White Cloud Posted December 18, 2013 Share Posted December 18, 2013 [quote name='HowieBass' timestamp='1387373375' post='2311194'] The first thing I thought of when I saw the paler wood inset in your Wal was maybe adding a large ramp in wenge with two pickups concealed inside it... [/quote] Not sure what the OP will think of that....but it is a great idea! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ead Posted December 18, 2013 Share Posted December 18, 2013 Similar but different, a Warwick neck on a J body. [url="http://manchesterbasslounge.com/?p=3132"]http://manchesterbasslounge.com/?p=3132[/url] Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
drTStingray Posted December 21, 2013 Share Posted December 21, 2013 [quote name='Dingus' timestamp='1386635187' post='2302623'] Surely it would be possible to track down the previous owner responsible for this" work" and bring them to justice? Instead of contacting Martin Simms and the Bass Doc I would be more inclined to get in touch with Interpol! This is a guitar crime the likes of which I have seldom seen. If this bass could talk , all it could probably say would be " Aaaaaahhhhhh!!!!!!!", or at or maybe just "Ouch!". What I find hard to understand is why , even before they were as valuable as they are now ( fifteen years ago you could easily pick up a decent used Wal for £600) , someone would choose a Wal of all basses to do this to. It just makes no sense. It's like giving me a pair of fake breasts, a jug of custard and wig and expecting me to be able to perform a Liza Minnelli tribute act at a local holiday camp . This bass would never substitute for a Jazz Bass , even if you lived in Albania and had previously been playing bass on an egg slicer strung with razor wire and tuned down an octave. All I can say is that my thoughts and prayers are with the victims of this senseless and vicious attack . Lets hope you can at least give this poor beast a dignified and comfortable existance for the rest of its' days . [/quote] Cripes - couldn't agree more - the following simple adage normally applies to selected owners of the six string variety of guitar (not bass) - but obviously applies to some bassists as well. 'Some people should not be allowed to own guitars!' This crime is akin to removing the engine of a Classic Ferrari and replacing it with a souped up Ford Anglia engine. Hope you manage to get it back to former glories. Wouldn't Wal be willing to do it? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Beedster Posted December 21, 2013 Author Share Posted December 21, 2013 [quote name='drTStingray' timestamp='1387623260' post='2313853'] Cripes - couldn't agree more - the following simple adage normally applies to selected owners of the six string variety of guitar (not bass) - but obviously applies to some bassists as well. 'Some people should not be allowed to own guitars!' This crime is akin to removing the engine of a Classic Ferrari and replacing it with a souped up Ford Anglia engine. Hope you manage to get it back to former glories. Wouldn't Wal be willing to do it? [/quote] It's going to be restored to former glory in many respects but with a more personalised touch in that I wasn't a huge fan of the Wal circuit or of two PUPs. I'm leaning towards the Wal/ray configuration above at present. Had really helpful replies from Bass Doc, John East, and Martin Sims re this bass, no reply from Wal as yet so I'm guessing Paul's still in shock having seen the pics Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
philw Posted December 22, 2013 Share Posted December 22, 2013 Maybe you should arrange to call in on Paul with the bass on your way from Wales to Kent? Get off the M25 at Wisley and you're only 10 or so mins from the workshop (actually if you lobbed the bass out of the car halfway between Wisley and Leatherhead, it'd probably all but land in Paul's lap). Once Paul's stopped sobbing he might have a few ideas how to approach doing something with it. And you never know, if he sees the bass in the flesh he might start wondering about getting a Wal pickup in it….. P Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
franzbassist Posted December 23, 2013 Share Posted December 23, 2013 That's me (I've looked better!), and the 1 pu bass was mine. It actually sounded really good, although I can't for the life of me remember why it had the usual four knob setup! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
philw Posted December 23, 2013 Share Posted December 23, 2013 Do you know Gareth, I thought that looked a bit like you when I first saw the picture! The years have definitely taken away some "nerd" and added some "cool" (not too much though so don't let it go to your head). Not sure about that very bling Spector (?) though with it's gold plated bridge. What happened to the single pickup Wal? It looks very custom to me 'cause the pickup isn't in either of the usual (Pro Bass) single p/u positions. And yeah, why did it have four knobs? Perhaps the "spare" knob adjusted the player's nerd look and you accidentally had it up at 10 that day? Phil PS. I see we're both trying to sell a Veillette at Bass Gear! The Flyer's almost sold twice now but I think I might bring it home soon and actually play the thing for a while. It's too much fun to have it sitting there doing nothing. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Beedster Posted December 23, 2013 Author Share Posted December 23, 2013 I've given this a lot of thought and can't help thinking that, although I was looking to put about £500 into building a really special fretless bass, I might just be wasting my money. OK, I've got a lovely old Wal screaming out to be restored to its former glory, and even though I didn't like my old Wal very much, this could be an awesome fretless bass. Problem is, it's currently sporting the original (fretted) board, and a refret would get the neck back to close to original. Also I think I'm going to spend a lot of money getting the poor thing to sound pretty much like an active fretless Precision, and a P-Retro in my current '78FL would do that. In short, whilst I'm going to give it a bit more thought, if anyone fancies a Wal project for what I paid for it (£850 in original and good condition case), let me know. I'll post a FS thread in the morning once I've thought about it a bit more. C Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mikeswals Posted December 24, 2013 Share Posted December 24, 2013 [quote]That's me (I've looked better!), and the 1 pu bass was mine. It actually sounded really good, although I can't for the life of me remember why it had the usual four knob setup! [/quote] Walbasist, thanks for chiming in! For years I tried finding info about that single pickup fretless but no one could remember who's it was, I think it would be the ideal fretless. Is there anything you could tell me about it? Is it gone now? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Shaggy Posted January 3, 2014 Share Posted January 3, 2014 (edited) Mwahaha.....OP bass now mine, after a very pleasant meet up yesterday in sunny (honestly!) Aberaeron with Chris, Mrs Beedster, and the two mini-Beedsters. It's much prettier in the flesh than pics suggest, but rest assured; this bass will live and breathe again in the form God and Wal intended for it..... including re-fret of original board. Edited March 21, 2015 by Shaggy Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
zapp Posted January 3, 2014 Share Posted January 3, 2014 One happy ending and a new beginning. Success!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Shaggy Posted March 21, 2015 Share Posted March 21, 2015 A drop of sun today, rugby on the telly - a good day to update this thread! I've inserted pics into my post above as a reminder of just how fugly the "Wazz" was in modded form. I'm an inveterate modder myself, but that just.........baffled me. But a good old Wal in otherwise very sound state, just crying out to be sorted. So, at the start of last year, choices were: 1. leave more or less as was, and create a "super-Wazz" with some decent boutique Jazz pickups and a U-retro circuit or similar 2. fit Wal-clone pickups (from the German company I keep forgetting the name of), an East ACG filter-based circuit, and do the woodwork restoration myself, to restore it to at least original appearance and performance 3. Get Electric Wood (Wal) to do a full restoration job, using original-spec pickups and circuit As tempted as I was to try option 2, I knew I'd never be happy with anything less than option 3. So after a while trying to contact Electric Wood, and a little while longer persuading Paul and Phil to take the job on, I took the old girl down to Fetcham in Surrey last November, and picked her up again the week before last. And yes, they were even more baffled than I was! What a really top pair of guys to deal with - I felt like a kid in a sweet-shop in the workshop - and the craftsmanship and quality of the end result are just fantastic. I had to limit costs by keeping the neck as is (frets filed down to make it a lined fretless) - fine for now, and I'll re-fret at some future point. The total project (bass plus work) has cost me around the same as I paid for my fully original '85 mark 1 fretless around 6 years ago (though a fair bit less than it'd go for now), for what is effectively a non-original bass, but on the other hand all work has been done by Wal, and it's an early-80's mark 1 Wal with brand spanking new electrics. And of course it sounds like - a Wal. A couple of crappy shots taken today with my iPad - for some reason my camera won't link to the PC. I'll sort some better ones soon. The bright sunlight makes the new plug of wenge between the pickups stand out much more than it does in ordinary light - in fact the contrast is barely noticeable and with age patination should blend in seamlessly. Many thanks to Paul and Phil at Electric Wood, and our own Chris who sold me the bass, and cd_david who sold me the control knobs Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
White Cloud Posted March 21, 2015 Share Posted March 21, 2015 Really great to see this thread resurrected again. Well done on making such an investment into this bass...a very good decision I would say. It looks brilliant. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PlungerModerno Posted March 21, 2015 Share Posted March 21, 2015 A Fairytale ending. I hope it lives another 30 odd years at least - with the player loving every minute! A new lease of life for a legendary instrument. Enjoy Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Shaggy Posted March 22, 2015 Share Posted March 22, 2015 [quote name='White Cloud' timestamp='1426961743' post='2724144'] Really great to see this thread resurrected again. Well done on making such an investment into this bass...a very good decision I would say. It looks brilliant. [/quote] [quote name='PlungerModerno' timestamp='1426967128' post='2724275'] A Fairytale ending. I hope it lives another 30 odd years at least - with the player loving every minute! A new lease of life for a legendary instrument. Enjoy [/quote] Many thanks for the good words guys. I suppose it was one way of acquiring "by stealth" a Wal bass that I otherwise probably wouldn't have acquired!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CamdenRob Posted March 22, 2015 Share Posted March 22, 2015 A wal resurrected from beyond the grave... Good stuff, it looks great. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dazed Posted March 22, 2015 Share Posted March 22, 2015 Good work getting it restored. It's unique and has a great story! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Beedster Posted March 23, 2015 Author Share Posted March 23, 2015 Fantastic Greg, congrats mate, just what I wanted to do but didn't have the patience for! Is it still FL? C Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Shaggy Posted March 25, 2015 Share Posted March 25, 2015 [quote name='Beedster' timestamp='1427103180' post='2725675'] Fantastic Greg, congrats mate, just what I wanted to do but didn't have the patience for! Is it still FL? C [/quote] Sorry, been away from the internet for a few days! Yes, still fretless - plan was to re-fret when funds allow, but I'm rather liking it as is..... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Beedster Posted March 26, 2015 Author Share Posted March 26, 2015 [quote name='Shaggy' timestamp='1427322171' post='2729007'] Sorry, been away from the internet for a few days! Yes, still fretless - plan was to re-fret when funds allow, but I'm rather liking it as is..... [/quote] Yep, 'fretless' and 'Wal' go together like cheese and tomato in my book Greg. I'd love to see it in the flesh, I should pop down on one of my Wales trips, although I worry I'd end up buying it back from you Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Shaggy Posted March 26, 2015 Share Posted March 26, 2015 [quote name='Beedster' timestamp='1427370168' post='2729397'] Yep, 'fretless' and 'Wal' go together like cheese and tomato in my book Greg. I'd love to see it in the flesh, I should pop down on one of my Wales trips, although I worry I'd end up buying it back from you [/quote] Well I think we've managed a trade each year for at least the last 3 years, so may as well pencil in one for 2015...... Like you I've always been more of a fan of passive basses, but this might just prize me away from my beloved Ovation Magnum 1 fretless. Still got the Ric 4003FL? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Beedster Posted March 26, 2015 Author Share Posted March 26, 2015 [quote name='Shaggy' timestamp='1427392920' post='2729893'] Well I think we've managed a trade each year for at least the last 3 years, so may as well pencil in one for 2015...... Like you I've always been more of a fan of passive basses, but this might just prize me away from my beloved Ovation Magnum 1 fretless. Still got the Ric 4003FL? [/quote] Ha ha, 'tis about time for another visit to The Harbour Master! 4001FL still my favourite but least played bass Greg, I keep thinking about getting it fretted but lose my nerve at the last minute! I expect I'll trade it for the Ovation, you'll sell the Wal to someone, I'll trade the Ovation for the Wal and then you and I will trade the Ric and the Wal, then you'll trade the Wal for your Ovation and we'll be back where we started All the best to you and your family mate C Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Beedster Posted September 3, 2015 Author Share Posted September 3, 2015 All of the above proved strangely prophetic and this beautiful bass is now back at Beedster Towers. It's reminded me why, in the early 80's all I wanted was a fretless Wal. Everything about the instrument is absolutely wonderful, build, tone, playability and simple mojo. I now have the dilemma of whether to ask Paul to install a new unlined ebony fretboard, or to have an unlined fretless neck built and have this neck re-fretted to original factory spec. Nice dilemma to have though Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CamdenRob Posted September 3, 2015 Share Posted September 3, 2015 [quote name='Beedster' timestamp='1441269218' post='2857330'] All of the above proved strangely prophetic and this beautiful bass is now back at Beedster Towers. It's reminded me why, in the early 80's all I wanted was a fretless Wal. Everything about the instrument is absolutely wonderful, build, tone, playability and simple mojo. I now have the dilemma of whether to ask Paul to install a new unlined ebony fretboard, or to have an unlined fretless neck built and have this neck re-fretted to original factory spec. Nice dilemma to have though [/quote] Can't beat a Wal for fretless and this one has such an incredible back story... not surprised you're happy to have it back Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kodiakblair Posted September 3, 2015 Share Posted September 3, 2015 That's great You've got the Wal back. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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