Bass Ukes

[Dazed]

So what’s good bad and ugly?

 

They've been around for a while

now so there must be some better than others. Recommendations welcome I may be looking for one. 

Edited September 3, 2023 by Rich

[tauzero]

Budget? Solid or electro-acoustic? Number of strings? Fretted or fretless?

[SamIAm]

I've been fortunate to play a few.  Whilst the acoustic ones are just loud enough to hear if there is no background noise, there is no way to realistic way to perform with them without an amp.

 

Uke basses require a really (really) light touch to reduce string stretching and intonation issues, but they persist nonetheless.  I've found that fretless allows me to adjust for this.  Also some uke basses have a very slightly longer scale length which helps too.

 

I know it's not for everyone, but I'm a 5 string lover.

 

So I'd say a solid body, fretless, 5 (or 4) string with a good set of strings (Aquila Thunder Browns are brilliant)

 

Check out https://www.youtube.com/@UkuleleWales who shares a lot of bass ukulele content as well as https://playubass.com/

And it is worth having a read through this

 

[3below]

I would just re-iterate @Smanth comment about needing a really really (and some more really) light touch.  I don't find intonation and string stretch much of an issue (Goldtone solid body, 23" scale fretless, Aquila Thunder Browns).  With my heavy right hand technique I just have to work on avoiding growl / buzz. 

[Dazed]

3 hours ago, tauzero said:

Budget? Solid or electro-acoustic? Number of strings? Fretted or fretless?

Budget is open as until I know what I’m looking for I can’t say. 

Not sure what which is better or more double bass ish tone wise, as far as acoustic or solid, I realise it will struggle volume wise so no issue with using my Phil Jones for this. Same with fretted/fretless I remember reading a long time back that people had problems with frets and intonation and that maybe fretless was a better option. I’m open to advice on all of this. 

[Dazed]

@Smanth so solid body over hollow? Do they have issues with feedback? 
5 string tuned E-C or B-G?

Thanks for the other points, I’ll look at the sites and hop over to the thread on here. 

[SamIAm]

31 minutes ago, Dazed said:

@Smanth so solid body over hollow? Do they have issues with feedback? 
5 string tuned E-C or B-G?

Thanks for the other points, I’ll look at the sites and hop over to the thread on here. 

I prefer a solid body ... and if you can get a 23 inch scale length all the better (I've a Kala, @3below has a Goldtone).  I find the solid body is thinner so more comfortable for me.  Having said that, whilst an acoustic body cannot really be played without an amp, I imagine that the body resonance might alter the sound ... I've never done any experimentation tho.

 

I've never had any feedback issues, the only issue I've had is that on a uke with a single piece saddle (which sits over the piezo pickup) one can get unwanted variation in signal strength from the different strings, especially the D & G strings ... a multipiece saddle does not suffer this (One can turn a single piece saddle to a multi piece, but it is quite a fiddle) as each segment can move more freely.

 

 

My 5er is B->G ... the composition of uke bass strings mean, even with the short scale length, that floppy low B strings are not an issue and I like the low range this gives me.

 

Fretless has the advantage of allowing one to adjust for any intonation issues and can also give a lovely mwah sound!

 

Playing a few would be of great value I suggest, sadly the Southern Ukulele Store is quite far from you, but I believe there is a Hobgoblin Music in Manchester.

 

S'manth x

Edited July 23, 2023 by Smanth

[Dazed]

That’s all really helpful @Smanth thank you. Surprised about the low B, I think I’ll be looking for a 5 string. I’ve played fretless in and off I’ve the years so that shouldn’t be an issue. Like you said I really need to try as many as I can lay my paws on.
As it goes I’m in south wales far more than I’m up north these days. 

[SamIAm]

7 minutes ago, Dazed said:

Surprised about the low B

NODS ... it is insane how lovely the sounds are (and with the proper bass notes) that a uke bass can produce!

S'manth x

Edited July 23, 2023 by Smanth

[fretmeister]

Can someone remove that unnecessary apostrophe before I have to blind myself with a soldering iron?

[Mottlefeeder]

.

Edited July 23, 2023 by Mottlefeeder
Not helpful

[nilorius]

Mucho, macho, acoustic, neulon stringed, ukulele bass !

[tauzero]

I think the selection of 5-string ukes is pretty small. Kala had a Chinese-made range which included a fretted 5-string (which I have) but that's been discontinued, and there was no fretless - I feel more and more tempted to defret mine. Their eye-wateringly expensive California range had a 5-string fretless, like what @Smanth has, but that range is currently being revamped.

 

The broadest selection is 4-string electroacoustics - at the not-quite-bottom end of the financial scale, there's https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/363555959883 which several of us on BC bought. Also worth trying an Ashbory dogbone - the De Armond version with proper tuners rather than the banjo tuners on the original Guild ones.

[casapete]

24 minutes ago, tauzero said:

The broadest selection is 4-string electroacoustics - at the not-quite-bottom end of the financial scale, there's https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/363555959883 which several of us on BC bought. Also worth trying an Ashbory dogbone - the De Armond version with proper tuners rather than the banjo tuners on the original Guild ones.

Looks good, although from the description I initially thought it was a 30” scale uke!

[Dazed]

Thanks @tauzero I’ve been having a browse online and they aren’t as readily available as  I thought they might be. 
I’m finding quite a few Kala’s, rumble’s and other models but people don’t seem to be aware of models or specs etc. mainly lots of Chinese things no idea if they’re any use or just uke shaped objects 😄

Certainly not many 5 strings about and yes Kala’s are way more expensive direct

from their own site than I’d anticipated. 

[Dazed]

Can you string a Baritone Uke with bass strings? Same piezo and scale? The nut would need filing I guess but otherwise are they any different?

[tauzero]

2 hours ago, Dazed said:

Can you string a Baritone Uke with bass strings? Same piezo and scale? The nut would need filing I guess but otherwise are they any different?

 

The string gauges on the bass uke are quite a bit bigger than those on the baritone. That would mean differences for the tuners and the bridge, and the string spacing might be greater (hence wider neck).

[SICbass]

Just saw this on YouTube. Steel strung, so possibly resolves the intonation issues normally associated with fretted U-Basses…?

 

 

[mcnach]

On 23/07/2023 at 19:21, Dazed said:

@Smanth so solid body over hollow? Do they have issues with feedback? 
5 string tuned E-C or B-G?

Thanks for the other points, I’ll look at the sites and hop over to the thread on here. 

 

 

Feedback is a good point.

 

I have used both the solid body and hollow body basses at band practice, and I did have some trouble with the hollow body one. Nothing too serious, I just had to avoid a couple of orientations in the room, but yes it can happen. The more rigid the top the less of an issue it would be, so I imagine it will vary from bass to bass. No issues with the solid body, of course.

[mcnach]

On 23/07/2023 at 19:52, Smanth said:

I prefer a solid body ... and if you can get a 23 inch scale length all the better (I've a Kala, @3below has a Goldtone).  I find the solid body is thinner so more comfortable for me.  Having said that, whilst an acoustic body cannot really be played without an amp, I imagine that the body resonance might alter the sound ... I've never done any experimentation tho.

 

I've never had any feedback issues, the only issue I've had is that on a uke with a single piece saddle (which sits over the piezo pickup) one can get unwanted variation in signal strength from the different strings, especially the D & G strings ... a multipiece saddle does not suffer this (One can turn a single piece saddle to a multi piece, but it is quite a fiddle) as each segment can move more freely.

 

 

My 5er is B->G ... the composition of uke bass strings mean, even with the short scale length, that floppy low B strings are not an issue and I like the low range this gives me.

 

Fretless has the advantage of allowing one to adjust for any intonation issues and can also give a lovely mwah sound!

 

Playing a few would be of great value I suggest, sadly the Southern Ukulele Store is quite far from you, but I believe there is a Hobgoblin Music in Manchester.

 

S'manth x

 

 

The one piece saddles can 'easily' be cut to allow each saddle to be independedn from the others. I haven't done it but the videos look easy if a bit fiddly, indeed. It involves lifting the saddles and carefully cutting the thin plastic between saddles. The good news is that those one piece saddles with the piezo sensor are pretty cheap, so not too scary to do.

 

[Downunderwonder]

On 24/07/2023 at 06:18, Dazed said:

intonation

Is either in you or not. To develop it may or may not be within you. The only way to find out is to jump in and see what happens. You may succeed immediately or adjust to needing to do it, or fail miserably as many do.

 

I encourage you to have a crack at it. On a Ubass there is a lot less to go wrong compared to full scale.

 

My upbringing was on violin so it was a natural thing for me. Sometimes I hear that the frets aren't quite right on fretted bass guitar.

 

I also hear myself playing poorly intonated notes when sight reading or when I haven't done enough practice. Best to keep playing in time eh! Nobody has ever pulled me up on it so either they all too polite or aren't bothered or more simply happy that there is bass driving the bus.

[Downunderwonder]

20 hours ago, Dazed said:

Can you string a Baritone Uke with bass strings? Same piezo and scale? The nut would need filing I guess but otherwise are they any different?

You can but the string spacing is tight. Also uke fingerboard markers are weirdo so you have to either relearn or cover them and make guitar ones. Intonation may be quite poor at the dusty end.

[Dazed]

As far as strings go, which are the better metal strings?

I see Galli, Goldtone/Labella, Aquila and Pyramid all make either roundwound or flatwound steel and or copper strings. 
The Goldtone Silverbacks seem

to get good reviews, but the odd bad one too, claiming they are louder acoustically than Thunderbrowns? 

[SamIAm]

3 hours ago, Dazed said:

As far as strings go, which are the better metal strings?

I see Galli, Goldtone/Labella, Aquila and Pyramid all make either roundwound or flatwound steel and or copper strings. 
The Goldtone Silverbacks seem

to get good reviews, but the odd bad one too, claiming they are louder acoustically than Thunderbrowns? 

I tried the pyramid and had two E strings unravel on me! I now play thunderbrowns and love them!

S’manth x

[Dazed]

Yes I like the Thunderbrowns in fact I would even say impressed with the tone volume and feel. 
Im specifically looking at metal wound strings now for a more bass guitar type sound and feel.
The Thunderbrowns are all I need for the acoustic and db-ish thing. 
Even down tuning the E down to low B and it’s still very playable although slightly loses some volume. I’d be interested in getting a single low B but haven’t found anywhere that sells single Thunderbrowns yet.