Harley Benton Kahuna CLU-Bass Ukulele

317

Bass Ukulele

  • Traveller-Size
  • Top: Spruce
  • Body: Mahogany
  • Neck: Mahogany
  • Neck profile: C
  • Fretboard: Blackwood
  • Dot-Inlays
  • Scale length: 534 mm
  • 20 Frets
  • Nut width: 42.0 mm
  • Blackwood bridge
  • Black Open Geared machine heads
  • Pro pickup system with built-in tuner
  • Total length: 85 cm
  • Width: 30 cm
  • Depth: 9 cm
  • Colour: Natural Matte
  • Suitable gig bag: Article no. 237374 (not included)
Available since January 2014
Item number 319677
Sales Unit 1 piece(s)
Colour Natural
Top Spruce
Back and Sides Mahogany
Neck Mahogany
Fretboard Blackwood
Incl. Pickup System Yes
Incl. Case No
Includes Gigbag No
Scale Shortscale
Body Mahogany
Frets 20
Pickup 1
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$133
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Enjoyment is paramount

Harley Benton Kahuna CLU-Bass Ukulele

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, 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.

Harley Benton Kahuna CLU-Bass Ukulele with pickup and tuner

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.

preamp in the mahogany sides of the Harley Benton Kahuna CLU-Bass Ukulele

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.

HB logo on the bass ukulele headstock

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.

317 Customer ratings

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248 Reviews

M
Need a bass - get one of these!!
MickS 05.04.2017
I was looking for a short scale bass - maybe a Hofner or a Squire - just to mes around with. I didn't want a big lumbering heavy thing with a long scale - I tried one like that previously and it was just too much effort. I look at my favourite site (Thomann) for inspiration. I nearly went for the Harley Benton Beatbass as it fit the bill, short scale, light weight and really cool looking. I trawl YouTube for a while to see if there were any reviews of the Harley Benton Beatbass. There are, but as I was trawling I came across a uke bass, made by another company, so I took another look at Thomann to see if HB made a uke bass. They did/do! and that's when I found the Kahuna CLU-Bass Ukulele. Another half hour spent looking at reviews on YouTube and I was hooked. I sent for mine immediately and within a few days it was here with me.

I like the size, it's not as small as I imagined it could be - being a uke - the body is a sort of dreadnought shape so it sits nicely on the lap - a bit like a little travel guitar. the finish is a sort of sheen and the whole thing is pleasing to the eye and the hand. The neck is is a nice size too - much like the dimensions of a bass guitar but shorter. There is plenty of room on the fret board, it's not at all cramped. The fret ends feel ok too.

The strings are a bit strange to begin with but after a few minutes feel fine. Tuning is a constant necessity at the moment but I have read that the strings do settle in after a week or too. It's no problem tuning as there is the inbuilt tuner. The thinner strings seem to need the most attention at the moment, the low E seems to stay in tune best.

Played without amplification the bass sounds fine and is really very good for practice, just pick it up and go. Amplified it has a real thumping bass sound. It's quite amazing when you think of the size of it but it does sound very double bass like.

One thong I have found is that, as with all bass playing, you need to kill the note as soon as it's played. On a full size bass a note just rings on but on this Kahuna CLU-Bass Ukulele it sort of thudily rattles. I have also found that positioning the fretting finger back from the fret works better. Playing guitar it is usual to fret just behind the fret to get a clean note but with this Kahuna CLU-Bass Ukulele it works better to just move your finger back towards the next fret. I have also found that a clearer sound is produced with a pluck upwards with the finger (double bass style) rather than plucking down with the thumb. Maybe a leather pick would work too.

I've only had this Kahuna CLU-Bass Ukulele for a few days now but it's really growing on me and making me want to learn a few bass lines to play along to some tunes.

I would highly recommend this Kahuna CLU-Bass Ukulele as many more buyers seem to have done before me.

If you want to try a bass this is the ideal starter and I'm sure would be be ideal for bass players as a travel option.

Well made, functional, plays well and sounds great - get one!!
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A lot of bang for the buck in a small package
Anonymous 14.12.2015
I?ve always been interested in the concept of Ubasses since it first came on the market. However, the first ones were quite expensive, at least for me too expensive, to just buy out of curiosity, and to fiddle with at home. By coincidence I stumbled upon a forum where they were discussing the Harley Benton Ubasses, and it got pretty good reviews. Unfortunately at the time, they were sold out. I e-mailed the thomann customer support, I got a quick response about when the Ubass would be back in stock, and so I waited! I have to admit I often checked the website to see if they were back in stock, and when they were I immediately ordered one.

I loved it from day one. When it arrived in the box, it wasn?t tuned, and it takes some time to get used to the strings, so, it took quite some playing to get the strings ?settled in?. But after that, the strings kept tune very well! The built-in tuner does what it?s supposed to do, however it has some trouble picking up the E-string. For me this isn?t a problem, I usually just tune the G-string, and then do the others by hearing.

The instrument itself feels quite solid, the tuners are light (so no neck dive) and operate very smoothly. The finish is OK, nothing more, nothing less, it?s very well built, the neck is comfortable to play, no sharp frets, the fretboard is a nice big slab of rosewood. But it kind of feels like something is missing, I guess I don?t really take to the satin finish. But, seeing as this is a budget instrument, I?m not complaining!

About the sound, acoustically, it?s louder than I expected, loud enough to use at home, perfect to play along some songs on the computer. And it just sounds great! Now amplified, the buttons of the pre-amp are quite small, and feel a bit cheap, but again, for that price, I?m not complaining. When amplified it sounds HUGE, I couldn?t believe the tones I got out of that small instrument! The tone and volume buttons do what they are supposed to do, although in my opinion, it?s best to keep the tone button somewhere in the middle stand, when it?s completely open it sounds quite shrill. But hey, whatever floats your boat!

In conclusion, I?ve had this UBass for a year now, and it still gets a lot of playtime! It?s just easy to pick up, sit on the couch and play some riffs, or play along with the music. It takes some getting used to playing it, but it is so much fun! Like stated before, there are some minor flaws, like the finish and the pre-amp, but it doesn?t really bother me, and if it would bother you, those are 2 things you can adjust relatively easily.

In my opinion you get a lot of bang for the buck! If you are interested in a Ubass, or just want one to fiddle with at home, but don?t want to spend hundreds of euros, this bass is the way to go!
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Fantastic Sound
Anonymous 28.02.2015
I'd heard about the Harley Benton Kahuna bass Uke and it has good things said about it so was interested.

Having never played a Uke before I spent the weekend watching YouTube videos and decided to try one.As usual the ordering and delivery process from Thomann was second to none.4th day the Uke was here in Scotland.

Opening the box I found this tiny wee instrument,being a bass player it's something I'm not used too and the only acoustic I have is the HB-30 BK and it dwarfs the Uke.So I've got this wee thing that weighs 1Kg and has strange strings.What to make of it ?

As normal it has no flaws,just a nice satin finish,no sharp frets,tuners all work.
In short what I've come to expect from the Harley Benton range.Out of 51 basses this is my 8th HB.

Unplugged the Uke plays quite quiet,perfect for practise alone but I think with acoustic guitars it would struggle.Plugged in though it shows it's true colours.
How something so small can sound so big amazed me.Very similar to a Double Bass tone.Control-wise full bass or full treble worked best with volume full up too.

I'd like to end this with a couple of observations.I'd never played a bass Uke before so it was a new experience but here's what helped me. The silicone strings can get sticky so using talcum powder on them or on your fingers solves that issue.Another thing is the strings are thick almost twice as thick,the G is the same as a standard A string.The combination of thick strings and smaller frets meant I had to take care when fretting or the notes didn't ring true.Also the tension of the strings was a lot less than any bass I've played so a lighter attack was needed to avoid the strings bouncing off the fretboard.This was a comment I'd read from others regarding the Uke.

If you think of the Uke as a new instrument and not just a wee acoustic bass and take some time to adapt you'll get the best from it.

I'm very glad I bought one now.How long before I buy the fretless version ?
Not very long ;)
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Issues with fret-buzz
Anonymous 18.10.2022
Before ordering this bass I played the fretless version. I loved the sound, the vibe and concept of the bass! I didn't want fretless though as I wanted to be able to play without looking at the fretboard.

The bass played and sounded great on the top 2 strings, but on the bottom 2 strings had bad fret buzz beyond the first few frets. I wound off the truss rod all the way and it didn't improve the situation.

Bit confused why no-one else seemed to report the fret-buzz issue so perhaps mine had some kind of flaw, but looking at the bass it seemed fine.

I would say get the fretless or look at something a bit higher quality.
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