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Video Interview: Bakithi Kumalo Talks Kala Basses

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Video Interview- Bakithi Kumalo Talks Kala Basses

Bakithi Kumalo and His Kala Basses…

The Bakithi Kumalo Signature California U•BASS®  was born from a collaboration with our friend, music legend, and Paul Simon bassist, Bakithi Kumalo. Paul Simon and Bakithi Kumalo formed a relationship over 30 years ago when Bakithi, who was working as a mechanic in South Africa, came to the U.S. to record the 1986 hit album, Graceland. They have been playing together ever since.

Bakithi was one of the first musicians to champion the U•BASS when it was first released in 2009 and was the first Kala Artist to have a signature model made to his specifications.

In 2013, he collaborated with Bakithi to create his Signature California U•BASS®. This model is the same U•BASS that Bakithi Kumalo plays today.

This four-string, fretless California U•BASS® comes in with a rich espresso brown stain over a Swamp Ash body with a custom pickguard that sets the look of this instrument apart from other basses. One of the most stand-out features about the California U•BASS Series is the custom LR Baggs EQ system which we developed specifically for this collection. By customizing our pickup system, we have dialed in the sound on these basses to a science, and the huge low end this U•BASS can produce as a result is perfect for unique high-quality studio recordings or stage performances. The smooth, easy-to-tune custom Hipshot Ultralite™ tuners are the icing on the cake for this beast of a U•BASS.

The California U•BASS® Series is played by legends around the world. With the California Solid Body U•BASS you have all the tools you need to stand out and sound amazing, all that’s left is to go out and create something awesome!

The completely redesigned California U•BASS® is now available! With every California U•BASS® order you’ll receive:

SPECS

BODY:Swamp Ash
NECK:Straight Grain Maple
FINISH:UV-Cured Satin
FINGERBOARD:Roasted Maple
BRIDGE:Richlite
NUT:Graph Tech Black TUSQ®
SADDLE:Richlite
TUNERS:Custom Hipshot Ultralite™
STRINGS:Road Toad Pahoehoe
ELECTRONICS:LR Baggs Custom EQ
STAIN:Espresso Brown
STRAP BUTTON:Black x2

MEASUREMENTS

Scale Length: 20.375 inches, Overall Instrument Length: 29.375 inches, Body Length: 14.031 inches, Number of Frets: 16, Width at Upper Bout: 7.75 inches, Width at Lower Bout: 10.25 inches, Width at Waist: 6.625 inches, Body Depth: 3.25 inches, Fingerboard Width at Nut: 1.75 inches, Fingerboard width at neck/body joint: 2.125 inches

The beautiful Striped Ebony U•BASS® has a deep brown color with reddish-brown striping. One of the finest woods for instruments, Striped Ebony is a high-density wood that has superior tonal qualities. The light Maple binding creates a striking contrast with the dark Ebony body, that makes the variants in the striping stand out. Comes in a Fretless model with Proprietary Polyurethane Strings, Custom Hipshot® Ultralite Tuners, GraphTech TUSQ® Nut, Custom U•BASS® Pick-up, and a Deluxe Padded Gig Bag.

BAG AND CASE INFORMATION

  • Fits ALL Kala BARITONE Ukulele Bags, UB-B, & Sonoma Coast BARITONE Cases
  • Fits U•BASS specific bags and cases: UB-UBASS, DUB-UBASS, HC-UB

The beautiful Striped Ebony U•BASS® has a deep brown color with reddish-brown striping.

One of the finest woods for instruments, Striped Ebony is a high-density wood that has superior tonal qualities. The light Maple binding creates a striking contrast with the dark Ebony body, which makes the variants in the striping stand out. Comes in a Fretless model with Proprietary Polyurethane Strings, Custom Hipshot® Ultralite Tuners, GraphTech TUSQ® Nut, Custom U•BASS® Pick-up, and a Deluxe Padded Gig Bag.

BAG AND CASE INFORMATION

  • Fits ALL Kala BARITONE Ukulele Bags, UB-B, & Sonoma Coast BARITONE Cases
  • Fits U•BASS specific bags and cases: UB-UBASS, DUB-UBASS, HC-UB, & HCT-UB

SPEC MEASUREMENTS

Scale Length: 20.375 inches, Overall Instrument Length: 29.375 inches, Body Length: 14.031 inches, Number of Frets: 16, Width at Upper Bout: 7.75 inches, Width at Lower Bout: 10.25 inches, Width at Waist: 6.625 inches, Body Depth: 3.25 , Fingerboard Width at Nut: 1.75 inches, Fingerboard width at neck/body joint: 2.125 inches

For more information on Kala Basses, visit online at kalabrand.com

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Bass Videos

Interview With K3 Sisters Band

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Interview With K3 Sisters Band

K3 Sisters Band Interview…

It is very rare when I talk to a band where all the members play bass. The K3 Sisters Band is a perfect example of a group where Kaylen, Kelsey and Kristen Kassab are all multi-instrumentalists and take turns playing bass.

Hailing from Texas, these three sisters have been playing music since they were very young and have amassed an amazing amount of original music,  music videos, streaming concerts, podcasts, and content that has taken numerous social media platforms by storm. On TikTok alone, they have over 2.5 million followers and more than a billion views.

Join me as we hear the story of their musical journey, how they get their sound, and the fundamental principles behind these prolific musicians.

Here is the K3 Sisters Band!

Photo, Bruce Ray Productions

Follow Online:

k3sistersband.com/
TikTok
YouTube
Instagram
Facebook 

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Bass Player Health

What is a Pinched Nerve? with Dr. Randy Kertz

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Dr Randal Kertz - Bass Player Health - Oct 2022

What is a Pinched Nerve?

In this month’s video, we will cover how to tell if you have a pinched nerve and when to seek professional help.

Dr. Randall Kertz is the author of The Bassist’s Complete Guide to Injury Management, Prevention and Better Health. Click here to get your copy today!

The Bassist’s Complete Guide to Injury Management, Prevention & Better Health

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Bass Videos

Interview With Bassist Danielle Nicole

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Interview With Bassist Danielle Nicole

Bassist Danielle Nicole…

Blues music has universal appeal. We all have our ups and downs and this particular musical genre often fits our reality. Just hearing that we are not alone makes us feel a bit better. 

Danielle Nicole writes and sings the Blues. She does an amazing job at delivering both exquisite smoky vocals but plays just the right bass line to drive the tune home. Danielle recently released “The Love You Bleed” last January and will be touring the album this upcoming year.

Join me as we learn about Danielle’s musical journey, how she gets her sound, her plans for the future and more.

Follow Online

daniellenicolemusic.com/
IG @daniellenicoleband
youtube.com/daniellenicoleband

Photo, Missy Faulkner

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Bass Videos

Working-Class Zeros: The Struggles of Working-Class Musicians – Episode #1

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WORKING-CLASS ZEROS With Steve Rosati and Shawn Cav

Working-Class Zeros: Episode #1 – Gig Triangle, Day Gig, and It’s Awesome But Is It Necessary…

These stories from the front are with real-life, day-to-day musicians who deal with work life and gigging and how they make it work out. Each month, topics may include… the kind of gigs you get, the money, dealing with less-than-ideal rooms, as well as the gear you need to get the job done… and the list goes on from there.” – Steve the Bass Guy and Shawn Cav

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Bass Edu

Premiere! Bass Playthrough With Foetal Juice’s Bassist Lewis Bridges – From the Album, Grotesque

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Premiere! Bass Playthrough With Foetal Juice's Bassist Lewis Bridges - From the Album, Grotesque

Premiere! Bass Playthrough With Foetal Juice’s Bassist Lewis Bridges – From the Album, Grotesque

Bassist Lewis Bridges Shares…

“Gruesome’s sparse intro marks a stark contrast from the intensity of the rest of the album.  The original intention was to keep the bass simple but colourful, however as I worked on it, the lines grew more expressive and the more striking flourishes began to emerge.  The intensity builds into a harmonic minor passage that takes us into the drop — a signature death grind cacophony.  This is where Foetal Juice thrives.  You’re getting a full-on right-hand barrage to in the face to take you into a groove-laden mulch-fest.

I owe my throbbing bass tone to the Darkglass Alpha Omega pedal borrowed from our sound engineer, Chris Fielding (ex-Conan), mixed with the clarity of the tried and true Ampeg SVT CL.

As mentioned earlier, colourful basslines are important, especially in a one-guitar band. Chucking some funny intervals and odd flourishes here and there brings life into the brutality. There’s no point sounding brutal if it’s not gonna be fucking evil too!

Recording this playthrough was hard work. This was not the fault of James Goodwin (Necronautical), who was kindly filming and is ace to work with, but because in true Foetal fashion, we had stinking hangovers — and that jam room was hot!”

Follow Online

FB @FoetalJuice
TW @FoetalJuice
IG @foetaljuice
Youtube: @Foetaljuice
Spotify
Foetaljuice.bandcamp.com

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