zonular Posted August 23 Share Posted August 23 Evening all Debating pulling the trigger on a Harley Benton clu bass uke but I've seen a U-BASS-SUB4FS that's second hand and a two hour drive away Any experience pros and cons between the two? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tauzero Posted August 23 Share Posted August 23 I've got the 5-string version of the Kala SUB - it's a nice instrument, can't think of any cons to it. I don't have any experience of the HB bass uke, but my experience of other HBs (guitars and basses) has been positive. Just get both. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
zonular Posted August 23 Author Share Posted August 23 Lol, I wish Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SamIAm Posted August 23 Share Posted August 23 I have an acoustic 4er and a solid 5er (Both by Kala). I prefer the size of the solid. It's difficult to comment on the difference in sound as my solid 5er is fretless, the 4er is fretted (I prefer fretless ... easier to accommodate the intonation challenges). You can find some reviews/info here https://playubass.com/ And this Welsh ukulele and ubass player has some amazing content that might help inform a choice. Sam x 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
zonular Posted August 23 Author Share Posted August 23 I've been working my way through her channel, she's a mine of info 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
zonular Posted August 23 Author Share Posted August 23 33 minutes ago, SamIAm said: I have an acoustic 4er and a solid 5er (Both by Kala). I prefer the size of the solid. It's difficult to comment on the difference in sound as my solid 5er is fretless, the 4er is fretted (I prefer fretless ... easier to accommodate the intonation challenges). You can find some reviews/info here https://playubass.com/ And this Welsh ukulele and ubass player has some amazing content that might help inform a choice. Sam x Do u prefer the solid size as it's bigger or smaller? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SamIAm Posted August 23 Share Posted August 23 (edited) 27 minutes ago, zonular said: Do u prefer the solid size as it's bigger or smaller? Because the body is thinner (less than half the thickness) and it is more weighty so hangs on the strap better; in addition it has a 23.5 inch scale instead of 21 ish. Comparison ... Sam x Edited August 23 by SamIAm 1 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
zonular Posted August 24 Author Share Posted August 24 I have to compliment your photos, lovely shots!. That five string looks like it could be great fun! 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SamIAm Posted August 24 Share Posted August 24 1 hour ago, zonular said: I have to compliment your photos, lovely shots!. That five string looks like it could be great fun! Thank you. Yes the 5er is brilliant fun, I've got Aquila Thunderbrown strings on it, they are not sticky like some ubass strings an be and have a lovely thuddy sound. Sam x Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
zonular Posted August 24 Author Share Posted August 24 Oh no I might have to see if I can pick one up, I take it's a piezo pickup too? 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SamIAm Posted August 24 Share Posted August 24 (edited) 15 minutes ago, zonular said: Oh no I might have to see if I can pick one up, I take it's a piezo pickup too? Both of mine (and a 4er solid body Kala I lost in my fire) are piezo ... many ubass use piezo pickups IME. Kala do one with mag pickups (and they are not insanely expensive) ... https://www.bax-shop.co.uk/ukulele/kala-solid-body-5-string-fretted-u-bass-tobacco-burst-with-gig-bag or https://www.southernukulelestore.co.uk/kala-ka-sb-bk-fs-5-5-string-solid-body-u-bass-ukulele-bass-w-gigbag Flight do a 4er split mag pickup (But is is a 20 inch scale) https://www.bax-shop.co.uk/ukulele/flight-rock-series-mini-bass-ukulele-transparent-blue-solid-body-electric-bass-ukulele-with-gig-bag Some great info on what affects ubass sound ... Sam x Edited August 24 by SamIAm 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Aidan63 Posted August 24 Share Posted August 24 I prefer the sound of the acoustic but as with all acoustic guitars I dislike the shape, the sharp edge, the depth of the body, I find it much harder to move my plucking hand around and be comfortable even with an added shaped arm rest, but with the Galli strings on it sounds great 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SamIAm Posted August 24 Share Posted August 24 1 minute ago, Aidan63 said: I prefer the sound of the acoustic With my acoustic, the 'acoustic' volume was just sufficient for practice at home but was drowned out in the presence of any other instruments or vocals and needed to be plugged in to be heard ... do you find the same? Sam x Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
snorkie635 Posted August 24 Share Posted August 24 51 minutes ago, SamIAm said: With my acoustic, the 'acoustic' volume was just sufficient for practice at home but was drowned out in the presence of any other instruments or vocals and needed to be plugged in to be heard ... do you find the same? Sam x Morning Sam, Question for you please: my acoustic Kala has a problem with lack of volume from the E string compared to the other three. Have you experienced this with your bass? 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SamIAm Posted August 24 Share Posted August 24 (edited) 32 minutes ago, snorkie635 said: Morning Sam, Question for you please: my acoustic Kala has a problem with lack of volume from the E string compared to the other three. Have you experienced this with your bass? Sorta, I had a G string that was quieter than the others. First thing I checked was that the piezo transducer went all the way across the strings, depending on which string it enters the saddle, it might be a very tiny bit short at the end for the other string. Mine looked OK. The things I tried that helped was ensuring the saddle moved freely, this video illustrates one thing (albeit on a larger bass) I had to use something like this route in the end, my saddle just came out without having to remove the entire assembly but the concept of having the sadle divided into 4 unconnected elements is the same. Sam x Edited August 24 by SamIAm Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
zonular Posted August 24 Author Share Posted August 24 I prefer the look of the piezo solid body's. I know I should be going after sound and feel over looks but I feel if I'm springing for a ubass with a split coil Im nearly at just get a short scale territory. @SamIAm are they fretted or fretless? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SamIAm Posted August 24 Share Posted August 24 (edited) 4 minutes ago, zonular said: @SamIAm are they fretted or fretless? Mine? Fretted 4 and fretless 5, it has a lined fingerboard so difficult to tell from the pix. Sam x Edited August 24 by SamIAm Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Aidan63 Posted August 24 Share Posted August 24 4 hours ago, SamIAm said: With my acoustic, the 'acoustic' volume was just sufficient for practice at home but was drowned out in the presence of any other instruments or vocals and needed to be plugged in to be heard ... do you find the same? Sam x even noodling in a quiet environment it's not really useable, especially the E string, you can feel it but there's little projection, so yes it needs to be plugged in, when it is immense and the colour of the acoustic does come through, even more so with a Bodyrez pedal which adds heft - but the solid body ( I had a made in China Sub, sold it, then bought a used very early Sub/? Made in Korea made model with the better preamp same as in your California) but I find without the acoustic element it is a bit lifeless - which is probably why a magnetic pick up and steel strings as now being sold is maybe better. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tauzero Posted August 24 Share Posted August 24 (edited) Applying a little reverb to the solid bodied rubber string basses gives a more upright sound (just emulating the reverb that a hollow body gives). If you only want 4 strings, there's also the Ashbory to consider. Lined fretless, 18" scale. The earliest ones (by Guild) had ukulele tuners which are a PITA, the later Fender/DeArmond ones have conventional tuners. And there was the 22" scale Mk II (I think three of us on BC own these), and the very very rare Mk IIb - one on Ebay at the moment but I value every part of my anatomy too much to risk Mrs Zero's wrath if I should buy it. https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/235693470683 The Bass Centre has been issuing further Ashbory derivatives too - https://www.basscentre.com/bass-centre-ashbory-bass.html Edited August 24 by tauzero 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SamIAm Posted August 24 Share Posted August 24 3 minutes ago, tauzero said: Applying a little reverb to the solid bodied rubber string basses gives a more upright sound Interesting! I go through a 3 Sigma Upright IR and it sounds rather nice. Sam x Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mcnach Posted August 24 Share Posted August 24 I have a Batking hollow (20") and a GoldTone solid body (23"). Both fretless. The Batking looks great but the small size and lack of weight doesn't make it that comfortable to play well. I much prefer the GoldTone, for ergonomics and sound. The slightly longer scale seems to help a lot getting the intonation... I was going to say right but who am I kidding, I'll say "close enough" 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
zonular Posted August 24 Author Share Posted August 24 18 minutes ago, mcnach said: I have a Batking hollow (20") and a GoldTone solid body (23"). Both fretless. The Batking looks great but the small size and lack of weight doesn't make it that comfortable to play well. I much prefer the GoldTone, for ergonomics and sound. The slightly longer scale seems to help a lot getting the intonation... I was going to say right but who am I kidding, I'll say "close enough" I had tried to order the batking but it doesnt seem to want to deliver to Ireland, I will have to stick to thomann or local second hand ads Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tauzero Posted August 24 Share Posted August 24 2 minutes ago, zonular said: I had tried to order the batking but it doesnt seem to want to deliver to Ireland, I will have to stick to thomann or local second hand ads https://www.ebay.ie/itm/175817255455 ? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
zonular Posted August 24 Author Share Posted August 24 oooh thank you..... so harley benton vs batking, 6 euro in the difference at 170 or 176 (batking is more expensive, or take the drive to pick up the older sb piezo kala for 190? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
snorkie635 Posted August 24 Share Posted August 24 7 hours ago, SamIAm said: Sorta, I had a G string that was quieter than the others. First thing I checked was that the piezo transducer went all the way across the strings, depending on which string it enters the saddle, it might be a very tiny bit short at the end for the other string. Mine looked OK. The things I tried that helped was ensuring the saddle moved freely, this video illustrates one thing (albeit on a larger bass) I had to use something like this route in the end, my saddle just came out without having to remove the entire assembly but the concept of having the sadle divided into 4 unconnected elements is the same. Sam x Thanks very much for this Sam. Will let you know how it goes. 👍 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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