much later I bought the Kala solid body which came with what I believe are LaBella roundwounds which are available from Sweetwater. I sent Max photos of the Kala next to a tape measure and he was able to make nickel plated and pure nickel roundwound sets for me.

Interestingly, I had contacted LaBella and D'Addario before Pyramid to see if they would be willing to make uke sized steel core tapes and rounds. D'Addario said they had no plans to ever do so, and LaBella said they've tried but were 'unable to make the intonation work.' Hmmmmmm.

 

[Matt Liebenau]

For fretless I prefer smooth strings for less finger noise when doing glissandos. Which reminds me of another issue I had with the rubber strings: they can get kind of sticky while playing. I had various mickey mouse remedies to help alleviate that problem but with the steel core strings it's all back to 'normal' again, thank goodness.



Things are *just* starting to pick up as far as 'normal' steel core strings for uke bass. At first I had to custom order the tapewounds from Pyramid strings ($$$$!). I gave Max very specific measurements of the strings based off the Road Toad Pahoehoes so they would fit the Gold Tones. Then I had Ken build the Baruke and Shmuke based off the Pyramid tapes so everything would fit properly. I have since bought custom made nickel plated and pure nickel roundwounds from Pyramid.

Dogal makes the Tiny Boy strings.

Much later I bought the Kala solid body which came with what I believe are LaBella roundwounds which are available from Sweetwater. I sent Max photos of the Kala next to a tape measure and he was able to make nickel plated and pure nickel roundwound sets for me.

Interestingly, I had contacted LaBella and D'Addario before Pyramid to see if they would be willing to make uke sized steel core tapes and rounds. D'Addario said they had no plans to ever do so, and LaBella said they've tried but were 'unable to make the intonation work.' Hmmmmmm.

Thanks. Maybe I’ll look into strings before I get too involved in a build. There’s a couple of projects before anyway and I’d like to do a 5 string.

 

[klattman]

The Aquila thunderbruwn strings are less sticky and still sound good.

I trued the copper wrapped flatwounds and while they felt more normal, they were super zingy through the piezo. I could kill the treble but some clack is nice so I went back to non metal strings in the gold tone.

Wondering if any of the other metal strings have this same zingy problem?

Also on the gold tone, I replaced the tuners as the combination of finicky strings and sticky tuners was too much. Maybe I got a bad one.

 

[Oscar Stern]

The Aquila thunderbruwn strings are less sticky and still sound good.

I trued the copper wrapped flatwounds and while they felt more normal, they were super zingy through the piezo. I could kill the treble but some clack is nice so I went back to non metal strings in the gold tone.

Wondering if any of the other metal strings have this same zingy problem?

Also on the gold tone, I replaced the tuners as the combination of finicky strings and sticky tuners was too much. Maybe I got a bad one.

The Goldtone could use improvements. The Flat spirals could use improvements too. Try the Labella Flats that gold tone has next time

 

[HaphAsSard]

Interestingly, I had contacted LaBella and D'Addario before Pyramid to see if they would be willing to make uke sized steel core tapes and rounds. D'Addario said they had no plans to ever do so, and LaBella said they've tried but were 'unable to make the intonation work.' Hmmmmmm.

La Bella and Pyramid briefly experimented with ukulele-bass nylon tapewounds in the early Tens, but both realised they were not a viable direct replacement option for acoustic uke-bass owners, because their steel core made them stiffer than the stock Road Toad or Aquila strings, which called for a repositioning of the bridge most would be unwilling to make. As you know, the latter brand does make custom-length tapes, since you specified they were to be installed on a solid-body model with either a continuously-adjustable bridge, or a fixed one whose position would be finalised expressly for those tapes; OTOH, La Bella just never went beyond the small-batch phase with their products of that ilk, and simply abandoned that market segment.

 

[Oscar Stern]

For fretless I prefer smooth strings for less finger noise when doing glissandos. Which reminds me of another issue I had with the rubber strings: they can get kind of sticky while playing. I had various mickey mouse remedies to help alleviate that problem but with the steel core strings it's all back to 'normal' again, thank goodness.



Things are *just* starting to pick up as far as 'normal' steel core strings for uke bass. At first I had to custom order the tapewounds from Pyramid strings ($$$$!). I gave Max very specific measurements of the strings based off the Road Toad Pahoehoes so they would fit the Gold Tones. Then I had Ken build the Baruke and Shmuke based off the Pyramid tapes so everything would fit properly. I have since bought custom made nickel plated and pure nickel roundwounds from Pyramid.

Dogal makes the Tiny Boy strings.

Much later I bought the Kala solid body which came with what I believe are LaBella roundwounds which are available from Sweetwater. I sent Max photos of the Kala next to a tape measure and he was able to make nickel plated and pure nickel roundwound sets for me.

Interestingly, I had contacted LaBella and D'Addario before Pyramid to see if they would be willing to make uke sized steel core tapes and rounds. D'Addario said they had no plans to ever do so, and LaBella said they've tried but were 'unable to make the intonation work.' Hmmmmmm.

You can use LaBella Micro Bass Flatwounds

 

[Oscar Stern]

Basically a solid body uBass. I've got a fretless Kala, still using the original RoadToad strings. I find mine usable as a backup when I'm willing to be persecuted for playing amplified, which as it has worked out, is very seldom. Bluegrass does not tolerate amps very much, except on-stage if you're traveling long distances.

Truth is, I just really prefer playing my double bass.

The Microbass by Goldtone is CUTE & great for traveling or maybe if you have an injury & need a break from the Double Bass.

 

[liquidate]

Apologies for resurrecting an older thread, but given your collective experience with these solid-body microbasses, I'm hoping you can help. I have a Goldtone 23" fretless microbass (solidbody) and it's by far my favorite. Unfortunately, I use it so much that the gig bag has started to fall apart. I've called GoldTone to see if I could purchase a replacement, and they told me I was out of luck. Does anyone have suggestions on third-party bags that would fit this little guy somewhat snugly? I thought about Kala, but the only gig bags I can find are for the acoustic basses.

 

[Oscar Stern]

Basically a solid body uBass. I've got a fretless Kala, still using the original RoadToad strings. I find mine usable as a backup when I'm willing to be persecuted for playing amplified, which as it has worked out, is very seldom. Bluegrass does not tolerate amps very much, except on-stage if you're traveling long distances.

Truth is, I just really prefer playing my double bass.

Double Basses are Acoustically imperfect (like Violas and Acoustic bass Guitars) because their sound chamber is too small to resonate fully on those low notes, that's why I've seen bluegrass bands use electric bass guitar instead.

 

[Oscar Stern]

Apologies for resurrecting an older thread, but given your collective experience with these solid-body microbasses, I'm hoping you can help. I have a Goldtone 23" fretless microbass (solidbody) and it's by far my favorite. Unfortunately, I use it so much that the gig bag has started to fall apart. I've called GoldTone to see if I could purchase a replacement, and they told me I was out of luck. Does anyone have suggestions on third-party bags that would fit this little guy somewhat snugly? I thought about Kala, but the only gig bags I can find are for the acoustic basses.

Kala U-BASS HC-UB Rectangular Acoustic Hard Case for Acoustic-Electric U-BASS | eBay This might work