U Bass Weight and Usability

[Chienmortbb]

I am about to have an abdominal operation and must not lift heavy weights for 6 weeks after. 
 

 Could I gig with a UBass and how much do they weigh?

[Rosie C]

They weigh virtually nothing, but I'm happy to weigh mine for you. I've only had it about two weeks, but I love it. Somehow it defies the laws of physics - such a deep bass sound for such a small thing. I'm gigging it on Tuesday at a Morris dancing thing as a substitute for double bass while a leg injury heals.

 

EDIT: 2.6 lbs  

 

 

Edited 22 hours ago by Rosie C

[Chienmortbb]

28 minutes ago, Rosie C said:

They weigh virtually nothing, but I'm happy to weigh mine for you. I've only had it about two weeks, but I love it. Somehow it defies the laws of physics - such a deep bass sound for such a small thing. I'm gigging it on Tuesday at a Morris dancing thing as a substitute for double bass while a leg injury heals.

 

EDIT: 2.6 lbs  

 

 

Wow, they said nothing heavier than a bag or sugar, 2.2lbs. I am sure the packaging must make it over 2.6lbs. 
 

Which one do you have?

[Rosie C]

 

I have the Kala 'striped ebony'. At the time it was the cheapest Kala model in Thomann's range, though they don't seem to list it anymore.

 

Not my photo, but it looks like this:

 

 

[tauzero]

My Batking acoustic U-bass is 1.15kg, my Kala SUB 5-string solid U-bass is 1.75kg. A bag of sugar is 1kg.

[warwickhunt]

I have a Kala U bass and it's not worth me putting it on analogue bathroom scales as I doubt it would register... I'm sure that you'd be safe with a U bass.

[mikeswals]

My U bass is well under 2 lbs... maybe like the weight of trashy love novel.

[Len_derby]

As to the other part of your question; yes, you can gig with a U bass. I’ve done so, as lots of other people on here have.

It’s obviously got a very different visual presence to a traditional bass guitar or upright. But, so what? There are bass players that even think wearing a hat indoors looks cool 😂

[HeadlessBassist]

38 minutes ago, Len_derby said:

But, so what? There are bass players that even think wearing a hat indoors looks cool 😂

 

My thoughts exactly. 😎👍

[simonlittle]

They weight virtually nothing. I’ve done a bunch of gigs on a Kala U Bass over the years and you barely notice you’re wearing it. It’s worth adding a strap button at the base of the neck if it doesn’t have one (neither of mine did) so you don’t have to hold it like a regular ukulele. 
Sound wise you’ll be fine for most styles I reckon. They’re surprisingly versatile. 

[Russ]

Just a note of caution... beware if you have a sensitivity to silicone.

 

I had no idea I had one, but then I decided to buy a U-Bass, and started getting rashes on my fingers when I played it. So it ended up getting returned. Great sound with a proper upright "thud", weighs nothing, but is not hypoallergenic!  

[Rosie C]

14 hours ago, Len_derby said:

It’s obviously got a very different visual presence to a traditional bass guitar or upright. But, so what? 

 

I mentioned the U-bass to the band leader in our church band and didn't sense any enthusiasm at all, yet it sounds awesome!   

 

[simonlittle]

18 minutes ago, Rosie C said:

 

I mentioned the U-bass to the band leader in our church band and didn't sense any enthusiasm at all, yet it sounds awesome!   

 

I’ve also had people turn their nose up at the suggestion, but in general they get over it once they hear it in context. Some people can’t seem to get over the look of it though…

[snorkie635]

The late and much-missed @SamIAm was a great enthusiast for the sound, feel and look of her uke-basses. 😢

[lowlandtrees]

19 hours ago, Chienmortbb said:

I am about to have an abdominal operation and must not lift heavy weights for 6 weeks after. 
 

 Could I gig with a UBass and how much do they weigh?

I had a bilateral hernia op 28/3. I’m 70 but fit….recovery is more like 12 weeks in my case. One of the mesh implants failed so I’m having to do it again so am thinking of getting an acoustic bass as my G&L weighs a ton.

I tried a U-bass but didn’t like it, particularly the strings. I don’t currently gig but thinking of getting an acoustic bass but hate the sound of them…..they all seem so boxy or have hellish action(it’s hopefully a temporary situation so can’t spend much).

[Len_derby]

51 minutes ago, Rosie C said:

 

I mentioned the U-bass to the band leader in our church band and didn't sense any enthusiasm at all, yet it sounds awesome!   

 

Do it anyway 😉

[Len_derby]

12 minutes ago, lowlandtrees said:

I had a bilateral hernia op 28/3. I’m 70 but fit….recovery is more like 12 weeks in my case. One of the mesh implants failed so I’m having to do it again so am thinking of getting an acoustic bass as my G&L weighs a ton.

I tried a U-bass but didn’t like it, particularly the strings. I don’t currently gig but thinking of getting an acoustic bass but hate the sound of them…..they all seem so boxy or have hellish action(it’s hopefully a temporary situation so can’t spend much).

An other option is one of the shorter-scale acoustic basses. I’ve replaced my U bass with a Taylor mini-bass. Light as a feather. Other, cheaper, options are available. Ibanez, Harley Benton are two that come to mind. I’ve found that with a feedback-buster in the sound hole it can sound great through either a rig or PA. Lighter technique with the right hand and a bit of EQ experimenting helps a lot.

 

 

[snorkie635]

15 hours ago, HeadlessBassist said:

 

My thoughts exactly. 😎👍

They do say, "Get a hat and get ahead", or in your case, "a head". 😊

[Cato]

1 hour ago, Rosie C said:

 

I mentioned the U-bass to the band leader in our church band and didn't sense any enthusiasm at all, yet it sounds awesome!   

 

 

Did he actually hear it?

 

I was gobsmacked the first time I heard the double bass noises coming out of a tiny uke bass.

 

Not sure what I thought I thought it was going to sound like, but certainly not that!

[simonlittle]

You can also get good punchy electric tone out of a U-Bass if you really go for it with the right hand. 
This took a bit of practice…

 

[Rosie C]

22 minutes ago, Cato said:

 

Did he actually hear it?

 

I was gobsmacked the first time I heard the double bass noises coming out of a tiny uke bass.

 

Not sure what I thought I thought it was going to sound like, but certainly not that!

Indeed! Before I bought mine I didn’t believe it would sound as good as it does and hooked up with an old band mate to try his before I ordered.

 

No, the band leader hasn’t heard it yet but I’ll take it to the next service we do  😈

[mcnach]

20 hours ago, Chienmortbb said:

I am about to have an abdominal operation and must not lift heavy weights for 6 weeks after. 
 

 Could I gig with a UBass and how much do they weigh?

 

 

They feel like they're made of helium.

 

Personally I'd go for the longest scale you can find, if you go fretless (23-25" feels ok to me, less than that it gets tricky, but fretted is fine).

 

I'd also consider one of the GoldTone offerings. I have an M23 fretless, solid body, and it's pretty cool. They also have hollow body versions for even lighter propositions.