The Kala U•BASS®, the original short scale bass, was designed by Owen Holt from San Jose, California. Owen and Kala founder Mike Upton formed a friendship in 2007 and together brought the Kala U•BASS® to the masses in 2009. Known for its immense low end, the compact U•BASS® packs a thunderous punch and is suited for any genre of music or style of play. The portable U•BASS® makes a great addition to any bassist’s arsenal.
With the evolution of both the player and the instrument, Kala strives for an equal balance between innovation and tradition in support of your musical journey. Fifteen years after the introduction of the original U•BASS® marks a year of both celebration and reflection for this wonderful and unique instrument—read on to see what's coming for 2024!
Kala owner Mike Upton meets U•BASS® architect Owen Holt at a luthiers convention.
Owen Holt and Mike Upton at The NAMM Show 2019 (Photo Courtesy of Magnus Sjöquist)
Mike and Owen develop and finalize the definitive design of the original U•BASS®
The fretted Solid Mahogany U•BASS® debuts at Summer NAMM. The fretless Solid Mahogany U•BASS follows soon after, debuting at Bass Player LIVE!
The fretted Solid Acacia U•BASS® and the Solid Spruce Mahogany U•BASS in fretted and fretless models are added at Winter NAMM. The first left-handed U•BASS hits the market.
At Winter NAMM, the Hutch Hutchinson Signature U•BASS® is introduced. In the spring, the USA-made California Series U•BASS arrives, featuring fretted and fretless 4-string and 5-string Solid Body models. The 4-string SUB Solid Body U•BASS follows at Summer NAMM.
Fretted Exotic Wood U•BASS® models, including Exotic Mahogany and Spalted Maple models, are presented at Winter NAMM. The U•BASS is celebrated at the Musicians Institute with a workshop featuring Abraham Laboriel Sr., Bakithi Kumalo, and Stuart Hamm, and at U•BASS Day at Berklee College with Hutch Hutchinson accompanying Abraham and Bakithi.
The fretted Rumbler Mahogany U•BASS® is released at Winter NAMM along with Silver Rumbler strings. Exotic Top Solid Body 4-string and 5-string models join the California Series at Summer NAMM, featuring Koa, Walnut, and Maple tops. A custom-designed Shadow® pickup system with EQ and built-in tuner becomes standard on each imported U•BASS.
On the 5th Anniversary of the debut of the original U•BASS®, the Bakithi Kumalo Signature U•BASS is announced at Winter NAMM. The California Series adds Solid Koa and Maple Acoustic-Electric models equipped with an exclusively designed LR Baggs® pickup and preamp system, which becomes standard for every California Series Solid Body U•BASS. Bass Player LIVE! hosts a U•BASS clinic featuring Abraham, Bakithi, and Hutch.
The 5-string SUB Solid Body U•BASS® along with the fretless Rumbler Mahogany U•BASS are introduced at Winter NAMM. The Museum of Making Music in Carlsbad, CA features a U•BASS in their exhibit “LOW: The Power & Beauty of Bass.”
At Winter NAMM, the fretted Bubinga U•BASS® and the fretted Exotic Mahogany U•BASS with Round Wound strings are released.
The redesigned California Series with updated neck, body, and string alignment are shown at Winter NAMM. The 4-string Nik West Signature Purple U•BASS® debuts in August and is followed by the 5-string model at Bass Player LIVE! The Musical Instrument Museum begins displaying a 2012 Solid Spruce Mahogany U•BASS.
At Winter NAMM, the Wanderer, Passenger, and Journeyman are introduced along with the Striped Ebony U•BASS® in multiple options. The Exotic Mahogany is upgraded and expanded to include Fretless and Left-handed models, and the Rumbler and Solid Mahogany, and Solid Spruce Top lines also receive aesthetic upgrades. At Summer NAMM, Red and Black Journeyman models with Round Wound strings debut.
The Flame Maple U•BASS® and Solid Cedar Top Pau Ferro U•BASS are introduced at Summer NAMM. The Wanderer, Passenger, and Journeyman were updated and now all come equipped with a GraphTech TUSQ® nut.
New U•BASS® designs for 2020 include a Burled Tamo Ash, Spalted Maple, Solid Bamboo, and the Nomad, all in fretted models. The Wanderer and Journeyman models now come with Kala Round Wounds.
The Spalted Maple U•BASS®
Exclusive partnership and design with Fishman results in a new Fishman EQ for U•BASS® coming standard on all higher-end basses $399 and up.
2022 marks the introduction of the Bakithi Kumalo Signature Acoustic-Electric U•BASS®, as well as the Fretless Scout U•BASS® — both offering bassists tremendous value.
Bakithi Kumalo plays his Signature Acoustic-Electric U•BASS® at Kala Headquarters
Three new Exotic wood models are added to the Acoustic-Electric offerings. Released in fall, the highly anticipated Solid Body U•BASS® arrives to immediate praise earning a 2023 Product Excellence Award from Music Inc. and numerous favorable reviews from publications and musicians alike. The Solid Body U•BASS® launches with three color options (Jet Black, Tobacco Burst, and Candy Apple Red) and one fretless model.
Musicians preview the Solid Body U•BASS® at The NAMM Show 2023
Celebrating the 15th anniversary of the original U•BASS® debut, Kala’s private stock of Koa wood is hand-selected for production of two limited edition Acoustic-Electric U•BASS® models. Continuing the success of the Solid Body U•BASS®, the collection expands with two left-handed 4-string, three new 4-string colors options (Sweet Cream, Powder Blue, Pale Pink), and the addition of fretted and fretless 5-string models in two colors (Tobacco Burst, Jet Black), plus a second option 4-string fretless color option.
Watch for more U•BASS innovations yet to come!
The U•BASS® offers its own uniquely deep, booming, and round tone, but is well known for its ability, with a little tweaking, to closely replicate the sound of an upright bass. This is significant because a variety of genres and styles available to non-upright bass players open up when the U•BASS® is deployed, on-stage or in the studio.
]]>So what makes this instrument so special? Why have we at Kala dedicated so much attention, time, and love into the design of this innovative product?
Well, let's find out!
More than anything else, bassists tend to look for superb low end and a rich tone in the instruments they play. Given their need to be extremely versatile and complimentary players within an ensemble, we know that many bassists are constantly looking for instruments that can unlock a brand new feel and a new sound for their playing.
The U•BASS® is a fantastic example of a bass with a tone, feel, and overall character that is quite unlike anything else on the market. Known also as the original "ukulele bass," the U•BASS® combines unique, light tension bass strings with a small body size and a powerful pickup to produce a simply massive bass tone.
The U•BASS® offers its own uniquely deep, booming, and round tone, but is well known for its ability, with a little tweaking, to closely replicate the sound of an upright bass.
This is significant because a variety of genres and styles available to non-upright bass players open up when the U•BASS® is deployed, on-stage or in the studio.
Jazz, Folk, and Country players love the U•BASS® for its deep, clear, upright tone.
On the contrary, Funk, R&B, Hip-Hop, and Soul players love it for its huge, clean, low end!
The U•BASS® has the scale length of a standard baritone ukulele and, needless to say, is significantly shorter than the typical electric bass guitar. This leads to ultra-fast access up and down the fretboard that would be more difficult to achieve on a standard-size bass, let alone an upright bass.
The Road Toad Pahoehoe U•BASS® Strings come standard on many U•BASS® models: a polyurethane blend with a bouncy, rubbery feel that adds to the unique tone and experience.
If traditional strings are more your style, Kala offers a Round Wound U•BASS® String Set that will give you that familiar traditional electric bass string feel.
Most recently, Kala released the Flatwound U•BASS® String Set, unlocking a whole new world of tones for our players.
Whether you’re jamming on an Acoustic-Electric U•BASS® or a California U•BASS®, there’s no denying the convenience of the size of this instrument.
You can take it as a carry-on at the airport when you travel and its lightweight body makes it perfect for grab-and-go practice sessions and impromptu jams.
The U•BASS® is designed to fit right into your rig, so when you get to that song that sounds just right on the Kala U•BASS®, swapping out your instruments is as easy and seamless as any other electric bass.
Wondering where to start? Our U•BASS® catalog here at Kala is constantly growing and adapting to best fit the ongoing needs and feedback of our incredible U•BASS® community.
Here's a quick rundown of some of the best models available:
The Nomad U•BASS® and Wanderer U•BASS® are two of our most popular U•BASS models and are a common "first" U•BASS®. Each model has their own distinct strings and EQ — feel free to check out both to find the right fit!
The Journeyman U•BASS®, Exotic Mahogany U•BASS®, Striped Ebony U•BASS®, and the Striped Ebony U•BASS® with Round Wounds are four distinct models that are common picks for performers and studio musicians.
Left handed players can go for the Lefty Exotic Mahogany U•BASS®, while lovers of fretless often go for our Striped Ebony Fretless U•BASS® or one of the Fretless Solid Body selections from our USA Made California U•BASS® Series.
What are some things you'd like to learn about the U•BASS®? For those who own the U•BASS®, what do you like about it most? Connect with us on Instagram to let us know @kalabrandmusic.
]]>The Journeyman is an innovation in U•Bass with great style and reasonable price point while maintaining the classic U•Bass sound.
The Kala U•Bass has always been beloved for its unique look, feel, portability, and giant low end. When approaching the design of the Journeyman, the first thing we wanted to do was give our next U•Bass a make-over in appearance. We took inspiration directly from our Kala Jazz Tenor Archtops and added stylish f-holes, white binding, and beautiful sounding white Aquila Thundergut strings made in Italy. The result of employee and customer feedback bring a U•Bass to market at a great price.
The look of the U•Bass has gone through subtle changes throughout its lifetime and we’re always looking to add to the variety of tonal and aesthetic choices our customers can choose from, in fact the whole Kala U•Bass line got an update for 2018, but the creation of The Journeyman is a particularly large step in providing a new option for players. With its stylish new look, big, deep, upright-like sound, and a price point that makes this instrument one of the most affordable U•Basses yet, The Journeyman is a great place for someone to jump into the world of U•Bass.
Due to the interest of the new Journeyman U•Bass we have developed two new variations coming soon: The Black Journeyman and The Red Journeyman will be available late 2018.
Have any questions about the Kala Journeyman? Any suggestions for the future of U•Bass? Let us know in the comments and have a great day! Thanks for reading!
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The Wanderer is the simplest of these new models, stripped down to the bare essentials for our most inexpensive U•Bass yet. The Wanderer comes with a natural look in a no-frills package and maintains the upright bass sound that the U•Bass is known for. This will make an excellent first bass or addition to your arsenal. The Wanderer will help you find your way!
The Passenger is the second of our new economical U•Basses. The Passenger features a subtle, stylish white binding and rosette as ornamentation for a classic appearance. The Passenger has all the thunder of the U•Bass and is great for practice or gigging. The Passenger will accompany you anywhere you go!
The Journeyman is the grandest model in our new U•Bass line with a white binding, decorative f-holes, and a cutaway. The Journeyman is great for gigging, looks sharp, and won’t break the bank. Hone your skills and perfect your craft, this U•Bass is made to take you as far as you want to go. The Journeyman will set you on your way to becoming a master!
Also new for 2018 is the Striped Ebony U•Bass (coming soon). This beautiful U•Bass has a deep brown color with reddish-brown striping in a satin finish. The Maple binding creates a striking contrast with the Striped Ebony body, helping the wood grain stand out. The well-known thump of the U•Bass is now available in stunning Striped Ebony. They come equipped with a GraphTech TUSQ® nut, Hipshot Ultralite™ tuners, and a Shadow® U•Bass NFX preamp with EQ and built-in tuner. The Striped Ebony U•Bass will be available in fretted and fretless models with Road Toad Pahoehoe strings, the fretted model will also be available with optional Kala Round Wound strings.
We will be previewing more of our new additions in the days leading up to NAMM, so check back to learn more.
If you’ll be attending NAMM, stop by booth #4804 in Hall D to say “hi” and check out all the new and updated products for 2018.
Which new U•Bass are you most excited to play? Let us know in the comments.
We had the newest addition to the California Solid Body Series, the 5-string Nik West Signature Purple Sparkle U•Bass, on display.
Many talented U•Bass Artists were in attendance giving clinics, performing, or hanging out. Here are some of the U•Bass Artists who stopped by our booth:
HeXx Henderson
Bakithi Kumalo and Anel Pedrero
There were many accomplished and inspiring bassists performing, hanging out, and celebrating all-things bass over the weekend. Here are a few who stopped by our booth to check the U•Bass out:
Phil Chen (Jeff Beck)
Freddie Flewelen (Al McKay Allstars, Paul Jackson Jr.)
Bjorn Englen (Yngwie Malmsteen)
Bob Glaub (Jackson Browne, session)
We had an awesome improv jam at the booth with Uriah Duffy (Whitesnake) on U•Bass, accompanied by Reggie Young (solo, session) on bass.
Finally, here is a gif of U•Bass Artist and 2014 Bass Player Lifetime Achievement Award winner Abraham Laboriel Sr. from the Kala co-sponsored clinic he co-hosted with Bakithi Kumalo.
Thanks to everyone who came by to check out the U•Bass and say "hi." We had a great time and are already looking forward to next year.
Credit: Recap highlights provided by Nick Hernandez, photos by Jack Hogan.Tickets are still available.
Let us know if you’ll be there and what clinics you plan on attending in the comments.
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