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View Full Version : Finally found my travel bass........



PaulUK
03-31-2015, 05:22 PM
As many of you will know, I travel a lot for work and I have often wished for "an inflatable bass".

I've contemplated the Kala Ubass many times and never quite got there.... I just couldn't like them, other than the very expensive exotic solid bodies, which I couldn't bring myself to pay for.

Then the other day I spotted this on eBay:

http://www.aliexpress.com/store/product/MiNi-4string-ukulele-electric-bass-natural-color-neck-thru-style/614126_32257712617.html

A very interesting ukulele bass neck-through!

I couldn't resist and now I am waiting for its arrival with itchy fingers and baited breath.

One of these in a baritone ukulele gig bag with a Tascam MP-BT1 Bass Trainer and a set of folding headphones; the perfect flight package?

I may end up replacing the strings with Pyramid Roundwounds, specially made for the Ubass. Let's wait and see....

Can't see it helping with the slapping though..... :rolleyes:

Elmeaux
03-31-2015, 11:55 PM
Looks good! Let us know how she plays!

brian_primrose
04-01-2015, 07:06 AM
Cool looking little bass! I am a member of the Kala dislike club as well. Finially got to try one last fall and everything about it, from the strings on felt off.

Brian

TobiasMan
04-01-2015, 11:50 AM
Saw, and played a Kala U bass Rumbler at one of the local Long & McQuade stores. Certainly was small, and due to that felt a bit odd.

Strings were odd as well, but it did produce a decent bass tone and sound. Not sure I'd pay $450 and up, way up into the $1300 range for some versions, for one.

PaulUK
04-03-2015, 12:26 PM
Well, it arrived about an hour ago.

Yes, on Good Friday, which was a surprise to me but meant I was at home to receive it.

It is completely amazing.

The build quality is top notch; the frets are well-dressed, the rosewood fingerboard is well-finished, the screws are all tight, squarely driven and undamaged. The black control knobs and tuning pegs are properly seated and smooth to operate. The body and neck wood are attractive and tactile. It is astounding for its price - I literally cannot find a physical defect on the whole instrument.

The polyurethane strings are Italian "Thunder Guts", I think, off-white and actually much nicer to play than those on any Ubass I've tried - not so sticky - and the tone through my Roland Micro Cube Bass RX amp, set flat, is just wonderful. So "double bass" as to be untrue.

There is a slight hum from the electronics, suggesting a shielding or grounding problem, but it isn't significant and I am particularly sensitive to such extraneous noise, as any reader of my blog will know. I'm sure I can resolve it with some of that adhesive copper tape I have been hoarding.

To say I am pleased with this little instrument is a huge understatement.

My advice; do yourself a favour and take the risk. This is an incredibly high quality and massively underpriced ukulele bass.

Now, it beckons again.

4300

kimgee
04-03-2015, 03:45 PM
Wow, what a great deal!! Oh geez, now my GAS is acting up again.......