Kala U-Bass Rubber vs. Round Wound Strings - Comparison 

stephencoxbass They Sound Good amplified but sitting around jamming with a couple of acoustic they probably get buried

@@porkyo123 True, although the metal strings are definitely louder. They may stand a chance...but the rubber will be entirely buried.

Do the metal string bend the neck also what the song name at 1:05

Agreed! They both have very different personalities!

Agreed. I really like the round tone of the polycarbonite - so much like a bull bass. Yet the round wounds have much more clarity, and would be able to cut through a mix much better.

You're welcome. I'm glad I could help you decide!

They are pretty good for that style of slap, for sure!

Glad you like them!

Yeah rubber hands down

I agree with that...I like both because I end up playing lots of different styles. Rubber definitely mimic the upright better.

I use a freetless u-bass with rubber strings and some upright's impulse responses, very happy.

+shalamusic I bet it sounds great!

slapping is definitely bad idea !

@@fredlarrieu5261 To each their own. I like slapping, but it definitely works better on a full sized bass. However, the U-Bass is portable, making it a good way to practice while traveling.

The slapping sounds good to me? But better on the round wound

@@Miracle7Seven its really easy to make sound alot better. pure acoustic it sounds pretty rough, but if youre willing to use some pitch correction stuff it will sound totally fine.

Slapping on rubber strings, when they're plugged, doesn't sound too bad for me at all, actually, the tone kinda reminds me of a really good and well programmed synth bass, like something Daft Punk would do.

I'm glad I could help. Which strings are you more interested in?

I've never had tuning issues with round wounds, but have had some with the rubber. I love the tone of the rubber strings as well! They are great for many styles, and the round wounds are good if you want some extra edge for rock music.

I also use Aquila Thunder Reds on my acoustic mahogany which is the original model without the electronics. As far as I'm concerned they have the best sound and feel of any of the non-metallic strings. On my newer solid body SUB I use Kala metal strings for a more electric bass tone.

Aquila now makes Metal Wound UBass Strings

Pretty much the way I feel about them, Although I like the round wounds for regular plucking just fine, too. But the rubber blend with ukulele groups and jazz groups better for sure.

Well yeah but i said forget this what i said i found this u bass thats sounded too good rubber strings F holes white strings

The ones that are regular sound terrible the f hole ones sound better

I subbed

How about to down tune rubber and metal strings on u bass plz

I'm glad I could help! Thanks for watching!

I'm glad this was helpful!

Thanks, Victor! When will you get a U-Bass? Or are you more of a future guitar player?

I'm glad I could help! Thanks for watching!

It has to happen at some point...I'll add it to the list of videos to do.

I think it would be really kewl.

Neon-senpai < wouldn’t that suck?

Iv done some on my u bass It’s fun as hell

You're very welcome, Sam! Thanks for watching!

+Matt H you never know...

You have no idea how paranoid you are making my meth head ass right now

Thank you!

+Magnus Sjöquist thank you!

Is it ok if I share it on playubass.com?

+Magnus Sjöquist By all means! Thank you!

The rubber feel like giant, round rubber bands, too! Both are fun to play!

Great idea! I've found things I like about each of those: Pahoehoe have more warmth and less string noise, but lack the punchiness of the Thunderguts. The Thunderguts stay in tune better and have punch, but also create more string noise. I have yet to try the other options out there, but I plan to soon. Thanks for watching!

To each his own. I think the rubber sound cool and electronic with tapping, too. However, in an entirely acoustic setting, the rounds can be heard better than the rubber. It definitely depends on your goal with them.

yep..Im talking more through an amp

I'm glad I could help! They definitely have a brighter/clearer sound. Thanks for watching!

They are definitely the best for that stuff! Thanks for watching!

I'll keep that in mind!

Don Very cool! One day I'll try the reds. I hear good things about them often!

Also have just got a fretless Kala UBass and immediately put the Round wounds on; then took them off again 24 hours later. The tension warped the neck too much, there was a much bigger gap between strings and fretboard with the round-wounds on. But they were a lovely sound. They were U-Bass strings too. Help! Anyone else had a similar problem?

lipsockisback I just sent a note to Chris re: Kala and strings for same. I meant to copy you in but missed. Play on. Hope you find the strings that give you the sound you want. I love my Aquila Thunder Reds and the round wounds on my Kala Solid Body! Play on and have fun.

Thank you, Mark! More to come!

Well then, I'll just have to subscribe, won't I? ;-)

Gotta love the blues! Thanks for checking it out!

@@stephencoxbass Shoot I subscribed. Fantastic Work really enjoyed the education, see ya soon!

@@DragonValueHome Thanks! I'm glad you like it!

You're welcome! Thanks for watching!

Angelo Cruz True in a sense...some people want the u-bass to sound more like an electric bass guitar, some want it to sound more like an upright, and some want more versatility...so this video is to help people decide which sound they like best.

You're welcome, have you heard the flat wounds? Thanks for watching!

I hear you on this! You have to play much lighter than on an electric bass to get the rubber to sound right, which is why they are better for anyone with carpal tunnel or a wrist injury. I'm looking forward to the release of the metal flat wound strings...they'll have the tension of the round wounds but less fret noise.

I'm glad I could help. Cheers!

Thanks for watching! The Pahoehoe strings are pretty cool, aren't they?

pjmuck If any, not much...for plucking I play closer to the bridge to counteract the lower tension. But that's one of the struggles of such a short scale instrument.

Glad I could help! Have you heard the flat wounds? They are kind of a happy medium of these 2. I have a video that compares all 3 types as well. Thanks for watching!

Thank you! Have you seen the updated version that compares the flat wounds, too? ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE-P8ZkoxkxwwM.html

Well put! I find that all of them are fun, but the rubber definitely have a unique charm! Thanks for watching!

@@stephencoxbass last year I finally got my dream bass, an American made Fender P bass, a few months later my wife bought me the UBASS for my birthday and honestly its the first one I grab for when time allows, not sure if thats a good thing or not lol

I find ur vids very informative and well made btw

It could be the length, it could be the gauge of the string, and/or it could have to do with the string height/neck. I would recommend getting the strings specifically designed for it first…they have a nylon core instead of a metal one as well. Thanks for watching!

Thank you!

Thank you!

If you switch to the rubber, you will want to replace the nut to accommodate the strings. They are a good bit thicker than the round wounds. Thanks for watching!

I'm glad! Have you seen the video comparing the flat wounds, rubber, and round wounds I posted more recently? ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE-P8ZkoxkxwwM.html Hopefully it can add a bit more information! Thanks for watching!

Haha, thanks for watching!

The tension is much looser on the rubber. Depending on the strings and the humidity of your environment, fingers do stick a bit, and it's harder to play fast because of this. However, it makes the fretting hand's job much easier. Thanks for watching!

Hello Ben, I'm not familiar with that brand, but the scale length mentioned for it online would work with the metal strings meant for a Kala. The main things to check are: 1. If the scale length is similar (within an inch is usually fine) 2. Does your instrument have a truss rod in case you need to adjust the neck for the added tension of the strings, and 3. Can you replace the nut with one intended for the round wounds in case the metal strings need a different height or are buzzing in the wider grooves intended for the thicker polyurethane strings? It should work, though it might require you to change the nut. However, I would only do that if the open strings are buzzing. It might work fine without that extra step. Thanks for watching!

Thank you, Chi-Chi!

That's a great reason for getting those

They are fairly quiet unplugged. I have jammed with a guitar player with the U-Bass with round wounds, and while I could hear it just fine, he complained of it being to quiet. Thanks for watching!

Try the flat wounds if you get a chance. For me they are the happy medium between rubber and round wounds.

Hi Roger, yes you can get flat wound strings. I made an updated video similar to this one that compares all three. Flat wounds are my favorites thus far. I have not tried them on a fretless, but I plan to in the near future. Here's the video comparing all three: ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE-P8ZkoxkxwwM.html

The round wound are definitely higher tension than the rubber. It might still be less than a full sized bass, but if you have arthritis, the rubber might be the best choice.

I bought mine with metal atrings already on it. Kala recommends changing the nut out for one with the right sized grooves, but I haven't heard of much else set up-wise.

There are definitely signs of string wear on every fret, but mine are still holding up alright. I've had them since September and play on them about every other day.

stephencoxbass not bad actually! Also i'm sure round wound would cause frets wear as well like any instrument with metallic strings. Perhaps there`s a need in stainless steel frets if using round wound strings constantly

Kala has a video on it with the pahoehoes. I feel like the process is even easier with the thunderguts as in there's no need to "tie a knot" for the D and G strings. I haven't changed to new strings on any of mine except the flatwounds, but When I fixed the pickup on my fretless, I had to take the strings off and put them back on. I was able to do this just like I would with electric bass strings: Put the end in the hole in the tuner, hold the string down and tighten. If the thunderguts have a knot on one end, that's there to keep the string situated in the body of the instrument. You might have to cut the other end of the string a bit short (maybe 2-3 inches past the tuner?) so that you don't end up with too much string wrapped around the tuner's post. I hope that helps. I'm sure the ubass freaks facebook group has more members that have made the switch. They may have more advice. I'm sure I'll make a video on it soon. Cheers!

Oh, okey, I seek on Kala website and Facebook. I’m waiting for your video too. Thank you very much!

That's an interesting idea...you have to modify it a great deal...maybe a new bridge and a new nut to fit the strings properly as well. Let me know how it goes!

Although I've never done it, I've heard from a few people that you can. One of those people is Mike at Uke Republic. He mentioned that the strings take some time to adjust/stretch, though (rubber especially).

I personally like the newer flat wound strings. I have a newer video that compares all 3. Thank you for the idea on time stamps, I may add those later. Cheers!

+Pensivata I hear you, the round wounds are definitely closer to the electric bass sound. With rubber strings: try plucking closer to the bridge...the tension is higher there...I don't know much about the other types of strings yet...

I have a set of Rotosound black tapewound on an shortscale acoustic bass I made and they feel and sound amazing- they seemed fairly high tension on a normal electric bass so I thought try them - highly recommend. Very convincing upright like sound as they can be 'slapped' (in a rockabilly/pizzicato type sense, not a Bootsy Collins type slap ;) and they have enough tension to snap back.

Hmm...that one's a bit over my head...I'm not sure what to do to correct that. It could involve replacing the saddle...but hopefully nothing that drastic.

First thing is always, replace the string.

It's a really common 12 bar blues bass line. For some reason the names of particular songs are escaping me, but it's quite common. Thanks for watching!

Flat wounds will, round wounds still produce a lot. Try turning the treble knob down a good bit...hopefully that will help for now. Thanks for watching!

@@stephencoxbass I am a novice (but I do play guitar). Would you recommend trying the flat wounds, or sticking with poly? I like how the flat wounds are trebley; they should cut thru a mix better, no?

@@jeremyalm9006 You may have to change the nut on the U-Bass and possibly still alter it in addition to putting the flat wound strings on. I would keep using the polyurethane for now and learn to play lightly to reduce string noise until you are willing to modify the bass slightly. Even then, there is still a decent amount of string noise, just less since the strings aren't sticky.

I use a pick on the Roundabout cover on the flats, I believe. Maybe I could make a short video comparing the strings picked.

I think you should use a felt pick for the rubber strings right?

The metal roundwounds have a nylon core to put less tension on the neck.

It's certainly possible, but they are very different sounds. I have a video comparing both of these to the newer flat wounds as well. I prefer the playability of those the best. Thanks for watching!

anna allen it's plugged through a focusrite scarlet interface straight into the computer

I don't know for sure, but the Thunder Gut strings have lasted me for multiple years, so I imagine they might do the same if not mistreated. Thanks for watching!

I'm familiar with tape wound strings, but not ones made entirely of a rubber material.

Yes, as long as it has a truss rod. Sometimes it's good to replace the nut with one made for those strings specifically, too. Thanks for watching!

@@stephencoxbass Thank you so much. Could not find this information anywhere, not even the shop i bought mine from could tell me.

These strings have nylon cores, so they have less tension than steel cores. I've had my exotic mahogany with round wounds for 2 years now with no issues.

@@stephencoxbass ahh yes. I have heard of this. Then rock away my friend.

Kala makes some...they are specifically made for the U-Bass and have a nylon core.

The rubber require a lighter touch to not buzz. While the round wound buzz less, they can still have string noise when playing (especially when changing positions).

I'm not completely sure on this, as I usually just buy a new U-Bass with different strings on it instead of changing the strings out 😅 I imagine the metal would suffer from being changed multiple times...but I have no clue on the rubber. If you can find a place that has basses with both, trying them out at a store/for free is the best way to save that cost...

@@stephencoxbass Thanks. I'll give it a go and worse case only make the mistake once I guess. Already have the ubass with the rubber strings, so it is really a mater of whether the metal ones will sound more in line with my vision. Thanks again! Love the channel.

@@matthewperkowski7382 The biggest downside to the metal strings is the string noise. They are pretty cool otherwise.

I have one up now with all three compared...they have flat wounds out now. Thanks for watching!

@@stephencoxbass thank you

@@FilippoBuscemi93 You're welcome!

I haven't tried the Thunder reds, and it's been awhile since I've played the Pahoehoes. I think they all have the ability to, but if you can get past the string noise, the thunder guts have been great for me. The advantage of the Pahoehoes is less string noise.

My experience has been that the metal strings stay in tune better than the Pahoehoe strings in this video, but the Aquila Thunderguts (white-ish "rubber" strings) also stay in tune very well. You can put the round wounds on without replacing the nut, but sometimes it might cause a rattle. As far as the neck, these round wound strings have a nylon core, which reduces their tension a bit. As long as the U-Bass has a truss rod, they cause no issues. All Kalas have a truss rod, but some of the cheaper brands do not. Thanks for watching!

I wanted to add, if putting the round wounds on, I would only replace the nut if you have issues after trying them with the current nut.

@@stephencoxbass thanks a lot for the answer really apprecciate

The rubber strings definitely have that classic sound, but some people prefer to have a miniature acoustic/electric bass guitar. For some people it's just too much to get used to the lower string tension of the rubber strings. Thanks for watching!

The rubber have lower tension, so you don't have to push down hard at all to play them. The metal round wounds require a good bit more pressure. The downside is that they stick a little bit which makes plucking the strings feel a bit different than an electric bass guitar.

@@stephencoxbass Alright thanks that helps to know. I'll try to play one at a shop before I decide, but I'm mainly drawn to the rubber strings because they have an awesome folky sound I can't get on my full scale fender.

@@SoulTheScytheOG That sound is definitely the best thing about the rubber strings. Thanks for watching!

Are you talking about the use of harmonics? There are spots on the strings you can touch lightly that have certain pitches. Touch the string with the fretting hand over the 12th, 7th, or 5th fret, and don't push down. Pluck with the other hand like normal. It will ring with a tone more similar to a bell. Thanks for watching!

@@stephencoxbass ah okay thank you! I'll defentitly try that once my U-Bass comes in soon ^^

+64danniboy I'm just improvising mostly. I didn't have a song in mind when playing. Thanks!

You're welcome!

To each their own! I like having both sounds for different things, they each have a place for me.

Now I had the chance to hold an Ukulele Bass in my hands and discovered, this isn't really my business. It was a more expensive one, so I can ensure, that the reason may not, that I tested a cheap one.

@@robfriedrich2822 Oh well, more for me :p It's a quirky instrument, but it suits me well. The portability makes up for some of the quirks.

Yes, U-Bass and other bass ukuleles that are the same scale length. Great question!

They have slightly more tension, but they are designed to work on most bass ukuleles. However, I would recommend putting them on models that have a truss rod just in case (the Kalas have them, some cheaper Chinese brands might not).

@@stephencoxbass Thank you very much!

@@darkomtc You're welcome!

Lately I've been enjoying the rubber strings, but it honestly depends on what I'm playing. If I'm working on a song with harmonics or slap bass, I prefer the metal.

I'm not sure if they play better, but the Aquila thunderguts are different in a lot of ways. I haven't tried enough of the other brands to have an opinion on any besides those two. Which ones have you heard about?

Yes, as long as there is a truss rod. With the truss rod, you can adjust the neck for the change in tension. I also want to add that Kala recommends replacing the nut when you go from rubber to either metal string as well. I have yet to do this, but I plan to make a video on doing this in the future.

@@stephencoxbass Thank you for prompt response .. I THINK mine has a 'truss rod' (I'm not good at technicalities!) ... Would that need to be loosened?

@@Theslavedrivers I think you would want to tighten it slightly (or at least have the option to, you may not need to) to combat the higher tension of the metal strings.

@@stephencoxbass I see - and you would use some kind of right-angled 'allen key' for that? - Sorry for barrage of questions! - I've got some roundwounds coming in the mail, and I've never even done a re-stringing on a U-Bass before ...

@stephencoxbass UPDATE - My (economically priced) U-Bass now successfully converted to ('Pyramid') woundround strings. No adaptations required. I did have to call upon a friend who's got much slimmer hands than I have, though - as quite a fiddly operation feeding a new string through the soundhole, with a washer, then working blind to get it up the correct little hole at the bridge!

I wouldn't, as the roundwound strings made for U-bass are sized differently and have a nylon core. Normal full scale bass strings would end up with a much different tension when tuned the same.

@@stephencoxbass thank you for your answer ! do you think regular nylon strings made for shortscale basses would do the trick ? it seems like it's pretty hard to find nylon u bass strings in switzerland and amazon doesn't always ship to switzerland.

For now, I have not. I bought a U-Bass that already had the rounds on it, so Kala may have already replaced the nut with one that helps with that. Even though they are a bit high, they haven't been too hard for me to push down so far.

stephencoxbass right. It’s an easy action just a lot of space. Thanks for the response!

@@jantrim01 You're welcome!

The metal strings do have a nylon core...so it might be that the core still needs to be nylon. But they've held up nicely over the past year. With metal core strings, I'm not sure what would happen...

Tone was at 5 (it's the Shadow pickup, so it only has one tone knob), and both U-Basses were plugged into a Scarlett Solo interface and recorded through Garage Band. I'm fairly certain I didn't mess with the EQ after recording, so it should just be the way the U-Bass and the Scarlett Solo interface sound as a default.

@@stephencoxbass Thanks!

If you are playing by yourself in a fairly quiet room, you can definitely hear it better. However, almost any other instrument is louder, so jamming still required amplification. Great question! Thanks for watching!

@@stephencoxbass so, even a ukelele would drown it out?

@@cindiperron If quietly strummed or fingerpicked, it might not drown it out. Also, you may want to pluck the U-Bass closer to the bridge to help it project some mid-range frequencies a bit more. This will help it cut through in that situation. It might work ok if done like that, I just don't want to promise for sure that it's loud enough. :) I know that the metal strings are, as I have a video of jamming with an ukulele player acoustically: ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE-m_KL8Q2dx8A.html

stephencoxbass thank you!!

If you are plugging the bass in, pretty much any bass can have the lows turned down and the high frequencies boosted via tone knobs. If you are playing acoustically, smaller scale basses will have less lows, as will smaller bodied basses, as the low frequencies need a larger body to project. Thanks for watching!

@@stephencoxbass thanks Stephen

@@idoyair You're welcome. I hope that helped!

If it is a Kala, I recommend getting one off of their website. They seem to have the "Custom Hip Shot" tuners that they put on their more expensive models. I hope that helps. Thanks for watching!