White Cloud

[quote name='Dingus' timestamp='1387545088' post='2313172'] That's really exciting news, Rob. Good for you. It might seem like a long wait now , but it will give you plenty to think about and look forward to in the meantime, so try and enjoy the anticipation as well as actually getting the bass. [/quote] And +1 to this also.

[quote name='Bassman Sam' timestamp='1387490308' post='2312720'] There is a nice 1990 4 string MR1 on Bass Directs facebook page. Lovely. [url="http://www.bassdirect.co.uk/bass_guitar_specialists/Wal_MKI_Fretted_1990.html"]http://www.bassdirec...etted_1990.html[/url] [/quote] + 1

Love Gabriel era Genesis....and love this. Thanks for sharing!

[quote name='drTStingray' timestamp='1387416409' post='2311830'] Dingus you were making serious money to have a Wal custom at 21! [/quote] Well, I'm going to black cat Dingus...I had a new MK1 in 1986 when I was 18! I was a low earner and was literally dirt poor...because I had bought a Wal on the never never. I called it dedication at the time, but in hindsight it was probably madness. Nowadays I earn good money, own 2 nice cars and a gorgeous house in an affluent area...but can't afford a Wal. Life is strange!

[quote name='HowieBass' timestamp='1387373375' post='2311194'] The first thing I thought of when I saw the paler wood inset in your Wal was maybe adding a large ramp in wenge with two pickups concealed inside it... [/quote] Not sure what the OP will think of that....but it is a great idea!

"Captain Nemo" or "Into the arena" by Michael Schenker Group.

[quote name='Dingus' timestamp='1387293464' post='2310362'] A Wal is a bass that is worth really, really wanting . They are one of the few very expensive basses that are actually worth the money However,despite the revered status they hold nowadays, they are pretty esoteric and individualistic instruments and definitely not for everybody, so don't necessarily assume that a Wal would be your Holy Grail. But it probably would be . [/quote] I know from historical Wal ownership that this is the truth.

[quote name='Beedster' timestamp='1387143764' post='2308760'] I'm doing a lot of thinking about this! I've decided to hang onto my '78 maple board fretless Precision which has the flatwound P-Bass retro thing covered. PUP-wise on the Wal I'm going to be looking for an active option likely with rounds in mind. I'm tempted to go for a single MM-style humbucker at the bridge and an East circuit, or possibly an HS. Thoughts? [/quote] I'm not the best person to ask about electrics and pickups to be honest. I do however believe that a Wal should only have Wal pickups & electrics - but appreciate that is not the direction you want to go for obvious reasons. I personally really, really like the sound and tone that a couple of Overwater's that I have heard recently possess. I may be wrong but I believe the pre is produced by John East? Perhaps this is an option?

[quote name='JapanAxe' timestamp='1387140726' post='2308677'] Average ordinary non-muso folks connect most with a song's vocals, as the vocalist is communicating with them in the most direct way. In comparison, a musician-based competition will not be as accessible to the general public. [/quote] The voice is the primary instrument.

Depends on condition etc. I would want a good look at it regardless...some Supernaturals of this time had, shall we say, less than reliable neck stability.

[quote name='gareth' timestamp='1387118952' post='2308329'] there is something truly beautiful about an unlined board especially one in dark ebony [/quote] Dead right...you're on the money with this!

[quote name='Dingus' timestamp='1387028749' post='2307559'] I've been playing some fretless lately after a long layoff from it , and I am [u][i]extremely[/i] [/u]grateful for the fret lines on my bass for a variety of reasons. I nearly bought an unlined bass, but I realise now that would have been a mistake [/quote] Strangely enough I have never had any difficulty playing unlined fretless basses..of which I have owned several. I must admit though that I find myself becoming bored playing fretless after several months, gravitate back to fretted...then once again long for another fretless. Fickle or what!

Lakland 5 string basses tend to be exceptional. Nice bass!

[quote name='Roland Rock' timestamp='1386956204' post='2306853'] Ha, cheers. Beedster, it was a serious offer - look, I pulled out a wenge board today - 5ft x 7in x 2in Nipping a bit off the end is no trouble. Let me know.. [/quote] Wow, that is a serious Wenge Board indeed!

Congrats on the basses. I am a big Lakland fan, having owned several myself...great basses. The Burns just isn't for me...but I love the colour.

To be honest I wouldn't disagree with the merits of any of the aforementioned! For me....Rush "Moving Pictures". Blew my mind.

[quote name='Dingus' timestamp='1386792841' post='2304722']It's the sonic equivalent of a woman with red hair and a nice bottom. [/quote] Lol, my missus has red hair and a nice bottom - but sounds rotten!

[quote name='Roland Rock' timestamp='1386788876' post='2304609'] If you want a piece of wenge, send me the dimensions and I'll send it to you FOC. My payment will be seeing this wrong righted ASAP [/quote] You sir, are a gentleman.

Geezer Butler was one of my main formative influences on the bass. I regard him as one of the greatest rock players of all time...superb!

Nice one" Beautiful bass...the replacement is even nicer looking than the first one. I have had my 1205 for 18 mths and is my no.1 gigging stalwart....

[quote name='Dingus' timestamp='1386706925' post='2303487'] I too remember writing to Wal for a catalogue back in the days when computers were the preserve of kids who couldn't go out of the house because they were at too great a risk of being bullied.[/quote] Lol...nowadays it has bred a bunch of kids (and adults who really should know better) that are invincible, hyper intelligent and all knowing keyboard warriors - just take a look at the Off Topic section here for proof! [quote name='Dingus' timestamp='1386706925' post='2303487']When I left school my main aim was to somehow get my hands on enough money to buy a Wal , but it took me quite a while to save up , from what I can remember, and they were no where near as expensive in those days, even allowing for inflation. I used to go look at the basses in the Bass Centre at Wapping and wonder how I could possibly wait another six months or a year to get my hands on one of the basses I lusted over. Nothing ( nothing) nowadays gets me so worked up. I wish I could get that excited over a bass nowadays, but I just can't, I'm afraid .[/quote] I am starting to think that you are actually me in a parallel universe! [quote name='Dingus' timestamp='1386706925' post='2303487']I remember I had just saved up just enough to eventually buy one ( £790) and then they went up a hundred quid. I rang Pete to check it wasn't a misprint or something ( it wasn't) , and he sold me a bass at the old price a hundred quid cheaper anyway. [/quote] That is incredible customer care way above and beyond the call of duty. I am now realising just how decent Pete and Ian were. I paid £750 for mine...the price of a decent 2nd hand car in 85.

[quote name='Dingus' timestamp='1386703981' post='2303427'] What I do remember clearly is they were the nicest, most decent people you could ever wish to meet. They treated everybody as if they were important, and they were generous to a fault in not charging much at all for servicing and repair work quite often, and giving away things like free sets of strings.[/quote] That is what I call customer service. I contacted Wal via the written word (the internet was the stuff of sci-fi then) when I was a young man and they kindly sent me oodles of stuff...I bought my mk1 soon afterwards - I traded my Rick 4001 and put the rest on the never never. I literally did not drink, drive, copulate or socialise for six months to pay it up. Thanks very much for sharing your experience with us.

[quote name='Dingus' timestamp='1386695336' post='2303199'] That's why when they got serious about making basses they ended up in High Wycombe. Everything they needed in terms of tooling the wood for the basses was in one place . The workshop for most of their time was a space in a pretty big old factory unit, from what I remember( it's twenty years since I was last there , near enough) , and then towards the end, (if I understand correctly because I wasn't playing Wals anymore by this time, ) Pete had a space in the corner of another furniture factory, and I think they let him use some of the machines and woodworking facilities. Wenge is widely used for marquetry work on fancy furniture, apparently, so should be pretty easy to source as a veneer. [/quote] A visit to that workshop must have been magical. My current Ibanez Sr1205 has a Wenge neck with stringers and it is a gorgeous wood. I have promised myself a Wal with Wenge facings before I die (still regret moving my old mk1 custom on!).

[quote name='Dingus' timestamp='1386692398' post='2303152'] Just about all the exotic woods used for fancy tops on basses are what are commonly referred to as "fine furniture woods", and are available either as planks or veneers from fine furniture wood suppliers, of whom there are quite a few. It is no coincidence the Wal were based at High Wycombe , which is the epicentre of the British furniture making trade has traditionally been. The basses were, for much of the time Wal were there, made in a corner of a furniture making factory, with the company being able to make use of various facilities that were of common use to both guitar building and furniture making trades. In light of that, if you try searching on the internet for U.K suppliers of fine furniture woods, you should have no problems tracking down a suitable piece of wenge. [/quote] Wow, I never knew that about Wal...thanks for sharing. Every day is a school day!