Kala U-Bass = mucho joy

roller

roller

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Mar 30, 2014
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#1
For anyone looking for a bass that will inspire your playing and put you in a happy, new place, I advise you to check out the Kala U-Bass if you haven't already.

I get just as excited playing mine as I did the day I bought it. Tonight, I was playing mine and just so into it. It's so different, it just puts me in a different mindset. The U-Bass sounds great... it's versatile... it produces a mean upright tone when you roll the tone off... and wow, it's comfortable to play! It's simply fun on four strings.
 
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#2
Been meaning to snag one for a while now after having a short time with it at a friend's house. It really does put me in a funky, bouncy, sunny place that I don't really go to with my usual basses. Might have to pull the trigger after reading this!
 
#6
Oddly said:
I'n in the same camp as HeavyDuty. Love the idea and sound of them but I can't handle the rubber strings.
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Man, I think the strings are a big part of what makes it such a fun novelty to play.

If the U-Bass had metal strings, I wouldn't love it so much.
 
#8
I love the feel of the rubber strings. I love the sound. I hate the sub short scale. Pahoehoe strings on a full scale bass either acoustic or solid body would be amazing. A kala rep alluded to a full scale model in the works at one point in the ubass megathread. Whether or not it'll ever actually happen is anyone's guess but it'll hopefully be as great as I'm hoping it'll be.
 
#14
I love mine, and I am extremely partial to the metal strings. In fact I tried and rejected a couple rubber stringed ones but the metal ones sound and feel just right. It has also been a frequent travel companion until the CITES stuff went into effect in January. I'd taken it on every vacation since I got it, and a couple long work trips too. I've gigged it, recorded with it, and gotten plenty of laughs from people's first and second reactions to it. I'd say it's a lifetime instrument. The only way I'd consider letting it go is if I got one that could travel again.
 
#15
BAG said:
I'd be interested to try a rubber stringed bass in around the 25" scale length. The 20" is just too small for me to get on with.
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Rondomusic.com had solid body bass ukes at 24" scale, Hadean UKBE-22 33, which they list as 23" but it's actually 24, I have three. They come in blue and natural when they have them in stock, $180 with Aquila Thundergut strings, but I prefer non-sticky Road Toad Pahoehoe strings. I also have a set of Kala nylon core steel wound strings, which are nice if you like a more traditional electric bass sound with string noise and are cheaper than the Pyramids.
 
#17
I have enjoyed mine tremendously and almost play them exclusively now. Besides the California 5 string in my icon, I also have the exotic flamed maple model (A gift from last year's fifth grade class I taught). A couple of Rondo Hadeans, a fretted and fretless one round out the collection. They are quite good and there is little if any difference in sound. My daughter has inherited my Kala Sub Bass and has enjoyed learning on it. Interestingly, my Cali 5 string fretless solidbody has the most "upright " sound of them all.
For those who may have wondered, yes, the Hadean hardshell case for their acoustic models will fit the Kala uke basses and are quite a few bucks less than the Kala ones.
 
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