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U-Bass and other little thick strings


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Good Day All,

I know it's come up in the past but since this place is as dead as the search feature, I figured I'd just start a new thread.

 

I've been thinking about a "mini" or short scaled 4 string in line with my "cheapo" aesthetic. Honestly, just something to have at hand near the couch in my luxurious estate for fleeting moments of inspiration which tends to come at my physical worst. This can be translated as, when I get up, my body can sound like a haunted house and I'm scarred I'll loose the rhythm in my head before I feel the strings.

 

Jackson has a cool little electric but I'm likely not to plug it in when couch bound. I do the same presently with my electrics as it's usually late. I do have a cheapo Ibanez acoustic but it's too big.

 

That brings me to today. A friend of a friend, all trustworthy, nothing to worry about there (plus, I KNOW WHERE YOU LIVE), has a new (less than 10 hours playtime) U-Bass Journeyman with a bag. I haven't laid hands on it but will before paying. No real bargain compared to online, save shipping and hassling, and they could use the dough.

 

Anybody have any experience with the U-Bass? Is it garbage or worth the price? There are some cheaper varieties. Is it more Uke than Bass?

 

Any recommendations of other Little Thick Strings?

(hummm... That almost sounds like... nah.)

If you think my playing is bad, you should hear me sing!
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Our bassist has one. It sounds good plugged in, somehow quite a bit like an upright bass. It doesn't have much to offer as an acoustic instrument.

 

I sat in with a Canadian country singer a while back playing his U-bass and she asked me if I could be her pickup bassist for a couple of gigs.

Then she said "Do you have a real bass?" I'm 6'2" plus so it probably looked pretty stupid. I played the gigs on a Peavey Fury, close enough to a "real bass."

 

It takes a bigger body and stiffer strings to get much of an acoustic sound. Other than that, I like them. Maybe just put a little amp by the couch and turn it up just enough to beef it up a bit?

It took a chunk of my life to get here and I am still not sure where "here" is.
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I have a Kala Rumbler, love it. I even used it on one song on last studio recording. They definitely take a bit of getting used to but can sound great. They are prone to feedback at high volume.

You can stop now -jeremyc

STOP QUOTING EVERY THING I SAY!!! -Bass_god_offspring

lug, you should add that statement to you signature.-Tenstrum

I'm not sure any argument can top lug's. - Sweet Willie

 

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I was going to get one, but have yet to try one whose strings didn't give me the creeps, like there was a probe being sent up my body. So I instead bought the brand-new Guild Mini Acoustic Bass, which is a bit bigger than an 'ukulele but surprisingly has more depth and body to the sound than the full-sized acoustic basses I have owned, whether archtop or flattop.

 

Just the other day, I encountered another choice in the miniature bass department, at The Ukulele Site, which is my preferred vendor for quality 'ukuleles. I think it might have been Pono who is now making what are effectively mini bass guitars, but they don't use the rubber band strings that U-basses do, and might be a bit larger. Maybe in between a U-bass size and the Guild (which is similar in size to Taylor's popular GS Mini).

 

As I haven't had the chance to try the Guild at a gig yet, I don't know how it will blend or cut through. Once our regular venue opens up again, I'll likely try it in the violin-led swing group that I'm in. The combo that I lead myself, has its first post-COVID gig outdoors at a winery in Livermore in a couple of weeks, and we have a sax and archtop guitar plus me on bass and the drummer. I won't be trying the mini-bass at that gig; too risky.

Eugenio Upright, 60th Anniversary P-Bass, USA Geddy Lee J-Bass, Yamaha BBP35, D'angelico SS Bari, EXL1,

Select Strat, 70th Anniversary Esquire, LP 57, Eastman T486, T64, Ibanez PM2, Hammond XK4, Moog Voyager

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Thanks for the rapid response. Glad to see some activity here.

 

Mark

Good point about the type of strings. I saw varieties of the U-Bass with different ones. I don't want one with "non-traditional" strings.

 

Lug, no chance in the thing seeing high volume but always a risk with non-solidbodies. Good to keep in mind.

 

Glad to hear of some real world use and appreciation. Glad to hear of no horror stories.

You people may be pushing me.

If you think my playing is bad, you should hear me sing!
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You can stop now -jeremyc

STOP QUOTING EVERY THING I SAY!!! -Bass_god_offspring

lug, you should add that statement to you signature.-Tenstrum

I'm not sure any argument can top lug's. - Sweet Willie

 

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I actually tried one of these at my favorite local music store recently. Played it acoustic and plugged into a small combo amp.

 

To be perfectly honest, it didn't really do anything for me.

 

But I tend to be a bit of a purist on this stuff -- I didn't even get into the recent "short scale" fad.

 

I mean, it did what it was supposed to do the way it was supposed to do it. It just wasn't for me.

"Tours widely in the southwestern tip of Kentucky"
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