kala U-Bass User manual

Owner’s Manual
Revision 2
Introduction:
Congratulations on the purchase of your Kala Solidbody U-Bass! You are about to embark on a new
musical journey with this portable yet powerful instrument. It is our goal to provide you with a versatile
new instrument that is capable of producing remarkable bottom end in live and studio applications. The
heart of the U-Bass tone lies in its polyurethane strings in conjunction with its size (21” scale length) and
active pickup system. These create a sound that is both traditional and progressive. Paired with a high
quality amplification or recording system, the applications for the U-Bass are limited only to your
imagination. This owner’s manual will give you an overview of the set up, care and maintenance of your
U-Bass as well as detailed specifications.
Setup, Care, and Maintenance
Set Up: To achieve the fundamental tone and feel of the U-Bass, polyurethane strings are used. When
you first open the case to your U-Bass, the strings could be slackened. Because the strings are
polyurethane, they will go through a short period of stretching until they arrive at their final state. You
can expedite this process by gently tugging on the strings, then tuning the strings to pitch several times
until the strings no longer drop in pitch. Upon inspecting the instrument, you will notice that the string
posts of the tuning machines are larger than your average bass guitar. This is to accommodate the large
diameter of the U-Bass strings. The ideal number of wraps for each string should be between two and
four, depending on the string. If, after stretching the strings, you have more than that, you may want to
consider unwrapping the string and re-tuning it with fewer wraps. This may seem challenging but the
time you spend on this crucial step will have considerable rewards.
Your U-Bass has its intonation preset. The saddle and bridge are positioned in such a way that proper
intonation is achieved through use of a compensated saddle assembly. This means that each individual
string saddle comes to its peak point at a different location than its adjacent string. This allows your U-
Bass to play in tune on the lowest of lows and the highest of highs.
Care and Maintenance: Whenever practical and possible, keep your U-Bass in its case or gig bag. Since
the U-Bass is smaller than your average bass or guitar, you may want to purchase a hanging style

instrument stand for breaks during recording, rehearsal, or performance. These allow the instrument to
hang from the area where the neck meets the headstock. They usually have a support for the back of
the instrument. Keeping your U-Bass in the case protects it from weather damage and other hazards
that could void your warranty. Before placing your bass in its case, be sure to wipe the strings off with a
soft cloth as well as other contact areas (neck, upper bout, bridge).
The fretboard on the U-Bass should already be well conditioned. If after a period of time you see that
the fretboard looks dry, apply a thin layer of lemon oil or mineral oil to a cloth, then wipe the fretboard
evenly. After a minute or two, wipe the excess oil with a clean cloth. This process should be done no
more than twice a year. Of course, never leave your U-Bass in a hot or cold vehicle for a lengthy time.
This leaves your bass vulnerable to theft as well as damage that could void your warranty.
As with any fine instrument, the U-Bass benefits from an intentional approach to maintenance. Unlike
traditional electric bass strings that begin their lifecycle with a bright sound then gradually mellow, U-
Bass strings are designed to have a warm, mellow tone, similar to an upright bass. It is not uncommon
for these polyurethane strings to last several years after their initial break in period if you continue to
keep your U-Bass clean.
Changing Strings: Changing strings on the U-Bass takes a little finesse. Looking at the back of the
instrument, you will be able to see the crimped string endings. Before unwinding the strings, make note
of how many wraps are on the individual posts. There should be no more than two winds on the B, E, A,
and D strings and three winds on the G string. Unwind the strings and remove them from their posts.
Gently pull the strings from the bridge holes until the string is all the way out. Now you are ready to
install fresh strings. Carefully feed the new strings through the bridge hole and into the slots of the
tuning pegs. Stretch the strings as far as you can around and through the string post. This is a critical
step as too many windings around the post can lead to tuning and tension issues. Once the strings are
tuned up (E, A, D, G), alternate between stretching and tuning them until they lock into pitch. Please
note that this process takes some time but will reward you with stable tuning.
Shadow Active Pickup and Equalizer
The Shadow active pickup system runs on a single 9 volt, coin-style batteries. They are accessible
through the magnetic cavity cover on the back of the bass. Simply remove the electronics cover on the
back of the instrument and pull the battery out of the clip. Carefully place the new 9 volt battery into
the clip and reattach the backplate.
Instrument Specifications:
Tuners: Hipshot
Neck wood: Maple
Fretboard: Rosewood

Nut: Graphtech Black TUSQ
Frets: Medium
Bridge: Custom Rosewood
Saddle/Pickup: Shadow Piezo with phenolic saddle
Preamp: Shadow active with volume, bass, and treble controls powered by a single 9 volt battery
Body wood: Poplar
String height at 12th fret: 5mm for optimum tone
Strings: ROAD TOAD MUSIC proprietary polyurethane
Case: Embroidered U-Bass gig bag
In our ongoing quest to provide players with the best instruments and accessories at the highest value,
all prices and specifications are subject to change without notice.
For more information visit: www.ubass.com
For warranty information, please download our warranty registration form at kalaukulele.com.