A friend made something very similar when these strings came out. It needs a very, very light touch. Digging in does rather ruin the tuning! That looks really fun and very useful if you (like my friend) have serious arthritis. He was able to jam again after a couple of years getting frustrated by the pain of a "real" bass.
Bassist here, I've been considering getting a Uke bass when I'm too lazy to haul my double bass and/or playing a gig at a venue that might be a bit too sketchy for hauling my double bass to. They sound massive, once you get used to the unique strings!
I recently got my first u-bass (Gold Tone acoustic fretless) and I really like it. You can get very authentic upright tones with a microphone, but then get more plugged in tones by plugging it into an amp or straight into the DAW. It's given me a lot more options when recording bass.
Look carefully for a good supply of the strings. With the Guild Ashbory, this was a problem. After they quite making the bass, the string supplier stopped selling them.
I'm most surprised by how well it sits in the mix! I've ruined my hands from (over)doing construction work, possibly for life, so maybe I should just fully embrace these kind of string instrument. But apropos construction and the things you learn doing that: maybe coat the strings with silicone lubricant or something similar? Edit: ARRRGH, no lefthand version 😭
There was a band called Stump once upon a time, whose bass player used a rubber strung bass guitar and used talcum powder or chalk on his hands, clouds of it during a gig but oh boy what an immense sound. I would get this just for the craic. looks good too.
Good reminder that one trick ponies can still be useful. I just picked up a 5-string NSD electric upright, and the note definition and fretless sounds are on a comlpetely different level. That has always been my beef with Uke basses, but I can definitely imagine situations where the tone you used on the opening clip would be useful. And you can take the little HB into a lot of situations where you wouldn’t take an enormous electric upright on a stand…
Die schnarrerei nervt, aber trotzdem Geiles Ding, da muss ein Compressor dran und dann wird es besser. Ab 12 Bund wird auch die Intonation ungenau und treffen tut man die Töne auch nicht mehr so leicht. Aber es sieht halt geil aus. Mit etwas Übung kann man obenrum trotzdem ganz schön wild drauf rum dudeln, aber das ist für fortgeschrittene! ❤❤❤
Neckthru on a sub 200€ bass?! Ok that thing is almost as cool as Tiffany, I love that song. I was thinking this is way easier to take to the coffee shop than my giant electric/acoustic Bass! Now I can add a deep bass line to Smelly Cat. ☕️
How is the fret buzz? With my Kala acoustic u-bass I went fretless because of the buzz, but my intonation is not always perfect, so frets would be nice.
What about using it as a practice instrument for a kid (5 to 8yo) until they have hands big enough ? Because the touch of rubber is very different, do you think they will pick bad playing habits?
Darn it, I was laughing, I was enjoying myself my wallet was safe I tell you. Why did you have to mention the fretless variant? Now I want one :P You rock man!
It could work for some metal. Face it, Bob Daisley didn't sound too much different. Most bass in metal is just there to give it a push anyways. You should make a short metal riff with it incorporated.😅
@@kimhoffmannandersen5477 He didn't, he has a very classic muffled, tone control rolled off, possibly flatwound sound. Why bring Orange Julius into this?
That looks really awesome. Do they also have a Guitarlele? I saw they have a Basslele that’s acoustic as well. Are these available from Thomann US, or must it be purchased from the main Thomann website in Europe? If it is available in the US, how does one order that way?
By the way, can one use light gauge steel or acoustic phosphor bronze strings for a normal bass instead of rubber? Or will the neck, tuners and bridge not be able to handle the added pressure? Or perhaps nylon or fluorocarbon type strings for an acoustic bass? It seems like this instrument has a piezo pickup installed, so it should work with almost any type of strings if it can take the pressure. That might improve the playing experience. Can you experiment with other types of strings and do a follow up video Ty!
Why is Harley Benton ripping off a company as small as Kala (assuming they have not been bought out)? The latter were lucky to find a market for their U Bass before this well-funded clone manufacturer came into existence (note that I have not criticized Harley Benton's clones of products from well-established companies this way).
A friend made something very similar when these strings came out. It needs a very, very light touch. Digging in does rather ruin the tuning! That looks really fun and very useful if you (like my friend) have serious arthritis. He was able to jam again after a couple of years getting frustrated by the pain of a "real" bass.
As a lifelong bassist, I can dig it, good way to practice upper fret work while playing in the right range for the song
Bassist here, I've been considering getting a Uke bass when I'm too lazy to haul my double bass and/or playing a gig at a venue that might be a bit too sketchy for hauling my double bass to. They sound massive, once you get used to the unique strings!
Thanks Henning for sharing. I never would have thought those Mayones Cali Basses could have so inspired the industry... Now I want these little ukes!
Hi Henning. I used to have an Ashbory bass and found that using talc (Dry 'n' Glide) on your hands helped reduce that sticky feel... 🙂
Careful, talc is carcinogenic... Mayne there are other solutions...
I recently got my first u-bass (Gold Tone acoustic fretless) and I really like it. You can get very authentic upright tones with a microphone, but then get more plugged in tones by plugging it into an amp or straight into the DAW. It's given me a lot more options when recording bass.
I want one! That little thing sounds great!
Leave some room in your 42GS5 luggage!
Look carefully for a good supply of the strings. With the Guild Ashbory, this was a problem. After they quite making the bass, the string supplier stopped selling them.
Good opening song, well performed with an interesting mix. Very good! The Uke is interesting too...
Cheers, Pete..
I'm most surprised by how well it sits in the mix!
I've ruined my hands from (over)doing construction work, possibly for life, so maybe I should just fully embrace these kind of string instrument.
But apropos construction and the things you learn doing that: maybe coat the strings with silicone lubricant or something similar?
Edit:
ARRRGH, no lefthand version 😭
There was a band called Stump once upon a time, whose bass player used a rubber strung bass guitar and used talcum powder or chalk on his hands, clouds of it during a gig but oh boy what an immense sound.
I would get this just for the craic. looks good too.
Good reminder that one trick ponies can still be useful. I just picked up a 5-string NSD electric upright, and the note definition and fretless sounds are on a comlpetely different level. That has always been my beef with Uke basses, but I can definitely imagine situations where the tone you used on the opening clip would be useful. And you can take the little HB into a lot of situations where you wouldn’t take an enormous electric upright on a stand…
Same principle as the Ashbory. The sticky strings can be improved by putting talcum powder on your hands.
That's both cool and adorable!
Neat bass, neat sounds, neat price! 😺👍
Good song, great demonstation. I lost out after seeing the singer looks like hes on the registry.
Die schnarrerei nervt, aber trotzdem Geiles Ding, da muss ein Compressor dran und dann wird es besser. Ab 12 Bund wird auch die Intonation ungenau und treffen tut man die Töne auch nicht mehr so leicht. Aber es sieht halt geil aus. Mit etwas Übung kann man obenrum trotzdem ganz schön wild drauf rum dudeln, aber das ist für fortgeschrittene! ❤❤❤
Use a bit of talcum powder to obviate the string 'stickiness'...
Neckthru on a sub 200€ bass?! Ok that thing is almost as cool as Tiffany, I love that song. I was thinking this is way easier to take to the coffee shop than my giant electric/acoustic Bass!
Now I can add a deep bass line to Smelly Cat. ☕️
I can’t say enough how much I love that pick your suckling pig restaurant y’all went to, was that in Korea? They know how to cook a pig … wait what?!
How is the fret buzz? With my Kala acoustic u-bass I went fretless because of the buzz, but my intonation is not always perfect, so frets would be nice.
Thats got serious balls!!
nice bass. what's its scale length converted to trouts? 😊
1
nice bass- looks like the kala ones
What about using it as a practice instrument for a kid (5 to 8yo) until they have hands big enough ? Because the touch of rubber is very different, do you think they will pick bad playing habits?
Good question… I think they can play other instruments… I have seen small kids play full size basses
Its an Ashbory ! Probably easier to use
Darn it, I was laughing, I was enjoying myself my wallet was safe I tell you. Why did you have to mention the fretless variant? Now I want one :P
You rock man!
Nice ... me want one
I have one exactly like this one...
Reeaaalllyyy? That’s so weird!
It could work for some metal. Face it, Bob Daisley didn't sound too much different. Most bass in metal is just there to give it a push anyways. You should make a short metal riff with it incorporated.😅
@@kimhoffmannandersen5477 He didn't, he has a very classic muffled, tone control rolled off, possibly flatwound sound. Why bring Orange Julius into this?
Looks like a baby version of my BTB
Real good song, nice!
That looks really awesome. Do they also have a Guitarlele? I saw they have a Basslele that’s acoustic as well.
Are these available from Thomann US, or must it be purchased from the main Thomann website in Europe? If it is available in the US, how does one order that way?
By the way, can one use light gauge steel or acoustic phosphor bronze strings for a normal bass instead of rubber? Or will the neck, tuners and bridge not be able to handle the added pressure? Or perhaps nylon or fluorocarbon type strings for an acoustic bass? It seems like this instrument has a piezo pickup installed, so it should work with almost any type of strings if it can take the pressure. That might improve the playing experience.
Can you experiment with other types of strings and do a follow up video
Ty!
i wonder how much downtune you lose with regular strings... if you can even put regular strings on it.
2 words how much
Hmm I think I’ll save some money for this little bass and maybe some better strings! Thanks for the pro level review 👍
Too bad it's twice as expensive ais HB's cheapest e-bass.
Why is Harley Benton ripping off a company as small as Kala (assuming they have not been bought out)? The latter were lucky to find a market for their U Bass before this well-funded clone manufacturer came into existence (note that I have not criticized Harley Benton's clones of products from well-established companies this way).
The Ashbury silicon string bass was out in the 80s . So that's who came up w the idea
Have you lost your mind?
That thing sounded awful
Autotune on the bass ???
on these types of basses it helps
@@EytschPi42 never want to hear these words again together bass and autotune. Perfection lies within imperfection.
@@EytschPi42 nothing personal im not a online hater or so but autotune on a bass is the end of musicianship and personality.