Donner Electric Bass Ukulele Mahogany Body 30 inch with Case (DUB-1)

The media could not be loaded. I'd previously never heard of a U Bass or Bass Ukulele before discovering this instrument and it struck me that it would be great as a bass to take on the road with me, or just leave out in the room, when restricted for space.The bass was really neatly packaged upon delivery and the first thing I noticed was the excellent carry case that comes with it. Perfect for protecting it from any knocks in transport. The bass itself feels really solid and well made. It's fairly light and I can only assume at less than £130 it's not going to be the finest wood but it does have a really pleasing finish and looks a lot more expensive.One of the great features is the built-in tuner which again makes it great for portable use meaning you don't need to carry one around with you. It also comes with a pre amp for amplified play and I think it sounds pretty decent. To be honest I doubt I'll be playing it plugged in much but it's a great added feature and obviously essential if you plan to use it in a band set up. It has a basic eq (Bass, Middle, Treble, Volume) which are all really responsive meaning you can get a good varied sound from a very clicky scratchy treble to a solid full bodied bass. To me it sounds a little like a double bass in that respect but then again I'm just used to playing electric basses.All in all I think it's a great portable acoustic bass. I know I've been referring to it as that a lot, rather than a U Bass, but I can't really compare it to another one and couldn't say for sure how well it stands up against more top of the range instruments like Kala etc. However I do think it stands it's ground as a great little bass which is super fun to play and super compact.

The media could not be loaded. This ukulele bass is fantastic value for £105. Not only do you get the instrument, fitted with Aquila Thundergut strings, no less, but you also get a padded carry bag. The bag is not wonderful but it does have a carry handle, shoulder straps and a zipped pocket for your sundry items.The strings need a little getting used to, if you haven't experienced them before. They feel rubbery and have a slight resistance to them when you slide your finger along them. This is par for the course for this type of string. The bottom E string (the thickest) is particularly "floppy", being significantly thicker than the other three strings - again this is quite normal.When played purely acoustically the instrument does not push out much volume, but it can be heard loudly enough for practising. When plugged in, the onboard pickup and pre-amp do a good job of delivering a credible sound to the amp. In the video, I set the bass, middle and treble controls to their centre position and the volume control to maximum. I plugged the instrument direct into my USB audio interface and recorded the dry signal; so the sound in the video is as it comes out of the pre-amp.Physically the instrument is solidly built. It is not the prettiest instrument that I have seen but it certainly isn't ugly. The intonation is far better than I expected for such floppy strings, which means that it is certainly very playable.There are two strap buttons, one mounted on the neck where it meets the body and the other mounted at the tailstock, 6 cm beneath which is mounted a 1/4" jack socket with battery holder, which takes two CR2032 cells.The batteries power the pre-amp whose control panel is mounted on the top side of the instrument. It comprises a volume control, bass, middle and treble controls, a built-in tuner and a battery warning LED, all of which work as expected.Setting aside the technical side of this instrument, it is just a fun instrument to play. Because it is approximately the size of a baritone ukulele, it is light and easy to handle. The length of the scale is so much smaller than a traditional bass guitar that it makes it easy for a non-bassist to pick up and play. I'm definitely going to use it to add a bass line to some of my recordings for social media.Just buy one - it's great!

Everything I expected for the price (in a good way) had a lack of common sense moment when I thought the electrics were broke but turned out I had to insert both batteries!

Very impressed with this uke, but the product photos show a flat back with a removable panel, whereas the one I have has a curved back with no panel - identical to the DUB-110 model which has a spruce top. The tuners are the only weak spot; they work fine but feel a bit sloppy. When tuning lift the strings at the nut frequently to ensure the tension either side is the same - tuning was easy and the built in tuner very accurate. No fret buzz at all if played sensibly. Sounds good both acoustically and into an amp, with equal volume on all strings. Altogether hugely impressed with the finish and playability and am enjoying it very much. The included case is good too. Arrived in less than a week, despite the lockdown so well done Amazon. If you want an excellent base without spending a fortune, the Donner is worth a look.