Dingus

Anything - and I really mean [i]anything[/i] - that has the marque of Stock , Aitken and Waterman on it . Your absolute 100 % guarantee of complete crap .

[quote name='stu_g' timestamp='1364555234' post='2028060'] sorry you said cheesey i love the singers theatrical entrance classic [media]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LltbFoeJcl8[/media] [/quote] I remember watching this on t.v the night it was first broadcast when I was in my teens and it fueling my desire to be a ponce with fancy hairstyle that played the bass guitar for a living . Ambition achieved !

[quote name='White Cloud' timestamp='1364556090' post='2028073'] I have been reflecting on this thread for a couple of days; I personally feel on balance that the XL2 is, for me, the greatest bass design of all time. [/quote] [quote name='philw' timestamp='1364557641' post='2028102'] I'll concur with that - although I think the plug-in leg rest of the L2 was functionally better than the XL2's folding item. And if there's one bass I've owned and sold but which I'd have back if I could, it'd be my old L2. P [/quote] Even though I have never owned one ( yet) , I think the Steinberger is up there with the Fender Precision and Fender Jazz Bass in terms of the beauty and functionality of its' design . And as I have mentioned in an earlier post , the Steinberger is the only bass I can think of that I have never owned that I still hanker for . Back in the 1980's when the Steinberger was current I opted for Wal basses ( along with Fenders and Musicman ) , which were fantastic in their own way and which I loved but I don't feel particulaly nostalgic to play them again nowadays despite the cache they ( quite rightly ) now seem to enjoy . I have got some very nice basses now , and have have had just about every other bass I wanted along the way , but the Steinberger will always be the one that got away . Something that strikes me listening to people playing these basses with the balance of hindsight is what a magnificent and individualistic tone they have got , quite unique at the time they came out . They seem to have such a wiry and strident tone , largely due to the graphite , and that is a great sound in itself - it's wrong to want or expect the same warmth or woodyness that you would get from a conventional wooden bass from one of these things , and that is a big part of their appeal to me and their strenghth as a design . All this is making me seriously think about looking into buying one again .

[quote name='Lfalex v1.1' timestamp='1364503379' post='2027501'] If they're on youchoob, a quick search ought to turn up a few... [/quote] Looking forward to that . I have got a playalong video of myself somewhere at home doing some Kool And The Gang numbers that I did to try out my new video camera a while back . Maybe I could send them that ?

[quote name='GeeCee' timestamp='1364504348' post='2027523'] I had a Vigier Passion bass with a graphite neck that developed a bow and have played an early Status Series II fretless with the same problem. Neither could be corrected without a truss rod. I believe Musicman Cutlass basses can also be problematic and have heard similar stories about graphite-necked Alembic basses with problems, though I have never played either. [/quote] Those are [u][i]exactly[/i][/u] the same makes and models that I have heard about problems developing on .

[quote name='jonthebass' timestamp='1364490687' post='2027251'] Guys, go for it! How cool would it be to see a BC'er get this gig [/quote] I could do it - providing they were looking for another sex symbol to front the band - but I have promised to sort out the bathroom and the kitchen as soon as the weather gets better . Bummer !

I would [u]love [/u]to see some ( all ) of the audition videos they get for this gig ! The X Factor will pale by comparison , I expect .

John's preamps are just about the best designed and best sounding of their kind that I have ever heard . Nice to hear that he is decent chap as well .

[quote name='Musicman20' timestamp='1364480243' post='2027048'] Kinda cool, but needs chrome knobs and a brown tort plate immediately. [/quote] Agreed .

[quote name='molan' timestamp='1364474168' post='2026933'] They vary a lot in weight - I have two J's and both are pretty 'standard' Fender J weight [/quote] Fair enough . I played a 70's- style ash bodied bass and that may explain the extra weight .

[quote name='Dropzone' timestamp='1364464593' post='2026756'] We play Pompey a lot. [/quote] You should be able to beat them easily - they have had to sell all their best players .

[quote name='molan' timestamp='1364425400' post='2026473'] Best P bass I've ever played was an Alleva Copollo KPB. The 5's are pretty rare and there's a long wait for a new one - of course, one reason is because Jimmy can sell every one he can make! [/quote] I found Alleva Basses to be meticulously well made - absolutely perfect , in fact - but a little bit on the heavy side for me .

There's a five string Lakland Skyline in Bass Direct at the moment that weighs under nine pounds . The weights tend to vary a great deal , but the more recent Skylines tend to be a bit lighter , generally speaking . On the subject of Laklands , I cannot help but think that you are not comparing like with like in so much as when people mention Lakland the are automatically assuming the Skyline range and comparing that with quality handmade basses like Lull , Dingwall and Xotic . Good as the Skyline range is , the real comparison would be with USA - made Laklands , which in my experience are as good as anything out there and easily compete with Lullm and Dingwall in terms of quality construction and attention to detail . USA Laklands are pretty lightweight anyway , and if weight is an issue they will gladly build you a light one . They can also do a 34 inch scale five string as a custom order . On that subject , I think Lull basses have 35 inch scale for the five string models as standard . I like the oval bridge plate on Lakland basses - they wouldn't look right without it !

Play up Pompey ? Should be " pay up Pompey " the dire straits that club are in and the trouble they have left their ( many ) creditors in . Ask Harry Redknapp for a donation - he could pay it out of his bonus for winning the FA Cup in 2008 .

[quote name='AndyTravis' timestamp='1364416239' post='2026267'] A good while ago before Paul Herman took the reigns at Wal, there was talk of a UK based high-end guitar distributor buying the rights/brand name and re-launching the Wal name. When I found out about this, I was straight on the phone asking questions; would there be new models etc. Their plan of action worked along the lines of the Fret King model, A high end UK made product, and a more accesible incarnation of the brand. And in all honesty, i'm glad the talks fell through - The mystique around the brand and the 'Electric Wood' story was being totally bypassed with this kind of business model; in short, cheapening the brand. Imagine if there was a Wal 'SE' or similar, would it be harmful to the mystery of it all, would it ruin the second hand values, would the order books for the UK product still be full? I'm not sure, does Squier/Fender, Epiphone/Gibson, LTD/ESP and PRS/PRS 'SE' do any of that? Having Paul Herman take over probably was the preferable outcome in terms of the company image/kudos, as he'd had involvement prior to the quiet times. I'm still hankering for one, and i'm sure eventually i'll own one, but it'll be a while off yet. [/quote] I think Pete Stevens had a few offers on the table towards the end of the time he was making basses and then afterwards , but anyone who knew Pete and the crew at Electric Wood back in their heyday will tell you , they really weren't in it for the money . They were ( quite rightly ) fiercely proud of their basses and I have never known a company that cared so genuinely about their customers . I think Pete handed the baton to Paul because he was one of them and understood what Wal basses were all about , and thank gooodness he did . The World doesn't really need cheap Wal basses , it needs good ones .

[quote name='magcom1977' timestamp='1364412597' post='2026201'] I agree with you there chris b. All of the above are gorgeous so there will be no winner based on looks alone. [/quote] I suppose the good news is that one visit to Bass Direct on the right day and you could try all of the major contenders side by side and get a clear idea of which was best suited to yourself . It's also quite possible that you like them all , and are no clearer to choosing one at the end of the day !

I think whether Wal would sell you some pickups / electronics would depend on who you are and why you wanted them . I seem to remember that Wal collaborated with SEI Basses and provided some pickups and electronics for one of their basses ( I could have got this story a bit mixed up , so if anybody knows better then let us know the full story ) , presumably because Martin Peterson was someone they respected as a bulider with integrity and similar ability to themselves . If you just rang up unannounced and wanted to buy some pickups and gubbins to make your own Wal I suspect you would get a very different response .

[quote name='ZenBasses' timestamp='1364338586' post='2025243'] Can I mention Queen - Under Pressure Us there actually a better anti-technical bass line that kicks like no other. That 7 note sequence can just be played once and it's instantly recognisable. Proof is in the pudding people I'd rather have a homemade jam rolly polly any day.. [/quote] I'm with you on this point for the most part , but John Deacon is a musician of formidable ability with great technique , as were all the members of Queen . That might be a relatively simple line in terms of notes , but it's difficulty lies in its' conception . All of which highlights a problem with the opening thesis that some people focus on impressive technique rather than deeper musical expression . It's a very fair point , but the difficulty is in defining what impressive technique is and what is technical ability . Something I have learnt over the last 30 - odd years of playing the bass is that some more staightforward or " simple " bass playing requires a lot of practise and good technique to execute properly . To lay down straight eighth notes that are so solid you could build a house on them like Cliff Williams does for AC/DC is not easy . To play slowly with good meter and correct note values and durations is not easy , either . The best players have paid attention to the small details and make everything look easy , when the reality is that it is far from easy to play like they do .

[quote name='philw' timestamp='1364386401' post='2025673'] A Carl Thompson with Wal electronics? Now that's both hens' teeth and rocking-horse poo rare! I wonder where it is, and what it'd be worth? Seems to me from what's being said here that Pete and Wal were perfectly happy to sell electronics to other luthiers during the first Wal boom, so I guess there's likely to be a few interesting Wal hybrids basses out there. Slightly OT, but back when I ordered my Wal in '83 one of the standard options was a Precision body profile. I remember being tempted (it was no extra cost) but went with the standard Mk 1 shape in the end (I wanted a Wal after all!). I sometimes wish I had gone for the Precision profile though - I've only ever seen one like it. Phil [/quote] I've never seen a Precision body profile Wal - that would be interesting . The Carl Thompson / Wal was in the shop for quite some time , I seem to remember , maybe because it was left - handed (... I think !) .I seem to remember it had a light coloured unlaquered natural wood body - probably maple - and was the full nine yards with the carved scroll ect . I had only ever seen them in Guitar Player magazine before that , and the next one I saw belonged to Les Claypool . I would expect that Electric Wood had fitted the pickups and electronics in the U.K . I am sure someone else out there must know something or at least remember seeing this bass .

Never been much of a Maiden fan , even in my pre - teen metal days , but Steve Harris is superb bass player . If plays like that using those heavy gauge flatwound signature strings then he must have the strongest fingers of any player since James Jamerson - truly a man of steel .

[quote name='philw' timestamp='1364375675' post='2025474'] I know of at least one "hybrid" Wal - a bass made by Hugh and Andy Manson ([url="http://www.mansonguitars.co.uk"]http://www.mansonguitars.co.uk[/url]) back in the day that had Wal pickups and electronics fitted (with Pete and Wal's blessing I believe). I wonder where it is now? For what it's worth, I reckon it's the pickup that's primarily responsible for the Wal tone. P [/quote] I remember seeing a custom ( and very rare ) Carl Thompson bass for sale at the Bass Centre at Wapping in about 1986/87 that had Wal pickups and electronics , presumably fitted by Wal themselves . I seem to remember it was a left- handed model , but I could be wrong about that after all this time .

[quote name='BigRedX' timestamp='1364374513' post='2025463'] It seems to me that the people most interested in cloning a Wal are those who don't want to pay the prices that a new or second-hand Wal commands. The thing with Wal basses is that apart from the machine heads, strap buttons and fret wire all the other parts are bespoke and unique to Wal. Even if we say that the really important parts of the Wal from a sound PoV are the pickups and pre-amp, while the basics of construction are known - individual coils for each pole-piece in the pickups and filters rather than more normal EQ in the pre-amp, actual details are pretty sketchy. So you are going to need at least one actual example of a Wal bass to take apart in order to reverse engineer, and I would imagine that you would need to completely dis-assemble the pickup to find out exactly how it's constructed. How many people are going to be prepared to that on a bass that's just set them back around £3000? And in order to be totally accurate you are going to have to look at the pickups from at least half a dozen basses in order to get an idea of the variation that exists. You'll also need access to facilities in order to be able make all the non-standard parts of the pickups. And you are probably going to have to make loads of prototypes before you get it roughly right. IMO Wal basses have such a unique sound close isn't going to be good enough, and ultimately the market for a Wal simply isn't big enough to be worth the effort. [/quote] [quote name='chris_b' timestamp='1364375673' post='2025473'] Several years ago there was a Talkbass thread where someone was planning to build copies of Wal pickups. Understandably it doesn't seem to have materialised. The leather pickguard basses that were made around 1976 are the best sounding Wals. I asked Pete Stephens if he could make me a 5 string version and he said no. Because those basses used pre metric wire in their pickups. The metric wire was a different size, needed different winding and therefore didn't sound quite the same. That's how close you have to be to the original specs to build your own version. As BRX says It'll be cheaper to buy a Wal and then you'll have the whole package. And it will have a resale value. [/quote] Exactly right on both counts . Trying to make a cheap Wal bass for the masses would be a futile endeavour ; by their very nature they are esoteric instruments and in changing that you would lose the esscence of what they are . It would be like getting Honda to make you an Aston Martin - the finished product would not be what you were after when you embarked on the project anyway .

If I recall correctly , Pete Stevens said that he thought the single biggest factor in creating the unique sound of Wal bases was the pickups and electronics .

Have a fantastic holiday - all beautiful States with loads to see . Forget about the bass stuff and concentrate on the barbeque and the babes ! ( unless you are a vegetarian and taking the Mrs with you , in which case concentrate on the basses after all ) . How about something like a MuTron pedal or a nice little outboard preamp from Bass Central ?

I have vague recollection of some fellow in the U.S.A or Canada who was trying to reverse - engineer the pickups but I think it all came to nothing . You could try searching on Talkbass about it .