🧡 I really hope you enjoyed this first look at the new Kala U-Bass Ukulele video. If you'd like to see more like this, leave a comment below! ➡ Breaking News - New Kala Basses - ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE-8tWlFJBlP_Q.html 🚀 If you'd like to join my Patreon Page for exclusive goodies such as PDF downloads and behind the scenes footage - www.patreon.com/UkuleleWales
The Upton bass info was really cool to hear and I think most people are calling them mini basses rather than just bass ukulele. Mike has confirmed to me that this one is still definitely a U-Bass. 👍
Hello Miss Kala, I found you !!! I just watched one of your RU-vid movies and had so much fun I watched another. After seeing what a grand time you we’re having I subscribed and pushed the bell. I also started my string adventures with the cello in 1964 playing in our small town school orchestra. 2 years later when I advanced to middle school I went into the music room and had a life changing conversation with the music director. He informed me that he was cello player rich (2 young ladies he had instructed the year before) but I was more welcome to challenge for a seat. He went on to explain that needed a bass player, he had none. Being a team player not to mention the British Band Invasion happening I accepted his kind offer and our school went on to win several competitions that year including best orchestra in our division and best all around quartet for the State of California, the rest is history. After enjoying you movie I have decided to leap at what has been coming for a long time, downsizing. At 68 years of age I do believe the change is due, not to mention no more asking for assistance for the haul-in and tear-down. Haha. I will continue to watch the movies that you have made in the past and look forward to new endeavors. Stay healthy, be safe, have fun, and enjoy each moment of the day. God be with you. Most Sincerely and with the greatest respect, Pops Fitch Vermont, USA
Thank You Pops Fitch, I absolutely loved reading your comment and back story. I am so glad you are going to downsize to keep playing, I am sure you are going to continue loving for many many years to come. I hope you enjoy more of my videos and if there is something you are looking for or something you need to know, just ask. I can either point you to the correct video or add it to the list for new stuff. Keep grooving. 😎
Mike Upton...what a top guy! Enjoyed every minute of your interview with him Rach 😊 great to have first hand knowledge of how Kala began, so interesting, didn't want the interview to end! 👌 perfect! Xx
Hi Rachel, I was next to you at GNUF when you were buying the bass, you were rather excited to say the least ! I purchased the new and yet unreleased Contour all solid mahogany tenor, like yours, the price was really keen. Very happy with my purchase, Kala have really upped their game this year.
Looking forward to your full review. Could you also include your feelings about how it compares to the Flight mini-bass? Would really appreciate it. Thanks and enjoy your bass!
The first bass that I ever saw with the rubber ( polypropylene ?) Strings was the Guild Asbury Bass! I lost track of those but I'm happy to see that the idea didn't die back then!
Thanks Rachel. I will be looking forward to the Kala Solid Body Bass being available in the Uk. You were in the right place at the right time. I'm insanely jealous.
Great interview. Also, amazing customer service from Kala. I like supporting companies like that. Also, nice to know I’ve been wrong saying uke-bass when referring to mine. Wouldn’t have guessed it was a nod to his name. Congrats on the new bass. That thing is absolutely gorgeous. I may have to check one out when they show up here in Canada.
"Wow" what a great video Rachel and a great coup for you getting that interview with Mike Upton, what an interesting and all round nice guy he seems very understating and down to earth. I do like the look of that bass and makes me wish i could play bass. ❤
Thanks so much for the early look at the new Kala solid body bass and for introducing us to Mike Upton. I'm so green with envy that you were able to score that bass. It looks terrific. Are the string gauges about the same as on the Fanner PeeWee?
Rachel, thank you for a tremendous ramble. Looking forward to August here in the states. Especially if the release price is around $300. Looking forward to your full review.
Rachel, an update as you requested. I just ordered the Kala in Candy Red today. It should ship in 4-7 business days. I had told you, in a comment on the Kala/Flight comparison video, that I fancied the Flight based on its appearance. But I changed my mind when I saw the candy red, plus your review comments about the Kala comfort and the Kala gig bag being slightly better - and having a shoulder strap. I don’t have a free hand when carrying my gear to/from the car (backpack with my iPad, stand, page turner, and bass cable; the bass and the 16 lb. Fender amp. As you and I agreed, tonally both basses sound very much alike. My Kala Journeyman has been excellent in the 3+ years that I’ve played it. I doubt that I’ll be disappointed with the Solid Body. Thanks again for your reviews. I will be joining your Patreons as I appreciate all the bass content.
My candy red Kala Solid Body arrived this afternoon. Tremendous bass. It took 10 days from order to arrival here in the US. Completely set up and ready to play. No regrets thanks to your review videos. Thank you once again. ❤
Super interesting - especially the interview w/ Mike Upton! Bit of a shame there’s so much background noise! I am just not quite sure why you would prefer this kind of bass guitar over any other 'regular’ (shortscale) electric bass 🤷🏼
Glad you enjoyed it and sorry about the background noise, I didn’t realise until I went to edit the footage. I’ve got so used to playing electro acoustic u-basses and bass ukuleles that I now find this super short scale great to play and it is even smaller and easier to carry around. Hope that explains. 👍
Great and really interesting interview with Mike thanks Rachel. I was lucky enough to grab the red bass as soon as I saw it. Still can’t believe my luck either!
Hi, Rachel: I am from Sarnia, Ontario, Canada. I have really been enjoying your presentations. I have been trying to get information on the new Kala UBasses and their website is not saying much. And now, I am hearing that there is a difference between this new solid-body and their California series solid-bodies. Again, their website isn’t presenting any information. Do you know what the difference, other than price, is between the two products? The California series starts at over $1000 dollars (US).
Hi Kevin, the California U-Basses are being updated to have individual piezo pick ups under each string rather than the 1 piece saddle pick up they have used previously but they are still piezo pick ups. The completely new Solid Body U-Basses are far more a like a bass guiter but smaller. They use magnetic pick ups, have a bigger scale and use metal strings more like a bass guitar. It is also much heavier. The California U-Basses have always been very pricey, the new ones are much more competitively priced.
@@UkuleleWalesThank you. I suppose they are holding off giving details on their website until an official launch in August. I live in a border city and have American relatives. So I may be able to get ahold of one in August. They won’t start distributing beyond the lower 48 states until later in the fall. And maybe at American prices! Love your work.
My own Precision never sounded right to me when playing with acoustic instruments and I always hated the "unplugged" series because the bass players weren't. So I bought a double bass and an Acoustic Contra bass amp. Now you're talking! But I couldn't play the slighty more rocky numbers on the upright so I looked around and finally came on the Kala U-Bass with polyurethane strings. Perfect. In fact, so perfect that I left the DB at home. But you can't restring a polyurethane bass in a few minutes so I bought a spare Kala which came with steel wound strings. Great - a spare but a slightly more aggressive sound which suited some songs better thasn the polyurethane strings. Now a new guitar player is taking us to into even heavier territory so I want the new Kala mini bass. Where can I place my order?
Loved reading your bass story, the thought of lugging a double bass around these days fills me with dread! The new Kala solid bodies should be available in the US in August and then other parts of the world later in the year. 👍
Cool isn't it Denise. I think you can get them direct from Kala but I'm guessing the shipping might make it expensive. If I see one around, I'll let you know.
Really an unanswered question as there doesn't seem to be a definative answer regarding size. For me, I rend to refer to the instruments with magnetic pickups as mini basses including the Fanner Pee Wee bass as they really are more like bass guitars to play and tend to have a slightly longer scale - approx. 23". The electro acoustics I tend to always refer to as bass ukuleles and these have the shorter scale of 20 - 21". Then you have the solid body, rubber strings, piezo pick up instruments eg. California U-Bass shorter scale of 20 - 21", personally I refer to these as solid body bass ukes but the jury is generally out.
Looks like my Denver fretless bass is gonna be for sale soon. Any takers on Vancouver Island? Sonic Blue sounds good to me..... A longer scale too.... Good on 'ya, Rachel; you're a star.
You jammy moo it looks fab most of my instruments are sunburst that includes basses acoustic guitars a telecaster a Kala tenor uke a fender electric mandolin and others ! ( Also are you aware of the Guild Ashbory bass ? That's where the piezoelectric/rubber string basses originated must be thirty years ago I saw them at a trade show they didn't catch on at the time but some were used in studios I'm so glad they're about now.the strings were impregnated with talcum powder I seem to remember great video madam as usual oh and the great Joe Brown does a cracking version of U2's I still haven't found what I'm looking for ( I can't stand U2 but this interpretation is as you would say Lush! Welsh great ,great Granny lol!)..🤘🥸👍
LOL, Thanks Bill. Yes, I know of the Ashbory bass, have almost bought one a few times, such an interesting looking bass! Shall have to check out Joe Brown's version. 👍
What would the shipping be like direct from Kala. If you haven’t already done so, try adding one to the cart and it will detrimental shipping costs for you. Also, worth seeing what the shipping from the UK would be like as Southern Uke Store ships internationally. 👍
@@UkuleleWalesThank you, I will look into it! Meanwhile, I defretted my cheap Acoustic/electric uke-bass. It sounds amazing now and it got rid of a persistant buzz on the A string and with the Thunderblacks, I can get that Muah vibrato sound! I still want a solid body fretless so I can have one with the rubber strings and one with the flatwound kala strings. I bet the fretless version of that ubass sounds great with flatwounds. Thanks again, love your videos!
It is certainly much lighter than the normal size or even short scale basses. Let me know if she ends up with one please, would love to know what she thinks of it. 👍
