Ukulele Bass
First developed by Road Toad and subsequently bought out and made incredibly successful by the Kala company, the Ukulele bass works on a principle first used by the Guild Ashbory bass, with elastic polyurethane strings amplified by piezo pickups. Using a Baritone uke body the acoustic versions have just enough volume to practise with in a quiet room acoustically, but make a huge bass sound amplified. They have become popular in Hawaiian bands, cabaret bands, wedding bands – any lineup playing long gigs where a double bass or heavy solidbody bass guitar becomes hard work. My design uses a couple of extra measures to enhance the tone profile. Small soundholes or ports maximise bass air resonance and bamboo/rosewood tine resonators simulate the air resonance of a double bass. There are also solidbody and 5 string versions of this instrument, but I stick to the acoustic ones.
![](https://scottwise.net/wp-content/uploads/2024/01/Acacia350hi300.jpg)
Acacia Ukulele Bass
Acacia leaf soundholes, Black Acacia Body, Wandoo fretboard.
![](https://scottwise.net/wp-content/uploads/2024/01/Acacia-Bass-2014-scaled.jpg)
Ukulele Bass
Black Acacia body, Wandoo fretboard.
![](https://scottwise.net/wp-content/uploads/2024/01/1-DSC_0002-001-scaled.jpg)
Ukulele Bass
Black Acacia. Side port replacing front soundholes.
![](https://scottwise.net/wp-content/uploads/2024/01/Mango-2.jpg)
Ukulele Bass
Mango wood body, Wandoo fretboard.