How to Make a Bass Ukulele Sound Good? | Gear Check | Thomann

Julia tries out different techniques on bass ukuleles to give you all the insight you need to apprehend the instrument. What makes them sound and feel so different? And how to get the best sound possible out of it? It's all here!

Interesting bits and pieces:
0:00 : Intro
0:40 : Regular playing
0:50 : Downside of rubber strings with a piezo
1:30 : Playing demonstration
2:13 : Using Rosin to add attack ?
3:18 : Sure, but it comes at a price!
3:40 : Let's try with water
3:46 : Water sounds like this
4:48 : Advantages and specs of a Bass Uke
5:04 : Disadvantages of a Bass Uke
5:16 : Some are also fretless !
5:43 : Low Strings matter
5:56 : Truss Rods matter even more
6:18 : The ultimate better sound trick! (with comparison)
8:06 : Conclusion and goodbyes

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[ExplicableCashew]

I kinda really like that percussive sound that you call "noise." Your rhythm is on point even for when you place your finger on a string in advance, so it's a pretty cool effect

[broder]

I am a music school teacher and one of my pupils plays an ukulele bass. He is a rather small guy, so it's nice for him, to play a reai instrument for adults, not a children's size bass. He is doing very well in the school's bigband with his old fashioned upright bass like sound.

[yomommaiscalling]

I love the U-bass, it was totally an impulse buy but now it is my new best friend. I pick it up all the time! Mine is fretted and one thing I had to get used to is I seem to get less fret buzz if I finger the notes in the middle between the frets instead of right up behind the fret like I normally would on a standard electric bass or guitar.

[filiospetrou]

Nice to see more people playing Billie Jean with the lower octave added in there

[geoffkell]

After watching this video about 6 months ago I got hold of some Aquila Thunder Reds and I love 'em. Prefer the sound quality and much easier to play than the old sticky blacks. I got a backup set immediately. Life has got better - thank you so much for your video!

[lostecho]

Wow. This bass actually sounds amazing. Has a cool vibe.

[roylamela]

For me, the rubber strings sounded too mumbly/warbly. I was not a fan of the sticky noise of the rubber strings. Also, there were times when the strings sometimes felt sticky and when I was playing, it felt like my fingerprints were getting pulled off by the strings. So after doing some research, I found out that steel Flatwound strings exist for the U-Bass and I switched over. U-Bass Flatwound 4-String Set by Gallistrings. (KA-BASS-4FW). No more sticky feeling, no more sticky noise. I used it when I played bass for a Hawaiian dance group during a hula competition. Sounded awesome! Didn't sound warbly or rumbly as the rubber strings. Sounded like an acoustic stand-up bass! Definitely worth trying out.

[jambajoby]

Droppin Jaco on us like it’s no big deal! This girl can PLAY!

[GameOfDepth]

Bass Ukulele brought me to you and I just ordered one, it speaks to me like no other...

[Phillyfast]

Hey, that's not noise! That's a really nice percussive thump. It sounds awesome!

Edited for massive thumbs up for you playing Teen Town by Weather Report. A nod to Jaco on a uke bass with huge rubber strings deserves mad props.

[bazgolin]

I bought a Kala Hutch Hutchinson UBass a few years ago. I've never been knocked out by the polyurethane strings that came with it. The intonation was a bit wobbly. I wasn't sure if it was the UBass or the strings. Then I saw your Ubass video and ordered a set of Thunder Reds. A bit dear, but man-o-man what a difference! The sound (plugged in AND unplugged), the harmonics (not all but most), and the feel are substantially better. You do great bass videos, but this one made me buy something, and I'm very happy with the results. Thank you, Julia, and keep up the great work you do!

[TheHardcoregamerbras]

Dude, just the fact that she played Teen Town by Weather Report already deserves my thumbs up

[tankslapper]

I really like the vibe of this bass... It sounds to me almost like a p bass with flat wounds... seriously love the vibe ...

[PanoramaUnion]

Kala with the black strings sounds wow.

[-RedAfro]

YES! Pulling the dubble-stops on Billie Jean!!! Someone who knows how to correctly walk that baseline! You Rock!

[gabagool]

I really dig that tapping on the bass strings. It adds a whole other element to the instrument!

[diegofloor]

I have been trying to find a good video showcasing this tiny bass. Everyone just wastes so much time faffing around! Finally found this video, straight to the point, informative, succinct. Great job. Fastest I have ever subbed a channel.

[darrylmurray]

This sounds weird but the oil off your nose works better than anything else for your right hand. It keeps the strings from grabbing your finger tips. The down side is of course rubbing your nose every now and then. But it works...lol

[raundimoore-kondo]

Great video (as always)! Ilove my kala fretless so much. I never want to put it down. Your smile after playing it unplugged captured the feeling I always get from playing it, especially unplugged for some reason 🤷‍♀️
I bought some thunderbrowns but haven’t put them on yet because I am loving it so much the way it is. It takes a spell for the strings to settle.

[JoshuaPatrickGarrett]

Great playing for this demo. Good touch