BassBod

I have a Peavey badged one very similar - had a simplified rear door, pretty sure it was made by SKB

Lovely stuff. If I ever work again....😜

I recall Pete the Fish saying they gave up on the graphite because the laminated necks were so stiff already - the 80’s trend for very light strings often meant no neck relief, even with the nut undone. 

Most British luthiers in the 80’s used various Kent Armstrong pickups, except probably JD and Wal.  Before the interweb it was quite difficult and expensive to source anything else.  
 

I’ve still got a set of Kent’s J bass pickups here, must use them sometime, when there is some work again. 

Could be dodgy memory, but I'm sure the main body of the bridge was chrome on my old Pro IIE.  Not that it matters...

Is it just me, or is anyone else disturbed by a black bridge with chrome tuners?

From memory, those big Schallers are really very good - the adjustable spacing on the bridge should give you enough shuffle space to get it sorted.  

If its still  a problem, then think about the Bartolini MM replacements, as they come up used sometimes.  Might need a bit of routing, but nothing too horrible.

Everything you could possibly need...live or recording 😎

Very relieved to report the delayed amp arrived around 6:30pm tonight...very cold but otherwise unmolested.  😎

I did ask Mark Gooday about the XLR input on these, and he said they just thought it was a better connection than a jack, it wasn’t supposed to be balanced etc.  At the time, a few  basses (Jaydee, Wal even some Westone versions) were including an XLR output.  Alembic had always used a five pin version, but that was a more complicated arrangement involving power for the on board preamp.  It was trend that didn’t take off. 
 

I did see recently that the new version of Ashdown’s 12 band amp has an XLR input, so it’s still there...but not in green. 

I’m currently waiting on a delayed Hermes parcel 😬🤞🏻

That’s a very methodical way of approaching it.  I’d always just assumed that they used a Fender style neck plate, as it was available  and did the job...and that could be used to locate matching holes. 
 

When I visited Pete to collect my renovated Pro bass, he showed me around their corner of the old furniture factory. I remember asking him about the V neck profile, as my two Wals had noticeably different shapes.  He said it was really down to who set the machine for the rough carve, and then who did the final hand shape.  

One Control....not much income these days 😳

Thinking about it Rich, I think I was playing this very neck, when I first met you briefly - The Prom, Gloucester Rd many years ago.  You introduced yourself as a fellow Wal player...always a good thing 😎

Done 😎

Any thoughts?  It’s been on my must try list for a while 😜

Light tuners are a very good idea.  One thing I can remember about that neck (on Wal ash body) was the weight of the headstock and big old Schallers.  I used to play long barn dance gigs, and after four hours I could feel the strain on my shoulder 😳.  These days, I’d just sit down...

On 22/12/2020 at 00:22, NickA said:

Still wondering how @fishman came upon a pro 1e without its body or bridge!  

That carbon strip in the neck btw is unique to early Wals. The customs, mk1s, 2s, 3s and pro 1 reissues don't have it.  The necks changed from hornbeam, mahogany and maple to just mahogany and maple at some point too.  "Engineered" indeed.

 

I can answer that - I bought this neck as a re-furnished second from Pete the Fish in the mid 90’s when he re-fretted and renovated a ProIIE for me. I was able to swap the bass from fretted to fretless quite easily, as the necks used metal inserts.  I traded the bass with both necks to a friend, and put him in touch when I saw the wanted ad on here.  He hadn’t used the neck in many years, in fact I doubt if he ever did.  When I used it, the fretless neck was perfectly well behaved, and always held the relief set.  But, there was evidence of previous work..one or two dot markers were thin up the dusty end, where the board had been levelled...

Still got one, enjoyable listen and happy memories.  Hoping Ashdown get around to doing the same one day.

I’d suggest a PM to Skinner on here..he’s tried them all 😎

I’m very happy with the PJB or Edifier H850’s.  Really can’t hear any difference between them, so the Edifier wins, as they are often sold for around £38.  Very comfortable. Not the toughest build, but perfectly ok..my original PJB’s must be at least 6 years old now, have travelled a fair bit and have had the ear pads replaced once for about £12.  The headband is just starting to look rough..don’t see any way of replacing that. The sound is great, full, balanced and detailed. 
 

My old Sennheiser HD580’s are more refined and detailed, and the open design gives a nice feel.  But they would be around £350 today, which (to me) is too much for day to day tracking/learning work.  The PJB or Edifier is my choice - but I would like to try some of the current cheaper Sennheiser models. 

Looks like a great preamp - hope it goes to a new home soon.  Would be interested in your experience of the 360 preamp pedals...something I’ve been looking at for ages - PM me sometime?

Looks fantastic, very serious equipment.  The only thing that would bug me is where that power input socket is.  I know why its there, but now I've seen it I can't help but notice it in every photo.

My memory tells me that when I used to see Hot Choc on the tv, several centuries ago, the bass player was usually miming with a left handed white Rickenthanger, or a copy...never a right handed black Jazzer??

Not that it matters, at all.  Maybe more than one bassist?? 

Would love it, but no cash available for a long time, it seems.  One day!