NancyJohnson Posted October 5 Posted October 5 Look, I know we're not supposed to post Gumtree links, so I won't, go look yourself, but there's a very nice, decently priced 1985 one up for £8k in Hounslow. Save yourself a few £££. Look for it yourself. 1 Quote
NancyJohnson Posted October 5 Author Posted October 5 1 hour ago, Piers_Williamson said: It's not yours by any chance is it? Bwahaha. The seller always seems to have a bundle of decent kit on sale! Quote
Bagman Posted October 6 Posted October 6 Hi ,does Wal rhyme with Ball? or is it more like wishing "well" ? I can't recollect hearing the word Quote
Piers_Williamson Posted October 6 Posted October 6 1 hour ago, Bagman said: Hi ,does Wal rhyme with Ball? or is it more like wishing "well" ? I can't recollect hearing the word I think that might depend on whether one has a plum in ones mouth (while playing one's Wal, naturally). Or there may be an Aussie interpretation of this too..... Quote
cetera Posted October 6 Posted October 6 1 hour ago, Bagman said: Hi ,does Wal rhyme with Ball? or is it more like wishing "well" ? I can't recollect hearing the word More like rhyming with 'hole' 1 Quote
Piers_Williamson Posted October 6 Posted October 6 11 minutes ago, cetera said: More like rhyming with 'hole' As in: I am a Mal and I live in a Hal 1 3 Quote
NancyJohnson Posted October 6 Author Posted October 6 (edited) Say the word 'wally' and leave off the lee. Edited October 6 by NancyJohnson 1 Quote
ped Posted October 6 Posted October 6 Just adding the obligatory comment about being offered one for -£300 in the 80s 1 1 6 Quote
Misdee Posted October 6 Posted October 6 (edited) If people are willing to pay £9 grand for a vintage Wal then good luck to them, and well done to whoever is managing to sell them at that price. I would love to buy a Wal but I don't want an old one and all the associated problems for that kind of money. I'd much rather have a new one made by Paul Herman, but last I heard it was a six year wait. When you get to a certain age six years is a maybe rather than a when. I'll just have to make do with something else. Edited October 6 by Misdee Quote
Misdee Posted October 6 Posted October 6 10 hours ago, Bagman said: Hi ,does Wal rhyme with Ball? or is it more like wishing "well" ? I can't recollect hearing the word Waller, but without the "ler" at the end. From Ian Waller, co-founder of the company. Quote
Mrbigstuff Posted October 6 Posted October 6 1 hour ago, Misdee said: If people are willing to pay £9 grand for a vintage Wal then good luck to them, and well done to whoever is managing to sell them at that price. I would love to buy a Wal but I don't want an old one and all the associated problems for that kind of money. I'd much rather have a new one made by Paul Herman, but last I heard it was a six year wait. When you get to a certain age six years is a maybe rather than a when. I'll just have to make do with something else. Plenty of other fantastic basses out there for much less! 1 Quote
Misdee Posted October 7 Posted October 7 (edited) 11 hours ago, Mrbigstuff said: Plenty of other fantastic basses out there for much less! I know, but nothing sounds like a Wal. A proper Alembic would be an acceptable substitute, I suppose. That's a whole other can of worms. Edited October 7 by Misdee Quote
Rich Posted October 7 Posted October 7 23 hours ago, Bagman said: Hi ,does Wal rhyme with Ball? or is it more like wishing "well" ? I can't recollect hearing the word Rhymes with "doll". 14 hours ago, ped said: Just adding the obligatory comment about being offered one for -£300 in the 80s Paid £330 for mine in '86. 2 Quote
snorkie635 Posted October 7 Posted October 7 Have posted about this a while ago, but following on from Rich, I thought I'd re-state my first Wal cost £50 (fifty), in 1989, and, no, it wasn't stolen. Quote
HeadlessBassist Posted October 7 Posted October 7 I've never seen the attraction, personally. Played a couple and wasn't particularly impressed. And now at £8k? Nah. The rich collectors are welcome to them. 4 Quote
snorkie635 Posted October 7 Posted October 7 3 hours ago, HeadlessBassist said: I've never seen the attraction, personally. Played a couple and wasn't particularly impressed. And now at £8k? Nah. The rich collectors are welcome to them. Agree wholeheartedly. 1 Quote
mikeswals Posted Thursday at 20:35 Posted Thursday at 20:35 On 07/10/2025 at 01:42, Misdee said: I know, but nothing sounds like a Wal. A proper Alembic would be an acceptable substitute, I suppose. That's a whole other can of worms. Alembics sound nothing similar to a Wal. Quote
Misdee Posted Thursday at 20:46 Posted Thursday at 20:46 (edited) 20 minutes ago, mikeswals said: Alembics sound nothing similar to a Wal. I know the don't, but I could console myself with one.🙂 Edited Thursday at 20:55 by Misdee 1 Quote
Kev Posted Thursday at 21:09 Posted Thursday at 21:09 Sometimes I miss my Wal MK2. Sounded incredible, looked fantastic. But it was one of the most uncomfortable basses I've ever played. Horrible neck profile, horrible pickup thumb anchoring, horrible distance between strings and body. If I was rich enough to order one, I'd change almost everything about it (though I think the 5 string version solves a lot of it), but the sound is my favourite raw bass sound by a country mile. For the price? Nah, they're just daft now, and many owners are toxic AF about protecting their value as well (the FB group was a horrid place when I left), I've heard of some actively messaging people selling Wals "cheaply" to tell them to ask for more, so as not to damage their investment. It's a very shrewd move to continue to refuse to sell the electrics separately, as without that exclusivity, I don't think the market would be there. 4 Quote
Mokl Posted Friday at 05:57 Posted Friday at 05:57 8 hours ago, Kev said: Sometimes I miss my Wal MK2. Sounded incredible, looked fantastic. But it was one of the most uncomfortable basses I've ever played. Horrible neck profile, horrible pickup thumb anchoring, horrible distance between strings and body. If I was rich enough to order one, I'd change almost everything about it (though I think the 5 string version solves a lot of it), but the sound is my favourite raw bass sound by a country mile. For the price? Nah, they're just daft now, and many owners are toxic AF about protecting their value as well (the FB group was a horrid place when I left), I've heard of some actively messaging people selling Wals "cheaply" to tell them to ask for more, so as not to damage their investment. It's a very shrewd move to continue to refuse to sell the electrics separately, as without that exclusivity, I don't think the market would be there. My experience similar to yours. I loved both of the Wals I had, but I'm not sure now if it was just because I'd wanted one for so long. The MK1 was the better playing and sounding, but ergonomics really didn't suit me. The MK2 5 was a bit better ergonomics-wise for me, but things like the strings being so far from the body (and I run v low action) never felt right to me, but I realise that's a personal preference. I miss the recorded/direct sound, they certainly have a unique thing going on. Quote
Bass Direct Posted Friday at 08:14 Posted Friday at 08:14 11 hours ago, mikeswals said: Alembics sound nothing similar to a Wal. Opposites in many ways Quote
Woodinblack Posted Friday at 08:22 Posted Friday at 08:22 On 06/10/2025 at 19:21, ped said: Just adding the obligatory comment about being offered one for -£300 in the 80s Fun fact, I was one of the few people who didn't almost by a Wal for £300 in the 80s! 2 Quote
cetera Posted Friday at 08:34 Posted Friday at 08:34 Fun fact, I was one of the people who recently sold a Wal for £11k 2 Quote
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