Mark Dixon

[quote name='barend' timestamp='1356862433' post='1914313'] The walnut on your fretless MK1 looks a bit different than normal walnuts, really nice! Is that some special kind of walnut? [/quote] Good question. Finishes as follows: Mk I fretless is Figured Claro Walnut. Mk I fretted is Flamed Maple Mk II fretless is American Walnut. Mk II fretted 4 string is Figured/Birdseye Maple Mk II fretted 5 string is Flamed Maple The fretless basses look quite different colour Walnut, don't they? Mark

Thanks to you all for your kind words of greeting. Already I have spent a LOT of time looking at bass porn on the forum. Too many nice basses, too little time.. slobber slobber.. Mark

[quote name='barend' timestamp='1356828976' post='1914192'] Great collection! I guess you still own all 6? (judging from the same amp in all pictures) two questions: 1) what do think of the pro I compared to the other basses? 2) how would you descibe the differences in sound between your two fretless basse MK1 and MK2? the fretless MK1 looks really nice! [/quote] No, sadly, I don't own all 6, just the Pro I and flame maple Mk I fretted. The other 4 are now owned by my brother, and he brought them round for a reunion and to torture me with what I had owned but had to sell.. Now to try and answer your questions: 1) The Pro I may seem an illogical buy given that I have the Mk I, but it is the first ever bass I bought, so its more about sentiment than logic! It is cherry facing on ash body, with rosewood fingerboard. Bought from A1 Music in Manchester. It has a vey limited tonal range, because it is a passive bass with only one pickup. I can get the tone I like, but I'm relying upon the tone controls on my Aguilar Tone Hammer 500 amp to dig out the tone I want rather than the bass. It is very percussive, the attack and sustain is incredible. But I can get the same tone and a lot more from my Mk I, if I could afford it, I would have one of the fretless Wals as well. 2) Not a lot, to be honest as both have the same material specs, which is Ebony fingerboard, with Walnut facing on Mahogany core - as someone has already commented, the ebony fingerboard, combination with a soft facing wood on mahogany core is the way Wal specc'd fretless basses. Now off to buy a lottery ticket and see if I can buy back the other 4.. Mark

Here are the six Wals that I have owned over the past 28 years: The Pro I is the first bass that I bought in 1984 Mark

Hey there fellow bass players.. My name's Mark, and I must confess to playing bass (off and on) for 28 years. I've still got my first bass (a Wal Pro I) that I bought in 1984. I've bought and sold a lot of basses in addition to the Wal since 1984, and recently whittled the collection down to just 3 basses as I had got diverted into playing acoustic guitar. Also not helped by the fact that I live in Cheshire but work in Edinburgh (long story). Doesn't make playing a bass regularly an easy task.. Those 3 basses are: 1984 Wal Pro I 2011 Overwater J series 2012 Status KingBass II Bass amp, is Aguilar Tone Hammer 500 and SL112 (well, I am 50 years old, so can't be bothered with lugging a 100lb cabinet around any more..!) From which you can probably tell, I like to meet my maker (of the basses I play, that is), so have stuck to English made basses as I like to visit the workshop where they are made. Just recently I cracked and bought one of the Paul Herriman made Wal MkI basses. This was the bass I always meant to buy to go with the Pro I that I had owned for so long. Sadly the Overwater and Status have to go to pay for the Mk I Wal, I'm sure you guys know that feeling when you see the dream bass you can't really afford, but just have to have...! So I am pleased to join you all on the forum, I don't know much about basses other than Wals, but will do my best to chip in when I can! Mark