The art of playing bass ukulele combines the expertise of a bass guitarist and ukulelist. If you want to play both of these instruments, buying the best bass ukulele is a good idea that merges like a real charm. Bass Ukulele sounds and feel different than regular ones and mostly chosen by the experts for a change of taste, this might get expensive but if you are a beginner you could select from a bunch of options available in 2020.
Our article about the best bass ukulele contains about 5 different Ukuleles which are renowned in the top 5 list of bass Ukulele. We will see their specs thoroughly and from where you can purchase them at an easy rate. Keep reading.
Best 5 Bass Ukuleles for Professional and Beginner Ukulelist
Oscar Schmidt Comfort Series Bass Ukulele
Oscar Schmidt is best renowned for making acoustic guitars of a high standard, their bass ukulele has found to be the exact match with their high standard guitars.
When you look at the design of Comfort Series Bass Ukulele, the use of woods with this bass instrument is similar to what their guitars have. The back and sides are done by Koa wood which is known for the maximum strength, versatile colors, and resonance which many ukuleles don’t have.
Over the instrument, you will find a spruce top that users might have seen in the acoustic guitars only. The spruce top does a very good job in tuning and sound effects and produces an entirely different sound. The finish is appealing as it has binding around the main body with even on the top to give it a stylish look.
Oscar Schmidt Comfort Series Bass Ukulele has a mahogany neck with a rosewood fingerboard with dot inlays and 16 frets. There is a minor cutaway that makes access to the fingerboard possible. The bridge is also made up of rosewood which has 4 free saddles for maximizing the adjustments if you need it. 4 die-cast tuners are also available at the top end which is quite well-built.
The Ukulele comes with a built-in preamp which sports the options for volume controls, bass and treble control, and a built-in tuner.
Hadean Acoustic Electric Bass Ukulele UKB-22
In the UKB Series, this is one of the oldest Ukulele which is popular for its traditional looks and design. Listening to its bass sound we can say it’s a complete package for the customers.
Hadean Acoustic Electric Bass Ukulele UKB-22 is a simple and affordable ukulele which according to many experts doesn’t feel like a low-end instrument. The build quality is very good and it does a great job for the sound effects and in terms of durability.
The Ukulele features material that is sturdy and belongs to a high-quality domain, it has a Zebrawood body and rosewood fretboard which looks good together. The preamp system is very good too, it does a great job for pumping up the power in the midsection, treble, and bass with overall volume section controls.
Also, there are Aquila Nylgut strings that can be easily tuned and are easy to play. Aquila strings are not to be tuned every time before you play but they stay tuned for a long period.
Kala U-BASS-EBY-FL Striped Ebony Fretless U-Bass
Kala U-Bass Line helped to start the trend of bass ukulele design, it’s their first fret-less model which is hollow-bodied. The ukulele offers a highly versatile model with both acoustic and electric playing options. The design is beautifully crafted from high quality striped mahogany wood and the fretless fingerboard its made of walnut. You can notice the striped shading of the ebony grains, this is what gives it such an immense aesthetic pleasing look.
Kala U-BASS-EBY-FL Striped Ebony Fretless U-Bass gives you a Shadow U-Bass NFX electronics which suppose to improve the sound quality of the register sounds to optimize the tone for perfect equalization. It also has a built-in electronic tuner with the custom-built tuning mechanism by Hipshot Ultralite tuners.
The instrument has a scale length of 20.375 with 16 frets, the frets however unmarked due to its being a fretless model. This uke comes with a padded gig bag which is quite a nice touch.
Kala Wanderer U-Bass
Kala Wanderer U-Bass is one of Kala’s affordable U-bass models that doesn’t offer much premium tuning hardware but in the electronic section, it performs fantastically. And the price range is also which comes under your right budget.
Kala Wanderer U-Bass features a dreadnought-shaped body that delivers an acoustic projection. All body is constructed of mahogany like the high-end models by Kala and almost every feature is the same including smooth walnut fingerboard, this time it is marked with dotted inlays to guide the players. The scale length is the same as other models with the same number of frets.
It is packed with UK-500B piezo pickup with great response and for active equalization. Wanderer has also a built-in tuner to support the intonation process with the help of custom black die-cast tuning hardware. The affordable Kala Wanderer U-Bass comes with a complimentary padded gig bag.
Luna Guitars Bass Ukulele
In the price comparison with Oscar Schmidt Bass Ukulele, Luna Guitar Bass Ukulele touches the same range which makes it counted under best bass ukulele under $200. The instrument sports a high quality build with superior sound quality.
The design portrays a glossy black finish which is different than other typical natural finished ukes models. The glossy black look kills the look and wins in the design segment. The top, back, and sides of this ukulele are made of high-quality material which also comes with an excellent build process. The uke is durable as hell and the sound effects are great too.
Luna Guitars Bass Ukulele has flat-wound strings which are great for intermediate and professional players. Having said this, this might not be a good idea for beginners to buy this model since flat-wound strings are not for the beginner’s style.
Best Bass Ukulele Buyers Guide
There are some questions you want answers to before buying the best bass ukulele model in 2020.
Introduction to Bass Ukulele- What is a Bass Ukulele?
Bass Ukuleles are formed as inspiration from traditional ukuleles and bass guitars, the first idea was given by a small company by the name Road Toad. The company’s founder Owen Holt Design designed his Bufo Bass which was quite popular but the price was way too high for the majority of customers.
Back in 2007, Road Toad planned to team up with one of the reputable manufacturers of Ukuleles (Kala). They intended to create more implementary and affordable solution, this is where they came up with the U-Bass idea which is one of the greatest models of Ukulele every known.
Why Do You Need Amp with Bass Ukulele?
A bass Ukulele was designed with the thoughts of sound amplification in mind, so even the hollow-bodied ukulele models can play acoustic sounds but they sure sound much better with the amp.
Are There Different Sizes Bass Ukuleles Available?
Bass Ukuleles are typically designed the same size as the baritone ukuleles which are around 30-32” in overall length.
How to Find the Best Bass Ukulele Body Type?
The best bass ukuleles are generally solid-bodied or hollow-bodied, it depends on the style of music either you choose the solid body type which is like an electric bass or the hollow-bodied for acoustic sounds.
When you buy a solid-bodied bass ukulele, you got to get the amp because without this you cannot hear the sound. It will sound almost like an unplugged electric bass guitar. If you are not into this body type of ukulele then choosing hollow-bodied might benefit you in some ways.
Both body designs come in different shapes and sizes, the solid body models come with a shape like a regular bass guitar. The hollow-bodied models come with a dreadnought of cutaway acoustic guitar shapes, and also in traditional ukulele size.
Choosing Between Frets and Fretless Bass Ukulele- Which One is the Best?
It is again on individual preference, Bass ukulele with frets is a good option for beginner players which cannot play without looking at the neck of the instrument. This might help them learn the basics of ukulele playing, for those who have been playing guitars the fretless models will give them an amazing experience.
Fretless models come in the play when you want an instrument that can play the tones that are truly the extension of yourself, with fretless bass ukulele model you will have freedom around the neck to generate more natural pitch.
How to Choose the Best Bass Ukulele?
Bass Ukuleles are not the old instruments and there is still room for changes since not many companies make them, except few. Each model of bass ukulele available today come in different design and features which solely depends on either of your playing style or the level of your playing skills.
Company-wise, the flagship models of by the Road Toad and Kala partnerships create the best bass ukuleles, but if you go for the low cost then you might see other options available these days. Some of them are cheap while delivering the same looks and sound quality, the reason for this is the interest of big giant guitar companies in bass ukuleles.
Always go for the best tonewood material if you are paying extra cash for bass ukuleles. This will give you the optimum hardware quality with guaranteed high-quality sound.
Final Verdict
In a nutshell, it is always wise to buy the high-end bass ukulele models which usually never disappoint the users. In terms of price, even the high-end models are not that expensive compared to the normal acoustic guitar cost. Bass ukulele by Hadean ranges under the best price with options for both beginners and professional players to quench their thirst or dribbling.
Spend more cash and you can get Kala models which are beautifully designed and in the game of sound effects, its what they call the best!
Finding best bass ukulele is much easier after this guide, the top 5 bass ukulele mentioned above can make a difference in your overall ukulele playing experience and that’s a bet!
