Tiny Boy Basses

[HaphAsSard]

Ken at Hosco said that using the flats on their fretted basses would shorten the life of the strings. These Dugals are made specifically for their fretless basses.

I’ve also heard from another source (bass teacher) that flats typically last a lot longer than rounds.

Yeah, that's overabundance of caution on the gentleman's part, in my opinion: flats last longer than rounds in the sense that their tone remains pleasing over a longer period of time, but they're probably longer-lasting also in the sense of more durable.

 

[songwriter21]

Yeah, that's overabundance of caution on the gentleman's part, in my opinion: flats last longer than rounds in the sense that their tone remains pleasing over a longer period of time, but they're probably longer-lasting also in the sense of more durable.

Unless you use Elixir. I frequently gig, and maybe change a set once a year.

Flats don't really have winding gaps like rounds do, and basically sound dead from the get-go. So, flats last a lot longer.

 

[MiniBassMan]

The Tiny Boy staff advised me not to use flats on a fretted bass, because the flats would wear more on the fret board. The staff further advised me that using flats on a fretless bass was fine.

 

[Norm Whipple]

Ok, I just replaced my factory rounds with pyramid 23.5” flats. Nylon core just doesn’t have enough metal to influence the pickups. So, with my Roland 5 watt the volume is lacking. With volume all the way up and gain up 1/4 of the way the distortion is unbearable.

And for now I agree the flats, at least these ones, sound flat even on my Genzler amp.

Would a preamp help I’m wondering?

 

[MiniBassMan]

I use a Fender Rumble 100 with my Tiny Boy. It works like a charm, but I am not using flats per the advice of the Tiny Boy staff.

 

[HaphAsSard]

Ok, I just replaced my factory rounds with pyramid 23.5” flats. Nylon core just doesn’t have enough metal to influence the pickups.

You guys are killing me! Alas, another option to cross off the (barely existing) list. Perhaps someone from the guitar scale acoustic bass thread may be interested in the set (it was designed for the Taylor GS Mini basslet, after all, and should fit on other models as well - they all have piezos so they don't strictly need magnetically-active strings, and are in fact better-served with nyloncores, for intonation reasons).

So, with my Roland 5 watt the volume is lacking. With volume all the way up and gain up 1/4 of the way the distortion is unbearable.

And for now I agree the flats, at least these ones, sound flat even on my Genzler amp.

Would a preamp help I’m wondering?

If the P pickup is quiet, a preamp (better if placed early enough in the signal chain, like a pedal, so as not to raise the noise floor) may indeed help.

Failing that, you could either: pony up for the Dogals; consider ordering custom-length Pyramid Golds - of the 'normal' type i.e. steel-core instead of nylon - as @KohanMike did for some of his basses (I'd suggest specifying lighter gauges than the La Bella/Gold Tone mentioned above, but not too much so); or write off flatwounds entirely.

 

[Norm Whipple]

Update on the Pyramid Flats. I should have posted this a week ago.
I met up with a fellow bassist to show him my issue with gain/volume. Dang, I wasn’t using the gain on my amp correctly. I’m such a hack as a bassist.
I turned the volume down and gain up. They sound and feel great!!
I’m sorry that didnt post this earlier.

 

[celticsapper]

Update on the Pyramid Flats. I should have posted this a week ago.
I met up with a fellow bassist to show him my issue with gain/volume. Dang, I wasn’t using the gain on my amp correctly. I’m such a hack as a bassist.
I turned the volume down and gain up. They sound and feel great!!
I’m sorry that didnt post this earlier.

I’ve been following this thread. Question: do the 23.5” scale pyramids fit properly on the 23” scale Tiny Boy basses? Meaning, does the silk remain below the saddle and above the nut?

Thanks in advance.

 

[Norm Whipple]

Indeed they do. I’ve had them on now for 5 months or so. I still love the feel.
I think they sound a little flat, no pun intended, on my small battery powered amp. But with my larger amps it sounds great and is nice on the fingers.
A couple of photos shows where the silk ends.

 

[celticsapper]

Indeed they do. I’ve had them on now for 5 months or so. I still love the feel.
I think they sound a little flat, no pun intended, on my small battery powered amp. But with my larger amps it sounds great and is nice on the fingers.
A couple of photos shows where the silk ends.

View attachment 4965223 View attachment 4965224

Thank you kindly. How do you like the Tiny Boy? Do you use it for practice or stage?

 

[Norm Whipple]

I have 4 Basses.
- Kala U-Bass, stays in the case.
- Taylor mini-E bass acoustic, 23” scale. Conveniently it is the same scale as the TB. I use it when I’m sitting on the couch fooling around.
- Nash Short scale 30”. Mostly for group playing with mixed instruments. Guitars, ukuleles, banjos, etc.
- Tiny Boy.
Also, I belong to a ukulele group that plays together once a week.
The tiny boy size most fits the size of the ukes. so, I mostly play it when I’m out.
I play mostly either the Nash or the TB. It kinda depends on the group I’m playing with. But, the TB has such a strong sound I’d play it anywhere. the only thing that it doesn’t have is sustain like the larger basses have.
I have to work on the finger stretch when I play the larger one too.
Such a long answer to your question.

 

[celticsapper]

I have 4 Basses.
- Kala U-Bass, stays in the case.
- Taylor mini-E bass acoustic, 23” scale. Conveniently it is the same scale as the TB. I use it when I’m sitting on the couch fooling around.
- Nash Short scale 30”. Mostly for group playing with mixed instruments. Guitars, ukuleles, banjos, etc.
- Tiny Boy.
Also, I belong to a ukulele group that plays together once a week.
The tiny boy size most fits the size of the ukes. so, I mostly play it when I’m out.

I play mostly either the Nash or the TB. It kinda depends on the group I’m playing with. But, the TB has such a strong sound I’d play it anywhere. the only thing that it doesn’t have is sustain like the larger basses have.
I have to work on the finger stretch when I play the larger one too.
Such a long answer to your question.

Thanks. Not a long answer at all. I hadn’t thought about the sustain. Makes sense. My main instrument is an NS Designs NXTa full length upright four string .

I, like most musicians, prefer strongly to not buy an instrument that I haven’t played. Since Kanilea Ukuleles is the sole distributor for the TB (and they’re 4,000 miles from north central Wisconsin) I don’t have much of an opportunity to see one in the flesh.

How is the fit and finish on the TB?

Charles

 

[Bassamatic]

I saw and played the TB basses at the NAMM show a while back and was totally impressed. I tried to buy one right off the floor at the end of the show, but no success. Best sounding and playing mini-bass I have seen. Workmanship was excellent.

 

[ric4682]

Just bumping this old thread to see if anyone’s got any new updates or opinions on these? Specifically the 5 string one.
Kinda bummed that the only North American distributor is in Hawaii which is probably adding to the higher cost, but I’m still curious about these for a travel bass. I haven been blown away by the 5 string Kala sound demos I’ve heard.

 

[tutubass]

Is it possible to have good sound on the e string? Mine sound very bad. How barely hear the difference between the lower notes. Mine is a fretless with flats btw