mandolin to ubass?

[DavDav]

As I've been listening to more bluegrass, I've fallen in love with the double bass and considered learning to play.

Stumbled into a music shop this weekend and found a ubass by Kala. Super fun to play, and we were shocked at the tone you get at a fraction the size of an upright.

Check it out:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-PjpXrXFI8c

Was about to pull the trigger on renting an upright, but the ubass seems like it might be an easier transition from mandolin because of size, and the frets... but still retaining upright-ish tone.

Any thoughts on the transition between mandolin and bass, or ubass? Tough jump?

(sorry if this is the wrong section, feel free to move it)

[Tim2723]

I would think you'd have a lot easier time going from mandolin to that than a double bass. It sounds a lot more bass-like than some other attempts at a compact instrument that I've heard over the years. I've always wanted a compact bass instrument and got excited over the Steinbergers, the acoustic bass gursita, even the bodiless electric uprights, each in their turn, but I haven't found anything that really floats my boat yet. A few years ago there was another attempt at a small instrument with big, fat, rubbery strings, but I can't remember the name of that one.

[Mike Bunting]

I would think you'd have a lot easier time going from mandolin to that than a double bass. It sounds a lot more bass-like than some other attempts at a compact instrument that I've heard over the years. I've always wanted a compact bass instrument and got excited over the Steinbergers, the acoustic bass gursita, even the bodiless electric uprights, each in their turn, but I haven't found anything that really floats my boat yet. A few years ago there was another attempt at a small instrument with big, fat, rubbery strings, but I can't remember the name of that one.

That might be the Asbury bass to which you refer. I looked at a ubass kala and I'm thinking it would be great to have for some home recordings, I think they sound great.

[JonZ]

The Ubass is just too cute!

[Mandolin Mick]

When I was in Hawaii last year I took this photo of acoustic Ubasses.

[Tim2723]

That might be the Asbury bass to which you refer.

Yes, that's it, Mike. Thanks! It would have kept me up half the night remembering it.

[mandobassman]

I had seriously thought about buying one of those last year. I was inspired by this video.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vNPx6RS8PiM

I'm sure amp and set up have lots to do with it, but I was stunned at how much it sounded like a decent upright. From what I have read, and from the sound samples I have heard, the Ashbory bass (spelling is correct) by DeArmond does not sound as good as the Kala Ubass.

[allenhopkins]

That might be the Asbury bass to which you refer...

Ashbory bass. I have one of the original Guild models, and it's fun. Uses an active piezo pickup system, and can sound a lot like a bass fiddle. Fender bought the rights, I guess, and sells it under the DeArmond name. Designed in UK by Alun Ashworth-Jones and Nigel Thornbory, hence "Ashbory."

Strings are silicone rubber, and it's recommended that one put talcum powder on one's fingers while playing, so that fingers don't stick to the surface. Fender sells the strings.

[Jacob]

I recently purchased a S-U-B Series U-Bass. It is a really fun instrument. It has a huge amplified sound and is very easy to play. I prefer the Aquila Thundergut strings over the Kala ones. I haven't yet tried the Pyramid set. It has frets so I can play in tune. New strings take several day to stop stretching. The Aquila set becomes more stable much faster than the Kala one. And, you don't need talcum powder or cornmeal on your hands.
The addition of a Roland Micro Cube Bass Amplifier provides a nice portable system that has amazing presence for its size.

[Tim2723]

BTW, gursita = guitars, a horrible typo on my part, not some obscure exotic instrument (though it would make a good name for one).

A great number of the acoustic bass guitars were discontinued (including Ovation's attempt) because the bridge wouldn't take the tensions and they failed left and right. Indeed, I was on the verge of buying one when my local dealer said they had been discontinued. I wonder if this ukulele-based one will fare any better? I would think the plastic/rubber strings would work better than metal.

[Gene Korte]

Nothin' like the real thing.

Now, at least for me, if I want a banjer, I get a banjer, if I want a bass I get a double bass. There is nothing that compares to the actual sound of the "original" instrument. That said; I did buy a mando-banjo [I]and[I] an NS Design electric upright bass, so what do I know? Guess it all boils down to what you want to do and if you're looking for the exact sound of the instrument in question.
I got lazy not wanting to learn the banjer and got the MB, and didn't want to carry around the giant upright bass and compromised on the NS Design.

I've tried the Kala and believe it has it's applications. Sure is small enough as far a portability is concerned. Not terribly bluegrassy due to its design, and forget about open chords E,A,D and G. Just not the same as a UB.

Regarding the OP's question re: being able to change over...... should be no problem. Hardest part will be keeping the rhythm, singing and tap dancing at the same time.

[Terry Allan Hall]

A buddy of mine has the U-bass and it never ceases to amaze me that such a tiny instrument sounds so big, when plugged in...I'm patiently waiting for him to get bored with it.

[DavDav]

Jacob, so that cube bass amp works well with the ubass?

I'd love to have an amp I could drag along to the camp fire that isn't huge and runs on batteries. It looks pretty wimpy but the reviews seem solid so far.

To be clear, using my guitar amp (fender hot rod deluxe) would be a bad idea with a bass, yes?

I'm a little torn on fretless / fretted... but I doubt getting fretless would in any way 'train' me for an upright. Why wouldn't anyone want to go fretless on this?

[JonZ]

Practicing any fretless instrument correctly will be helpful in transfering to another fretless instrument. My son made the switch from violin to double bass, and hit the ground running. His teacher thought he had perfect pitch because he was playing in tune on the first lesson. It is more about the ear than the fingers. If you can hear when a note is right, your fingers will adjust quickly.

[tr6drvr]

I recently purchased a S-U-B Series U-Bass. It is a really fun instrument. It has a huge amplified sound and is very easy to play. I prefer the Aquila Thundergut strings over the Kala ones. I haven't yet tried the Pyramid set. It has frets so I can play in tune. New strings take several day to stop stretching. The Aquila set becomes more stable much faster than the Kala one. And, you don't need talcum powder or cornmeal on your hands.
The addition of a Roland Micro Cube Bass Amplifier provides a nice portable system that has amazing presence for its size.

I have exactly that setup, assuming you mean the battery operated micro cube. I carry the cube in a beach bag and use a battery operated Samson Airline wireless system, so the hardcore cannot really tell at first I am playing a dang 'lectric bass. I own an upright (former bass player) but I bring this with me as an emergency bass to jams in case the real thing doesn't show up and there are enough mando players to go around. Portable, discrete and sounds like a standup.

[Mike Bunting]

Practicing any fretless instrument correctly will be helpful in transfering to another fretless instrument. My son made the switch from violin to double bass, and hit the ground running. His teacher thought he had perfect pitch because he was playing in tune on the first lesson. It is more about the ear than the fingers. If you can hear when a note is right, your fingers will adjust quickly.

Neither of the two instruments mentioned appear to be fretless.

[Jacob]

The Acoustic-Electric UBASS is available fretless.

[Jacob]

"Jacob, so that cube bass amp works well with the ubass? "
Yes, the battery operated Roland Micro Cube Bass Amplifier works very well with a UBASS. Surprising sound from 4 4 inch speakers.

I have much greater chance of actually playing in tune if the fingerboard is fretted.

[harper]

I just took advantage of the Labor Day sale at Strings and Beyond and ordered a set of Aquila 68U Thundergut 4 strings for my Kala UBass. The strings are tuned in 5ths (GDAE). Has anyone tried this with their UBass? I can't find anything on the web about it. I think I would be more successful playing it in fifths than having the learn how to play in 4ths.

[harper]

I may be wrong about the Aquila strings being in fifths. If they are listed high to low, they are in 4ths. Too bad. I guess I will find out when they arrive.

[Jim Garber]

It is sort of confusing. On the Aquila site they call out the strings GDAE but std bass should be EADG (low to high). When I looked at the uke section std uke strings are called out GCEA (low to high).

[barry k]

Tendon problems in my hands, mostly the right one had forced me to find an alternative to upright. Ive tried electrics, acoustics, the electric uprights and finally settled on the Kala U bass, fretted. I use a 300 watt Galien Kruger 23 lb amp and I love everything about this little bass. The sound definitely IS bluegrass and little difference can be detected between this little bass and and upright sound . I have no financial interest in this company, but wish I did. Only problem, maybe not a problem but one cannot slap this little bass, but maybe that's what gave me hand problems to begin with?

[chuck3]

To the OP's original question - I play upright (or double) bass, as well as various bass guitars, fretted and fretless. It is not that easy to switch over to upright bass because the technique on both hands is *very* different even than bass guitar, much less guitar, much less mandolin. The right hand string plucking technique takes some work, and the left hand generally does not involve use of the ring finger except in supporting the pinky. In fact, my greatest problem in trying to get better on mandolin is that the ring finger is so active on mando and, as an upright bass player, I'm not used to that.

That said, upright bass is a great instrument and you'll get a lot of calls to play, at least I do. My suggestion is, if you can swing it, take at least a few lessons.

Of course, it's fretless. So you need to understand intonation and practice playing in tune.

The Kala U-basses are great little instruments. I don't own one but I'd like to. For me, the fretless would be better (it could sub for the upright) but there is nothing wrong with the fretted ones and they would be easier for you to transition to. You could play it with a pick if you wished, although that's not what I would do. (Although I sometimes use a pick on bass guitar for certain kinds of rock music.)

As for tuning a bass in fifths - well, basses are tuned in fourths. An upright may look like a bigger violin, but it's not of that family of instruments - it evolved from the gamba.

There's one famous jazz player - Red Mitchell - who switched mid-career to fifths tuning on upright bass - it's quite a story, and Red was quite a player. But he's the exception rather than the rule. All my basses are tuned in fourths, but now that I'm used to fifths tuning from mando I'm thinking of taking one of them and switching it over to fifths tuning. (I will need different strings - the gauges will be different, for example low E changing to low C.)

[Dan Hulse]

I have wanted one of these for a while, but don't play enough bass these days to justify the purchase. I have played both the fretted & fretless and find that the fretless does NOT sound more like an acoustic. It might be the shorter scale, but you don't get that fretless "m-uahh" you would expect, at least not with the stock strings. I have played all manner of basses for over 30 years, including a Guild Ashbory (hated the sticky strings, and they broke too easily). Check out http://www.gollihurmusic.com/index.cfm (NFI on my part, I can however attest to great customer service). I'd get one of these before I'd ever get another doghouse, unless you're doing trad jazz, BG or classical.

[Jim Garber]

I wonder if it makes any difference for this ubass to be solid or laminated woods other than aesthetics. They have this all-laminated Rumbler model which is the least expensive and it comes with proprietary Aquila strings which BTW I read eliminate that rubbery feel and the need for talcum powder on your fingers. Anyone play these basic ones (no pun intended) and any real reason to go for the solid ones?