No Mandollin Content: Ukelele Bass

[banjoboy]

My band is going to do some gigs this summer that require traveling by air. I play bass in the group. Some of them have commented that it would be great if I purchased an acoustic bass guitar. I have concerns about transporting a regular size bass guitar as much as I would an acoustic bass. I wouldn't be opposed to a uke bass, but I think the boys in the group would be embarrassed to have one on stage, even though they sound pretty decent. Any thoughts? Anybody ever see other professional (or even semi-professional) bands with uke basses?

[multidon]

I know a bass player who tried the ukulele bass route. They have rubbery strings, like the old Ashbory bass did. Those strings have a very odd feel to them that she never got used to. Also, the intonation seemed off, due to the stretchiness of the strings. Finger placement had to be spot on or things started sounding out of tune. She ended up selling it. Recently, she acquired a Taylor GS Mini Bass, and likes it much, much better. 23 inch scale length and uses nylon core bronze wrapped strings. It has a very convincing bass tone when plugged in. You can even hear it pretty well unplugged, for practice or quiet jams. You can't do that with a uke bass, they practically make no sound at all unplugged. The GS Mini only comes with a gig bag, and there is no hard case for it that I'm aware of, so you would have to carry it on. But it is a pretty sturdy gig bag.

[JH Murray]

The fretted ukulele basses I have played have good intonation. The fretless ones are more of a challenge as Multidon says. Plugged in it has a great sound. Plus having a Ubass on stage just opens the door to whole new set of jokes for the band.

[Pittsburgh Bill]

The first, and only, time I saw a Uke Bass used on stage by a band illicited intrique and not jokes. It sounded very good and during a break between sets brought many questions. The owner was very pleased with it and liked the convenience. Not being a bass player, I turned down his offer to allow me to take it for a test drive. Thus, I can offer no opinion on playability.

[MikeEdgerton]

I'm assuming you're talking about the Kala UBass. Check out this video. They are pretty cool but you need a decent amp. I have a fretted model. Make sure you carry extra batteries for the electronics.

-PjpXrXFI8c

[Charlieshafer]

Or, while more expensive, perhaps a better investment in the long run, is to get one of Charlie Chadwick's folding basses:

Folding Bass (http://foldingbass.com)

We've had a few come through the series over the years. The tone isn't quite as great as a really nice full-sized, but when you're on stage, it's going to be mic'd anyway, so the sun difference disappears. Early models had some various minor issues, so if going used get a later one, or bite the bullet and just get a new one, they're not that expensive.

With one of these, at east you look like a real bass player, and are set for traveling for many years to come.

Just noticed he even rents them, now. Try before you buy...or not buy. But you can take one on tour before committing which is nice. For street red, check out the roster of players using them.

[Charlie Bernstein]

As long as it doesn't kill your band's image (e.g. a bluegrass or metal band could never get away with it), a uke bass is a great solution. Good sound, fun to play, stupid easy to travel with, and a guaranteed conversation piece.

[Charlie Bernstein]

Or get one of these:

https://www.funidelia.com/inflatable-bass-guitar-18317.html

[funkycarnivore]

As it happens, I play bass in a ukulele band. I'm using a steel string acoustic bass guitar that's marketed as a "bass ukulele". It's about the scale length of a guitar and it does the job. I was using various Kala UBasses, with the plastic strings and they were fine too. A little more "upright-like". Some of the fretted ones do have problems with intonation, I think because of the increased surface area of the gigantic strings. I also have the Gold Tone M-Bass fretless version that I haven't used with the band because the electronics need a lot of messing with the EQ to get a sound that seems to already be built into the Kala. The Taylor looks interesting and I will probably get one when they are available at my dealer. Here are some videos with the steel string. https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCxWFis8vKiyi5CYp_KX9mrQ

[banjoboy]

Or, while more expensive, perhaps a better investment in the long run, is to get one of Charlie Chadwick's folding basses:

Folding Bass (http://foldingbass.com)

We've had a few come through the series over the years. The tone isn't quite as great as a really nice full-sized, but when you're on stage, it's going to be mic'd anyway, so the sun difference disappears. Early models had some various minor issues, so if going used get a later one, or bite the bullet and just get a new one, they're not that expensive.

With one of these, at east you look like a real bass player, and are set for traveling for many years to come.

Just noticed he even rents them, now. Try before you buy...or not buy. But you can take one on tour before committing which is nice. For street red, check out the roster of players using them.

I've seen these before. Pretty cool. We don't travel enough to justify the cost.

[banjoboy]

Or get one of these:

https://www.funidelia.com/inflatable-bass-guitar-18317.html

Cool, but does it sound like an upright?

[Bill Cameron]

I have a headless bass which has served me well. It's a Cort copy of a Steinberger. Cost me about $300 Canadian. Very very compact and I like having the tuners in their logical,spot below the bridge. No, its not an upright but its a highly portable affordable and comfortable real electric bass. No reason not to consider one if youre thinking about the U-bass, which are also cool. Yes I have seen a pro playing a U-bass. Emily Dingwall, seen here with the great JP Cormier who has high standards for accompanists. https://youtu.be/xAJFpfZc9uM

[Tom Haywood]

I have a fretless Kala U-Bass that was used for bluegrass on stage today at an outdoor festival - professional show. Yesterday, our bass player used a regular electric bass because his usual upright was not available. This morning he thought the U-Bass was some kind of toy until he played the first note. He used it for the whole day. By the end of the first set he wanted to buy one. He also enjoyed the freedom to walk around the stage while playing. Seven or eight people, including two professional bass players, came up during breaks and asked to play it or to just said how good it sounded. Through the right amp it sounds just like an upright with extra available volume. Not all bass amps make it sound good. I use a Fender Acoustisonic. Not sure what he had today, but I know he selected the channel for a non-active pickup and it was just right. Whoever owned it before me replace the strings and did not put them on correctly. This caused me to break one string and break a tuner machine before I figured out the problem. Strings are inexpensive and easy to get. They are thick rubber and are not like the Ashbory strings. Tuners are hard to find and a little tricky to replace. I bought a plugin passive volume control to plug in at the jack. I've seen hard cases for them. That would really be essential for travel. The bass is so lightly constructed that I'm not sure about recommending it for extensive travel and gigging, but I've heard that there quite a few bands using them.

I am hearing very good things from friends about the Taylor GS mini bass, but they say it doesn't sound like an upright.

[Steve Ostrander]

I have played the Gold Tone Micro bass and I liked it a lot. I thought it had a very "upright" bass sound. They make two scale lengths, I think 23" and 25". I played the 23" which is the most common. I'm not sure if the 25" is a special order. Also they come in fretted and fretless versions. I liked the longer scale and larger body than the Kala.

It's true that the strings take some getting used to if you are prone to executing slides. The GT basses come with GT strings, and I don't know if they are compatible with other strings. The polyurethane material is a little sticky, but I was told that you can put baby powder on them to ease the stickiness.

[Bslot0622]

I love the GoldTone Microbass. The body is almost exactly like the body of a Baby Taylor and it has a great feel. They make the rubber strings (what they call thundergut) and low tension metal wound strings. The metal strings are a heck of a lot of fun. Through an amp I don't really hear too much of a difference between a full sized acoustic bass guitar, like one of the Deans.

[Russ Jordan]

We have been through this a bit as my wife is an upright bass player--not flying, but we travel with camper along with music making friends. As you can imagine, making space for a 3/4 bass is an issue. In the 90's my wife played a Guild fretless electric bass, which I always though sounded really good, though of course different than an upright. We still have the Guild, but wifey hasn't played it out in years, preferring to play upright. We bought an englehardt 1/4 that she used traveling for a few trips, but the tone wasn't too good. Recently we bought a 1967 Kay 1/4, and it sounds great. The 1/4 fits across the seat of our pickup, and works out wonderfully.

Of course none of this helps the OP, but at Renofest Band Contest this year, I think all bands but two played some sort of stick bass or electric upright. Some of them sounded pretty darn good. One that sounded good and the guy really knew how to make the most out of his amp/pre-amp settings, was an NS Designs, NXT.

[catmandu2]

Of course none of this helps the OP, but at Renofest Band Contest this year, I think all bands but two played some sort of stick bass or electric upright. Some of them sounded pretty darn good. One that sounded good and the guy really knew how to make the most out of his amp/pre-amp settings, was an NS Designs, NXT.

I had an Ergo (EUB) for a while - good sound, and packs into a bag about the size of a long tent bag (about 2X longer). Pretty ideal for a traveler bass.

[Drew Egerton]

I guess they are set on having acoustic, but I just recently got an electric upright bass and I love it. I am no bass player, only been messing around with it for a few weeks. But it sounds enough like an acoustic to be passable with no effects pedals or anything, could maybe get it closer with one, but it is so much nicer to carry around and store.
It's also perfect for me living in an apartment building because practicing with a full acoustic upright would not be good for the neighbors!

The couple of Uke basses I have heard sounding surprisingly great to me. Is it really any less risk while traveling than a guitar style bass though?

[trevor]

Dave Pegg of Fairport Convention used some kind of bass ukulele when he had a hand injury.

[JH Murray]

Just came across a very inexpensive ukulele bass on https://www.amazon.ca/UK-Dream-Concert-Acoustic-Handcraft/dp/B01L39QTQA/ref=sr_1_fkmr0_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1494697476&sr=8-1-fkmr0&keywords=uk+dream+ukulele+bass for about $100USD. The brand is UK Dream. Also available on Ali Express. (https://www.###############/item/Guitarra-Electrica-Wooden-Guitar-Musical-Instruments-30-inch-Full-Sapele-Vintage-Retro-Closed-Knob-Ukulele-Only/32718412626.html?spm=2114.01010208.3.9.ACWXVg&ws_ab_test=searchweb0_0,searchweb201602_2_10152_10 065_10151_10130_10068_436_10139_10136_10157_10137_ 10060_10138_10155_10062_10156_10154_10056_10055_10 054_10059_100032_100033_100031_10099_10103_10102_1 0096_10147_10052_10053_10050_10107_10142_10051_100 84_10083_10080_10082_10081_10178_10110_10111_10112 _10113_10114_10181_10183_10182_10185_10078_10079_1 0077_10073_10070_10123,searchweb201603_4,ppcSwitch _5&btsid=ba438f66-30fe-4f61-9fda-a7457f87c578&algo_expid=f04f01a8-52ec-476d-be58-029dfa150ff5-1&algo_pvid=f04f01a8-52ec-476d-be58-029dfa150ff5)