Kala Rumbler Mahogany U-Bass Acoustic-Electric - Natural Satin Reviews

I like this little bass. It has a big sound when plugged in. It is portable and I can take it with me to practice away from home. It takes a little getting used to because it is smaller scale. It has a unique sound.

Plugged this beauty and couldn't believe the sound I was hearing: rich deep bass with an upright reminiscense and clear well defined notes. You have to get used to the strings feeling and the action, but once you are there it's a pleasure to play.

Original strings were ok, but a bit sticky. Put a set of Aquila Thundergut on it and tone and feeling improoved a lot.

I use it throug a Markbass rig with a CMD 121P Combo and a Standard 151HR and the tone is just amazing.

As a plus it is really easy to carry with the supplied soft bag, specially when you travel a lot like me and could check it as a carry on baggage.

I am so thankful my Sweetwater rep led me to this amazing instrument. It is truly amazing!

This Kala Rumbler is a kick in the pants to play ! Big sound from a tiny Bass . I was at Sweetwater looking for a new mandolin . I picked up the Kala just to check it out , I started playing it and I had to have it . next time you are in Sweetwater , stop by the Bass room and check it out . FUN , FUN ,FUN .

Very cool item, sounds like a upright bass through an amp, very impressive once you get used to the action, I like it, AAAA+

The UBass is a wonderful alternative to upright bass and bass guitar. I'm very pleased I bought one and I perform with it regularly. That being said, the Kala Rumbler has been somewhat unreliable. I had to replace the Shadow preamp. The new Shadow preamp eventually broke as well, but I was able to repair it with a bit of soldering. Now the plug-in has come loose and required repair. Also, the plug-in was quite touchy and would only accept some male phono plugs and not others. Finally, the gig bag that came with it was very cheap and thin, so I had to purchase a better case.

I have finally given it away to a young bass student and purchased a Hadean UBass for half the price of the Kala. All of the Ubass products (Hadean, Oscar Schmidt, Donner, etc.) look like they were built in the same factory, though I cannot confirm that. It may not sound like I'm a UBass fan, but I really am. They play great and sound wonderful. But I would hesitate to pay the Kala price when lesser expensive basses of equal or better quality are available.

The good: well-built for the price; fun to play; tiny.

The bad: it sounds terrible through an amp (and you really must play through an amp). The bass notes sound great, but everything else is grotesquely amplified, too--every slight movement of the instrument makes a sound like rustling paper, fingers on the strings thump and literally squeak.

Very fun to fool around with, but I can't imagine every playing with other musicians or in front of an audience.