7string Posted February 13, 2011 Share Posted February 13, 2011 After going to the Moffat bassbash last week I'm in a bit of a quandry. I want to add the upright sound to the bass armoury (can't afford both!) but there are pros and cons to both of these. I've played upright before and I really love the upright sound and playing experience. The Kala U-Bass has that upright-ish sound and is extremely portable and a lot of fun to play. However, playing U-Bass is the same as playing a bass guitar, so no new or different skills are required. As always any opinions greatly appreciated! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Doddy Posted February 13, 2011 Share Posted February 13, 2011 If you want an upright sound,then really you need an upright. The Kala is cool and everything,but it's no substitute for a proper. I'd also recommend a proper upright over an electric one. Alot of Electric Uprights don't have the feel or response of an Upright,and those that do are pretty expensive. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TheGreek Posted February 13, 2011 Share Posted February 13, 2011 If your after that Upright Bass sound have you considered an Ashbory?? I am advised that using the strings for the Kala U-Bass on the Ashbory alleviate the "problems" with slow, sticky strings and using talc... As you say, playing a Kala (or an Ashbory) require no addition skills - isn't this a bonus?? As you can see from my sig I have one for sale... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Happy Jack Posted February 13, 2011 Share Posted February 13, 2011 [quote name='7string' post='1126070' date='Feb 13 2011, 04:11 PM']However, playing U-Bass [color="#FF0000"][b]is the same as playing a bass guitar[/b][/color], so no new or different skills are required.[/quote] Having bought Owen's U-Bass a week ago, I'm not entirely sure that I'd agree with that. Depends whether you want the DB [i][b]sound [/b][/i]or the DB [i][b]experience[/b][/i]. The U-Bass gives you (quite a bit of) one but (absolutely) none of the other. Right now, I haven't the time to learn DB, the room to store one, or the type of band to require one, so I bought the U-Bass. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
7string Posted February 13, 2011 Author Share Posted February 13, 2011 (edited) Yeah, I missed out on Owen's bass. [b]Thanks a lot....[/b] Ha ha ha ! That's what I was trying to get at. The sound vs. the experience. I used to have an upright, but now don't have the room. My wife has never really forgiven me for selling it as she loved the look of the DB. Proceeds went to the 9 string fund at the time. Price wise a Stagg EUB and a U-Bass 2 are round about the same price, which makes the decision more difficult! Edited February 13, 2011 by 7string Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Walker Posted August 26, 2011 Share Posted August 26, 2011 We do some Old Crow Medicine Show covers and the kala uBass running through a Boss AC-3 Acoustic sim does the job for me. It takes many hours of noodling to get used to the scale, high action and the pups, but it's great fun, the sound is pretty much spot on. The best thing is, I take it everywhere! You can practice anywhere because it's virtually silent from 3 feet away. Oh, and it's almost weightless too. I'm loving it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jean-Luc Pickguard Posted August 26, 2011 Share Posted August 26, 2011 Another good pedal for making a bass sound more open & acousticy is the Behringer ADI21 brown 'acoustic' preamp. I use it with both an NS-Design CR5M & Ashbory. The Ashbory is better for portability (obviously) and sounds wonderful. The Pahoehoe (Kala) polyurethene strings are 100x better than the rubberjohnnie ones, but being so weenie and fretless intonation can a hit & miss. I'd swap my ashbory for a fretted Kala in an instant if I could. The NS upright is a much more physical experience to play and looks great on stage, but its strength is that it offers something unique rather than trying to be a louder doublebass or a bigger bass guitar stood on its end. It can cut through in a two guitar band and the B string is the best B sounding string of any bass I've heard (at 42" scale length helps!) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
redstriper Posted August 26, 2011 Share Posted August 26, 2011 [quote name='Jean-Luc Pickguard' post='1353051' date='Aug 26 2011, 09:21 PM']I'd swap my ashbory for a fretted Kala in an instant if I could.[/quote] I thought that until I tried the fretted U-Bass. I found it harder to play than the Ashbory because you have to be very accurate with fretting to avoid buzzing and choked notes and it doesn't sound as nice imo. I bought a stick on fret board for the Ashbory, but that had the same problem as the U-Bass - frets don't work well with such fat strings and such a short scale ime. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
derrenleepoole Posted September 1, 2011 Share Posted September 1, 2011 Would love to get one of these little bad boys, just for fun really. Found a video of an Ashbory being played quite well, intonation is a little out, but it demonstrates that the it's quite versatile: And I found this review of the 5 strings Kala solid body, loving the funkiness of it: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lfalex v1.1 Posted September 2, 2011 Share Posted September 2, 2011 (edited) Aaaaagh! Each to his own, but... You've convinced me never to even [i]look[/i] at either a Kala or an Ashbory. Give me either a 34"(+) Fretless Electric-preferably a Jazz- or an EUB of the NS persuasion. I can't live without a degree of sustain. If I wanted that sort of sound, I'd head for some knackered flats and a sponge mute judiciously wedged under the strings near the bridge. (Did my mileage vary just then?) Edited September 2, 2011 by Lfalex v1.1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Happy Jack Posted September 4, 2011 Share Posted September 4, 2011 [quote name='derrenleepoole' post='1358995' date='Sep 1 2011, 05:00 PM']And I found this review of the 5 strings Kala solid body, loving the funkiness of it:[/quote] Review? REVIEW!?!? That's the most sick-making, w***-tastic advert I've seen in a month of Sundays ... and I'm a big fan of U-Bass. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
derrenleepoole Posted September 4, 2011 Share Posted September 4, 2011 [quote name='Happy Jack' post='1361678' date='Sep 4 2011, 12:12 PM']Review? REVIEW!?!? That's the most sick-making, w***-tastic advert I've seen in a month of Sundays ... and I'm a big fan of U-Bass.[/quote] Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
derrenleepoole Posted October 31, 2011 Share Posted October 31, 2011 (edited) Have been recently following the work of the this guy on Youtube: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AjVCaTz-kF0 There are lots of good videos on his Youtube feed demonstrating how versatile the uBass can be. I'm seriously GASing for one now. Edited October 31, 2011 by derrenleepoole Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
thisnameistaken Posted October 31, 2011 Share Posted October 31, 2011 I think it sounds more like a Fender with mutes under the strings than an upright. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Clarky Posted October 31, 2011 Share Posted October 31, 2011 [quote name='thisnameistaken' timestamp='1320076617' post='1421982'] I think it sounds more like a Fender with mutes under the strings than an upright. [/quote] +1, really doesn't sound at all like a double bass to my ears. There's no woodyness or growl, its all thump Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
thisnameistaken Posted October 31, 2011 Share Posted October 31, 2011 I should add: Not that there's anything wrong with that. Of my two bass guitars, one is kept strung with flats and I have two lumps of neoprene cut to fit under the strings when the need arises. I like that sound and I use it often, it's just not a double bass sound. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
derrenleepoole Posted October 31, 2011 Share Posted October 31, 2011 Only a double bass will sound like a double bass - simple physics. I'm liking the fact that the Kala, in the right hands, could actually be quite a versatile little instrument and just offers a different way of playing. I quite like the thumpy tone, I do get bored of hearing bassists with tone that isn't very 'bass' - if you know what I mean. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TPJ Posted October 31, 2011 Share Posted October 31, 2011 (edited) I have a one of these now and the tone IME lies inbetween a DB with a pickup and an electric bass. But, it's got something going on tone wise that I prefer to say, my acoustic bass guitar. The whump and rootsy (sorry for the cliche terms) tone helps it fit several styles. You'd be surprised at the depth of sound that comes out of it. Those vids don't do it as much justice. It's a buggar to keep in tune though as the strings stretch like a b*stard. I take it to gigs for acoustic sets and to open mics to give a different tone when I don't feel like dragging the doghouse around. Edited October 31, 2011 by TPJ Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Owen Posted October 31, 2011 Share Posted October 31, 2011 The strings will settle into stability soon. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Burg Posted November 1, 2011 Share Posted November 1, 2011 I have a fretless Kala U-bass and it does the upright sound really nicely. I owuldn't agree that there are no new skills etc involved in playing one. The rubber strings do take quite a lot of adjustment, as does the short scale. My only gripes about the U bass are that acoustically, it's redundant. You need an amp to hear yourself. Which leads to the second gripe, it's woefully underpowered in the piezo and even through an amp you have to crank it to hear yourself. Tuning is also a pain. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TPJ Posted November 1, 2011 Share Posted November 1, 2011 (edited) [quote name='Burg' timestamp='1320137114' post='1422640']My only gripes about the U bass are that acoustically, it's redundant. You need an amp to hear yourself.[/quote] +1, although it's ok for sitting in the front room noodling and working out songs. [quote name='Burg' timestamp='1320137114' post='1422640']...Which leads to the second gripe, it's woefully underpowered in the piezo and even through an amp you have to crank it to hear yourself.[/quote] I run it though a Sadowsky pre/DI with the highs off and a little bass to round it out a bit. I think the pre act as a good buffer for the piezo. [quote name='Burg' timestamp='1320137114' post='1422640']...Tuning is also a pain.[/quote] +1 Still a worth while investment though Edited November 1, 2011 by TPJ Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
derrenleepoole Posted November 3, 2011 Share Posted November 3, 2011 Found a great uBass video on YouTube with Bakithi and James Hill playing Billie Jean: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cHC4KjglouQ&feature=youtube_gdata_player Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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