Harley Benton Kahuna CLU-Bass Ukulele FL

172

Bass Ukulele with Pickup

Fretless
Top: Spruce
Body: Mahogany
Neck: Mahogany
Fingerboard: Ovangkol
Neck profile: C
Fretless with fret lines
Dot fingerboard inlays
Scale: 534 mm
Nut width: 42.0 mm
Bridge: Ovangkol
Black, open machine heads
Pro pickup system with built-in tuner
Colour: Natural, Matte
Suitable gig bag: Art. 198578 (not included)

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3-Year Thomann Warranty

Available since January 2014

Item number 321251

Sales Unit 1 piece(s)

Strings 4

Lefthand Model No

Colour Natural

Top Spruce

Back and Sides Mahogany

Neck Mahogany

Fretboard Ovangkol

Scale Shortscale

Pickup System Yes

Incl. Case No

Incl. Gigbag No

Body Mahogany

Frets 0

Pickup 1

Neck Width 42,0 mm

£119

Including VAT; Excluding £10 shipping

Sales Rank

in Fretless Acoustic Basses

Bundles & offers

Harley Benton Kahuna CLU-Bass Ukulele Bundle

£130

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starting from £122

Up to 8% discount

Enjoyment is paramount

What is small, light, portable, and incredibly fun? A ukulele, of course! Scarcely any other instrument has gained as much popularity as this, the "little brother" of the stringed instrument family. This trend has of course also aroused interest among bass players, for whom Harley Benton has made the necessary allowances with the Kahuna CLU Bass Ukulele, shown here in its fretless version, which provides endless enjoyment at an affordable price. Its compact dimensions make it an easy instrument to play, but players should not be fooled: It will deliver plenty of power and a solid low-end response when amplified. The Kahuna CLU Bass Ukulele features a "Traveller Size" body, which is shallower than normal and thus even easier to carry, making it the perfect companion on the go.

fretless Harley Benton Kahuna CLU-Bass Ukulele FL

Classic looks

The Kahuna CLU Bass Ukulele features a "non-cutaway" body shape that is derived from acoustic guitars and gives it a timeless look. The body is made from mahogany, which has a high density, and adorned with a top made from spruce, which is not only decorative but gives the instrument a transparent sound and an authentic look. The neck is also made from mahogany and features a fingerboard made from blackwood. The strings are made from an extra flexible synthetic material that gives the Kahuna CLU Bass Ukulele a sound all its own when played unplugged, but it is when this uke is amplified and the onboard Harley Benton Pro preamp system is able to get to work that it really comes into its own. The instrument also features a built-in tuner with an LED display that, together with the "open-gear" machine heads, ensures that it will reliably remain in tune. Incidentally, this ukulele is tuned to E-A-D-G like a regular bass guitar, so players will not need any time to get adjusted.

Harley Benton Kahuna CLU-Bass Ukulele FL with pickup and preamp

For musicians on the go

One major advantage of the Harley Benton Kahuna CLU Bass Ukulele will be obvious right away: It is extremely easy to transport, and its compact dimensions - the total length of the instrument being just 85cm (33.5") - mean that it can be accommodated in a suitcase or travelling bag without any problems, all the more so thanks to the shallow "Traveller Size" body and scale length of just 53.4cm (21"), which of course also promise a comfortable playing feel. And any bass players who travel a lot but need to have music in their day should definitely take a look at the Kahuna CLU Bass Ukulele.

About Harley Benton

Since 1998, the Harley Benton brand has been catering for the needs of numerous guitarists and bassists. In addition to an extensive range of stringed instruments, Thomann's house brand also offers a wide choice of amplifiers, speakers, effect pedals, and other accessories. In total, the range includes over 1,500 products. Built by established names in the industry, all Harley Benton products combine quality and reliability at attractive and affordable prices. The continuous expansion of the range ensures that Harley Benton always provides new, exciting, and innovative products that keep players perfectly in tune with the musical world, day after day.

A permanent eyecatcher

Anyone who has played a gig on a ukulele will be familiar with the phenomenon: These instruments are always an eyecatcher for the audience, and the Kahuna CLU Bass Ukulele is no exception. The dimensions of the instrument belie the powerful bass sound that it delivers, which in turn will continue to astonish listeners. Its classic design also means that it will fit perfectly into any unplugged set, whether it's in a small and intimate setting, in the context of a more extensive band lineup, or as part of a busking ensemble in the pedestrian precinct. And recording - whether at home or in the studio - is no problem either: The Harley Benton Kahuna CLU Bass Ukulele will provide an interesting sonic alternative to its more commonly used low-end siblings.

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172 Customer ratings

5 75 Customers 4 72 Customers 3 20 Customers 2 2 Customers 1 3 Customers

4.2 / 5

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128 Reviews

Very good value for money

Anonymous 17.05.2015

I had been playing some acoustic shows with my band, and wanted to play something other than an electric bass. I suppose I really wanted a double bass, but I neither had the funds or any way of transporting such a beast! I did some research, and came across the Kala U-Bass - which I came close to ordering until I discovered this.

It cost me less than £100, and is amazing value for money. I've used it at several acoustic shows with my originals band, and also for a few numbers with my function band - for covers of songs where a double bass was used on the original recording.

The general feedback I've received is it doesn't sound at all how it looks. Expect some confused faces when you gig this!

I've used directly into a PA system and my regular bass guitar amp. In both cases I've had better results by using the 'Fishman' pre-amp model on my Zoom B3. This allows me to match its level to my bass guitar for easy mid-show switching.

There are two minor niggles - there is one 'fret' that is slightly raised at one side (The fingerboard still has slots cut for frets and these are filled with veneer or similar). It's really not noticeable when playing though! Secondly, the pre-amp seems a little bit hissy, especially with the tone turned up. This noticeable through headphones or when using a cab with a tweeter - though only when the room is silent. Can't hear it at all through a tweeterless Ampeg SVT cab.

Please don't let this put you off - it's a great bass and well worth the money. I may upgrade

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Could be great

casual musician 22.05.2021

Overall, I'm loving this bass. Sounds almost like a small contrabass with less bass and more midrange honk. The rubber strings take a little getting used to, and I'm trying to get the hang of it at the moment.

PROS:
Fun, good instrument you can use to mimic the contrabass without the bulk. Well-made, fun, and plays great if not for the rubber feel of the strings - which really isn't anyone's fault. I think the strings are aquila thundergut, because I ordered thundergut along with the bass and they seem exactly the same.

CONS:
The piezo, like everyone else seems to mention, is problematic and needs to be taken care of. the D,A strings are very loud and even clips in my case. In comparison, G is soft and E is very soft.

Recording it with a mic (with noise reduction + eq) makes it sound very, very convincing. Recording with the piezos are a problem at the moment, but we'll see how the piezo fix holds up.

UPDATE: I sawed the saddle so each portion will accommodate 1 string each. It sounds great now, the volume between strings is very well-balanced and removed the clipping problem as well!

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Very interesting, but...

Edgar Blackdagger 12.03.2018

Firstly, sound-wise this is awesome, very interesting and useful for acoustic gigs or ethnic-jazz stuff.
The hardware is pretty nice, especially the tuners.
But: The fretboard and the finish were almost half-finished, the fretboard was not flat and leveled, the finish was rough and not uniform, the nut was too high, so the first position was out of tune and most importantly, after about 1-2 months the piezo died because of the tension of the strings, when I tune way down the piezo comes back, but in standard tuning it just can't handle the string pressure.

I fixed the fretboard, the finish, the nut, I put flatwounds, installed a guitar pickup in the soundhole and it's way better now, but I wouldn't recommend this instrument and I wouldn't buy it again.

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Great uke bass !!

KoMa & The Invisible Band 03.02.2021

I enjoyed so much this instrument which is fantastic when played via amp but has little to say unplugged. I loved the sound in recordings which is similar to upright bass in texture (not so in depth). I use it in home recordings and I like even standard practice with it. Super interesting instrument!

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Harley Benton Kahuna CLU-Bass Ukulele FL

Bass Ukulele with Pickup