WAL - FRETLESS 4 LATE 70'S VERSION £3100 PLYMOUTH

[fretless 9]

Please see the thread under " WAL - INFORMATION" as this has more pictures and details.

In brief

I was passed this WAL by the owner with the possibility of purchase. Serial No PB 1287

After lots of consideration I don't think I can make enough use of it to justify cost and I am not a collector. I

mainly play double bass at present and have a good arsenal of fretted and fretless electrics if they are required.

The owner acquired the bass second hand in Sept 1999 from Mansons - he has the invoice. He had rarely played it and it 

has spent most the the time as a wall hanging ..... this accounts for it's exceptionally good condition given age.

Appears to date back to autumn 1979 and is active.

Only cosmetic fault that I can find is a small depression in the laquer on the back - most probably a belt buckle pressure point. Visually

almost impossible to see - check out photo please.

I have not taken the front plate off and the electrics all seem to work through my amp. There is "crackle" present when turning the master volume pots

but not present when playing. I suspect the electrics would benefit from a check over and service at WAL given instruments age.

I have cleaned the fretboard, neck and wood finishes with Mansons lemon oil. There are some minimal string marks on fretboard. - Appears to

be strung with quality fine flatwounds. Intonation is good all the way up the neck.

Original case,  a strap and dunlop strap locks.

No trades or silly offers. Will consider sensible offers.

Buyer to collect or arrange shipping. Most welcome to check over and try the bass - e mail me to arrange.

 

[sblueplanet 85]

Cool. This should have the collectors selling a kidney 😛

[itu 413]

Excuses... you should be making music with this lady.

[silverfoxnik 551]

What a gorgeous example of a late 70s Pro II.. Looks like it might be the Pro IIe as well.

And it comes with the original brown Wal case - even better! 😊

In this current economic climate, who knows how fast even rarities like this might take to sell, but you can expect @TrevorR and @cetera along at some point to add their comments I would expect.. 

GLWTS 

 

[TrevorR 798]

7 hours ago, silverfoxnik said:

What a gorgeous example of a late 70s Pro II.. Looks like it might be the Pro IIe as well.

And it comes with the original brown Wal case - even better! 😊

In this current economic climate, who knows how fast even rarities like this might take to sell, but you can expect @TrevorR and @cetera along at some point to add their comments I would expect.. 

GLWTS 

 

Yes, she’s a beaut and in amazing condition. The serial is 4 lower than my Pro IIE and mine is a Sept 1979 build date (verified by Pete at Wal) so Aug/September 79 is a likely date.

Love my Pro - they have their quirks but are still the second most amazing sounding and playing instruments (first most amazing being the Custom Series Wals, of course🤣) . 

Someones going to be an exceedingly happy bunny when they snap this one up.

 

PS @fretless , you do realise that 6 or 12 months down the line you’re going to wake up one morning, sit bolt upright in bed and scream, “Aaaarrrggghhh!!!! The one that got away!!!!!” 😉

[pierreganseman 66]

2 hours ago, TrevorR said:

Yes, she’s a beaut and in amazing condition. The serial is 4 lower than my Pro IIE and mine is a Sept 1979 build date (verified by Pete at Wal) so Aug/September 79 is a likely date.

Love my Pro - they have their quirks but are still the second most amazing sounding and playing instruments (first most amazing being the Custom Series Wals, of course🤣) . 

Someones going to be an exceedingly happy bunny when they snap this one up.

 

PS @fretless , you do realise that 6 or 12 months down the line you’re going to wake up one morning, sit bolt upright in bed and scream, “Aaaarrrggghhh!!!! The one that got away!!!!!” 😉

Hi Trevor , people seem to acknowledge you as the "Wal Geek" here, or did i get it wrong?

i've personally not seen an active wal pro.  What. are the controls?? are they same as "real wals" ?

cheers

 

have seen the other thread.  Ignore

Edited April 25 by pierreganseman

[TrevorR 798]

2 hours ago, pierreganseman said:

Hi Trevor , people seem to acknowledge you as the "Wal Geek" here, or did i get it wrong?

i've personally not seen an active wal pro.  What. are the controls?? are they same as "real wals" ?

cheers

 

have seen the other thread.  Ignore

No worries, I can reassure you that they're very real indeed and they sound great! I characterise them as being a bit more of an old-school, 70s rock vibe compared to the Custom Series. The filters are really interesting. The boost/cut that they give is one of those strange things where, when you play them solo'd you have a tendency to think "Oh dear, that's a bit much." However, in the context of a band mix what you actually think is , "Ooooooh, that's soooooo cool!!!!! Growl, cut-though, clarity! Niiiiiiiice!"

Never played a fretless one (don't go there- my fretless playing is SOOOOOOO bad) but with my fretted Pro IIE I tended to use them to set some different core tones... so in the context of the covers/wedding band I used to play in...  neck pickup solo, no filter for classic pop (rounded but defined - say covering Maggie May, The Animals or rock and roll); bridge pickup solo, no filter (bite and bark - covering You Really Got Me or 20th Century Boy);  both, no filter (big round sound with body but never woolly - Motown, A Town Called Malice, acid jazz, big ballads); both but with one of other of the filters (big round defined sound but with a really nice growl and bite - rocky versions of songs like Johnny Be Goode, She's Electric, Get It On, Lady Marmalade, Play That Funky Music, China Grove and Long Train Runnin'). 

However, I can really see how the above would translate into a wealth of fretless styles - whether the big neck or both pickups tone for Pino-style stuff, bridge pickup for Jaco and Percy definition and burp. And then using the filters to add more bark, burp and bite. 

http://walbasshistory.blogspot.com/p/blog-page_9226.html

Hi res version of the original promo booklet here http://walbasshistory.blogspot.com/2013/02/1970s-brochure-for-pro-series-basses.html 

Edited April 25 by TrevorR

[JimmySims 0]

Can anyone confirm if this is a factory fretless or has it been defretted?

[TrevorR 798]

Can't confirm but rosewood with maple fret marker inserts was the standard fretless option for Pro Series Basses according to the old Pro brochure...

 

[JimmySims 0]

Hmm, yeah, the dots threw me off. I’d love to see a photo of the side of he neck to see where the side dots are placed. 

[david1711 17]

I have the same bass in natural and asked Paul the same question as the dots had been moved. Mine is factory.

These are special basses with real character. 

[Alberto Rigoni 43]

Amazing, does it have a lot of "muaaaaa"?

[pierreganseman 66]

are you able to pack for international shipping? 

I'm in Belgium btw, not Uganda lol

[fretless 9]

Pierre

The bass is under serious offer from a UK buyer - I will update tomorrow.

fretless

[barend 1]

Very nice one!

[Shaggy 304]

Looks to be in amazing condition, and a decent price too for these times - vintage Wal bump 

[80sPulser 0]

Hi Fretless

i have just joined bass chat after coming across your advert

I have been looking for ages for a 4 string fretless to join my Wal custom 3 fretted

would you be able to send me an your e mail address if the bass is still for sale please

i am a UK resident and would like to arrange to make a serious offer

 

kind regards

 

Paul

[pierreganseman 66]

On 29/04/2019 at 13:40, fretless said:

Pierre

The bass is under serious offer from a UK buyer - I will update tomorrow.

fretless

i guess it's sold?

[fretless 9]

Pierre

Still under negotiation elsewhere ......

I will keep you informed

fretless

[TheGreek 3,319]

IIRC I used to own s/n 1284

[fretless 9]

Bass under offer and deposit en route. Will re-open if there's a hiccup but no more offers please at present..

Thanks for all the interest and information everyone !

fretless