£8k Wal on Reverb, but I wouldn't be happy with bookmatching of top

[Clarky]

https://reverb.com/uk/item/55746587-wal-mk1-1988

 

Apols if its a BCer. The top wood facings are just a bit random looking to me

Edited May 30, 2022 by Clarky

[Happy Jack]

Book-matching to two different books is ... erm ... a feature, Sir.

 

[ezbass]

Design feature to gain a darker sound from the lower strings. ‘S’obvious, innit?

[AndyTravis]

I dunno. I quite like that - but I haven’t got £8k so that’s irrelevant.

 

 

[prowla]

Must've been modeled after this.

[Shaggy]

Doesn’t look too bad to me, I think some of the apparent difference between the facing halves is due to the lighting.

 

Looks rather similar to one that was FS on here a good few years back, if I remember rightly the facings were made from an antique piece of mahogany furniture.  Think it was around the £2K mark then.....🤔

[Burns-bass]

Prices for these are just mad. They're OK, but god knows who's driving this? Did someone famous who uses one die?

[BigRedX]

14 minutes ago, Burns-bass said:

Prices for these are just mad. They're OK, but god knows who's driving this? Did someone famous who uses one die?

 

Mick Karn? (although the vast majority of his best known work with Japan was recorded with him playing a Travis Bean bass).

 

The thing with Wal basses is that although they are still being made, the current build times are being measured in years rather than months, and if you want the "Wal Sound" there really is no alternative (some ACG basses will get you close though). The price reflects the fact that you will be able to take this bass home right now rather than wait for Paul Herman to build you one (that's if Wal are actually taking new orders at the moment).

[Shaggy]

17 minutes ago, Burns-bass said:

Prices for these are just mad. They're OK, but god knows who's driving this? Did someone famous who uses one die?

 

To be honest, I’ve noticed that prices for all “desirable” vintage basses have shot up lately - maybe it’s where the clever (or not so clever?) investors are putting their money in these financially uncertain times. 

 

I’ve been looking out for a nice pre-EB MM Stingray, so keep an eye on Andy Baxter’s.   The last few he had in (end of last year?) were around £2.3K, the couple he’s had in recently are nudging the £4K mark.....🙁. https://www.andybaxterbass.com/collections/music-man-basses/products/1978-music-man-stingray-natural

[Woodinblack]

All prices are silly now, and once things get in the collectable time then they are just bought because if you hold onto it for a few years, you can double your money, they have ceased to actually be instruments, and are just assets, like a wine or a painting, they are probably not going to be played.

[Shaggy]

25 minutes ago, BigRedX said:

 

Mick Karn? (although the vast majority of his best known work with Japan was recorded with him playing a Travis Bean bass).

 

The thing with Wal basses is that although they are still being made, the current build times are being measured in years rather than months, and if you want the "Wal Sound" there really is no alternative (some ACG basses will get you close though). The price reflects the fact that you will be able to take this bass home right now rather than wait for Paul Herman to build you one (that's if Wal are actually taking new orders at the moment).

 

I’d agree with that. Added to which is the near certainty that however much you spend on a Wal, you’ll make money when re-selling it (much less likely with an ACG/ Fodera/ Alembic), it’s an ‘80’s era Wal - which does add kudos, and if it’s the one I’m thinking of then with those facings it’s unique.   Probably a realistic price, currently.

[daveybass]

21 minutes ago, Shaggy said:

 

I’d agree with that. Added to which is the near certainty that however much you spend on a Wal, you’ll make money when re-selling it (much less likely with an ACG/ Fodera/ Alembic), it’s an ‘80’s era Wal - which does add kudos, and if it’s the one I’m thinking of then with those facings it’s unique.   Probably a realistic price, currently.

Now I'm curious.....do tell

[walshy]

45 minutes ago, Shaggy said:

 

I’d agree with that. Added to which is the near certainty that however much you spend on a Wal, you’ll make money when re-selling it (much less likely with an ACG/ Fodera/ Alembic), it’s an ‘80’s era Wal - which does add kudos, and if it’s the one I’m thinking of then with those facings it’s unique.   Probably a realistic price, currently.

Yeah I have just taken in 2 Wal basses as a trade ( 82 & 83), both beautiful and ultimately for sale as thats what I do. Having played them both they are amazing and I see what people mean about their sound. But to the normal person it's just a bass, don't suppose it matters the flavour. To others its a must have bucket list bass. Horses for courses. I know the guys at Bassbros had one in just sold at £8k I believe. 

Edited May 31, 2022 by walshy

[Shaggy]

1 hour ago, daveybass said:

Now I'm curious.....do tell

 

Only what I’d said in an earlier post above, in it looking like a bass FS here ages ago, which had facings made from an antique piece of mahogany furniture (or could even have been part of an old stately home?) - which I guess would make it the original “coffee table” bass! 😉

 

I could of course be wrong, but fairly rare to see basses with fancy grain mahogany facings, as the big old proper mahogany trees with lovely figured grain were cut down and used for furniture many years ago - any remaining probably now protected, like Brazilian rosewood.

[LukeFRC]

I wouldn't have a problem with the look of that bass at all. However if I sold all my basses I would still probably be short.... so it's not really going to happen.

[Burns-bass]

I’ve had a couple of Wals. I just moved them on as they were unwieldy and uncomfortable. 

[binky_bass]

I'm firmly in the 'I just don't get Wals' camp. They're built well, but they're not extraordinary whereas an ACG does have extraordinary build quality and undeservedly change hands for a tiny fraction of a 2nd hand Wal. People can like what they like, no issues there, but for me Wals are so incredibly over priced for what they are it just strikes me as odd that anyone would pay 8k for one if they knew that there are better made and sounding alternatives out there. (Yes, that is subjective of course!)

[LukeFRC]

1 hour ago, binky_bass said:

I'm firmly in the 'I just don't get Wals' camp. They're built well, but they're not extraordinary whereas an ACG does have extraordinary build quality and undeservedly change hands for a tiny fraction of a 2nd hand Wal. People can like what they like, no issues there, but for me Wals are so incredibly over priced for what they are it just strikes me as odd that anyone would pay 8k for one if they knew that there are better made and sounding alternatives out there. (Yes, that is subjective of course!)

yeah but they have a sound, and if you really want that sound they are the only option.
As well as this they also have a recognisable recipe setup, set number of body shapes, mahogany body with a top, with maple/mahogany/sometimes hornbeam neck and rosewood or ebony board.... you buy one Wal Mk1-3 you can expect it to sound much the same as the ones your bass heros did... 

Who else uses filter preamps as their thing? Alembic, Wal, ACG

Which builders use multi coil pickups? Wal, ACG, Ovation(?), Atlansia

So it comes down to Wal, or ACG who aren't trying to clone the Wal sound, who's preamp sounds different and who doesn't have the recognisable repeatable recipe of what they do. I tried a Uber ACG once, it had Wenge and bubinga neck and board and I think a wedge and bubinga body... it sounded glorious but probably more in common with a Warwick thumb than a Wal. So while ACG are lovely and I would like to own one... I wouldn't know what I was getting if I bought a secondhand Uber spec one... which is going to keep the price down...

Then add a price bump when Wal stopped making them, a lack of supply when they started up again... and the fact that after a certain point the relative cost is irrelevant - I grew up in Essex and I know for a fact that like-for-like my house would cost double on the outskirts of Chelmsford as it would on the outskirts of Leeds... my better made, better sounding, friendlier Northern alternative just isn't what some people want. So they stump up the money and buy a Wal. 

 

[Burns-bass]

19 hours ago, Woodinblack said:

All prices are silly now, and once things get in the collectable time then they are just bought because if you hold onto it for a few years, you can double your money, they have ceased to actually be instruments, and are just assets, like a wine or a painting, they are probably not going to be played.

These are speculative assets. As someone who is currently selling lots of stuff the market is slow, and I’m sure it’ll be the same at the top-end of the market too. 

[Burns-bass]

20 hours ago, Shaggy said:

 

To be honest, I’ve noticed that prices for all “desirable” vintage basses have shot up lately - maybe it’s where the clever (or not so clever?) investors are putting their money in these financially uncertain times. 

 

I’ve been looking out for a nice pre-EB MM Stingray, so keep an eye on Andy Baxter’s.   The last few he had in (end of last year?) were around £2.3K, the couple he’s had in recently are nudging the £4K mark.....🙁. https://www.andybaxterbass.com/collections/music-man-basses/products/1978-music-man-stingray-natural

Check out bass bros!!!

[johnbiffa]

I owned a new pair of matched olive green stained Wal's in 1980, fretted and fretless, traded them for a 63 Jazz in 81 when I lived in Bristol always wondered where they went after.  I remember them as being good but not fabulous unlike my Sadowsky NYC's which are everything I ever wanted in terms of feel, build and sound.