U-Bass Kit- Fretted or Unfretted

U-Bass Kit- Fretted or Unfretted

$80.00 USD

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This kit does not include a box. This kit includes all the items needed to build a 20 (see note below on intonation) inch scale electric U-Bass. The neck is made of Okume and the fret board and bridge are made of Walnut. Polyurethane strings are provided as well as a bone nut that is fitted to the strings. The neck includes a hanger bolt for mounting to the box. The minimum box length that can be used is 12 inches and a box that is 13 inches or longer is recommended. Make sure to reinforce the box and we suggest using a 27093 reinforcement plate.

The heavy duty tuners are made specifically for this type of instrument. Unlike other tuners you will need to disassemble the tuner to install it in head stock. Remove the screw, gear and axle before installing the tuner body. Reassemble and and add washer and ferrule. Tighten with a 15mm wrench. Normal string winders will not work and we suggest you use our 24010 winder which will accommodate the oversized knobs on these tuners.

Due to the mass and size of the strings we have found that a scale length of 20.3 inches works better for intonation. The strings are anchored on the bridge using knots on the inside of the box. Our 41003 template is available for aligning and positioning the bridge. The bridge can be glued to the box however we prefer using screws and finish washers. When the bridge is installed the string clearance holes can be drilled through the box top.

The electronics package includes a compensated piezo pickup, preamp/equalizer, tuner and battery box. Included are template/trim rings for mounting the components. The battery box uses two 2032 (not included) round batteries which are installed positive side up. A plug will need to be installed in the jack for the tuner to operate. Tune to EADG.

Special note: As the strings are soft and the leading edge of the nut is quite sharp, oftentimes the strings will bind on the nut and the gears will grind till they fail. The solution is to lift the strings over the nut as you tighten the tuners.

Check online for videos on installing U-Bass strings.

Custom use

Its a work in progress. I’m using your kit to build a little bass with a solid body shaped like a canoe paddle. The hard part is fitting the neck to the body, modifying it by cutting away most of the heel but I think it will work well. I’ll share the outcome when I finish.

Great product

Great sounding kit and easy to install / use

Love this... Makes me smile when I play it

Used a rounded end El Guguense box which made it a big t of a pain. But it works extremely well. I've had 3 people ask for one.

Only difficulty is in securing the bolt on neck inside the box. Had to get creative to do that. Oh, and I have a metric f-ton of boxes, but you really do need a long box to get to scale length. I knew that going in.

Recommended

Very good quality for the price. Will make a very elegant bass uke.

Great kit!!!

Put this together and it plays great. My only tiny complaint no fret markers or dots. Some might have a minute adjusting to the ZERO neck radius, completely flat like a classical guitar. Here's a YouTube demo https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dV9EtYrfUqc