Happy Jack Posted September 15, 2014 Share Posted September 15, 2014 Yup. But when you have a £1000 bass "just sitting there" it feels ten times as bad as when you have a £100 bass "just sitting there". Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gafbass02 Posted September 15, 2014 Share Posted September 15, 2014 Been there! done that! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jean-Luc Pickguard Posted September 25, 2014 Share Posted September 25, 2014 I sent my HB Kahuna bass back for a replacement due to the weird asymmetrical chunky neck profile & some visible tooling marks on the neck. The replacement arrived this morning. The neck profile is still slightly asymmetrical, but nowhere near as bad as the original and not chunky either, so it is much more comfortable to play. Also I've not noticed any tooling marks on the neck & the nut is fitted better as the original had a 3mm (ish) gap under the nut which had been filled with glue. I don't want to be picky about such a cheap bass - especially after its been replaced once already, but on this new one, all four nuts & washers on the tuners are actually rusty. I've never seen anything like that on black hardware before - surely no one would fit rusty hardware to a bass - the packaging shows no indication of having been damp, but unlike the previous one I didn't notice any silica gel bags in the packaging, so maybe this occured in storage or transit. Has anyone else noticed rusty nuts on their little kahuna? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Happy Jack Posted September 25, 2014 Share Posted September 25, 2014 [quote name='Jean-Luc Pickguard' timestamp='1411651646' post='2561563'] Has anyone else noticed rusty nuts ... [/quote] I'm sure that Discreet will be along shortly. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DorsetBlue Posted September 25, 2014 Share Posted September 25, 2014 No rust, no and I have taken the tuners apart to fit them the other way around (yes, the leftie conversion was a success ). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gafbass02 Posted September 25, 2014 Share Posted September 25, 2014 Nope, no rusty nuts here. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jean-Luc Pickguard Posted September 26, 2014 Share Posted September 26, 2014 I've sent thomann some pics - I wonder whether the guitar dept will tell the customer services dept that this is normal for this model & they're all like that - like they initially did for the issues on the first one. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Happy Jack Posted September 26, 2014 Share Posted September 26, 2014 What's the German for "It's a feature, sir"? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Annoying Twit Posted September 26, 2014 Share Posted September 26, 2014 When these first came out, I noticed that the early reviews were quite mixed. This thread seems to be backing up that early impression. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jean-Luc Pickguard Posted September 29, 2014 Share Posted September 29, 2014 Well, I got an email back back from thomann in reply to the one about my rusty nuts. Pleased that there's no attempt to fob me off with a 'they're all like that' this time & they also sent another prepaid return label to print off so my second Little Kahuna Bass is now boxed up & will be going to the post office later. It'll take another two weeks before I receive a replacement - if they have a replacement to send as the lead-time is now listed as 'ordered on request' whatever that means. Oh well. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ghost_Bass Posted August 5, 2015 Share Posted August 5, 2015 A question for you guys. My band mates (two guitars) had just bought a couple of tiny guitars, i believe 1/2 size, Yamaha, they're tuned in A. The drummer has a cajon and the idea of having some fun with tiny instruments was born. This is really just for fun, when hanging out, not for gigs. I'm thinking about geting a Kahuna to take care of the bass parts but i know it's not loud enough with the rubber strings. So here's my question. Has anybody tried stringing one with regular nickel bass strings? I'm thinking about recycling one of my used sets (that still have a bit of life in them). Will it sound a bit louder, like an accoustic bass? Having their guitars tuned in A what do you think about fitting a BEAD and tune it a step back? Will it be too much tension and rip off the tailpiece? I know i could stick with the rubber strings and get a battery micro Roland but for the few times we'll be doing this i don't think it will worth the investment. Let me know your thoughts Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dannybuoy Posted August 5, 2015 Author Share Posted August 5, 2015 I doubt metal strings would help much - you'll either need a bigger bass like the Aquila Shortbass One, or an amp. Here's the Shortbass One unamplified with some ukes: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xC2tEIFBS5U Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Annoying Twit Posted August 5, 2015 Share Posted August 5, 2015 (edited) @Ghost Bass - do you mean the Yamaha guitarlele? If so, what does it sound like? Youtube videos seem to vary a lot. Surely a bass Uke with steel strings would never work because the scale length would be too short. Wouldn't you need utterly ludicrously high gauge strings to get anything like a reasonable tension? I've seen a ukulele orchestra with a kala bass uke being amplified through a cute little practice amp. Maybe an 8" speaker. In a tent. It sounded fine. It might keep the 'very small instrument' vibe going while being audible. Your question has made me wonder if it's possible to make a tiny upright bass with silicone (or similar) strings. Could a viola be modified to make one by sticking a peg on it? EDIT: I've searched around, and have found no sign of anyone ever creating a silicone stringed mini double bass. I would guess that this means that it simply won't fly as an idea. Edited August 5, 2015 by Annoying Twit Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jonnyboy Rotten Posted August 5, 2015 Share Posted August 5, 2015 (edited) [quote name='Annoying Twit' timestamp='1438786382' post='2837313'] EDIT: I've searched around, and have found no sign of anyone ever creating a silicone stringed mini double bass. I would guess that this means that it simply won't fly as an idea. [/quote] Sounds like its worth a shot if you can get a donor viola (Hmmm "Donor Viola" is good band name! ) for a good price. It could well be that no-one has thought of it - or they have but everyone thought it wasn't possible as they didn't find someone else who had done it! Don't give up that easy! On my HB Kahuna bass, I have not found the strings to be too sticky to be comfortable playing them but it is fun trying to tune it up in the first place especially as the inbuilt tuner doesn't seem to recognise the low E string. So I usually tune up based on the pitch of the string fretted at the octave. Edited August 5, 2015 by Jonnyboy Rotten Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
yorks5stringer Posted August 5, 2015 Share Posted August 5, 2015 [quote name='Ghost_Bass' timestamp='1438785557' post='2837294'] A question for you guys. My band mates (two guitars) had just bought a couple of tiny guitars, i believe 1/2 size, Yamaha, they're tuned in A. The drummer has a cajon and the idea of having some fun with tiny instruments was born. This is really just for fun, when hanging out, not for gigs. I'm thinking about geting a Kahuna to take care of the bass parts but i know it's not loud enough with the rubber strings. So here's my question. Has anybody tried stringing one with regular nickel bass strings? I'm thinking about recycling one of my used sets (that still have a bit of life in them). Will it sound a bit louder, like an accoustic bass? Having their guitars tuned in A what do you think about fitting a BEAD and tune it a step back? Will it be too much tension and rip off the tailpiece? I know i could stick with the rubber strings and get a battery micro Roland but for the few times we'll be doing this i don't think it will worth the investment. Let me know your thoughts [/quote] I think the tension would start bowing the top and eventually the bridge would pull off. My HB UBass seems quite lightweight (although they are on Deco sale now for just £33!) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dannybuoy Posted August 5, 2015 Author Share Posted August 5, 2015 (edited) [quote name='Annoying Twit' timestamp='1438786382' post='2837313'] Surely a bass Uke with steel strings would never work because the scale length would be too short. Wouldn't you need utterly ludicrously high gauge strings to get anything like a reasonable tension? [/quote] Not quite steel, but these are copper wound on a silk core: [media]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5JzF-5k0pog[/media] They also do tapewounds I believe. Edited August 5, 2015 by dannybuoy Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
alyctes Posted August 5, 2015 Share Posted August 5, 2015 [quote name='Annoying Twit' timestamp='1438786382' post='2837313'] EDIT: I've searched around, and have found no sign of anyone ever creating a silicone stringed mini double bass. I would guess that this means that it simply won't fly as an idea. [/quote] I recall seeing a page about a bowed electric "upright", about Ashbory scale, using a piece of steel or plastic tube as the body and piezo pups under the bridge elements. Cello tuning, I think. It didn't look even vaguely like a "conventional" bass or cello, though. IIRC the builder was Belgian. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
alyctes Posted August 5, 2015 Share Posted August 5, 2015 [quote name='Jonnyboy Rotten' timestamp='1438788146' post='2837342'] Sounds like its worth a shot if you can get a donor viola (Hmmm "Donor Viola" is good band name! ) for a good price. It could well be that no-one has thought of it - or they have but everyone thought it wasn't possible as they didn't find someone else who had done it! [/quote] Or you could try to find a 1/8 or 1/12 size cello... I did look a few times on eBay, but that was when I had some cash. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Annoying Twit Posted August 5, 2015 Share Posted August 5, 2015 (edited) [quote name='dannybuoy' timestamp='1438790506' post='2837382'] Not quite steel, but these are copper wound on a silk core: [media]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5JzF-5k0pog[/media] They also do tapewounds I believe. [/quote] Fair 'nuff. I presume that these are specially designed for use on ukuleles. The amplified sound sounds fine, quite normal. What do they sound like unamplified? Edited August 5, 2015 by Annoying Twit Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kodiakblair Posted August 6, 2015 Share Posted August 6, 2015 Off topic slightly but I read this thread yesterday about a cello with a Styrofoam top. http://www.talkbass.com/threads/building-instruments-from-styrofoam.1165446/ It was designed in Belgium and there's some debate about the construction,mainly from a naysayer but it was on TalkBass so to be expected. The goal was smaller instruments without sacrificing volume and tone. A bold move on something as traditional as a cello but if it takes off could have benefits for all acoustic instruments. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Happy Jack Posted August 6, 2015 Share Posted August 6, 2015 [quote name='alyctes' timestamp='1438809981' post='2837684'] I recall seeing a page about a bowed electric "upright" ... [/quote] Maybe the neck was bowed because of the metal strings. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
alyctes Posted August 6, 2015 Share Posted August 6, 2015 [quote name='Happy Jack' timestamp='1438841867' post='2837806'] Maybe the neck was bowed because of the metal strings. [/quote] I think it used bungee cords. Definitely not metal strings. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tauzero Posted August 6, 2015 Share Posted August 6, 2015 [quote name='Ghost_Bass' timestamp='1438785557' post='2837294'] I'm thinking about geting a Kahuna to take care of the bass parts but i know it's not loud enough with the rubber strings. So here's my question. Has anybody tried stringing one with regular nickel bass strings? I'm thinking about recycling one of my used sets (that still have a bit of life in them). Will it sound a bit louder, like an accoustic bass? [/quote] Assuming that it didn't fold in half immediately (the most likely outcome), I can't think of a reason that it should sound any louder. You haven't changed the dimensions of the bit that's vibrating to make the sound, after all. In fact, it might be quieter - I think that the lower tension of rubber strings means that the amplitude of the vibration would be greater, although their lower mass means that the overall energy of the vibrations would be similarish. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ghost_Bass Posted August 6, 2015 Share Posted August 6, 2015 Thanks for the thoughts guys! I'll have to find another way. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ghost_Bass Posted August 6, 2015 Share Posted August 6, 2015 [quote name='Annoying Twit' timestamp='1438786382' post='2837313'] @Ghost Bass - do you mean the Yamaha guitarlele? If so, what does it sound like? Youtube videos seem to vary a lot. [/quote] From a quick google search it does seem like it. It sounds very well and certainly isn't a toy. Typical Yamaha quality, cheap and very decent. It stays in tune and is loud enough to keep up with vocals (everything unplugged). I believe they payed around 80€ for each so it's a nice bargain. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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