Kala U-Bass - first thoughts - and the weird slidey tuning thing?!

So, a Kala-U bass… I’ve been wanting to get my hands on one of these for SO long.
After watching so many fantastic players over the last few years get such a great tone out of them, when my wife asked me for some Christmas present hints of what i’d like Santa Claus to bring me - I had one thing in mind…
… a Kala U-Bass!
Luckily, my wife and Santa came up with the goods this year and on Christmas morning I had a beautiful little Kala U-Bass waiting for me under the Christmas tree.
Now, I should say at this point - after about 4 hours of me playing the thing constantly since the unwrapping took place (through everyone else opening their presents - oops) and essentially forgetting that Christmas was actually taking place… I think my wife was regretting the idea, lol… but, that’s a whole different story!
Anyway, what were we talking about?… oh yeah, the U-Bass.
Ok, so I thought i’d film a short review type of vid… not that it’s really a review, but more of my first thoughts, and a little issue I discovered that happens when you slide into a note that might help you out f you buy one of these basses in the future.
Hope you enjoy it.
If you do, check out some of my other lessons - you might like those too! ;)
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[@pillowwood]

Video starts at 4:02

[@cheftoe_7368]

Thanks

[@rodezno]

How do we know he's not a giant and that's a normal sized bass

[@John-qf6dw]

Francis The Potato what are you talking about that's a double bass

[@carterman1025]

60th like

[@michaelbutler2312]

wait! you didn't know he was a giant?!

[@benjamingordon3566]

Hey Vsauce Michael here

[@HenryRobben]

We will never know. It's a chance we need to take.

[@ethanlewis7396]

I was torn between getting a guitar, a u-bass, and model of a 1600s flintlock pistol. I then realized I am a bassist who lives in the 21st century, I don’t need two of those things. I settled for the pistol.

[@prodevus]

I tore my asshole

[@mugwa5423]

@@prodevus thanks for the input robert

[@WheresTheM3tal]

😂😂

[@Spazzsticks]

It would be cool if you put that ubass inside of your normal gig bag. people will get a laugh out of you bringing a huge gig bag with a tiny bass inside. Ya know for comedic effect xD

[@DanaTheLateBloomingFruitLoop]

Put it inside the ubass gig bag, then into a normal bass gig bag, and then into a double bass gig bag.

[@xenontesla122]

@@DanaTheLateBloomingFruitLoop Make a big show of acting like the bag is super heavy, then try to hand it to someone and watch them overestimate.

[@JamesSpeiser]

awesome

[@erenkilikci2558]

Okay Chaplin.

[@33markiss]

Better yet put inside of a huge upright bass gig bag ! LOL

[@adamflanaganmusic]

They're absolutely superb basses to use for live shows. I borrowed one for a theatre show back in July last year and have wanted one since. I believe they'd would be great as an additional studio bass tone. On my channel, I did put some footage from the show (as a rough rig rundown) which features me playing a U-bass. So if anyone fancies a butchers of one in a mix (well a camera audio quality mix) then go for it!

[@maxaronow712]

4:58 he finally starts to play the instrument

[@kyibfmh7770]

Max Aronow thank you

[@nightmareTomek]

I think from now on I will stop watching right away and instead search for comments like yours, which point to the actual start...

[@angelcitynews6664]

Max Aronow The way you say it is in a mean way. A lot of us (fans of his) like him as a person and watch his videos for him as well as the instrument.

[@finnthehu200]

I can see where some might be annoyed by the way he makes his videos but I find them entertaining personally.

[@RackwitzG]

cheers

[@ChrisPlsDontKillMe]

1:55 What do you have against homosexual cameras ;-)

[@thefakedeal]

haha

[@dub_2953]

tiago felicio hah!

[@sharifelmahdi]

Hahahahaha :-D

[@tobybailey1285]

Ha! Its not the camera's fault. It was made that way.

[@HenrikHanssonMusic]

At some points in the video it kind of sounds like a hybrid of an upright and some punchy / short decay Moog bass. Very unusual sound, and very cool.

[@dub_2953]

Henrik Hansson percussive and rubbery, in the best way!

[@yousifa7354]

I've had a Ubass for two years now, and I love it so much, i highly recommend it!

[@soeffingwhat]

I want to get one so that I can take it anywhere and practice. My standard acoustic bass is fine but its cumbersome.

[@mikelunatiko]

Could you tell us how does it sound UNPLUGGED? Thanks :)

[@BrunoNeureiter]

@@mikelunatiko it sounds great!! Maybe even better than plugged it. I've only ever played it unplugged

[@JesusChrist5000]

i will wait until they start making them not look like a corny ukelele so much lol.

[@kevinmoores8603]

I bought a U-Bass after watching this video about 18 months ago. Best thing I ever did. It's brilliant. Thanks Scott!

[@niveks_]

The sound it make makes me think of the Blue Man Group, with the kind of plastic-like vibrations the rubber string have. It's definitely got it's own flavor in the sound.

[@pschase722]

I'm obsessed with these, rubber strings and all

[@stephencoxbass]

I love the U-Bass! Do you still play yours these days, Scott? Have you tried the flat wound strings on it yet?

[@johnnyonbass678]

Thanks for all your videos!! I’m a lefty bassist in California and been playing for decades. Thanks for sharing!

[@justinowdfart8155]

How does this bass sound? I fell asleep after 5 minutes so I don't know whether or not you played it

[@stahllandon]

Couldn't tell you, I'm out after he started gargling at the camera

[@Trey-jl9ru]

You heard it at 0:18

[@stahllandon]

@@Trey-jl9ru the video is supposed to be this dude talking about the bass you dweeb, OP's point is that this dude wastes as much time getting to talking about the actual thing

[@Trey-jl9ru]

@@stahllandon I only stated that he plays it at 0:18 you cocknozzle

[@stahllandon]

@@Trey-jl9ru you are missing the point you vegetable

[@JS-ue2si]

Congrats Scott! I have a mahogany fretless Ubass myself. Love it. A couple tips and notes for you as you explore yours. One thing I didn't like about it is that it doesn't have a thumb rest so my speed, efficiency, and accuracy was really tried. But you can get these little plastic tabs with adhesive, and that really helps. They're called Bass Buddies. About the strings, I actually prefer keeping the polyurethane strings for the tone. With round wounds it sounds like any other bass so what's the point? But they definitely can feel weird and even a bit sticky so that it slows down your playing. But again, the Bass Buddy should help. Enjoy the Ubass and thanks for all the great videos!

[@edgarallanbro5252]

a bass player with a wife? man, you really are a god

[@MaladyKayjo]

Edgar Allan Bro why did you marry your cousin

[@imebroj1390]

For anyone who replaced rubber strings - won't that bend the neck? Tnx

[@aydenburris8631]

I doubt that thing has any tension on the neck at all

[@4dhyperglizzy174]

Very little

[@pikasheikah6856]

if it has an adjustable neck it should be fine

[@hgrunt100]

Every modern Kala U bass has a metal truss rod, it can handle that.

[@lnk_Eyes]

In your biopic one day, you should be played by James McAvoy.

[@devinebass]

🤣🤣🤣

[@LawsonK]

"Good enough for jazz"

[@santarockswithtso]

I have that same model. Wouldn't trade it for anything! Can take it on the plane as carry-on. Great sound on the more acoustic type songs my band does. Fun to practice with on the couch, too.

[@MM-km1vl]

which model is it?

[@Chief069]

Scott, I have two Fender P-basses and I purchased a Kala US made fretless solid body bass and love it! Just like you, it takes some getting used to. I play it when I want that nice smooth upright jazz sound. Great vid!

[@madbuzz90]

Congrats on getting Gary Willis onboard with SBLs, he is an electric bass leviathan, a demi-god of the low-freq underworld, his abilities are terrifying, his calm demeanour even more so......his right hand has laid waste to civilisations...clandestine military operatives have tried to back-engineer his solos at Area 51....and failed...just pray that your students can hear him play and not go insane!!

[@someoneelse5005]

this comment seriously needs more likes

[@JamesSpeiser]

I fucking love the feel of those crazy strings

[@stephencoxbass]

I agree about the strings feeling weird! I got the metal round wound strings as an alternative, and they roll when you bend them, too. But over all...the metal strings feel much more like an electric bass. But I've enjoyed having one of these quirky little instruments. Thanks for your take on it, Scott!

[@Xcorgi]

The great thing about rubber strings is that there will be probably zero fret wear on this bass for as long as you own it! Well worth getting used to! Also, you may never have to change them because they don’t get corroded! How great is that?

[@surrealchemist]

The hatch in the back is for changing the strings.

[@1badfxdwg]

My local shop gave me a set of steel strings for mine when I bought it but I kinda dig the sound of the rubber ones.

[@Adrian-dl9nb]

I would die of happiness if I ever got something like that as a gift!

[@Bart-tk9um]

1:53 my dad’s first words when he saw me for the first time

[@generatorofheavy7761]

I just got my Bubinga fretted model two weeks ago, and haven't put it down. It's so easy, as well as fun, to play. Even my bandmates in my all-acoustic Bluegrass-inspired cover group were shocked by it and love it! I may have to rethink my setup for gigs. My Boulder Creek EBR6-N5 might become my backup for Drop D tunings, and for when we go "full" acoustic. But I may even have to find a battery-powered amp for even that, as I just love jammin' on my Kala!

[@jackpasquale]

I love my U-bass! The model I have is mahogany, with an active 2 band EQ, and built in tuner. It uses the same batteries as a Snark style tuner. CR2032, I believe. It takes 2 of them, actually.

[@StephenMorganCanada]

How do you change the batteries?

[@RichardGarcia93]

@@StephenMorganCanadathe output Jack has the batteries

[@nazb33]

Bigg shout out to the beautiful Nik West. Scott your videos are brilliant. You are definitely getting me going with my bass. I'm in my 40somethings and am 3 days in to using mine. A very second hand bass. I'm gonna treasure it until i can afford a decent one.

[@ijm33669]

i have had one for a few months....its great. Keep it by your favourite chair and pick it up all the time.....easy and does nt annoy anyone else. Easy way to keep your hand in and sounds great with and without amplification.

[@junktwomail]

I picked one up about a year ago. Mine is an active model with a volume control, a tone control and a tuner built in just below the neck on the side. Runs on two 2032 flat batteries. Although it's hard to tell in the video, it does sound a lot like a double bass. The strings are a bit sticky (I'll have to try it with a glove) but the closer fret spacing makes it easier to span a greater number of frets. And the size makes it easier to transport than a full size bass. Although I've played it through a sound board and large sub woofers I usually use a Peavy Micro Bass amp. Although not a replacement for my Ibanez 5-string, it pairs well with acoustic guitars, especially unplugged. Last fall I was out of town and attended a weekly Uke Jam as a guest. Normally only attended by 12 uke players of various types, it had been awhile since someone with a bass showed up. We opened with "Ripple" by the Dead then spent the next two hours working through their playlist. Most fun I've had with the Kala to date.

[@stevebollschweiler9146]

2:21 "We've been putting some videos up about Steve and his corpse there" I can't unhear what i accidentally heard now!

[@gilliebrand]

George Formby Bass? I had to watch this one! what a sound from that thing, it is so cool.

[@nisselarson3227]

Perfect for Bossa Nova, Polka, Country, Bluegrass and anything else you want to hear a contra bass in. If you never leave the money zone. However, if I got one, I think I would end up just fiddling around, bebopping like you're doing. :)

[@MoontownMoss]

Starts talking about the fooking bass at 04:00

[@amyg4549]

I was so excited you posted this!I've played a Ubass (same model you have except fret less) for a few years. I used to play a 3/4 upright, except I have teeny tiny Donald Trump hands, I couldn't handle the neck size and did some pretty bad damage to my hands. The Ubass sound is very similar to my upright, but even better. It's sounds very warm and BIG! Sound guys have commented on how much they like the sound of it and the ease of setting it up. I play at festivals and travel, so this bass is so great. You can get a battery powered amp and take it camping too! The fretless is awesome, you don't get sour notes if your not spot on and sliding works better. Thank you for all the great videos you create and share. I've learned so much, they've been such a huge help. Have a good one 🙂

[@Leorstef]

I have had a Kala U-Bass Rumbler for a few couple years now, that has a pre-amp with an active EQ and tuner, and love it. IMHO, it's nice to be able to adjust the tone, and get rid of the 'puncyness' sometimes. I like to sit on the couch while watching something, and just plink around with it. One important thing if someone gets one, is to play with it quite a bit at the start. There is a break in period with the strings. They get less 'sticky' feeling after a while, and it will stay in tune much better.

[@marksmith4126]

sounds exactly like an upright, really nice.

[@JesusChrist5000]

lol! no an upright strings are 41 inches and have a deeper full bodied tembre. These short strings have a thumpy sound to them, which is not a bad thing

[@f.demascio1857]

Kala sent one to my son's instructor when they first came out. He likes it very much. I hope to get one for my son as he progresses.

[@eswarjuri]

For me as a non-giant the ukulele-bass is finally an opportunity of playing anything on bass, without having to stretch my fingers to an extent where it hurts! Lol

[@aramanon]

Just had an acoustic one hand made in Malawi. Regret not getting electric, it's super quiet, but it's fun!

[@Thomasbest2876]

Yes. That's why I like it. That upright bass sound

[@crazyuncleduke8012]

A great bass to have if you play a million notes in four measures. Nobody will ever hear how out of tune they sound.

[@iunnox666]

It'll still sound like rubber bands though.

[@rayd1oh]

they're actually not bad intonation wise as someone who plays one every now and then. Some I imagine are terrible though

[@streeff-webbrandinginforma5226]

I have a U-bass from another brand, and sometimes bring it to my salsa band. Everybody loves the sound and the funny looks, but I have to keep looking on my fingers full time. For playing and interaction with my bandmates, I really prefer an electric bass or an upright.

[@trappenweisseguy27]

They do sound remarkably like an upright bass but the string tension just looks too floppy to me. I have to believe they'd be much better with even just a 2" longer scale.

[@4dhyperglizzy174]

I’m pretty sure that they were trying to make it roughly the same size as a baritone ukulele

[@lukaskuipers7791]

Ever heard an upright? Not on some crusty jazz recording from almost a century ago but in real life?

[@beardbytes4332]

Kirk on drums! That dude is also a monster, especially on the keys! He plays small gigs down here in Texas under the group name "Cpt Kirk" and the bass player he has with them is out of San Antonio and he too is a monster! Great clip of Mr. Willis.

[@rfclef]

I love my Kala Ubass! Use it for acoustic sets at church often... has its own place sonically with my bass guitars and bass banjo...

[@ElPhantasamo]

Had a chance to play an acoustic U bass at a convention, and later a Kala solid body U bass at my local music store. the rubber strings do take some getting used to, but I love the "upright tone"

[@mathias5618]

this would be cool af at a small jazz jam

[@89ji76]

“Plugged in and ready to go” He says when HALF the video is already over

[@luke6587]

Lots of us watch his channel not just for the review, but for him as well. He has a wonderful personality and I don't mind listening to him talk for five minutes.

[@SpecsProduction]

The Hutch Hutchinson signature model is incredible, with Aquila silver rumbler strings. They play less jangly but maintain that woody, almost upright sound. The model you're holding looks like the all -mahogany to me, Koa wood grain is swirlier if I am not mistaken.

[@peterpedal9388]

Like someone else in this list of comments, I have a U bass and use the Kala round wound strings, which transform the sound,. I use a Roland Micro Cube 4X4" Bass Amp to accompany a dozen or so folk on ukes and it does just fine. I took it to a local music store and a guy there tried it through a bass amp with single 15" speaker and it thundered. With round wound, it's best to play precisely and avoid sliding because of string noise, unlike bass guitar which I've played for years. No problem with intonation. My model has a handy built-in tuner which mutes the amplified sound while you tune up.

[@markschwarz2137]

I have an Ashbory, which also has silicone rubber strings. They can be a bit sticky, like those on the Kala, and some people suggest using talc to help with slides. But to be honest, if a little gross for some people, the best solution I've found is to rub your finger tips on your forehead. The natural oils really make moving up and down the strings much smoother. This works for me, but of course might not do the trick if you have drier skin.

[@user-kw5lk7kg2o]

Scott, Restring the Ubass with Kala wound strings for the bass. The sound change is incredible, brighter and I imagine more like the feel of full size basses. Cheers Will (PS just heard you mid video. So you know about them.) Looks like you have a 'Rumbler'.

[@PC160]

From this video, lots of thunk, but hardly any sustain. Is that right?

[@japas]

Seems about right. Dont own one, though.

[@Pensivata]

Its not that bad. I play jazz gigs on mine - the sustain drops off a bit quicker than upright strings, but it still rings for a while..

[@jhardycarroll]

Oh, I love mine. It's not a standup, but it 1. didn't cost 4,000 bucks 2. Doesn't require a van to haul around 3. Won't tear the tips of my fingers off Yeah, the intonation is tough. And yeah, the fretboard is miniscule. But seriously, this thing is so great. And man. Gary Willis? Holy crap.

[@jaydaawg.8191]

Scott - "The strings are rubbery" Chinese guy - " aww tank you"

[@lennymo9088]

Thanks for sharing. All the best Scott.

[@_BigLife_]

I started your course a few years ago and unfortunately stopped because I never had time. I am gone for work around 120 hours a week. I have a lot of downtime and freedom at my job. I'm in my vehicle off and on for 13 hours a day, mostly sitting doing nothing. Having said all of that, would this small U bass be something I could learn on, or would you suggest something different?

[@gantswood]

If you play U bass with rubber strings, will you get calluses? Can I avoid callasus with rubber strings? Are they softer on my finger tips? I ask as I massage and play the piano. All advice on this matter welcome. Thanks.

[@KirillAfonin]

Best review yet! Huge thanks!

[@ZeroTooL88]

You can buy rubber round wounds for these! Keeps the cool upright sound, feels less sticky and grippy on your fingers.

[@firestarten]

I got mine a few years ago. looks just like yours, except mine has onboard tuner and active volume and tone, which does require batteries. I'm jealous of your case. mine came with a less impressive gig bag. I recently wrote a review on musician's Friend in which I mistakenly mentioned the piezo, but mine actually has a 'shadow' pup. I wish I had got fretless. I love it. if you don't plan to slap it, then rush right out and buy one.

[@mattbook]

Mine looks very similar to yours and it has a small battery (CR 2032, I believe). I use it when playing in orchestra pits for musicals, mainly. It works great because you get the upright sound in a much smaller instrument.

[@aramanon]

I had a suitcase- size uke bass made for me in Malawi and it feels like chocolate sauce, and it is so easy to bend and slide. Fun fun fun!

[@erinsmith7219]

Wow such big sound from such a small bass, magnificent!

[@tdehan]

So, glad you finally got one. I've been post questions on your live feeds and on SBA for sometime about the Kala UBass. I have 2. I have a model like the one you just got and love it! I also have a 5 strings California Series solid body Kala UBass as well. I like the acoustic electric one like yours the best. I've since replaced the black strings with the Aquila white Thundergut strings. Much easier to play and bigger sound. I tried the round wounds but didn't like all the fret noise. Anyway... I'm gonna be kitting you up with some questions! :)

[@florentexmelin]

Could you make a sound or video of yours with the thundergut strings? Very interested :-)

[@ezrhino100]

I played one the other day and couldn't wipe the grin off. I think the rubber could be improved upon and it would take this over the top. Like a little more tension and snap. But so fun to play as is...

[@ia5662]

I'd love to see this practically used in a band setting or with an acoustic or solo electric player to see how it would size up You've got to get the Taylor GS Mini-Bass, Scott! That thing is super practical, fun to play and actually sounds amazing plugged in. It's still got that slight upright vibe, but you could slap on it if you wanted and get some excellent bends.

[@tednjessdamman7089]

I forgot about the Taylor, I played one several years ago, thought it was neat then forgot about it. Yeah I agree it's a smooth player.

[@rifqiadam88]

7:10 parapapapaaa im lovin it

[@Phaidrus]

Don't change the rubber strings! They sound great! Really upright jazzy.

[@ricardojmestre]

Absolutely!

[@SteveV74]

Scott I just bought one of these, love ur vids btw

[@Mikey-vd6op]

I don't know if it's a matter of getting used to the short scale but I find myself having to readjust my finger position a lot to stop fret buzzing. Apart from that I really like the ubass.

[@chipedt]

I play an acoustic bass with nylon tape-wound strings, and I love them for their sound and feel. Would they work on the u-bass? or would that be too much tension? I imagine that the rubber strings don't pull on the neck quite as hard...

[@DrSimonBignell]

That's exactly what I want to know too. I'm after a muah sound with contra bass elements in this format; all experimental as will heavily process and EQ the sound. Ordered a UBass today but may flip the strings to see if the neck can take it. I think any model with an adjustable truss rod would be fine. Whether it'd stay in tune is a different matter.

[@stdep6355]

How should I tune a uk for lefthanded kids?The righthandend uks are tuned GCEA.

[@JanVanderKuylen]

I got the same but the fretless version with tuner and volume and tone controls. I love the sound like a upright bass. I'll send a post in SBL of me gigging in Belgium with two musicians from Spain.

[@russellyoung2814]

Playing the kala bass for a few years now. For Christian music this is the ticket. Enough thunder, but not overbearing and you can play for hours without fatigue. It's especially helpful on retreats, when you might have to play all day long. You got a birdie in your throat. Anyway, these basses are not out of tune for the first half of the neck up to 7th fret.

[@anderskleven9202]

can someone for the love of god please show me how this thing sounds whitout being plugged in??

[@aldorthegreat5267]

kzbin.info/www/bejne/gnvWip9pbd-DhbM

[@aldorthegreat5267]

Its rob scallon

[@bobbito9791]

@@aldorthegreat5267 *clicks link to see it plugged into an Orange stack.

[@_Agosto_]

Gary Willis! I had the opportunity to listen to him at a concert in Italy. Amazing bassist

[@BruceRichardsonMusic]

I had an Ashbory for years, and tried some of these strings on it eventually. They made the action better (it was fretless), but they didn't have the same "upright mimicry" factor as those godawful rubbery strings did. Some people used the teflon-tape trick over them to reduce finger drag. Ashbory recommended powder...it never worked. But that aside, by the time the extra short strings finally stop stretching out of tune every 35 seconds or so, they're ready to break in the following 35 seconds. I never found it to be giggable, except for a laugh. I've always wished I could throw a standard-scale fretless in the closet with one of these, so they'd mate and produce something that had a credible acoustic bass vibe :p

[@penfold7800]

So... The cheap DIY version would be to get a plastic kids uke (mine cost £20 from Tiger) ...and put some fishing pole elastics on it instead of strings? ...wierd. So what happens if you put uke strings on your 'bass' uke? does it have a truss rod?

[@ChrisTuttlePlant]

I've been using your channel to learn bass on a knock off u bass (all electric though) and love the thing! great video

[@nottjohn01]

When you played all blues i had GCSE Music flash backs

[@JohnAldenDavis]

WHAT!!! You got Gary on the team now?! That's fantastic!

[@TTSetters]

Focal Dystonia - yes that's why he wears gloves. I wondered that myself, then googled "Why do bass players wear gloves" and well, scott devine comes up first in that list :)

[@sabre22b]

Great guy, too.

[@Epix-mn1dy]

Hey ,) i try to learn she wants /metronomy ... I have an accustic bass BUT there are strings for an E Bass on it ^^ ( Improvement^^) The standart tuning sounds bullshit so i found Tabs with a Tuning in D G B E... Is this correct?? Can i tune ma A. Bass on D G B E ?? I m so confused ^^ Any tipps for the greenhorn ??

[@CountCarbsNotCals]

Hmm somelike a bass ukulele interesting. I can't believe that thing is making that deep sound.

[@fiscaldisco5234]

wondering if it's loud enough to hear when unplugged with such a small body. I'm interested in it to practice in my bedroom or couch when I feel too lazy to plug in my P Bass

[@Xenon1825]

You can hear it, but besides practicing alone in your room acoustic it won't compete

[@samwilson2926]

It’ll feel a bit weird? Too right. When I first picked up a Uke-bass my left hand started making mandolin chords all by itself!

[@Ucceah]

it _is_ weird, but hella fun. it's a tiny little bass with rubberband strings. what's not to love.

[@vinsharrelson2246]

Thanks for the review, Scott! I've been thinking about buying one since taking a job as a flight attendant four years ago. (This would be great to keep my chops up without worrying about what kind of shape my bass is in the cargo hold!) You should get a check from Kala, because you've sold me! BTW, check out the You Tube video of the guy playing Stevie Wonder "Sir Duke" on the U-Bass! Priceless!!!

[@maddoxtroy683]

I want one.

[@Fluffy2772]

Why aren't u-basses tuned like a ukulele? I guess I just assumed the point of u-bass was to add a bass instrument to that family that was optimal for playing with ukuleles.

[@BrunoNeureiter]

They're generally not considered to be in the same family. You see, the concert ukulele is bigger than the soprano, the tenor is bigger than the concert, the baritone is bigger than the tenor but it's still pretty much high register. You then have the u-bass which is smaller and uses a different type of strings.

[@Jklecker614]

You’re not gonna be playing chords with it the way you do on a Uke so it might as well be tuned accordingly.

[@ArtbyJoeH]

Not sure why I would want to pay money for a novelty that basically sounds like it is being palm-muted all of the time. it goes out by a semi-tone if you slide? The kind of thing that happens with those half-scale beginners guitars! I love quirky looking instruments ( Longhorn bass for instance) but it looks and sounds like a toy. But who am I to disagree with those that love them!

[@crazyuncleduke8012]

Take my word for it. They truly suck and are overpriced pieces of crap that never play or sound in tune. I know there are people that like them and I wish them a long and happy life. As for me? I had one for about a week and sent it back. It really was THAT awful.

[@Melnari]

I love mine. For half the year I'm too disabled to play a big bass or anything bigger than 23" scale (including guitar) so it's U-bass or no bass. I've never encountered the slide tuning issue, perhaps because I have a much lighter touch than Scott does. They're not for everyone though, I will admit they can sound woolly and boomy in some settings. Roundwound strings help with that, but I use the plasticky ones for ease of use.

[@Rodrigomezcua]

It takes some time for the strings to stop going out of tune that quick, but then they get kinda stable. I switched my strings to roundwounds, and it sounds reeeeeally good, less boomy

[@AdvancePlays]

It depends how you think about it. Too many people see it as a tiny acoustic bass as opposed to a bass ukulele. Regardless, Scott's video definitely doesn't do it justice - it's way more discernible that how it appear here. It's definitely like a double bass where a big part of hearing it is feeling it. Easy to play out of tune, but if someone's complaining about that then they've never played a woodwind lol

[@dub_2953]

Joe Hope actually it's a serious instrument!

[@acrock21]

does it make much noise unplugged? like could you play this along an acoustic guitar? (i would tend to think not)

[@malcolmwilcox8921]

No is the straightforward answer!

[@chuckrou7201]

How does it sound unplugged and just Mic'd?