Play UBass!

Visiting a very well-stocked bass store in London – Lots of Ubasses = happy Ubassist :-)

Lawrence Magnus and Tom 3 — Laurence, Magnus and Tom – posing away 🙂

Hi!

This time I’m blogging about my visit to London about two weeks ago. I attended a big conference about education and technology – BETT 2014. I managed to take a walk to one of my favorite streets in London, Denmark Street, for a quick visit to the music stores! [The street is sometimes called the British Tin Pan Alley].

The bass store, Wunjo’s Bass Centre, is at the moment the only ”bass only” store on Denmark Street. If I remember correctly there was another store called Bass Cellar back in the 90’s…

In the pic above you can see me with the staff at Wunjo’s, Laurence and Tom. They were truly helpful and nice! Thanks guys! Here in Sweden the music stores don’t carry more than (if you’re lucky ONE ubass) but at Wunjo’s Bass Centre I almost couldn’t count them all!

There was a lot of acoustic/electric models in stock. From fretted Rumblers to fretted and fretless spruce and mahogany Ubasses!

Please pay them a visit if you live in London or visiting just like I was!

Laurence and Tom told me that they sold about a Ubass a week. That’s really awesome. I really hope the selling rate will increase in Sweden too.

I’m planning a new series of articles here on playubass.com Stay tuned for more info soon!
It’s gonna be a lot of fun!

Wunjo Guitars on Facebook
Twitter @wunjoguitars

Have a great day!
/m

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New Preamp in the brand new 2014 US made electro-acoustic Ubass!

This year will see an updated preamp system – making a debut in the new US made electro-acoustic Ubass!

Kala has teamed up with LR Baggs that have designed and built a new Ubass system (piezo and preamp) from the ground up especially for the UBass.

Hot news – info from Kala:

Kala UBASS
Kala U-BASS amplification crafted by LR Baggs delivers a massive amount of power and versatility in a one of the most creative and inspiring basses you will ever play.

Kala and LR Baggs set out to create California made Electro-Acoustic models of U-Bass that provide world class amplification for professional musicians. The result is a jaw dropping, full-range bass response unexpected from the short scale, 21” instruments. Plug in and experience a stunning range of tone for any style and any environment.

Element pickup
The LR Baggs award-winning Element pickup is engineered to capture each instruments most delicate vibration with a flexible film sensor thin as human hair. In contrast to other compression style transducers, the sensors flexible design tracks the motion of the top and saddle to unlock an unrivaled dynamic range. In addition, the pickup’s minimalist construction lessens any influence on the acoustic properties and creates an intimate coupling between the pickup and instrument for the highest fidelity possible.

Circuitry
Kala and LR Baggs worked together from the ground up to design a system that would deliver uncompromising performance for musicians whose primary instrument is bass. This is not an acoustic system reapplied for a new class of acoustic instrument, rather a bass system that provides full-range amplification required for the most challenging conditions. The system features volume and highly responsive bass and presence controls that present endless possibilities ranging from the warm and smooth response of an upright to the punch and authority of an electric bass.

This sure sounds amazing and I can’t wait to get my hands on one of these new UBasses and take it for a spin!
Will be great to compare it to my trusty spruce fretless electro-acoustic that I have played for more than three years now!

I will try to share more info when this new Ubass will be officially released. Would have loved to see it first hand at NAMM this week but I guess I have to wait a bit longer since I can’t make it to there this year…hopefully I can go there ”some-year-soon”!

First single out from my friend Mathias Lilja’s upcoming debut CD!

A trio of basses - all fretless :-) Rob Allen MB-2, my trusty spruce Kala UBass and "Roy" a Czech upright from ca 1950. — A trio of basses – all fretless 🙂 Rob Allen MB-2, my trusty spruce Kala UBass and ”Roy” a Czech upright from ca 1950.

Finally!

I have had the good fortune to play with Mathias (composer, vocals and guitar) and Clas Ohlson (lap steel, steel guitar and guitar) a couple of times in the last few years. The music is really good and it’s sheer joy to play with such great guys as Mathias and Clas!

We did a trio gig before Christmas and it sure was fun! I got to play both Ubass, my Rob Allen MB-2 and upright!
It’s all worth it to drag around a lot of stuff when I get to play wonderful music with great musicians! I sang some backup vocals too which is always fun!

Mathias first solo CD is about to be released this spring. The first single has just been released and I urge you to go to bandcamp.com, listen and BUY it now! You can give it a listen in the player below! Be prepared for some great music and lyrics by Mathias Lilja!

You can pre-order the Mathias Lilja CD here!

Hope I get to play with them soon again!

All the best,
Magnus

First gig in 2014 – a super special new festival in Örebro, Sweden!

Playing Tom Waits "Way Down In The Hole" in a hotel room at Folk@Heart Festival 2014, Örebro, Sweden — Playing Tom Waits ”Way Down In The Hole” in a hotel room at Folk@Heart Festival 2014, Örebro, Sweden

Hi!

This past weekend I played my first gig this year! The gig(s) were at a new music festival in Örebro, Sweden called Folk@Heart. Besides playing on one of four stages we also played in one of five hotel rooms on the first floor that was converted into mini stages! The feeling was really intimate and only about 8-10 people would fit in the room! Super great and special!

The band I played with is Eva Stenström Ltd. with Eva on vocals and Daniel Björnmo on guitar.

I brought my Kala‘s and my Rob Allen Guitars MB-2 fretless. A local newspaper did two short videos of us. I played my acoustic/electric fretless spruce Kala UBass on one of the tracks. Check it out on the link below!

Eva Stenström Ltd. playing a cover of the Tom Waits song ”Way Down In The Hole”
(It’s the 2nd video in the list to the right of the video player!)

This was a nice start of 2014 and I will most definitely play that festival again, and again!

Hope you all have a great start of this new year!
/Magnus

Last ‘rockin’ post of 2013 – Happy New UBass-Year 2014!

Happy New UBass-Year 2014!

I recently got a question from Spain.
”How does a UBass sound with some distortion?”
Well, I put together a little video to let him (and all of you) know 🙂

Happy New Year everyone!
/Magnus

Merry UBass Christmas to everyone!

Some Ubasses, a Christmas tree, a UBassist and Mr. Z by the fireplace 🙂

Since I live in Sweden and we celebrate Christmas Eve, here is a little greeting from (and I’m sad to say) a snowless Sweden…
We are used to have snow on Christmas Eve but this year I hear rain against the roof as I’m writing this 😦
BUT we can still get together and celebrate. Meet relatives from near or far and just have a great time!

Yesterday I received a Christmas gift from the folks at Kala in California! It was a nice package with the great Ubassist tee and some cleaning stuff to get my Ubasses in good shape before we write 2014!
A big thanks to Mike, Rick and Mark at Kala for everything!
It has been a great year! Although I haven’t had as much time as I would have liked to, working on lessons and Ubass recordings, I’m still happy!

Yep, those UBasses will soon shine bright and be ready for 2014 🙂

I have great plans for the beginning of 2014 and will share these as soon as I can!

I will include my latest video in this post. (If you subscribe to my newsletter you might have seen it already).
It features my use of the fabulous Fretwraps by Gruvgear. It also features my good friend and musical counterpart in the country duo M&M’s Honky Tonk, Marcus Måttgård! For more about us just do a search on playubass!
Since we are a duo it’s nice for me being able to be more of a rhythm section to support the groove. Using Fretwraps makes it easier to incorporate backbeat rockabilly style playing to enhance the groove. Check out the video for more!

I hope you all have a great time and wish you a Very Merry Christmas from playubass!

/Magnus

ubass.com
gruvgear.com
playubass.com

Playubass mentioned in a new ‘info sheet’ from Kala regarding the original U-Bass!

I’m happy to share this ‘news sheet’ from Kala.
It’s about the 35 model strong original UBass!

I have been playing Ubass since 2010 and it still amazes
me how great these instrument are and how much they have
inspired me. Finding a new tool to express my Music after playing
bass for 30+ years has been so so great!

Thanks Oven, Mike, Rick and everyone at Kala!

Link to the ‘news sheet’!