Kala U-Bass Striped Ebony - Fretted, Round Wounds Reviews
Get amazing bass tone and exquisite looks with Kala's Striped Ebony U-Bass. The Kala U-Bass series is a truly unique line, offering players a compact instrument that delivers huge sound. Featuring a compact 20.375" scale, the U-Bass has made a name for itself not only as an instrument small enough to fit in the overhead compartment of a plane, but also big enough to fill a room with full bass sound. Many players, including those here at Sweetwater, have compared the tone and volume of the Kala U-Bass to that of an upright — big, full low end that is ideal for backing a variety of genres.
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Highest Rated Reviews
Big Sound, Little Package
Unplugged it's a nice parlor bass and handy to have by my desk so I can grab it and play when I've got a few minutes. Plugged in those Fishman electronics turn it into a serious bottom-end beast. I swapped out the rounds with a set of flats and that notched it up yet another level. Incredibly fun to play.
Excellent
This bass is awesome! It is great to have around, and easy to transport! You will need at least minor amplification to play along with others, but that can be solved with $50 and the internet.
I prefer round wound strings. I have never been able to get behind the rubber strings. I have spent some time with the Ubass, and have learned to play it properly. Everything that can be played in a regular bass can also be done on this. Excellent instrument. I would buy another in a heartbeat.
Stoked over my Kala U-Bass w/Round Wounds
Opinions on u-basses and u-bass strings vary widely. I think that has to do with expectations. If you are expecting a u-bass to be just like your bass but smaller, you'll probably be disappointed with any u-bass. The physics of creating low notes on such short strings is complicated. However, if you are expecting a super-portable instrument that is tuned like a bass, you'll be thrilled.
I bought a u-bass so I can noodle while watching TV (e.g., mess around with scales, licks, ear-training, and such) and to have a bass to take with me when traveling. The Kala U-Bass fit those expectations perfectly.
FWIW: I bought the Striped Ebony model because it is one of the few Kala models that comes with round wound strings, and I wanted Kala to deal with the nut, relief, and intonation of roundwounds rather than me replacing "rubber" strings with roundwounds.
A disaster of biblical proportions - they sent a used and abused bass
I've purchased a ton of stuff from Sweetwater over the years and always feared eventually something would go wrong. Well, my fears are over. The purchase of this Ubass was a disaster. It was supposed to be that this bass was to be modified by SW to change out the strings to flat wound steel. After several weeks, SW advised this could not be done. I changed the order to a stock ebony with round wound metal. SW ended up sending me a used bass with lots of issues. The bass was dead on arrival, covered with sticky fingerprints, the cheap-o chinese battery was installed backwards, was dead and had swelled up and was jammed in the bass and could not be removed from the holder. I had to drill a hole in the bottom of the battery and use a small hooked tool to pull it out. The outer pocket of the case has a jammed zipper which cannot be moved and the pocket is useless. NO ONE AT SWEETWATER OR KALA LOOKED AT THIS BASS BEFORE IT WENT OUT THE DOOR ! ! ! So much for the SW promise of a guitar tech checking out every guitar. NOT THIS ONE. This was supposed to be a birthday present on 5-6-23. I finally got it working on 5-30-23.
