I know there will be differences of opinions with KALA U-BASSES and not everyone will agree but here is my humble 2 cents worth. I wanted to spend a little time with the instrument to get to know it. So after a couple of months, my thoughts are that this is lot of bass in a small package. It is a bit of a different creature. The obvious advantage of this U-bass is in it's convenience and portability. For 40 years, I played mostly Fender Jazz and Fender Precision basses, running them almost exclusively through Fender Amps. I will always love Fender products but for a while now, I have been looking for lighter, easier options, without sacrificing the farm in tonal quality. Playing this bass has been a nice surprise. I bought the Exotic Mahogany U-Bass Model and it is beautiful!!! It came straight out of the box, ready to play with no setup required, so that was a nice surprise. The short scale of the fretboard (20.375 inches) can be both an advantage and a disadvantage. While limiting your range to basically “12 playable” frets, it also opens up a “longer and wider finger reach” within the fretboard, opening more creative ways to finger your scales and riffs. The total length of the Kala U-Bass is 29.375 inches. For me, the weight, length and portability are the primary reasons I bought it with the thought that if I were able to produce the type of tone that I am happy with, then I would be willing to sacrifice the limitations of the shorter scale. As far as sound and tone, the type of strings that you put on this bass will make all the difference in the world. It is shipped with polyurethane strings and right out of the box, when amplified, it does give you a really nice upright bass tone. There is a somewhat fun learning curve with the fat and rubbery strings, which tend to roll on you. They are just flat out weird, easy of the fingers but weird!!!! There is a bit of muscle memory retraining as well, due to how the strings tend to "roll" on you and also the shorter scale. You will need an amp to run this thru or you will not be heard unless you are in a very quiet environment. The poly strings also take a while to stretch out and will require a bit more tuning at first but then will "settle in" after a week or two. Another feature to mention is the built in tuner which can come in very handy. It is hard to hear an unamplified bass in a room with any kind of noise going on and the beauty of the built in tuner is all you have to do is look at the nicely lit digital screen. It seems that most of the bassists on here, after a few weeks of playing and messing around, are leaving nice comments in their reviews. The deeper upright bass sound is a nice style and I am still learning and will add that the KALA definitely has it's charm but for me personally, after playing with the poly strings for a couple of months, I will most likely switch over to different strings. One negative thing that I have noticed is that the E string through the pickup is quite a bit weaker and does not sound nearly as strong as the other strings, which I have read the same observation also from other reviewers. I am not sure if this is because of the property of the strings or if it possibly has something to do with the placement of the pickups but I am looking into it.
I am an old rock and roller and prefer a little less muddy thump and a bit more "clarity and drive" so I have purchased a set of nylon core metal round wound strings especially made for the Kala U-bass that will project a brighter, clearer tone and with more harmonics that are missing in the polyurethane strings. I want to play this thing just a bit longer with the poly strings but am definitely curious to hear the difference in the strings. Most likely, I will opt out for my U-Bass to sound more like an electric/acoustic bass and less like a double bass and once I switch out, will probably stay with the metal round wounds but we shall see. It is nice having options
Also, if you use a strap, you will need the ukulele or mandolin type that ties itself to the headstock near the nut. With my model, there is only one strap button, on the bass itself, located at the end of the guitar, which is also the plugin for your ¼ inch jack.
One minor disappointment for me is, apparently, this hollow body U-bass is not compatible with my Line 6 Relay wireless system. While this is probably not that big of deal for most, it should at least be pointed out that for amplification, you will need to plug in with a traditional cord with a ¼ inch jack. For players that are using cordless or wireless systems, you might want to get a bit more clarification from Kala regarding wireless compatibility. Perhaps anyone reading this or someone from Kala might offer some options regarding the use of wireless system or even better, offer some type of “fix”.
Also, one more inconvenience on my model is in the placement of the input for the ¼ inch jack. It is on the very end of the instrument, so when it is plugged in, you cannot just sit the instrument down on it's end, like you might normally do. You will either need a stand that has enough clearance to the floor that will clear the ¼ inch jack or just lay the instrument on it's back to set it down.
Having said that, this is one nice instrument, with the ability to offer a variety a tone options from it's “signature” upright double bass sound to a more “classic” electric bass sound. Definitely, worth checking out. Personally for me, the pro's far outweigh the con's and I am enjoying playing bass again.
Kala UBASS-EM-FS Exotic Mahogany U-Bass with Gig Bag - Natural
3.8 | 83 ratings
Price: 399
Last update: 01-30-2025
About this item
Exotic Mahogany back and sides
Rosewood fingerboard and bridge
21 inch scale
Kala electronic system with an active EQ and built in tuner
Separate compensated saddles for each string
Rosewood fingerboard and bridge
21 inch scale
Kala electronic system with an active EQ and built in tuner
Separate compensated saddles for each string
Product information
| Item Weight | 2.49 pounds |
|---|---|
| Product Dimensions | 31.89 x 32.28 x 11.81 inches |
| ASIN | B00BXUTUBG |
| Item model number | MAIN-46151 |
| Batteries | 2 C batteries required. |
| Customer Reviews |
3.9 3.9 out of 5 stars
83 ratings
3.9 out of 5 stars |
| Best Sellers Rank | #19,775 in Musical Instruments (See Top 100 in Musical Instruments) #45 in Bass Guitars #109 in Acoustic Guitars |
| Is Discontinued By Manufacturer | No |
| Date First Available | March 13, 2013 |
| Back Material | Rosewood, Mahogany, Basswood |
| Body Material | Mahogany |
| Color Name | Exotic Mahogany |
| Fretboard Material | Rosewood |
| Guitar Pickup Configuration | Piezo |
| Top Material | Rosewood, Mahogany |
| Neck Material Type | Mahogany |
| Number of Strings | 4 |
| Size | small |
| Battery type | Lithium |
Top reviews from the United States
Mr. JamesI love it
Tom.I really Like this Thing
S. GreenSo close, but unplayable
Vanessa LeventhalWould recommend!
R. Winfield