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Show your Wals... Appreciation Thread


overwater#1

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[quote name='Cairobill' timestamp='1328269625' post='1524657']
i saw you play that bass (before the body refit) at Southampton University many years ago with Stump. It sounded fantastic. Your approach to bass playing was like no one else and I liked that a lot. I seem to remember we had a drunken conversation in the bar afterwards too!
[/quote]

Very kind of you! Everyone's being nice today!

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[quote name='BassBod' timestamp='1328271109' post='1524682'] I think its high time there was an official Spoombung artist model in the Wal catalogue, with at least 50p going direct to the artist for every model sold. Shall we start one of those poll things? [/quote]

50p sounds very generous - especially considering Lady Gaga's alleged $169 for a million plays on Spotify!

I'd [i]love[/i] my own Wal model. It's just wishful thinking...

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Well - yours is still the only "Fender" bodied Wal I've seen in twenty odd years of Wal spotting...and the body/weight/balance issues were the worst thing about the two I've owned. I think there's a potential market....although the 50p per bass may demand some serious haggling with Mr Herman. I heard in the old days it was tea and sandwiches.

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[quote name='Spoombung' timestamp='1328273907' post='1524732']
Very kind of you, Clarky. How's it going with the AFR?
[/quote]
Rolf Spuler emailed y'day to say he's repaired the faulty piezo saddle and is posting back to me, so hopefully it will tickety-boo by end of next week :) Still wondering about whether it should be de-fretted ....

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[quote name='Clarky' timestamp='1328276377' post='1524791']
Rolf Spuler emailed y'day to say he's repaired the faulty piezo saddle and is posting back to me, so hopefully it will tickety-boo by end of next week :) Still wondering about whether it should be de-fretted ....
[/quote]

That's great news. Let me know how it goes.

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[quote name='BassBod' timestamp='1328274551' post='1524746']
Well - yours is still the only "Fender" bodied Wal I've seen in twenty odd years of Wal spotting...and the body/weight/balance issues were the worst thing about the two I've owned.
[/quote]

I forgot to mention there is a guy on Talkbass who has the only other (so far as I know) Fender-bodied Wal:

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I just noticed your 'new' MkI has a non-laminated body, being natural and all. Is it solid mahogany?


[quote name='wombatboter' timestamp='1327853142' post='1517652']
And he did.. Got a Wal MKI Custom bass which appears to be made around 81-82 and was a custom model made for Roxy Music bassplayer Gary Tibbs if I remember correctly..?
Bit of dings and dongs but it sounds great and it has all the nice Wal-ingredients.





[/quote]

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[quote name='dandoom' timestamp='1328647615' post='1530723']
aaaahh this thread is pure porn id love to own a Wal
[/quote]

Oh, but you can...! [url="http://basschat.co.uk/topic/164527-wal-mk1-fretless-in-olive-ash/page__fromsearch__1"]http://basschat.co.uk/topic/164527-wal-mk1-fretless-in-olive-ash/page__fromsearch__1[/url]

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[quote name='Spoombung' timestamp='1328349373' post='1525757']
I forgot to mention there is a guy on Talkbass who has the only other (so far as I know) Fender-bodied Wal:


[/quote]

When I was out for shopping a bass in 1990 I played a Jazzbass-shaped Wal at "Mr Bassman" musicstore in Frankfurt. I didn´t like it back then, while I instantly fell in love with a Mk1 4 string they had. So yes, there are mor Fender-shaped Wals out there.

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[quote name='Spoombung' timestamp='1328525378' post='1528368']
Does anybody have any experience with the Mk3 Wals, you know, the 'ergonomic' model? I'm curious about them in terms of balance, comfort weight etc...
[/quote]

I used wo own a Mk3 6string fretless for some years. I sounded great, but hat some ugly deadspots. The neck was too thin for me and had a shape like a surfboard. From my other Wals I was used to having a chunk of wood in my hands while this neck was just too slim. Besides that ergonomics were great, though.

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[quote name='jensenmann' timestamp='1329166109' post='1538325']
I used wo own a Mk3 6string fretless for some years. I sounded great, but hat some ugly deadspots. The neck was too thin for me and had a shape like a surfboard. From my other Wals I was used to having a chunk of wood in my hands while this neck was just too slim. Besides that ergonomics were great, though.
[/quote]

Interesting. I'm eager to try one out.

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[quote name='Spoombung' timestamp='1328525378' post='1528368']
Does anybody have any experience with the Mk3 Wals, you know, the 'ergonomic' model? I'm curious about them in terms of balance, comfort weight etc...
[/quote]

I have both fretted and fretless Mark IIIs. They are the most comfortable basses I've ever played. They balance perfectly. Weights are not noticable during long gigs. They fit ones body very well. Access all the way to the 24th fret is unfettered.

I also have two Mark IIs and although I love the way they sound, the ergonomics aren't as good due to some neck dive and they are heavier. I've spoken to Paul and I intend to send them to him to have lighter tuners installed as well as have general tune-ups as I've had them for 20 years. Paul said that new tuners remove a significant amount of weight and that this tends to be a good fix. I am also curious about moving the bottom strap button to the position on the Mark IIIs. On the IIs, it is centered on the bottom while on the IIIs it is a couple of inches above. I think this move would improve the ergonomics.

Edited by AndroWal
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[quote name='AndroWal' timestamp='1329464667' post='1542743'] I have both fretted and fretless Mark IIIs. They are the most comfortable basses I've ever played. They balance perfectly. Weights are not noticable during long gigs. They fit ones body very well. Access all the way to the 24th fret is unfettered. I also have two Mark IIs and although I love the way they sound, the ergonomics aren't as good due to some neck dive and they are heavier. I've spoken to Paul and I intend to send them to him to have lighter tuners installed as well as have general tune-ups as I've had them for 20 years. Paul said that new tuners remove a significant amount of weight and that this tends to be a good fix. I am also curious about moving the bottom strap button to the position on the Mark IIIs. On the IIs, it is centered on the bottom while on the IIIs it is a couple of inches above. I think this move would improve the ergonomics. [/quote]

Now I'm very tempted - although obviously I wouldn't be pleased at having to sell two expensive basses to buy one extra special expensive bass.

Wal were slow with ergonomics; you're right, the Mark 2's were very heavy and neck-divey. I [i]wish[/i] they would sought out the 4-string pickup and give it a proper shell like the 5-string. There is nothing to anchor your thumb on and the plastic case is the wrong height and dimension on the current one. I got around it by doing this:



Chopped off another pickup part by Pete!

Edited by Spoombung
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[quote name='AndroWal' timestamp='1329464667' post='1542743']
....(Wal Mark IIIs)... They are the most comfortable basses I've ever played. They balance perfectly. Weights are not noticable during long gigs. They fit ones body very well. Access all the way to the 24th fret is unfettered....
[/quote]

+1

The Mk3 is one of the best basses I've ever played. I love the look, the feel and the sound. Watch the engineers face light up when you take one into the studio.

I can't make mine sound like a Fender which is why it doesn't get played much at the moment, but in my opinion, nothing plays as well as a Wal.

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I have an interesting Wal, built in 2009, which is the first one off the new run, but built, I am assured by the chap who commissioned it using an old stock neck, and body timbers from old stock as well.

I bought it with the intention of fitting red neck leds (I have to have these, due to my poor eyesight in the dark following laser eye surgery that didnt go to plan), but everyone I spoke to said I was mad! It would plummet in value, look awful, not be a "proper" Wal any more, etc, so as a result, I put it under the bed where it has remained for the last year, untouched. As a result, its still a new bass, and I guess the sensible thing to do would be to perhaps think about putting it up for sale? I would be unbelievably nervous gigging with it, but as the first made following the break, does it have any special value do you think?


[attachment=100652:Wal 004.jpg]

[attachment=100653:Wal 003.jpg]

[attachment=100654:Wal 005.jpg]

I cant get these blasted photos to show...............

Edited by bobpalt
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+1

The Mk3 is one of the best basses I've ever played. I love the look, the feel and the sound. Watch the engineers face light up when you take one into the studio.

I can't make mine sound like a Fender which is why it doesn't get played much at the moment, but in my opinion, nothing plays as well as a Wal.



+ 1 to what Chris said.
I had the priviladge to playing Chris b's Wal Mk 3 , 5 string a while back and it really is a fantastic bass guitar.
A Wal Mk3 5 string is on my "Wanted" list :)

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