spiritchaser

[quote name='Stingray5' post='420528' date='Feb 27 2009, 01:06 AM']That's a beaut! Good decision going for the refin. I'm also just wondering, what strings do you have on there? I'll hazard a guess and say LaBella flats (black natch!), or maybe even some Rotosound Trusound, or...what? [/quote] Hi all & cheers for the comments! I've strung the bass with DR Black Beauties which are a pleasure to play - only flaw is that the colour fades with heavy use of plecs. However, they sound very well and for a long time also. I've posted some pics of the former paintjob and how it looked like directly after having been sanded down. Also take a look at that monstrous WAL Humbucker. BTW - it wasn't a problem at all getting the electronics out and in again - just a mere plug and play job (apart from soldering the input plug). Going to gig with this killer tomorrow doing 'An evening with Joy Division' - covers - plus a couple of our own stuff in Cologne, Germany. Cheers Oliver

Hi all, I'm so happy I let my luthier sand away the battered black Polyester coating from my 1987 WAL 5. It said "stained English olive ash faces" and not Black Polyester, so I guessed its former owner had not liked the olive wood underneath and let Pete Stevens coat it black. Well, I took the risk of letting Rüdiger Ziesemann of Bassline Basses fame sand it down and refinish it with a translucent red - and it looks like new! And - the bass "only" weighs 5 kgs now. It used to weigh 5.5 kgs. Soundwise there isn't any change noticeable. Well, take a look at the pics ... Cheers Oliver

Reminds me of my Ritter Classic 5:

[quote name='Merton' post='389430' date='Jan 23 2009, 12:21 PM']Nice! Does that mean you can sell me the Wal 5er for 50p? £1? [/quote] Good one! But seriously, as soon as I get the 4-string MK II by Paul Herman, I'm going to sell this one again. The tone and playability kills me, but for me it really is a studio instrument because of its weight. Any news on Paul's status quo on the WAL production by the way? Cheers Oliver

[quote name='steve-soar' post='365649' date='Dec 29 2008, 07:00 PM']I have a Glockenklang Duo 2x12" cab with Volts and it sounds fantastic, [b]very satisfying right through the frequency range and an amazing amount of tight bass from such a small cab[/b].[/quote] Can only second that one. I got rid of my huge Mesa /Electro Voice rig and changed to a Glockenklang Soul combo with 2x10" Volt and a Bass Art Top by Glockenklang together with the so-called Quattro with 4x10" Volt. Amazing range, clarity and punch - also for low B. In comparison, the Mesa Powerhouse (all Electro Voice speakers; 4x10, 1x15 + Horn) sounded also huge but dull. Cheers

I've paid my dues to my back and got rid of my Mesa tower ... and changed it into a neat Glockenklang rig with an EBS Valve-Drive as valve drive Checked on a Ricky 4003 again (after 4 years without one) - nope - it's the WAL-tone that does it for me. Tried a fantastic MIDI WAL and swapped it for something I've never thought of playing: a fretless sixstring WAL MKIII (It took me about 1100 kilometres in my car to get these basses to my flat ...) Emailed with Paul Herman in November about a WAL MKII 4 translucent blue for 2009 (yeeeeeeaaaaaaaahhh!). I think I'm not going to change my rig within the next years. It's more the instruments I'm worried about ... Cheers

[quote name='Merton' post='380310' date='Jan 14 2009, 04:06 PM']I love your 5 string. Gorgeous [/quote] Cheers! I wish it wasn't THAT heavy! BTW I'm waiting for a used Ritter Classic fiver to arrive this week and it's only going to weigh about 4 kgs:

[quote name='littleal' post='384986' date='Jan 19 2009, 03:36 PM']All i can do is dream about playing one at the moment That is a sexy bass you got there..... is the tone of it anyware close to the 4 string wals?[/quote] Hi there, well, it's definately comparable to the 4-string, but if you happened to play a fretted fiver WAL with its low B you could imagine how booming it sounds on a fretless six-string! It's very warm and wooden, and it only features (at least on the one I own) an almost non-existing pick-attack - but you dial in a completely other tone configuration alltogether anyway on that fretless. I have it like that: bass flat at 10, treble between 3 - 5 boosted (to really get the mmmmwahh-sound). Both PUs at 50%. On my MK I fretless I boost the bass at 7 and the treble at 6. It features the full pick attack, but I don't use it very often. Also, both PUs at 50%. Still, the MKIII sounds more double-bass-like, more wooden and booming, and the MK I sounds a little more articulated and modern. Maybe it's also in the combination of the woods (MK III-American walnut over mahogany core, plain ebony board opposed to acid stained maple over mahogany core and maple-lined ebony board) or in the use of strings (MKIII-D'Addario, MKI-Sadowsky). Cheers Oliver

[quote name='littleal' post='384815' date='Jan 19 2009, 12:33 PM']I Had an email from paul herman & he say's he will be making 6 string wals & he was quite close to sorting out a price list :brow: But i think he has a few back orders to do.[/quote] That's great news! I ordered a MK II 4-string in translucent blue with a black neck and gold hardware. Let's hope the list isn't too long ... cheers Oliver

[quote name='silverfoxnik' post='361608' date='Dec 23 2008, 01:48 AM']Over theyears I've owned both 4 & 5 string Wals and always preferred the 4 string models to the 5 string ones.. But I was lucky enough to have a play on one of the first 6 strings they ever made and it was absolutely wonderful.. To this day I don't really know why, but I much preferred the feel of the 6 string to the 5 string model.. If I had the money to buy one now, the 6 is what I'd go for..[/quote] Hi all, I was lucky enough to swap my Midi 4 with a 6-string WAL fretless and can only recommend it. Great WAL-tone and playability. Never thought I'd stick to so much fretless playing, but the sounds are so organic, tight and warm - it's just pure pleasure. For the tougher chords and licks within the band I still use my rockhard five-string, though. Nothing compares to the WAL sound neither fretted or fretless. Period. Cheers Oliver

[quote name='littleal' post='383316' date='Jan 17 2009, 04:55 PM']I moved straight from a wal custom 4 string to a tobias pro 6 (korian version) & found it very easy to play, it took me a couple of weeks to get used to the extra strings & being able to hit the right notes & i had to realy think about the way i slap & pop but around a month later i could play it just as well as i could play my 4 string. I have had a few sixers since & currantly own a warwick thumb nt6 (not recomended as a first 6 string "very chunky neck") but i love it If you can find a tobias pro 6 go for it, dial in the bridge pickup with the tone backed off will give you a pretty convincing tye zamora tone, they usually go for around £300-£400 with through neck & active eq, the neck is i would say is a medium width but is very slim & comfortable. I would definately have another one of these but at the moment i'm waiting to see if paul herman will build me [b]a 6 string fretless wal[/b] once he's sorted out his back orders [/quote] Definitely the best choice you can make! My fretless is a real dream to play:

Right now my wall of Wals looks like this (apart from my Hybrid Pro I fretless). Sorry wombatboter, couldn't resist Jensenmann's MK III six-string - we just swapped - MK II Midi 4 for MK III 6 fretless and agreed on swapping back occasionally if need be So, here's another challenge for the short-fingered player... I reckon you'd even be able to surf with this bass tc

Currently, I own five basses - still looking for a blue WAL ... Geert?! tc Oliver

The tonal range of a WAL ... OK, so you need a Stingray sound - just a flic of the electronics and you're there. You need that tin-like, hollow Ricky sound - same. Fender? Wait just gimme a few seconds - there it is. You need a piano-like Ken Smith-sound? no problem. And you have your DI out at hand for recording or in any live mixing-console situation. It just takes some time to become accustomed to the electronic possibilities of this instrument and on a dark stage looking for the right pu-setup can be a problem. It's the versatility in tone, the perfect playability and the perfect craftsmanship that makes a WAL a WAL in my view. And they just look and feel great. My MK I fretless 4 string was my first fretless bass ever and I didn't have any problems with intonation at all. I felt at home right away. Some say the WAL necks feel chunky - well try one of those Warwick stems and think again. WAL necks feel like those of normal Jazz-necks to me. Also, try to get that low action you can achieve on these chunky necks on a Stingray and you will fail. My MK II fiver's low-action playability is perfect from the lowest up to the highest fret. These basses just play like butter. And they re-sell like Mercedes Benz cars just because they are that good, extremely rare and built with a lot of love to detail. tc Oliver

[quote name='Mr Bassman' post='300924' date='Oct 7 2008, 12:51 AM']Ha, just spotted this post I don't use it anymore, the only "synth" I have is a Yamaha MU10, which will run on batteries! I'll try and remember to look at the cable for you in a day or so. cheers[/quote] Cheers - waiting for it.

[quote name='Mr Bassman' post='244996' date='Jul 22 2008, 02:32 AM']With one of these you can get any sound that you want! (even a wal sound!) [attachment=11065:Wall_midi.jpg] check out [url="http://www.4barmusic.co.uk/pages/midistandard.htm"]http://www.4barmusic.co.uk/pages/midistandard.htm[/url][/quote] Indeed Sir, indeed! May I ask what kind of Synth you're using with yours? I use an E-MU Proteus 2000. And - do you happen to know what kind of cable I need for attaching my foot control pedals to the MB4? I didn't get one when buying my WAL MIDI used. tc Oliver

[quote name='eude' post='272671' date='Aug 29 2008, 05:16 PM']Wow! That single pick up 4 string fretless, with, is it buckeye, top on it? That is gorgeous! Anymore info on it? Eude[/quote] Hi Eude, yes, it is. I ordered it as rough slaps via a German importer of woods. You can't imagine how much laquer the buckeyed burl took to be completely covered. It was like a sponge. Here are some more pics of the actual process of putting the bass together - among other customer projects (Kundenprojekte): [url="http://www.holz-faszination.de/home/node/44"]http://www.holz-faszination.de/home/node/44[/url] BTW Jens Ritter from Ritter Basses also orders his veneers and woods there. tc Oliver

[quote name='silverfoxnik' post='272116' date='Aug 28 2008, 11:51 PM']That's a stunning collection! I love the 1979 fretless and the Black Polyester 5 string, though they're all great! Don't often see a Wal with a different brand pick up in it so I guess that makes the '79 Pro quite unique...[/quote] Cheers! Yes, the fretless with the Bartolini sounds more vintage and also a lot warmer than my original MK I lined fretless. It took a lot of work to get it together that way ... my wife was a big help being a carpenter, and, together with a famous German luthier we finally made it. Though my wife doesn't play bass, she's also convinced of the quality and the tonal possibilities of Wal basses. The Black Poly 5 is a pleasure to play (apart from its weight) and is - together with the MIDI MK II- the bass with the strongest output and low end I have ever witnessed. tc Oliver

Well, well - great pics of great basses! I just happened to take some more recent ones of mine (check my signature for exact data): tc Oliver