Scooby Posted June 11, 2018 Share Posted June 11, 2018 (edited) A piece of history 😀 This is a Wal Pro 1 lined fretless 4 string. With the launch of the Pro bass, at the end of 1977, early 1978, Electric Wood, the company that became Wal, started officially. This bass is from 1978 - based on the serial number and verified by the Wal database. The bass features the famous single Wal pick-up and a small switch that provides a series/parallel mode. The simple volume and tone control give you precisely what you need with no frills! The only modification made, very early on apparently, was the addition of a second pick-up cavity, which allows the pick-up to be relocated - no change to the wiring as the pick-up is attached to a pcb. The bass is in great condition for a 40 year old! There is very little marking on the fretboard, but the body does show a few signs of wear...don't we all!! The blanking plate for the second cavity is looking tired and, if I were to keep it, I'd change the plate. The bass comes with a brand new Thomann ABS hard case. I'm asking £1950, which I think is a fair price considering the few marks and the modification. Edited June 12, 2018 by Scooby Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
three Posted June 11, 2018 Share Posted June 11, 2018 Much prefer these to the customs - played loads of them back in the day when Barratts in Manchester was the distributor. Lovely bit of history with that very desirable v neck profile (desirable for me anyway) 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
silverfoxnik Posted June 11, 2018 Share Posted June 11, 2018 2 hours ago, three said: Much prefer these to the customs - played loads of them back in the day when Barratts in Manchester was the distributor. Lovely bit of history with that very desirable v neck profile (desirable for me anyway) +1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Brother Jones Posted June 11, 2018 Share Posted June 11, 2018 15 minutes ago, silverfoxnik said: +1 +2. I remember playing one of the later versions (with the bridge pup) in Music Ground in the late eighties. The neck was fantastic. They were asking £300 for it...😪 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
EMG456 Posted June 11, 2018 Share Posted June 11, 2018 Is the second cavity in the Wal bridge pickup position? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Scooby Posted June 11, 2018 Author Share Posted June 11, 2018 (edited) 15 minutes ago, EMG456 said: Is the second cavity in the Wal bridge pickup position? The 'second' cavity appears to be the original pick-up position - see image below for early Pro 1 fretless. The second cavity is now where the later models have the pick-up or when the bass has two pick-ups fitted. II guess an ideal solution would be to return the pick-up to its original position and find a replacement scratchplate...easier said than done!! Edited June 11, 2018 by Scooby Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sblueplanet Posted June 11, 2018 Share Posted June 11, 2018 For that nasal Jaco tone on a fretless, im guessing the original bridge pickup position would be the sweet spot. The current neck position would be my preferred placement on a fretless. I really liked the v shape profile neck fretless I tried once in London years ago. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
EMG456 Posted June 11, 2018 Share Posted June 11, 2018 9 hours ago, Scooby said: The 'second' cavity appears to be the original pick-up position - see image below for early Pro 1 fretless. The second cavity is now where the later models have the pick-up or when the bass has two pick-ups fitted. II guess an ideal solution would be to return the pick-up to its original position and find a replacement scratchplate...easier said than done!! Thanks. In a roundabout way, I guess I was asking if the bass could become a two pickup without any further butchery and that would indeed seem to be the case as far as the pickup cavities are concerned but not the control cavity which is much smaller than the two pickup models. Unfortunately then, it’s not a bass for me but a very interesting one anyway and I bet it feels and sounds brilliant. GLWTS. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
silverfoxnik Posted June 12, 2018 Share Posted June 12, 2018 I'm sure that Paul Herman at Wal could advise on the ease, or not, of fitting an additional pick up in the bridge position, and making space for additional controls. This bass is probably fabulous sounding as it is, but I'm sure it would be even more tonally versatile and interesting with a Wal bridge pick up fitted. And with current prices being what they are for second hand Wals, it could be a relatively straightforward way to get a twin pick-up vintage Wal at a not too crazy price.? Lovely old basses these Pro models btw - I've had a fair few over the years! GLWTS Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kulit17 Posted June 12, 2018 Share Posted June 12, 2018 (edited) On 11/06/2018 at 08:56, Scooby said: The 'second' cavity appears to be the original pick-up position - see image below for early Pro 1 fretless. The second cavity is now where the later models have the pick-up or when the bass has two pick-ups fitted. II guess an ideal solution would be to return the pick-up to its original position and find a replacement scratchplate...easier said than done!! picture above is the second release of the Pro basses with the tear drop control plate: http://walbasshistory.blogspot.com/p/a-minor-diversion.html these ones were made with one pickup; either in the neck position or bridge. the only pickup position for the original Pro I or Ie were the neck position since Wal only had one control plate for both Pro I or Ie.... so just to comment, the one you own is an original Pro I, so where the pickup is now IS the original pickup position. Edited June 12, 2018 by kulit17 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Scooby Posted June 12, 2018 Author Share Posted June 12, 2018 2 hours ago, kulit17 said: picture above is the second release of the Pro basses with the tear drop control plate: http://walbasshistory.blogspot.com/p/a-minor-diversion.html these ones were made with one pickup; either in the neck position or bridge. the only pickup position for the original Pro I or Ie were the neck position since Wal only had one control plate for both Pro I or Ie.... so just to comment, the one you own is an original Pro I, so where the pickup is now IS the original pickup position. Thank you for the info. Really appreciate the history😃 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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