mikeswals

Rob, that trans green Mk3 I know is on order for guy in the San Francisco area here in the States.

Added a black and gold Mk2 to the fold. Also sold off my last Mk1.

The pickguard was the same series vinyl/tort from 66-72. The earlier ones will fit but will cost 50-60% more. The Jazz pickguard screw patterns are the hardest to match. Look for your old one, but if the guard has already been off and sitting in a box it will have shrunk and the holes will likely no longer or barely line up anymore.

Amazingly it arrived in only 2 days!

[quote name='gary mac' timestamp='1479222097' post='3174847'] What a looker, is it with you yet? [/quote] Not here yet. It left Wal on monday. But now I get to play the waiting game on how long it takes to get thru US customs. My last one in June took 8 days to get thru.

Here's what my old 5SSS looked like. I wasn't fond of the regular white finish, but I just didn't like the tort colored guard on it...it would have looked overall much better with a white pearl guard, but I couldn't find one at the time. To me this bodystyle just begs for a metallic green, or blue, or red, or gold. [IMG]http://i48.photobucket.com/albums/f224/Negative7bass/Mobile%20Uploads/CAM02753_zpssl1ludbz.jpg[/IMG]

New filth! Paul just emailed my newest one is complete. But won't ship for two weeks, so now makes the wait brutal!!! [IMG]http://i48.photobucket.com/albums/f224/Negative7bass/thumbnail_Ramos205m320silver_zps8oelfxqc.jpg[/IMG]

Wal bridges only come in one spacing on their respective string versions, there is no choice. The nut widths are standard, however anyone that requires something different will usually speak up at order time rather than taking the standard. Same for the neck thickness. If a standard is a 1-5/8" like on a P Bass or StingRay, then its the same.

[quote name='hiram.k.hackenbacker' timestamp='1478043470' post='3166389'] I guessed the neck profile might be customisable, but if the nut width is standard at 42mm, it would make sense for them to say so. I would really like to try one before ordering. Sadly I couldn't make it to the SEBB as I was gigging. Sounds like I missed out big time. [/quote] As far as I know right now, Paul might still have one unsold Mk3 4-string and one Mk3 5-string to try out at the workshop.

[quote name='Musicman20' timestamp='1477992459' post='3165718'] Ohh! I bet that was tempting to have a look around. [/quote] I wish we could have. They didn't and still don't offer any factory tours. Back then I had to deliver/pick up bike parts at another facility twice a month right next door to the MM factory.

[quote name='NickA' timestamp='1475786622' post='3148832'] Hey MikesWals .... as the owner of both kinds.. do you find any difference between your "New" and "Old" Wals? I was with mine (a 1980s 4 string mk 1 fretless) in bass direct this week, where they had a Mk1 and a Mk2 for sale at around £4500 (!!) they told me the new ones are about £5000 and have a two year waiting list and "anyway wouldn't be the same as an old one", hence the increasing value of the original Mk1s. Any truth in that? [/quote] As Trevor said up above, no truth in that. When I posted that picture above, I had three old era and three new era Wals. I very recently sold that newer shedua Mk2 on the left, and placed and order for a replacement Mk2 in trans red gloss. Yes, I have sat with both eras and geeked out measuring and comparing every square inch to each other. All I can say is Paul builds them better, Paul builds perfect Wals, and as mentioned overall lighter weights. No matter what, I like both eras...but at the going rates I can sure justify the grand more a new one costs.

[quote name='ambient' timestamp='1475889106' post='3149602']I don't like coloured one though, why hide that beautiful wood ?[/quote] Mmm, because I have another 5 string that is all natural, so why not have one of each?

[quote name='Musicman20' timestamp='1477906667' post='3165093']Their guitar sales are apparently doing VERY well.[/quote] I don't play guitar, but I'm really glad their guitar models finally took off and going strong. I grew up very near the factory, and back in the late 80's and 90's you never saw anyone in the wild playing a Musicman guitar, only saw a couple of pictures in magazines.

[quote name='stingrayPete1977' timestamp='1476183575' post='3151994'] There needs to be more coloured finish Wals, one owned by someone desperate for cash to fund a drug problem or something would be ideal for me! [/quote] I'm working on filling the world with Wals of color! Another due this month. However I don't have any drug problems... [IMG]http://i48.photobucket.com/albums/f224/Negative7bass/Ramos%20violet%205m3%202_zpsb6l6ay4j.jpg[/IMG]

The shape isnt very different from a Fender Jaguar. It didnt sell well because EBMM never advertised it. I had a 5SSS last year and it was a fabulous bass, the neck was great, and the tone very much like the Bongo was awesome. I need to find one again.

If you've spent a life time playing Musicmans, then strapping on a Wal is no different as far as weights goes. Except the shape of Wal models and their contours stick to your ribs. But as noted above, Paul's new models are lighter than the old ones. And you can get whatever neck shape you want.

[quote name='tredders' timestamp='1466429638' post='3075717'] His arsenal is currently a US Jazz & a Thunderbird (for Specials work), a jap Jazz (may be Mex, I can't remember) for blues gigs, a '73 Telecaster bass for the ska orchestra work, and the original '73 P bass used on the first album (which is bloody gorgeous and plays like a dream) for special occasions.[/quote] Did he get his original (1st album) P Bass back?? in the 90's his interview stated it was stolen, which the Tele Bass was bought as the replacement.

I dig shedua, especially with fairly heavy ribboning: And if you like pink, then can't see why you wouldn't like violet either! [IMG]http://i48.photobucket.com/albums/f224/Negative7bass/Mobile%20Uploads/IMG_20160614_152528_zpsblqmbxce.jpg[/IMG]

I currently have 6 Wals, 3 of them old era, 3 new ones, and had several others pass thru also. The necks varied a lot in the old days: I've had 50's-like thick P Bass to thin J Bass and C shape. To me the facing contributes a very tiny bit, from the range it seems the period of when they got their timbre made more influence than anything else. My 90's bases all had a certain sound reguardless of bodystyle. And my new era ones have their certain sound that the others don't. That mahogany that Pete used at that time was very dense and very heavy and had the hardest attack. The Mahogany Paul uses (at least now) isn't as dense, and in turn all my new ones are lighter than their older version. I have two 4-string Mk2's that on paper should be identicle basses: shedua facings, ebony boards, same satin finish, same chrome hardware...built 19 years apart couldn't be more different sounding. Sure they have that similar Wal character, but one bass is a shimmery-spanking slap machine, the other is a warmer player. To me the fingerboard wood has more influence than facing wood. I've always preferred the ebony loaded necks to the rosewood ones, just more snap I can hear especially when slapping. If you do buy new, Paul can shape your neck however you prefer it. I know neck shapes can be deal or no deal for some players, but I can play any neck you put in my hands. I think they are all wonderful basses old or new, I've enjoyed every single one I've had. They do the job they're set out to do.

Only a little cheaper. If that violet bass had been paid for today I could have saved $800 dollars.

I almost forgot to post my new addition on here!

I grew up near the EBMM factory, they had to use guitarist models because for many years and years the EB guitars were not taking off. You would never see anyone playing one, I can't remember seeing anyone in California with a Silo. The EVH did little better, but ended after a short while, and again the guitars didnt take off until the Luke and then the JP came along. The bass models were a different story, an instant hit since the 70's and took no problem selling like hotcakes, they did not need any artist model to sell they were everywhere. When Flea saw Chad got his own drum model, Flea wanted the Ray renamed the Flea Bass...not a chance! He got madand left for good. Back in the 80's and 90's I loved the Chili Peppers, and sure he recorded early on with a Cutlass StingRay when the band were still pretty obscure. But by the time they were popular Flea was already known for not using StingRays in the studio on all their big albums: on Mothers Milk it was a Spector, on Blood Sugar it was mostly a Wal, then he moved on to recording with an Alembic. Love the guy, but why would an existing popular bass be renamed and given to him? And to bother doing it now is moot, he hasnt bothered using one in almost 20 years, and Kiedis is beyond his expiration date with lame lyrics and can't break his habit of using variations of the word 'California' over and over. Stick a fork in it, they're done!

Wow Mark, those look amazing!!!! Love the figuring on that Claro too.

Martin, the old Diesel 410, rated at 600watts and typically 8 ohm. It looks to have the speakers that Mesa called their Bassis-10 model, which were actually made by Eden. Although the upper left speaker looks like a modern powerhouse one.