Sibob Posted December 30, 2011 Share Posted December 30, 2011 I've heard that Mr WAL unfortunately passed away on Weds, I don't have any details other than news from a friend of a friend very close to him. A sad loss though Si Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jigster Posted December 30, 2011 Share Posted December 30, 2011 He was a BCer? Sad news. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bassatnight Posted December 30, 2011 Share Posted December 30, 2011 omg, a true Bass pioneer. I will toast him tonight whilst admiring my Wal Custom sitting proudly in my front room. RIP Pete. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
supabock Posted December 30, 2011 Share Posted December 30, 2011 Its a sad and great loss....... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bilbo Posted December 30, 2011 Share Posted December 30, 2011 He made my Wal. RIP. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Clarky Posted December 30, 2011 Share Posted December 30, 2011 (edited) Sad news indeed. I just agreed a deal (I think) on a 1981 fretless today which will undoubtedly have passed though his hands. At least his legacy lives on in the beautiful instruments being made by Wal under Paul Herman. Edited December 30, 2011 by Clarky Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BassBod Posted December 30, 2011 Share Posted December 30, 2011 (edited) Very sorry to hear the news. I met him a few times, and he was always a pleasure to talk with...and he did a great renovation job on an older Pro bass for me (something many other companies wouldn't bother with). Best wishes to Paul and the new Wal enterprise...that's some good news, at least. Edit for crap spelling.... Edited December 30, 2011 by BassBod Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pantherairsoft Posted December 30, 2011 Share Posted December 30, 2011 Sad news. One of the greats. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jackduran Posted December 30, 2011 Share Posted December 30, 2011 Just heard the news via Martin Kemp (a Wal endorsee ofcourse) on Twitter. Very sad. RIP. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
leftyhook Posted December 30, 2011 Share Posted December 30, 2011 Pete the Fish. Met him along with Wal when I visited the factory in '83. His signature inside my bass will always remind me of a wonderful, wonderful day. God bless ya Pete. x Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pistonbroke Posted December 30, 2011 Share Posted December 30, 2011 RIP Pete, had a few laugh,s in High Wycombe, when you were sorting my Wal,s out in the 80,s 90,s. good all round bloke. C. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bobby K Posted December 30, 2011 Share Posted December 30, 2011 A very sad loss to the bass world RIP Pete. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RIM Basses Posted December 30, 2011 Share Posted December 30, 2011 Pete was a great bloke, had the chance to have lunch with him down in HW at the local snooker club. He reconditioned my tired wal Mach one custom that I picked up on ebay for £ 425, this was back in 1998. He only charged me £150 for the work which was an amazing deal, it was like new again and he told me the history of the bass which had been owned by one guy in scotland for over 14 years. I wish i never sold that bass, RIP Pete x Pete Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
2004gdavi Posted December 30, 2011 Share Posted December 30, 2011 New to basschat today and to learn of this - very sad. Thanks for creating something for me to aspire to. Remebered as the legacy goes on. Dave Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
geoffbassist Posted December 30, 2011 Share Posted December 30, 2011 Very sad. He was a truly innovative bass luthier. His basses made a huge impact on the worldwide bass community. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Francesco Posted December 30, 2011 Share Posted December 30, 2011 (edited) I've met him several times, he was a lovely person. His sense of humor along with his care for nature and environment will be missed. Only 65 .... Edited December 30, 2011 by Francesco Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
franzbassist Posted December 30, 2011 Share Posted December 30, 2011 I knew Pete for 22 years and spent many happy hours at the workshop(s) and snooker club. A genuine, lovely, talented man. I will miss him very much, but both he and Wal leave a wonderful legacy in the instruments they gave to us. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Merton Posted December 30, 2011 Share Posted December 30, 2011 Bloody hell, such a shame RIP Pete, long may your basses be played and loved Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
silverfoxnik Posted December 30, 2011 Share Posted December 30, 2011 [quote name='walbassist' timestamp='1325272432' post='1481661'] I knew Pete for 22 years and spent many happy hours at the workshop(s) and snooker club. A genuine, lovely, talented man. I will miss him very much, but both he and Wal leave a wonderful legacy in the instruments they gave to us. [/quote] +1 Well said Gareth! Like many here, i met Pete lots of times at the workshop(s) in High Wycombe starting way back in 1983 when I got my first Wal (that was a lovely bass that was..). Stories abound about how many times he repaired, restored, upgraded and worked on so many Wals long after he and Ian Waller had first made them. And usually all that work was done for only a token payment in return. It really was lifetime customer care! Pete and Ian respected their customers and made real friends of a lot of them and I think that's got as much to do with the amazing legacy that surrounds the instruments, as much as their uniqueness of design and tone and fantastic build quality, which of course was Pete's department.. RIP Pete. Thank you - you did us all proud! (P.S. if anyone hears news of the funeral and a collection, I'd be very keen to know and send something) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
thestick Posted December 30, 2011 Share Posted December 30, 2011 Pete was such a nice guy! nothing was too much trouble, each time I visited Electric Wood even though he was busy, always took the time to talk. I still have my Wal from 92, will never sell it. Rest in peace. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
silverfoxnik Posted December 30, 2011 Share Posted December 30, 2011 More details here: http://www.walbasses.co.uk/ Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
leftybassman392 Posted December 30, 2011 Share Posted December 30, 2011 A genuinely lovely man and a horribly sad loss to the world of the bass guitar. I had the good fortune to meet him on a number of occasions, and I too got treated to the joys of the snooker club! I do remember though that he was a very heavy smoker, and the last time I saw him (which would have been around 2006 - 7) he didn't look a well man then. This is sad news indeed. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
philw Posted December 30, 2011 Share Posted December 30, 2011 Pete, through the bass he made for me back in 1983, undoubtedly and fundamentally shaped my life making music and news of his passing is really very sad. My beloved Mk1 fretless custom sitting in the corner as I type suddenly looks just a little bit more special this evening. RIP Pete. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chris_b Posted December 31, 2011 Share Posted December 31, 2011 [size=4][color=#222222][font=Arial]Very sad news. [/font][/color][/size][color=#222222][font=Arial][size=1][/size][/font][/color] [size=4][color=#222222][font=Arial] [/font][/color][/size][color=#222222][font=Arial][size=1][/size][/font][/color] [size=4][color=#222222][font=Arial]I visited Pete several times over the years. He did some small maintenance jobs on my Wal and never accepted payment. [/font][/color][/size][color=#222222][font=Arial][size=1][/size][/font][/color] [size=4][color=#222222][font=Arial] [/font][/color][/size][color=#222222][font=Arial][size=1][/size][/font][/color] [size=4][color=#222222][font=Arial]He was a great guy and a serious player in the history of the electric bass.[/font][/color][/size][color=#222222][font=Arial][size=1][/size][/font][/color] [size=4][font=Arial] [/font][/size][font=Arial][size=2][/size][/font] Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
leftyhook Posted December 31, 2011 Share Posted December 31, 2011 As usual, I used my Wal Custom at a gig tonight. It sounded particularly special. The acoustics of the room were just right, and my bass sang its heart out, and my heart almost bursts with pride knowing that I have now owned one of these beautiful things for almost 28 years,.custom built for me. I will use it again tomorrow, and the next day. The other basses will just have to sit it out on the bench, this is the Pele of the bass world we're talking about! eternally grateful to Wal and Pete. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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