THIS BASS HAS BEEN WITHDRAWN FROM SALE
Okay folks, I think it’s time to sell my beloved Mk III Wal.
[i]Please[/i] don’t start posting with messages saying “don’t do it”, “it’s a keeper” etc. I have thought long and hard about this and I’ve decided it’s just too much bass to have sitting at home not getting any playing time.
This is a very special bass to me for a number of reasons, but probably the most important one for everyone else is that it is the last bass Pete Stephens made before he retired, so it truly does represent the end of the original Wal line.
So, what else makes this bass so special? Well, it has a few unique features:
[list]
[*]it’s the only Wal with spalted maple facings, supplied to Pete by me from a ski-ing holiday in Vermont
[*]American walnut core (usually mahogany)
[*]the custom neck pickup placement makes the bass a tad punchier and, to me, more ergonomic when playing fingerstyle (one other Wal has this pickup arrangement as well, which was also made for me)
[*]bound veneer around the pickups
[*]double pinstripe laminate (usually only one) between the core and facings
[*]Pete’s personal “fish” logo on the back of the headstock
[/list]
Weighing it at 10.5lb (4.75kilos), the bass balances well with no neck dive at all. It delivers all the classic Wal tones (and I’ve owned enough of them over the years to know!); big fat punchy bass but with plenty of control and presence. You can go from almost subharmonic to crystal-clear highs in the turn of a knob. If you like the Wal sound, then this bass is for you. (NB: If anyone needs to know more about the Wal electronics and how they work, please visit the Wal website [url="http://www.walbasses.co.uk/Electronics"]here[/url] for full details).
Paul Herman, former Electric Wood employee and the new owner of the Wal brand, gave it a PLEK setup and service in November last year.
Anyway, enough nattering, here are some pictures.
Wear is very light. Believe it or not it’s never been my main bass so has spent a lot of time safely wrapped up in the top of the line Levy’s gig bag that will be included in the sale. There are no noticeable scratches or dings. The only real wear I can ascertain is where the poly finish has lifted a bit on the body adjacent to one of the neck bolts.
As to price, well, a new standard MkIII 5 string would cost £3200 right now and a wait of at least a year. I think, given how rare Wals are in general and the moment in Wal history that this bass represents, I’m asking [b]£3300 firm[/b]. No offers and no trades.
Oh, and I would prefer not to post as I don’t have a hard case, but will do so if it’s really necessary (would recommend a hard case is added to the deal if that’s the, ahem, case).
If you’re interested I would encourage you to try the bass out. I live in NE Hampshire and work in Central London, so tryouts in either location are fine. I can’t provide any sound clips as I have no recording facilities, but you can see me playing the bass at Guilfest 2006 via the youtube link below.
[url="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UirkEQcQBsU"]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UirkEQcQBsU[/url]
Any questions, please get in touch.
Cheers
Gareth