Murph_Orpheus Posted April 13, 2008 Share Posted April 13, 2008 Does anyone know of anywhere based in the UK or Ireland that I could buy a Wal bass from? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wil Posted April 13, 2008 Share Posted April 13, 2008 Ebay or the classifieds here are your best bet probably? You'll need to shell out serious dough though. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WalMan Posted April 13, 2008 Share Posted April 13, 2008 In your dreams They turn up on eBay occasionally, but beware shysters with little or no feedback who have only just joined & are in Aberdeen!! There have bee a few scammy ones recently. And you will need some fairly serious folding available nowadays sadly. I'd love a 5'er, but unfortunately have yet to come up with a plan quite cunning enough Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Macko1968 Posted April 14, 2008 Share Posted April 14, 2008 <smug mode> Bought one on eBay a couple of years back for £800 on a BIN, flipped it a week later for £1500. A great profit but I really wish I'd kept it, sounded immense. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
99ster Posted April 14, 2008 Share Posted April 14, 2008 [quote name='Wil' post='175958' date='Apr 13 2008, 11:24 PM']Ebay or the classifieds here are your best bet probably? You'll need to shell out serious dough though.[/quote] That sums it up pretty well. Pete has basically retired due to old age & ill health (Emphysema). There may possibly be another UK luthier taking on the production of Wal basses sometime in the future - but nothing concrete has been set-up & I wouldn't hold your breath. But even if that happens any 'new' Wal basses made by someone else can never be 'the real thing'. So the prices of any original Wal basses that do come up for sale will just get higher & higher... especially as they have also become the target of a number specialist collectors worldwide (I've met one guy who has 20+ Wals - but he can't play a note. Just likes to collect them & is using them as a pension fund). I bought my custom new in 1987 for about £600 I think - and I even had a matching fretless that I very foolishly sold about 10 years ago. And I'd love to get a 4 string fretless again... They seem to go for around £2K & upwards - & they do appear on eBay (& on here) fairly regularly - but you need to have the cash waiting so you can snap it up as they don't hang around for along! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
neepheid Posted April 14, 2008 Share Posted April 14, 2008 [quote name='WalMan' post='175965' date='Apr 13 2008, 11:29 PM']In your dreams They turn up on eBay occasionally, but beware shysters with little or no feedback who have only just joined & [b]are in Aberdeen!![/b] There have bee a few scammy ones recently. And you will need some fairly serious folding available nowadays sadly. I'd love a 5'er, but unfortunately have yet to come up with a plan quite cunning enough [/quote] Yeah, watch those Aberdonians, but the Orcadians are worse! Beats me why the scammers don't try Shetland, it's even further away. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Burpster Posted April 14, 2008 Share Posted April 14, 2008 [quote name='Murph_Orpheus' post='175956' date='Apr 13 2008, 11:21 PM']Does anyone know of anywhere based in the UK or Ireland that I could buy a Wal bass from?[/quote] Walmart..... I'll get me coat...... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WalMan Posted April 14, 2008 Share Posted April 14, 2008 [quote name='Macko1968' post='176410' date='Apr 14 2008, 04:43 PM']<smug mode> Bought one on eBay a couple of years back for £800 on a BIN, flipped it a week later for £1500. A great profit but I really wish I'd kept it, sounded immense.[/quote] <GRRRRRRRRRRRRR mode> followed by [quote](I've met one guy who has 20+ Wals - but he can't play a note. Just likes to collect them & is using them as a pension fund)[/quote] <Sob mode> Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Burpster Posted April 14, 2008 Share Posted April 14, 2008 Murph, this one in the FS section.... [url="http://basschat.co.uk/index.php?showtopic=17323"]http://basschat.co.uk/index.php?showtopic=17323[/url] Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Macko1968 Posted April 14, 2008 Share Posted April 14, 2008 Here it is, solid schedua body too. God, I was an idiot. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BigBeefChief Posted April 14, 2008 Share Posted April 14, 2008 [url="http://basschat.co.uk/index.php?showtopic=17323"]http://basschat.co.uk/index.php?showtopic=17323[/url] Does not include strings. Transaction to take place in Netto car park. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Murph_Orpheus Posted April 14, 2008 Author Share Posted April 14, 2008 Did more modern Wal basses have active pick-ups? I'd be interested in that 1981 model... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WalMan Posted April 14, 2008 Share Posted April 14, 2008 (edited) [quote name='Murph_Orpheus' post='176754' date='Apr 14 2008, 11:28 PM']Did more modern Wal basses have active pick-ups? I'd be interested in that 1981 model...[/quote] I think most Wal's with the exception of the Pro 1 (and possibly 2) were active, the Pro2E having actives in. My Pro1 was originally a single p/u, volume, tone & coil tap set up with the controls on a small tear drop plate. When I took it up to Pete in 96 he had another one in being converted to active. Talking to Pete at the time as I understood it the Pro1 passive was always designed to be retro fitted with the actives at a later date - which is what I then had done (not having intended, or known it possible before the visit). Search for PB1680 [url="http://www4.informatik.uni-erlangen.de/~koesters/Privat/Wal/walspec.html"]HERE[/url] They can be an acquired taste, I well remember trying a few at the old Bass Centre years back and wondering what the fuss was (perhaps they were just badly set up & with old strings). Then I got mine & fell in love, even more so when the actives went in. Until I became unfaithful with the G&L a couple of months back it was my number 1 bass for 20+ years (indeed my only bass for a lot of that time). Still not forgotten (and certainly not for sale before you ask ) but just being given a little rest at the mo. Edited April 14, 2008 by WalMan Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kev Posted April 14, 2008 Share Posted April 14, 2008 (edited) waitin for that guy to get back to me with more details, think i pm'd him first, think i might go for it... Edited April 14, 2008 by BassManKev Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Brother Jones Posted April 15, 2008 Share Posted April 15, 2008 I think is one of the most depressing you tube clips ever... [url="http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=yOuXQgGamis&feature=related"]http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=yOuXQgGamis&...feature=related[/url] Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wil Posted April 15, 2008 Share Posted April 15, 2008 [quote name='Brother Jones' post='176811' date='Apr 15 2008, 03:37 AM']I think is one of the most depressing you tube clips ever... [url="http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=yOuXQgGamis&feature=related"]http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=yOuXQgGamis&...feature=related[/url][/quote] How so? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wil Posted April 15, 2008 Share Posted April 15, 2008 This is a nice clip: [url="http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=VZtrKLXRGxE&feature=related"]http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=VZtrKLXRGxE&...feature=related[/url] Wals do seem to have great top end articulation. I've played one briefly, and it felt pretty good too. I can't help but feel you could get bloody close to this sound and have an equally good feeling bass with something like a G&L L2000 though. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kev Posted April 15, 2008 Share Posted April 15, 2008 i wonder is there any way possible i could ever own one.... even if i sold everythin in my signature i think id struggle.... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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