Who's got a U-bass?

[AussieBassman]

Anybody?

[Lowender]

I've played one. They're virtually inaudible two feet away unless plugged in which leads me to think, what's the point? They do have a somewhat "upright sound" but so does a Hofner .

[dannybuoy]

I have one. Great fun to play, I got mine when I was travelling a lot for work so I could play a bit of bass in my hotel room. I also brought it out for one song on a gig once, people were amazed at the deep bass coming from such a tiny thing!

Only downsides with it are - it doesn't stay in tune very well, the intonation drifts out past the seventh fret, and the floppy strings don't change pitch much if you play bends. The last two issues could be fixed by going for the fretless version though. Also, I forget the name but there is a similar competing instrument out now, and Bass Direct sell some white strings for our that are supposed to be better than the stock black ones.

[Myke]

[quote name='dannybuoy' timestamp='1375305466' post='2159641']
The last two issues could be fixed by going for the fretless version though.
[/quote]

Surely with the 21 inch scale length, finding the right notes on a fretless would be a lot harder?

I am actually going to build one soon, so I shall report back after

Edited July 31, 2013 by Myke

[SlapbassSteve]

Mate of mine in Liverpool has one, it looks and sounds great, it's portable and weighs next to nothing... and the thick nylon strings(even the posh black ones, I've tried both) make it thoroughly unpleasant to play, imo... compared to 'real' basses anyway. So thick, and so little tension it's like playing a set of rubber bands stretched over a shoebox. Hence I use my regular P's and J's with my ukulele band and not a ukulele bass -would love to try the competitor though, I believe Tanglewood make them and they're half the price of the Kala ones.

[oggiesnr]

I've tried to play them but in all honesty I gave up. IMHO they're more of a gimmick than a serious bass (for the reasons given above) and with the uke group I either play my Tacoma acoustic or my upright.

I'm currently part way through rebuild a cheap classical guitar into a uke bass and will report back when/if I ever manage to get it finished.

Steve

[risingson]

I've played a few and absolutely loved them. They sound amazing,

[skej21]

Waste of time IMO. They don't sound like a ukulele, they aren't tuned like a ukulele and nine times out of ten, they arent played like a ukulele. At over £400 you could buy a nice second hand fretless that would be much more convincing when playing with a ukulele ensemble. Plus, if you're going to join a ukulele band to play bass lines, just play a bass instead... It'll definitely sound better.

Edited August 1, 2013 by skej21

[dannybuoy]

[quote name='Myke' timestamp='1375315060' post='2159799']
Surely with the 21 inch scale length, finding the right notes on a fretless would be a lot harder?

I am actually going to build one soon, so I shall report back after
[/quote]

Violin players can manage it!

But at least you can correct the pitch yourself which you can't do on the fretted one when it goes out of tune up the neck.

[dannybuoy]

[quote name='skej21' timestamp='1375343227' post='2159917']
Waste of time IMO. They don't sound like a ukulele, they aren't tuned like a ukulele and nine times out of ten, they arent played like a ukulele.[/quote]

It sounds like a bass, is tuned like a bass and nine times out of ten, is played like a bass. You just listed all of it's plus points!

[fretmeister]

[quote name='skej21' timestamp='1375343227' post='2159917']
Waste of time IMO. They don't sound like a ukulele, they aren't tuned like a ukulele and nine times out of ten, they arent played like a ukulele. At over £400 you could buy a nice second hand fretless that would be much more convincing when playing with a ukulele ensemble. Plus, if you're going to join a ukulele band to play bass lines, just play a bass instead... It'll definitely sound better.
[/quote]

It doesn't claim to be a uke! It's just a uke sized bass.

[Owen]

I have one. Useless for acoustic playing. But everything else is unless it is a DB. It needs a decent buffer preamp. But it sounds superb. It has the the low mid air shifting DB thud. Tuning issues higher up? Yes. Low tension strings? Yes, but I really like that. The world is broad and full of different opinions and that is what makes it great, but I do not consider it to be a toy in any shape or form.

[dannybuoy]

I wouldn't mind trying the fretless version if anyone wants to swap for a fretted, even if temporary. Will have to stick an ad up...

[Myke]

[quote name='dannybuoy' timestamp='1375353077' post='2160092']
Violin players can manage it!

But at least you can correct the pitch yourself which you can't do on the fretted one when it goes out of tune up the neck.
[/quote]

This is very true! My bad!

[alyctes]

I've got one (bought from BC member bobpalt). I like it. I like the portability, I like the thud, I like not needing an amp to practice.
Its downside, for me, is that it's hard to get people to take them seriously - which is why I don't play it as much as I'd like. It's actually easier to get that with an Ashbory.

Also, Bakithi Kumalo likes them, so I figure I'm in good company

[alyctes]

[quote name='Myke' timestamp='1375315060' post='2159799']

I am actually going to build one soon, so I shall report back after
[/quote]

If you're doing that, you may find this site useful: www.largesound.com. Have a look at the user forum, there are several people there who like tinkering with short-scale builds with plastic strings.

[ubassman]

...err yes ( well with a name like mine I would have to wouldn't I !!)! Try the K-Lizard form Ortega very similar than the Kala. The orange strings are garbage though and a good set of Thunderguts are great.!

[Myke]

[quote name='alyctes' timestamp='1375358869' post='2160195']
If you're doing that, you may find this site useful: www.largesound.com. Have a look at the user forum, there are several people there who like tinkering with short-scale builds with plastic strings.
[/quote]

I'll have a look, thank you very much

[tauzero]

[quote name='alyctes' timestamp='1375358869' post='2160195']
If you're doing that, you may find this site useful: www.largesound.com. Have a look at the user forum, there are several people there who like tinkering with short-scale builds with plastic strings.
[/quote]

They also sell things like Ashbory tuners which will take super-thick strings.

I've got all the stuff ready to build an Ashboryalike, I just haven't got round to doing anything about it yet.

[skej21]

[quote name='dannybuoy' timestamp='1375353231' post='2160097']


It sounds like a bass, is tuned like a bass and nine times out of ten, is played like a bass. You just listed all of it's plus points!
[/quote]

So why not buy an actual bass? The U-Bass doesn't sound like a bass, or a uke. It's a 'no mans land' type instrument. Just like the Banjalele and the guitalele. Gimmicky nonsense IMO.

[tauzero]

[quote name='skej21' timestamp='1375361871' post='2160261']
So why not buy an actual bass?
[/quote]

It's not an either/or thing, you know. I own an Ashbory, an Ashbory Mk II, about fifteen conventional basses, and an NS WAV-4. Owning the Ashbory didn't mean I couldn't have a conventional bass. Just because you don't like them doesn't mean that there aren't those of us out there who appreciate them for what they are and not for what they arent.

[iamtheelvy]

Hell of a lot easier to lug around than a double bass...

[Owen]

[quote name='skej21' timestamp='1375361871' post='2160261']


So why not buy an actual bass? The U-Bass doesn't sound like a bass, or a uke. It's a 'no mans land' type instrument. Just like the Banjalele and the guitalele. Gimmicky nonsense IMO.
[/quote]

It does not sound like a uke. It is tuned the same as a standard 4 string bass, so how it could sound like anything but a bass is beyond me. A Jazz does not sound like a Precision does not sound like an Alembic does not sound like a Rickenbacker does not sound like a Turner Renaiassance does not sound like a Hofner does not sound like a Status does not sound like a Kala Ubass. But they all sound like a bass.

[BetaFunk]

[quote name='skej21' timestamp='1375361871' post='2160261']
So why not buy an actual bass? The U-Bass doesn't sound like a bass, or a uke. It's a 'no mans land' type instrument.
[/quote]
It sounds like a bass to me.

[BassTractor]

Was that a U-Bass that Bakithi Kumalo used on the 2011 Paul Simon concert that went on TV?
In case: great bass tone!

I know this, coz my ex walked in whilst I was watching that show, and I pointed her towards the TV set where Bakithi was shown with a curvy cigar box thang with four black ropes on it, uponwhich she exclaimed:

- "Great bass tone!"

See?



best,
bert

Edited August 4, 2013 by BassTractor