Wal spotting.

[Misdee]

The reason I mention Alembic in relation to Wal is because they have a filter-based preamp, not because they are structurally or sonically similar. They're equally great and equally quirky in their own way. 

 

 

[Wolverinebass]

As someone who owns both a Wal Mk2 and 2 Alembics, I can say that they sound nothing like each other. At all. Especially the stereo Alembics. Virtually nothing sounds like that.

 

In defence/explanation of Wals, yes, the neck profile is curious. I don't mind it, but I can readily understand why folk don't get on with it. I don't find my Wal uncomfortable to play at all and as to the action, anyone who has ever played one of my basses will know that I have the action supernaturally low. Stupidly low even.

 

They are probably the best recording basses I've ever played and take effects really well too.

 

What they aren't are basses to take massive long solos on. Not only are they timbrally wrong for it, the neck profile will probably dissuade you from it if you have even a modest issue with it. Ultimately, there's the reason Entwistle played Alembics but helped develop Wals and appeared as an endorsee.

 

Whilst I think the prices now are insane, given the choice, give me Wal over a personality-less Fodera or Dingwall any day. Or 4 of the latter actually given the current pricing.

[W1_Pro]

I've never owned a Wal. I played one in Livewire in Cardiff in the 80's and it was lovely. Never really got around to buying one when you couldn't give them away and now I really cannot help thinking they are overvalued. But, I've been saying that since they were £1500, and this one is seen to be a bargain at £8K, so I'm probably wrong about that.  When they were 'new' in the eighties I remember having a chat with my old bandmate Rob Crocker who was a luthier of some note (he's now sadly passed away). He was a contrarian, as are most luthiers of a certain age, but when I raved about the Wal I'd just played in Livewire (it was £800 brand new iirc), he remarked that he thought that was stupid money for what is, after all, a bolt on neck bass. He had an Alembic in his workshop at the time- which may have belonged to Ravi from Livewire, I'm not sure- and he went on and on about the woodwork and the electronics and how top notch it all was. I own a couple of Alembics now and they are completely amazing things, I could probably buy either of them with a bit of effort for less than the asking price of the Wal. I have no idea what I'm trying to say, apart from the idea that value really is in the eye of the beholder, and I've never understood why Wal - good as they are- is the ONLY bass guitar that really commands this sort of cash (as a brand that is, rather than becasue of having belonged to someone famous). 

[W1_Pro]

On 06/10/2025 at 20:21, ped said:

Just adding the obligatory comment about being offered one for -£300 in the 80s

I remember when all this was fields....

[Bagman]

3 hours ago, Wolverinebass said:

As someone who owns both a Wal Mk2 and 2 Alembics, I can say that they sound nothing like each other. At all. Especially the stereo Alembics. Virtually nothing sounds like that.

 

In defence/explanation of Wals, yes, the neck profile is curious. I don't mind it, but I can readily understand why folk don't get on with it. I don't find my Wal uncomfortable to play at all and as to the action, anyone who has ever played one of my basses will know that I have the action supernaturally low. Stupidly low even.

 

They are probably the best recording basses I've ever played and take effects really well too.

 

What they aren't are basses to take massive long solos on. Not only are they timbrally wrong for it, the neck profile will probably dissuade you from it if you have even a modest issue with it. Ultimately, there's the reason Entwistle played Alembics but helped develop Wals and appeared as an endorsee.

 

Whilst I think the prices now are insane, given the choice, give me Wal over a personality-less Fodera or Dingwall any day. Or 4 of the latter actually given the current pricing.

When was Entwistle with Wal?

[Wolverinebass]

40 minutes ago, Bagman said:

When was Entwistle with Wal?

Go look up promotional literature from the mid to late 70s.

[Misdee]

1 hour ago, Bagman said:

When was Entwistle with Wal?

Late 1970's when they were becoming a full-time ongoing concern.

[Misdee]

5 hours ago, Wolverinebass said:

As someone who owns both a Wal Mk2 and 2 Alembics, I can say that they sound nothing like each other. At all. Especially the stereo Alembics. Virtually nothing sounds like that.

 

In defence/explanation of Wals, yes, the neck profile is curious. I don't mind it, but I can readily understand why folk don't get on with it. I don't find my Wal uncomfortable to play at all and as to the action, anyone who has ever played one of my basses will know that I have the action supernaturally low. Stupidly low even.

 

They are probably the best recording basses I've ever played and take effects really well too.

 

What they aren't are basses to take massive long solos on. Not only are they timbrally wrong for it, the neck profile will probably dissuade you from it if you have even a modest issue with it. Ultimately, there's the reason Entwistle played Alembics but helped develop Wals and appeared as an endorsee.

 

Whilst I think the prices now are insane, given the choice, give me Wal over a personality-less Fodera or Dingwall any day. Or 4 of the latter actually given the current pricing.

I totally agree with you about basses like Fodera and Dingwall, and so many others I could mention. At least Wal ( and Alembic) have a distinct sonic personality. So many high-end basses nowadays are, as you intimate, fairly interchangable and just not very interesting.

 

I wouldn't pay a lot of money for a vintage Wal for various reasons. I could go into in detail but won't for risk of upsetting anyone who has one or wants to sell one. Suffice to say then that it's a mistake to confuse the heft of an old Wal bass for durability or robustness.I would ,however, buy a new bass made by Paul Herman if he weren't so chronically back-ordered.  If he could deliver a bass in say 12 months he could have my money now. Who knows, maybe the tariffs in America on imported goods will bring down wait times, but probably not enough, being realistic.  

Edited 53 minutes ago by Misdee