Hadean UKB­23 Review -­ A Decent Affordable Solution

Body And Neck:
Hardware:
Sound:
Value:

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Hadean is one of those lesser known brands in the ukulele industry. However, they are hard to beat when you need a good instrument on a budget. Hadean UKB­23 is one of the best bass ukuleles out there and today we are going to check it out a bit closer.

Body and Neck

The body of UKB­23 is pretty interesting. Both from a technical point of view, but also from that of aesthetics. Where most other brands go for the more standard koa build, Hadean took a completely different road. They made the UKB­23 out of walnut. Aside from the performance implications, this bass uke looks completely different from most other models out there, especially in this price range. With that said, everything looks pretty clean and well put together. When you pick it up, you get that feeling of handling a quality piece of musical instrument. They even included binding all around the top and the back. The fretboard isn't all that exciting but it's pretty functional. You have a rosewood piece with standard inlays and a pretty soft finish. Even without any further inspection the UKB­23 looks like a great value for the money.

Hardware

In terms of hardware, Hadean UKB­23 looks pretty spot on. You may not find too much finesse in terms of design of some hardware components, but they most definitely work. Starting from the bridge, we have a very solid rosewood piece that features four independent compensated saddles. When the uke arrives, this entire section is fairly well set up right out of the box. On the other end of the instrument we find a set of die cast tuning machines. Unlike it is the case with more expensive categories of bass ukuleles, these tuning machines aren't as over engineered. Instead you get a somewhat standard package. The most important thing is that they work. Key retention is great so don't expect any trouble in this regard. Hadean UKB­23 comes with a built in preamp that features a three band EQ as well as a tuner.

Sound

Tone wise, Hadean UKB­23 offers a pretty unique sound. Its all walnut construction gives it a bit more edge than you will find in more traditional uke basses. If you like a sharper sound, this will be ideal for you. In terms of projection and volume, UKB­23 is right up there with the rest of its class. The sound is pretty clear and defined in general, allowing you to properly express yourself without the fear of sounding too muddy. Built in electronics on this thing are a blast. The fact that you get a three­ band EQ is pretty awesome considering that you won't that on much more expensive uke basses. Not only can you really let yourself loose with tone shaping, but the sound coming from the amp will be fairly authentic to what this uke bass sounds like in person. Overall, it's a great little package.

Conclusion

Hadean has definitely stepped up their game. Not only is their UKB­23 a great performer right out of the box, but they have also included some features that you won't find that easily even in the higher price ranges. In our book, everything about this uke bass is pretty legit.

For more info about the Hadean UKB­23, click here.
For more Bass Ukulele you might like, click here.