Wal Mk 1 / Custom Pro Custom Mk 1 - Price Drop £6000

[bagsieblue]

Wal Mk 1  / Custom / Pro.

 

Now £5500 collected (Lancashire), not keen on shipping given the value but PM me if its a deal breaker.

Open to part trades.......

 

Its made from a solid ash body, (not mahogany) and a face wood!.

Very unusual on a custom Wal (aka MK1).

 

Basically its a Pro neck on a standard Custom series.

 

It is actually reasonably common for Wal to service basses in this configuration.

So, I believe, a Pro 1 neck put onto a Mark 1 body at Wal in 1990. Probably, likely have been a customer request. 
 

Set up and plays beautifully.

 

Lots of wear on this bass - cracking and crazing of the finish and cracking and crazing on the headstock.

 

Very common for Wal Basses to have these crack lines in the poly finish on the rear of headstock “volute” area. 

 

If there’s a solid colour that suits a Wal it’s definitely black..

 

Signed off as 1990, and shows signs of use commensurate with this, please do not expect an as new pristine bass.

 

Weight is 4.437 Kg on my digital kitchen scales, so fairly lightweight for a Wal bass of this period.

 

The wait on a new Wal bass is circa 5 years at present!

 

I've tried to capture all this as best I can in the photos added - happy to send more photos and details as required.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Edited August 31, 2023 by bagsieblue
Removed some photos for the BC Illumni

[Cosmo Valdemar]

Remarkable. I love that original headstock shape.

[snorkie635]

GLWTS - I don't think you'll need it though.

 

[Owen]

You are going to have no space left in your picture allowance!

[Burns-bass]

27 minutes ago, Owen said:

You are going to have no space left in your picture allowance!

It’s so good they’re all uploaded twice! 

[Owen]

Probably flaunting some sort of BC Gold membership which I do not know of!

Edited August 31, 2023 by Owen
because of the spelling. Always the spelling.

[Burns-bass]

28 minutes ago, Owen said:

Probably flaunting some sort of BC Gold membership which I do knot know of!

It’s a lovely bass and I’m sure will make someone very happy. The last Wal I had was a great bass…!

[Owen]

8 hours ago, Burns-bass said:

It’s a lovely bass and I’m sure will make someone very happy. The last Wal I had was a great bass…!

Without a doubt. 

[dutchwife]

Hey Bags, I didn't notice a reason for moving this beauty along; if you're pushed for space I can look after it until it sells... 😂 🤞🏻

[HotelX]

Nice bass. Tempted to fly over and get it. Maybe if you still have it this fall when my schedule frees up.

[NickA]

Strange that the neck is dated 1990 when it looks like an older bass (all chrome bridge + pro style neck).  Does it say 1990 on the scotch tape too (photo too blurred)?  And what's the serial number?  Maybe assembled from older bits in 1990 - or the hardware and neck from a Pro2 or Pro2e was fitted to a new body in 1990 to make a custom (complete with the latest electronics).

 

Whatever the history, I'm sure it sounds good and at a much fairer price than some (all!) of the others on sale.

 

My own 1986 Wal custom fretless has seen some action and is not exactly showroom condition ... condition affects the sound not one jot,I love it to bits; it's the bass I'd never sell.

[bagsieblue]

1 minute ago, NickA said:

Strange that the neck is dated 1990 when it looks like an older bass (all chrome bridge + pro style neck).  Does it say 1990 on the scotch tape too (photo too blurred)?  And what's the serial number?  Maybe assembled from older bits in 1990 - or the hardware and neck from a Pro2 or Pro2e was fitted to a new body in 1990 to make a custom (complete with the latest electronics).

 

Whatever the history, I'm sure it sounds good and at a much fairer price than some (all!) of the others on sale.

 

My own 1986 Wal custom fretless has seen some action and is not exactly showroom condition ... condition affects the sound not one jot,I love it to bits; it's the bass I'd never sell.

Yep - its a 1990 neck on an older body.

Body signed off as 1990 too, I assume to match the neck date when assembled (as the bass now is) in 1990.

[NickA]

11 hours ago, bagsieblue said:

a 1990 neck on an older body.

 

Including this one, there are now two like this (new style body, old style bits) for sale on Facebook. The other one (pb 1844) is dated 1981 ..about the last one with paddle head and chrome bridge. So I guess this is a similar age.

 

This is irrelevant wal-nut nerdery I know. But some of us saddos are into it 😁

[Kev]

You should get this up on Bassbros bud, they'd probably sell it pretty quickly to someone over the pond, Wals don't hang around long with them.

[NickA]

Given bassbros are selling a fretless passive pro1 reissue for £5500; sure they could sell this one for a decent price. Not that their description really says what it is...

 

What's their commission tho?

[Clarky]

9 minutes ago, NickA said:

Given bassbros are selling a fretless passive pro1 reissue for £5500; sure they could sell this one for a decent price. Not that their description really says what it is...

 

What's their commission tho?

From their website: "we also offer a commissioned sale alternative, we charge 20% on the final sale price"

[NickA]

Didn't find that.  Same commission as bass direct. 

 

They're selling a posher looking fretted Wal custom for £8k, so the seller will get £6.7k.  for bagsie to get his £6k they'd have to sell his for £7.2k ...hmm.  Maybe.

Edited June 8, 2023 by NickA

[Dazed]

I realise these are very expensive basses so they naturally have a reduced market but I thought people were gagging for Wals these days, what with the huge new price tag, enormous waiting list etc. 
 

Surprised this is still here?
Have you had much interest / tyre kickers @bagsieblue

Edited June 14, 2023 by Dazed

[bagsieblue]

4 hours ago, Dazed said:

I realise these are very expensive basses so they naturally have a reduced market but I thought people were gagging for Wals these days, what with the huge new price tag, enormous waiting list etc. 
 

Surprised this is still here?
Have you had much interest / tyre kickers @bagsieblue

Yes, a few people keep coming back to it but no one committed yet. 

[TheGreek]

Agree with what @Dazed says.

 

You can tell that money is tight at the moment - this would have flown 18 months ago

[NickA]

On 21/06/2023 at 21:22, TheGreek said:

Agree with what @Dazed says.

 

You can tell that money is tight at the moment - this would have flown 18 months ago

Yup prices seen to have peaked somewhat.  A few for sale around the £6k mark.  Nice Padauk and Mahogany fretless one of a similar age for €7k in denmark also hasn't sold yet.

 

Partly I guess, people feeling the pinch but also a lot came out the woodwork when the prices seemed to be going up and up.

[bagsieblue]

Now £5500 collected (Lancashire)