BassBod

I remember seeing it on the telly once...I think it was a live broadcast of a concert in Germany and I read an Andy Summers interview where he said the pickups died in that bass and one of his guitars after going through an airport scanner..or something like that?? Could be my memory though.

[attachment=34580:DSCN0768.JPG][attachment=34581:DSCN0773.JPG] I managed a multi-lam 5 string super jazz...ok, had to assemble it with a rather soft finish...but got it done. Raw wood to bass in five days. Yes, I did carve the neck a little too thin..and there is one small dent in the fingerboard (missed the fret..getting tired!) but its a good bass and a tribute to Jon's patience and knowledge.

Thomastik rounds are very light - they are almost like 35-90 "slappers" strings in terms of feel, really floppy! I'd suggest the Thomastik flats for a rosewood board - yes, they are still very low tension, but if you set the action up a bit they're ok. They sound fantastic and do very little harm to the fingerboard. Also consider plastic coated flats. The Status ones are very good (nice fretless whine) although the heavy Rotosound set are a bit dull and have weird intonation (or it could be me!)

Well, he got everyone talking...again. And I'm impressed by anyone that can play a Wal for years..and still stand. Nothing wrong with healthy debate

Twang...Twang I could tell you a few things about tone rings if you're interested - did you know they now deep-freeze them to improve the sound? I'd say the Alembic Epic and an 80's Wal custom were about the same - a small run production bass from a high quality (if a bit quirky) maker, with limited custom options..mainly the choice of face woods. Never seen an EMG or Bart on either.....

I never regarded Wals as custom basses - as I've said before, they were all the same, just with a different veneer wood on the front and back. Not much bespoke there.....but good if you like the formua. I guess i'd better go into hiding for a few months...change my name...maybe take up the banjo.... twang twang

I'd look at jack sockets first (bass and amp, and any pedal links) particularly on the bass - wiggle it side to side, pull slightly (!) and listen for noises. Then check the instrument cable? Good luck

Slightly aside, I've always understood that Fender used what the auto makers used, acrylic or nitro, depending on the colour. Companies like Dupont were far too big to worry about what Fender wanted. But the clear coat is usually nitro up to the early 70's and that's what ages..or mellows or whatever you want to call it. Most durable seems to be polyester - look at current Alembics for how good that can look over natural wood (when new) but chips and dings look bad and are tricky to repair without a lot of work. Natural oils/wax are the softest, but also the easiest to maintain and repair for minor damage. My favourite, but you do have to re-wax every few weeks to maintain the protection, and possibly cut back/sand out minor damage every few years. It really depends how the instrument gets treated.

I could be wrong, but I've had this sometimes with different makes and types of string. I think its a part of the finishing/cleaning process that isn't done very well. Most often I've had this on flats from Pyramid and Thomastik. A wipe with a cloth usually gets most of it off the strings and away from your hands.

I was playing my old Brandoni Jbass last night - alder body, japanese neck (seems identical to old Squier/Tokai?) but with Seymour Duncan pickups and a Badass bridge. I also did a cheap and cheerful spray can finish (clear/tinted "nitro"). Its a very good bass! If you have the time/space/inclination its worth putting one together - it shows where the quality control and skills are required for this type of instrument. You'll never look at a Fender style bass the same way again.

Compared to TI's I'd say they are "normal" sizes, although the G does feel a bit skinny and the E feels very fat. Tension is more than TI's but a lot less than most flats (roto or LaBella for eg). So they feel more like regualr flats, but are also more flexible then most. One thing I've read about them is a very dead sounding E string - I've not noticed this, but honestly they are so "old" sounding out of the packet it wouldn't matter anyway? Lovely strings...if that's a sound you want to make.

I've used them - no problem but be aware that the quality of parts varies. Japanese bodies and necks are good but hardware is variable.

My point was not that a fair amount of handwork was involved in making them (I went to factory and saw the dust)...but rather that the options were always a bit narrow compared to a lot of other makers. The Mk1 customs were pretty much the same, except for the body facings and this seems true of the range as it evolved into MkII/MkII and from 4 string thru 5 to 6 strings. Anything you like, as long as its Wal. Nothing wrong with that, but it does limit the additional cost of extras?

I agree - I think the price is ok, the last thing Paul H needs is masses of orders he's got no chance of completing in a reasonable timescale (sound familiar?). Best of luck to Paul, and I really hope its a success.

I can't imagine the options will add a lot to the cost - there were never many options other than facing woods and number of strings! Of all the custom builders I think Wal must have been the most "production line" ever? Although I admit they did everything their own (harder) way..even the bridges.

Really good to see them back, and I'm so glad I can't afford one! Owned two (ProIIE and a MkI custom)....didn't like them...but you never know, I haven't tried the MkII body shape?

DR Sunbeams (blue packet?) are the best strings I've ever used - sounds like they'd be great for what you want. They feel more flexible than any other round-wound string I've used, not as floppy as TI flats but getting closer (without the daft-light gauges of TI rounds). Also sound very good, of course. The trouble is the cost, but just don't buy them from the UK and you can save a bit. Thomastik Superalloys are also pretty nice, a bit cheaper but I've had some issues with them - small ball ends (slip through the bridge holes!) and short G strings which only just reach the tuner on a Fender...not good. Also Overwaters own brand nickels are good, and a lot cheaper.

I've tried a few over the years, not extensively and never owned one. The Pino Pbass was very nice, but it was a good authentic Pbass copy painted a funky colour with rusty bits. I think you've got to try the bass out, check out the feel and the sound and don't take much notice of the custom shop marketing. If you like it and can use it, good. I must have played 5 or 6 CS basses of various sorts, and I would've bought maybe 2 of those, but only if they came up secondhand at a major reduction of their original retail price. By contast I've owned two Bravewoods and would happily own another if I could find one.

There, proved wrong by science (well, Alex) again. I've always considered SWR to be pretty faithful to the sound of the instrument, provided you are careful with the eq and particularly the aural enhancer. Eden always seems a bit over cooked - too warm and soft, (but that might also be because mine was always overheating?) same with Ashdown. GK always sounds honky to me, even with "flat" eq (but I know there is no such setting on most gear). Good point on the speakers - they seem to be on of the main variables, and they really do vary! When I started using EA cabs it was a shock at first - far more definition, and not always exactly flaterring.

Sorry to disagree...but whenever I use GK I hear GK preamp midscoopyuck (growl or howl..depending on taste!?). My suggestions would be SWR (but don't use more than a quarter turn of the enhance control) or Euphonic Audio. Also the older Trace Elliot (GP11 preamp) is very good provided you are gentle with the graphic eq settings and don't use the pre-shape switch.

Ok - look out for a used EA CXL112? - I think they go for around £350 used, although pretty rare because they were exceeeedingly expensive new in the UK. My favourite all-round cab, although it seems a bit unforgiving when you first try it. Not very light (42-44lbs?) but good size. I used mine with an Eden WT300 and it was great, could cope with surprisingly big rooms...for about 20 mins until the Eden overheated!

Barefaced compact sounds like a good match, although it isn't a tiny cab. The sound is pretty "traditional" but with more mid range definition, which I think would suit an Eden well (if is sounds anything like a WT300?). I wouldn't worry too much about 4ohms in this case, as the compact is a "loud" cab, it was plenty powerful with my IA Clarus . I love EA cabs...but they can be pricey even used, and older versions are a bit heavy.

So good to hear the pros use them too! Even if you can take them off.....