I'd also recommend a full-on 3/4 or 4/4 double bass. If a person is seriously interested in that voice and quality of sound, nothing else will ever satisfy, because a standard double bass is the only instrument that can do that. FWIW, this unusual period of time has become a buyer's market for used double basses, like with most other used instruments.
It sounds like the uBass idea doesn't appeal primarily because of the need for an amp, and I can't blame anyone there... But once I got my double bass and started gigging with it, it didn't take long to realize that a room full of volume-insensitive instrument players can easily overrun any acoustically-played bass, including the double bass. That inspired occasional amp usage with even my double bass, which is also very common among other double bassists.
And after I comfy'ed up to amp usage with my double bass in those cases where the hoards of other instruments couldn't keep their volume down, then the idea of a uBass as an easy-carry backup became quite inviting and I purchased one. I always prefer playing double bass, but for those difficult to access or fit-in venues or for those difficult weather situations, the uBass is plenty sufficient...
That said, if a person wants a uBass (or for that matter any guitar-shaped acoustic bass) to sound as close to a double bass as possible, it should be a fretless instrument. Going fretless with a uBass makes a huge difference in producing a more double bass like tone, by itself. Again though, this is assuming the use of an amp.
Lastly, getting an amp that is made specifically for use with a double bass completes the quest. I'm still just using a small standard electric-bass amp (a battery powered Roland Micro Cube Bass RX) for my occasional amp use, but if I ever start using an amp most or all the time, a nice one that is voiced specifically for the double bass would be my next, and possibly last, major bass-related purchase.
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