this is an exact swap I am considering doing. I don't think would ever attempt this without your very helpful video. The folded paper thing is genius. I usually just "free hand" it, and the paper would be a much better way.
I can't thank Magnus enough for this video. I did the exact same swap today, 'crept with a 4-string, with excellent results. No soldering involved, which is good because I am pretty much a technical clutz. Without the video, I would have given it to my Tech and he would have charged me at least $30. I really like the tone of the bass with the LR Baggs preamp. One more thing. I note that the bridge insert is asymmetrical, one side is peaked, one flatter. I took it apart before I noticed this. I am assuming that the flatter side is the side that faces the butt end of the bass. And the peaked/shorter side is the side facing the neck. I say this because it makes some sense to me to have the flatter side where the strings rest upon.
Thanks for the Video. I did the swap 2 nights ago. No more horrible buzz! Plus it sounds better. I didn't insulate the pickup wire. The original didn't have one. The shield touches the metal frame of the preamp. No problems. I pulled it through to fit the bridge and then pulled/pushed it back with the bridge. BTW, they no longer make the California Ubass. One can buy all the parts for about $600 and make their own while supplies last. I just ordered the hard shell case.
+Sharyl Smith Guitarist You're right, the kit that I got and will put together, covered in a series of posts is no longer available. But as you said, the parts are. We'll see what happens with the solid body ubass models in the future…I'm glad you found the video useful! All the best from Sweden and playubass.com
Next tome you cut up a credit card of something like that. Just cut a slice the long way through the card. This slice will be perfect for setting the height of the tuning knobs on all guitars. You just keep it with your tools and you'll never mess us the nitro or laqour on the guitar again. Thanks Magnus!
Hi Magnus. Great video! So nice to see you here doing this pre amp change. Now you have changed the pre amp. Can I have the old one please? Address in Spain supplied. Cheers my friend.
I used it because my pre-amp didn't have the usual shrink-wrap that should've been there. Please check out the link to the corresponding blog post. There is a link to a off that describes the steps. The shrink wrap is there to keep the pickup wire to accidentally touch the preamp or anything that conducts...hope this makes sense...
Hello Magnus, I got a question for u, and maybe someone else who reads this also can help me out. I got a Kala SUB u bass 4 string. And from opening the box I saw the string weren't stretched enough and pretty much all knobs had 5 winds. So I restring every string and they are alot tighter now. But they still keep detuning. Mostly happens at the D and G string. E and A are pretty solid though. But how long does it take till they stay in tune already? im tuning the strings up every once or twice a day. And g-string already has 4 winds now.(Should be the max) Did i get a broken Kala SUB u bass? And when restringing I pulled hard on those things. 5 inches ATLEAST of extra wire on D and G string now. Should i consider restringing them again? Dont think i can stretch them any further though.
Hi, I don't think it's anything wrong with you're Ubass! The original black strings do take some time to settle in. I have a trick where I tie a knot on the string. I stretch the string almost up to pitch, pulling it past the tuner. Then I tie a knot and put it in the tuning slot. This makes it harder for the string to get out of tune. See my stringing video here: ua-cam.com/video/iOVfBDAgaPM/v-deo.html Should work fine with the original black strings too! Good luck!
Magnus Sjöquist Thank you for the quick responding and link to the video. For now i'll wait 2-3 days to see how the string will stretch. If there are to many winds around the Tuner I will try the knot way. Now I did the tuning like KALA showed on their site. (around the tuner, through the middle, back around, underneath, and pull)
Magnus Sjöquist Just wanna let u know I restring the D & G string with the knot u showed in the video, the strings just kept dropping in tune. I made a double knot on the G string, just to be sure because its so thin. I know got 2 winds around g string and I think it will be enough after stretching and time ofcourse. Thanks again! Have a good day sir!
I am assuming it's to help get the spacing right, so the pickup lead wire is the exact length to span the bridge? Does that make sense? I have my Cali 4-string now and the LR Baggs on its way.
this is an exact swap I am considering doing. I don't think would ever attempt this without your very helpful video.
The folded paper thing is genius. I usually just "free hand" it, and the paper would be a much better way.
I can't thank Magnus enough for this video. I did the exact same swap today, 'crept with a 4-string, with excellent results. No soldering involved, which is good because I am pretty much a technical clutz. Without the video, I would have given it to my Tech and he would have charged me at least $30. I really like the tone of the bass with the LR Baggs preamp.
One more thing. I note that the bridge insert is asymmetrical, one side is peaked, one flatter. I took it apart before I noticed this. I am assuming that the flatter side is the side that faces the butt end of the bass. And the peaked/shorter side is the side facing the neck. I say this because it makes some sense to me to have the flatter side where the strings rest upon.
Thanks for the Video. I did the swap 2 nights ago. No more horrible buzz! Plus it sounds better. I didn't insulate the pickup wire. The original didn't have one. The shield touches the metal frame of the preamp. No problems. I pulled it through to fit the bridge and then pulled/pushed it back with the bridge. BTW, they no longer make the California Ubass. One can buy all the parts for about $600 and make their own while supplies last. I just ordered the hard shell case.
+Sharyl Smith Guitarist You're right, the kit that I got and will put together, covered in a series of posts is no longer available. But as you said, the parts are. We'll see what happens with the solid body ubass models in the future…I'm glad you found the video useful! All the best from Sweden and playubass.com
Next tome you cut up a credit card of something like that. Just cut a slice the long way through the card. This slice will be perfect for setting the height of the tuning knobs on all guitars. You just keep it with your tools and you'll never mess us the nitro or laqour on the guitar again. Thanks Magnus!
Hi Magnus. Great video! So nice to see you here doing this pre amp change.
Now you have changed the pre amp. Can I have the old one please? Address in Spain supplied. Cheers my friend.
Magnus, what is the benefit/purpose of the plastic sleeve on the pickup lead wire?
Yes, the insulation thing in step 12
I used it because my pre-amp didn't have the usual shrink-wrap that should've been there.
Please check out the link to the corresponding blog post. There is a link to a off that describes the steps. The shrink wrap is there to keep the pickup wire to accidentally touch the preamp or anything that conducts...hope this makes sense...
Hello Magnus,
I got a question for u, and maybe someone else who reads this also can help me out.
I got a Kala SUB u bass 4 string. And from opening the box I saw the string weren't stretched enough and pretty much all knobs had 5 winds.
So I restring every string and they are alot tighter now. But they still keep detuning. Mostly happens at the D and G string. E and A are pretty solid though.
But how long does it take till they stay in tune already? im tuning the strings up every once or twice a day. And g-string already has 4 winds now.(Should be the max)
Did i get a broken Kala SUB u bass?
And when restringing I pulled hard on those things. 5 inches ATLEAST of extra wire on D and G string now.
Should i consider restringing them again? Dont think i can stretch them any further though.
Hi,
I don't think it's anything wrong with you're Ubass!
The original black strings do take some time to settle in. I have a trick where I tie a knot on the string. I stretch the string almost up to pitch, pulling it past the tuner. Then I tie a knot and put it in the tuning slot. This makes it harder for the string to get out of tune. See my stringing video here: ua-cam.com/video/iOVfBDAgaPM/v-deo.html
Should work fine with the original black strings too! Good luck!
Magnus Sjöquist
Thank you for the quick responding and link to the video.
For now i'll wait 2-3 days to see how the string will stretch. If there are to many winds around the Tuner I will try the knot way.
Now I did the tuning like KALA showed on their site. (around the tuner, through the middle, back around, underneath, and pull)
Magnus Sjöquist Just wanna let u know I restring the D & G string with the knot u showed in the video, the strings just kept dropping in tune.
I made a double knot on the G string, just to be sure because its so thin. I know got 2 winds around g string and I think it will be enough after stretching and time ofcourse.
Thanks again! Have a good day sir!
I am assuming it's to help get the spacing right, so the pickup lead wire is the exact length to span the bridge? Does that make sense? I have my Cali 4-string now and the LR Baggs on its way.
Do you mean the "insulation"-thing I used in step 12?
Which preamp would you recommend for replacement ?
JustMyTwoCentz I changed to a Kala/LR Baggs Preamp/EQ that will fit nicely in all Kala Solid Body ubasses and has a really nice eq-section!
@@bassMAGics thanks for answering me :)!
Where can i purchase these ? I dont find them nowhere on the web
@@JustMyTwoCentz You're welcome! Contact the Kala support and see if they can help you get one!
support[at]kalabrand.com
Hi, I'm looking for that bass. Where I can buy it?
Hi,
On this page you can find all the available Kala ubasses!
www.kalabrand.com/instrumentsU-bass.html