NUBD - Kala!

[JapanAxe]

Following on from my [url="http://basschat.co.uk/topic/283961-kala-u-bass-action"]previous thread[/url], I had the opportunity to try out 5 uke basses in one day, and I'm happy to say I bought one. Mrs Axe and I had a day out to Bristol, so I headed off to the usual outlets.

1. Hobgoblin Music. This shop specialises in acoustic (mainly stringed) instruments, more acoustic instruments than you could shake a stick at. In fact I think they had in stock a stick specifically for shaking at acoustic instruments, but I digress... Two Ashbury (not Ashbory) brand uke basses fitted with flat-wound metal strings. One played better than the other, they sounded ok, but both suffered ferocious feedback from the E at the 2nd fret of the D string when played quietly through a small Eden combo. Not a giggable proposition!

2. The Music Room. They advertise the Kala U-bass on their website, but there were none in stock. If you want them to get one in to try, there is a non-refundable £50 deposit - feck that!

3. PMT. No uke basses, but enjoyed a good mooch round, and particularly relished hearing an Ashdown CTM300 being put through its paces with a customer's own (and self-relic'd) Nate Mendel Precision - yum!

4. Mickleburgh Music. One of those piano shops that actually stocks a reasonable range of guitars and amps, mainly Fender, Ibanez, and budget brands. Just about to walk out when I noticed a rack of ukes, including a Luna branded uke bass with flats. I tried it through a Fender Rumble 40 combo, but it was all twang and no thump.

5. Rikaxxe Music. I always visit this shop but never buy anything. I think Rick sells a fair amount of budget kit to students. I was very surprised to see two different Kalas hanging up, a dark-coloured Rumbler, and a lighter-coloured spruce-top model. I tried both through a small PA in the shop, and finally decided I preferred the spruce-top model for both sound and playability. When I asked the price, Rick used an online price tool to undercut Thomann! He also popped a spare battery and a few picks into the gig-bag pocket.

I also bought a new cowboy hat (see pics below), Iggy Pop's new CD, and biographies of Brian Eno and The Stooges, so all in all a good day's shopping.

The Kala (the model name is SSMHG-FS - catchy!) and my Microbass combo make a perfect team for small acoustic gigs. Here's they are next to a dreadnought for scale:



I had a country gig on Saturday so I took the Kala as well as my usual setup of '73 P > Demeter > BF Compact. Last song of the first set was [i]Wagon Wheel[/i] so I quickly swapped to the Kala during the acoustic guitar intro and off I went. The sound is way less punchy than a P, sort of DB-ish but hard to tell in an electric band setup. Not a hint of feedback at gigging volume though. I don't know whether anyone took a picture while I was playing it, but here we all are, mugging it up on stage and afterwards:

[Twincam]

That mb micro combo and uke look made for each other. Very cool.

So your a hardcore death metal band?

[JapanAxe]

Is it that obvious?

[Twincam]

[quote name='JapanAxe' timestamp='1462276057' post='3041620']
Is it that obvious?
[/quote]

Yes

How loud is the microbass and uke combo. I think it would be fun to have around.

[JapanAxe]

[quote name='Twincam' timestamp='1462276759' post='3041632']
Yes

How loud is the microbass and uke combo. I think it would be fun to have around.
[/quote]

FWIW the Microbass is rated at 45W through its own 8in speaker. It goes pretty loud at home, and it would be fine for an acoustic folk jam, but no way would it compete with a drum kit. Electronically, the Kala puts out about the same signal level as my '73 P-bass, at least when I'm playing it. Acoustically, it's very quiet, and the E-string is all but inaudible.

Yes it is fun - it's bonkers that such a titchy instrument can produce such a big sound.

Full disclosure: I've noticed that the fret ends are a bit sharp. I'll have to dig out my Dan Erlewine book and read up on how to fettle it.

[Twincam]

[quote name='JapanAxe' timestamp='1462292794' post='3041849']


FWIW the Microbass is rated at 45W through its own 8in speaker. It goes pretty loud at home, and it would be fine for an acoustic folk jam, but no way would it compete with a drum kit. Electronically, the Kala puts out about the same signal level as my '73 P-bass, at least when I'm playing it. Acoustically, it's very quiet, and the E-string is all but inaudible.

Yes it is fun - it's bonkers that such a titchy instrument can produce such a big sound.

Full disclosure: I've noticed that the fret ends are a bit sharp. I'll have to dig out my Dan Erlewine book and read up on how to fettle it.
[/quote]

Tape the board and use a flat file preferably with a safe edge to gently round the edges if you do it gentle enough and don't touch anywhere else on the fret you won't have to do anything else maybe a little polish up. Or use a ladies nail file (a metal one) as they tend to be fine.

[JapanAxe]

[quote name='Twincam' timestamp='1462293218' post='3041858']
Tape the board and use a flat file preferably with a safe edge to gently round the edges if you do it gentle enough and don't touch anywhere else on the fret you won't have to do anything else maybe a little polish up. Or use a ladies nail file (a metal one) as they tend to be fine.
[/quote]

Cheers Twincam!

Btw this thread is not just for me and TC, it's for everyone.

[Chienmortbb]

Great thread. I have been thinking of a U bass and the has not helped alleviate GAS.