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Kala Ubass or...????


fretmeister
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Much to my annoyance I have 2 hernias and I'm not supposed to be lifting anything heavier than a kettle.

My lightest proper bass is 8.8lb and I can't afford a Rob Allen Mouse 30 ( about 5.5 lb apparently)

So what about a Ubass or similar? I'm not expecting bass guitar tones as such but I'm going mad without playing and surgery won't happen to February at the earliest.

Anyone playing a Ubass? Is it worth going for the spruce top?

All thoughts welcome.

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Aria Sinsonido. Weighs maybe 4.5lb, 34" scale, "piezo" pup only. About £400 new, IIRC.

[url="http://www.playawayguitars.com/play_away_guitars_shop.php?itemID=609"]http://www.playawayg....php?itemID=609[/url]

Get well soon :)

Edit: Completely by chance, http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/ARIA-SINSINIDO-4-STRING-BASS-GUITAR-/301793642835?hash=item46444d8953:g:iE8AAOSw~bFWPz87 No relation to me, treat with usual eBay caution. £225.

Edited by alyctes
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[quote name='alyctes' timestamp='1447030831' post='2904323']
Aria Sinsonido. Weighs maybe 4.5lb, 34" scale, "piezo" pup only. About £400 new, IIRC.

[url="http://www.playawayguitars.com/play_away_guitars_shop.php?itemID=609"]http://www.playawayg....php?itemID=609[/url]

Get well soon :)

Edit: Completely by chance, [url="http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/ARIA-SINSINIDO-4-STRING-BASS-GUITAR-/301793642835?hash=item46444d8953:g:iE8AAOSw~bFWPz87"]http://www.ebay.co.u...E8AAOSw~bFWPz87[/url] No relation to me, treat with usual eBay caution. £225.
[/quote]


That's interesting indeed!

Found a vid that sounds good too (even if I don't speak the language)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MpfYHlLBl2k

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I have the kala and the HB version (a b-stock deko - cost £40 delivered). Neither will satisfy the itch for an actual bass. While I wouldn't call them toys, they're... A different instrument let's say.

Alan at ACG was looking into lightweight designs. I think he was getting into the 5lb ballpark. Give him a yell.

Edited by Bigwan
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If you are thinking U-bass, have a look at the Countryman Bass Uke -

3-Band EQ
Built-in tuner
Intonated bridge (bridge slot is straight across the body, but bridge is contoured from E to G)
Aguila strings

It is well made and sounds good -

£150
[url="http://www.bassdirect.co.uk/bass_guitar_specialists/Countryman_U_bass.html"]http://www.bassdirec...man_U_bass.html[/url]
or
[url="http://www.omegamusic.co.uk/collections/bass-ukuleles"]http://www.omegamusi...s/bass-ukuleles[/url] (currently sold out!)

David

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[quote name='Mottlefeeder' timestamp='1447082423' post='2904665']
If you are thinking U-bass, have a look at the Countryman Bass Uke -

3-Band EQ
Built-in tuner
Intonated bridge (bridge slot is straight across the body, but bridge is contoured from E to G)
Aguila strings

It is well made and sounds good -

£150
[url="http://www.bassdirect.co.uk/bass_guitar_specialists/Countryman_U_bass.html"]http://www.bassdirec...man_U_bass.html[/url]
or
[url="http://www.omegamusic.co.uk/collections/bass-ukuleles"]http://www.omegamusi...s/bass-ukuleles[/url] (currently sold out!)

David
[/quote]

Ooh, that looks nice.

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[quote name='fretmeister' timestamp='1447073486' post='2904556']
Having something custom built is likely to be too expensive and will probably take a few months to build too.

I'm looking for something that will keep me going until I have surgery. Then I'll go back to my regular basses. So a custom build won't meet either of those criteria.
[/quote]

Understandable! How about a violin bass? Can't be more than 5lbs?

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[quote name='Mottlefeeder' timestamp='1447082423' post='2904665']
If you are thinking U-bass, have a look at the Countryman Bass Uke -

3-Band EQ
Built-in tuner
Intonated bridge (bridge slot is straight across the body, but bridge is contoured from E to G)
Aguila strings

It is well made and sounds good -

£150
[url="http://www.bassdirect.co.uk/bass_guitar_specialists/Countryman_U_bass.html"]http://www.bassdirec...man_U_bass.html[/url]
or
[url="http://www.omegamusic.co.uk/collections/bass-ukuleles"]http://www.omegamusi...s/bass-ukuleles[/url] (currently sold out!)

David
[/quote]

Just remembered I did a review -

http://www.finnbass.com/showthread.php?t=10632

David

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I have played a U-Bass. Very interesting instrument. It was fantastic at the gig I was asked to play: a ukulele ensemble club gig. I would encourage surfing the internet. Since the original U-Bass became commercially available, the company has other models, and there are other companies making similar instruments of anywhere from 21 inch to 34 inch scale and in all body sizes.

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There's the Ashbory too, no longer made but when they crop up secondhand they go for £125-£150.

Kala also do the solid-bodied SUBs, hideously expensive for the ones made in the USA (over a grand), rather more reasonable for the non-USA one but still quite a bit more than the non-Kala bass ukes.

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Ashbury as opposed to Ashbory have just brought out a bass ukulele for £199. It's a bit different from all the others in that it has metal strings. Available from Hobgoblin Music. Afraid I don't know anymore about it. However, I do have an Ashbury soprano ukulele and the build quality and tone are excellent so I don't think quality will be an issue.

Edited by great harry
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