Ukulele Bass!!

[EssentialTension]

[EssentialTension]

[url="http://www.kalaukulele.com/Kala%20Ukulele%20uBass.html"]Kala Site[/url]

[EssentialTension]

$599 on US eBay - fretted and fretless.

I fancy one but not at that price.

Edited June 16, 2010 by EssentialTension

[7string]

I was going to say that Kala stuff is expensive. Cool little bass though

[Jean-Luc Pickguard]

reminds me of an Ashbory - where some people put polyurethane strings on them to replace the silicone rubber ones

[Kev]

for £600 odd? Surely that is terribly overpriced??

[samej]

Could you not just get a Baritone Uke and put some silicone or polyurethane strings on it for the same effect for much less money?

[dudewheresmybass]

this was featured in guitarist this month. the retail price is given as £429, and is available from sutherlandtrading.com apparently

[Cat Burrito]

Awesome - I love these cross over basses. I'd love a banjo bass.

[EdwardHimself]

Aren't they so cute? My favourite bass uke i've ever seen was the 5 string one! Dunno if it was the same company though. 400 and odd quid might seem a lot but i mean it is solid mahogany and it's got a piezo bridge apparently too.

Edited September 15, 2009 by EdwardHimself

[EssentialTension]

[quote name='EssentialTension' post='598892' date='Sep 15 2009, 12:35 AM']£599 on US eBay - fretted and fretless.

I fancy one but not at that price.[/quote]
I should have said $599 not £599. Still expensive.

[EssentialTension]

[quote name='dudewheresmybass' post='599433' date='Sep 15 2009, 05:22 PM']this was featured in guitarist this month. the retail price is given as £429, and is available from sutherlandtrading.com apparently[/quote]
£429 sounds about typical if they are $599 in the US. Still expensive.

[EssentialTension]

[quote name='samej' post='599231' date='Sep 15 2009, 02:10 PM']Could you not just get a Baritone Uke and put some silicone or polyurethane strings on it for the same effect for much less money?[/quote]
What's scale length on a baritone uke? These are 20".

Would the poly strings fit through the tuners on a baritone uke?

[samej]

[quote name='EssentialTension' post='599494' date='Sep 15 2009, 06:48 PM']What's scale length on a baritone uke? These are 20".

Would the poly strings fit through the tuners on a baritone uke?[/quote]

A quick google suggests 19" for a normal baritone, although some pages say just over 20. Close enough either way I reckon. You might have to change the tuners or attack them with a file. And the bridge too. Still, I'm quite tempted myself!

[teej]

If I remember right these [b]are[/b] converted baritone ukes. I've got one coming down to a mate's shop in a few weeks for a test-drive. It will need to be very nice for me to shell out £400+; but it would fit in very neatly with The Ukes of Hazzard.

[tarcher]

I got a lovely baritone uke from The Really Useful Music Company on Ebay ,they import them.Just search For baritone ukulele.
Its a Clearwater,spruce top black fibreglas bowl back like an Ovation,mahogany neck rosewood fingerboard and a finish to kill for.
Fantastic instrument for £119.95.
Lovely tone as well.
I thought I'd put some piccolo bass strings on it but I'm just going to use it as it is for the time being.

[Doc B]

Bit of a thread resurrection but I tried one of the Kala bass ukes at CC Music in Glasgow last Saturday. The guys in the shop were giving anyone interested a go. It was a total blast. Sounded like an upright (amped up of course). Price was £349. Most fun I've had on a bass in ages.

BTW - the tuners were Hipshots (possibly Ultralites) so they'd be suitable for other strings, could say anything for the neck strength though.

Edited October 16, 2009 by Doc B

[philw]

I tried a fretless one at the LIM show in the summer and loved it. I was about to get my Visa card out, thinking I'd be looking at maybe £150 at the most, when the guy told me the price. I got my coat and sauntered off. It really didn't look £400 worth of instrument.

Phil

[EssentialTension]

[url="http://www.viddler.com/explore/ukeunderground/videos/181/142.742/"]Bakithi Kumalo U-bass Demo[/url]

[7string]

It would make a really cool travel bass or just something real portable to jam or gig with.

[velvetkevorkian]

Gets a good write up in this month's BGM.

[EssentialTension]

[quote name='velvetkevorkian' post='873280' date='Jun 21 2010, 10:00 AM']Gets a good write up in this month's BGM.[/quote]
Yes, saw that. The only thing putting me off is the price.