Welcome All Kala uBass Enthusiasts

If you have an interest in the Kala brand uBass, then this is the blog for you.

The uBass Appreciation Society is the first blog on the Internet solely dedicated to those who play, or are interested in, the Kala brand uBass, a combination baritone ukulele and bass guitar. This ground-breaking 21″ short scale bass guitar produces the same pitches as a standard bass and is the closest you can come to the sound of an upright acoustic bass without an actual upright.

This blog is for all those interested in playing tips, news and information about the Kala brand uBass.

*We are not affiliated in any way, nor are we endorsed by, the Kala Brand Music Co., its employees or related companies.
– uBass Appreciation Society

How to Properly Install Pahoehoe Strings on a uBass

 

The proper way to install Pahoehoe strings.

Kala just uploaded a nice little video showing you how they string a uBass with Pahoehoe strings at the factory. In it they emphasize the tricky maneuver they use to properly seat the G and D strings.

The string up part actually starts at 0:34 in the video. But the intro is pretty cool.

Watch the video Here.

It’s a nice companion video to Kala’s previous video featuring Mike Upton stringing a uBass.

Both videos use different methods (which achieve the same ends) for stringing the D and G strings. Both Mike’s and the factory’s methods are effective. Mike’s seems to me to be a bit easier to master–making a “lasso” instead of doing all the threading “calisthenics” the factory guys use.

Pick the method you like best.

Hutch Hutchinson Loves the uBass

He says so in an interview in this month’s Bass Musician Magazine.

Hutch Hutchinson Covers the Latest Issue of Bass Musician Magazine.

Hutchinson is interviewed by Rick Suchow (no slouch himself when it comes to bass).  In addition to running down HH’s career (which includes a longtime stint as Bonnie Raitt’s bass player), Hutchinson opines about his love for the uBass:

“I just did a record with George [Marinelli] and Ricky [Fataar] from Bonnie’s band, and I used it on one of the demos. It’s so good that when we overdubbed on the demo, I couldn’t replicate that bass sound with anything else. It almost sounds like a fat upright, or an early Bill Wyman Stones-y sound, it’s a really cool sound. And so it works in the studio.”

Check out the full interview with HH in the latest issue of Bass Musician Magazine.

Kala Unleashes New Ad

Hutch Hutchinson in Kala's New uBass Ad.

Kala Brand Music Co. has released a new print ad for its uBass lineup. This one features Hutch Hutchinson and his signature uBass–along with the Mahogany Acoustic and the Solidbody California Series.

Expect to see this ad running in your favorite music magazine soon.

The Definitive Handbook on the uBass?

Quite possibly

A German publisher has put out what I believe is the first (and at this point only) full-length book on the uBass. Complete with DVD featuring transcriptions and play-alongs.

The publication, Handbuch für den Ukulelen-Bass – which I assume translates to “Ukulele Bass Handbook” – I don’t read German, so I’m guessing here – seems to be comprehensive (going by what I can make out from the Table of Contents). It features chapters about the instrument (types of strings available, different models of uBass); some basic music theory (how to read TABs, playing different rhythms); types of music the uBass is suited for (rock, blues, latin) and transcriptions/TABs of various bass lines and whole songs (“The Monkey”, “Walking With You”, “Camptown Races”, “Old MacDonald”)

The publication seems to be a good introduction – if a bit basic – to the uBass.

So far, it’s only available in German at 24.95 € (which is about $33 US). You can order it online here.

But Kala is lobbying to have it published in English. To help make that a reality, Kala is asking that you go to its Facebook page and “Like” the post about the book.

Let’s help them make it a reality. One, because how cool would it be to have a book on the uBass? And two, this blog is mentioned in the article about the book on the German web site that’s selling it.

Wanna Hear Pyramid Strings on a uBass?

Mike Upton of Kala with a uBass and Pyramid strings.

Then check this out.

Kala uploaded a short video of Mike Upton testing out a set of Pyramid Copper wound strings on an acoustic uBass.

Check out the video Here.

Kala Undertakes Major Redesign of its Web Site

And it looks like a winner.

Kala has completely redesigned its web site (and shortened the URL to the site as well). The new site has a cleaner and more comprehensive look. It’s videos are prominently displayed and grouped into sections such as “Featured Artists” and “Other Artists.”

The uBass page has the company’s complete line of instruments on a single, scrollable page, with videos and information easily accessible. Each uBass line is represented by its own section of the page (which look suspiciously like the print ads Kala has run in various music magazines.) But what’s interesting abou these sections is that if you click on a specific instrument, you are taken to a page with all the specs, photos and pricing for that particular instrument.

The company also redesigned its Gear section, breaking it out into a separate site, powered by Amazon.com. Now all of Kala’s gear and accessores are available in a single store. All its uBass gear is available on two pages. You can purchase accessories directly from the store or add gear to your Amazon.com wishlist from there.

So what’s the best part of Kala’s new web site? The link to our blog of course.

Well done Kala. And thanks for the plug.

Kala adds Thunderguts to its uBass String Lineup

A Mahogany uBass sporting a set of Aquila Thundergut strings

Kala Brand Music Co. is now distributing Aquila Thundergut strings, making them

available for its line of uBasses. The company says they will be available for all its uBass models.

This brings to three the choice of strings available for the uBass: The original polyurethane Pahoehoe strings, Pyramid silver-plated copper-wound and the Thunderguts.

To get an idea what the Thunderguts sound like on a uBass, check our previous poston the subject.

“The Aquila Thundergut strings are manufactured in Italy and are made of a precise combination of both a dense and an elastic-plastic blend. The result is a string with density, stability, and the ability to resonate at very low frequencies,” Kala says.

Kala sells the Thunderguts on its web site for $24.99 a set. The Pyramids sell for $59.00. Pahoehoe Dreads sell for $29.99 and standard Pahoehoes sell for $24.99.