starman Posted January 7, 2011 Share Posted January 7, 2011 (edited) I've been offered a 1985 Wal, but the neck is fretted from the first to the 12th fret, then lined fretless beyond the 12th. I don't know much about Wal basses, it looks nice but fretted and fretless on the same neck seems odd to me. Do you think it would have originally been made that way or changed afterwards? Is it worth £2750? Edited January 7, 2011 by starman Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
franzbassist Posted January 7, 2011 Share Posted January 7, 2011 Nice looking Wal. Original flight case too I think? There was a time, late 80s early 90s, when that 50/50 thing was considered cool. It may have been custom ordered that way but I doubt it. If you contact [url="http://http://www.walbasses.co.uk/Contact%20us"]Paul Herman[/url] at Wal and tell him the serial number he may well be able to confirm what configuration the bass had when it left the workshop. Cheers Gareth Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chris2112 Posted January 7, 2011 Share Posted January 7, 2011 Yes, it was a short while before people realised it was seriously uncool! Still, should be an easy job for Wal to refret. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cocco Posted January 7, 2011 Share Posted January 7, 2011 Nice looking wal Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Shaggy Posted January 7, 2011 Share Posted January 7, 2011 (edited) I'd have thought it would have been an ebony board if that fretting arrangement was original, but could be wrong. It was common on Kramers of that era - can't see the point of it myself. Lovely Wal BTW! Edited January 7, 2011 by Shaggy Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
philw Posted January 7, 2011 Share Posted January 7, 2011 [quote name='Shaggy' post='1081348' date='Jan 7 2011, 05:52 PM']I'd have thought it would have been an ebony board if that fretting arrangement was original, but could be wrong. It was common on Kramers of that era - can't see the point of it myself. Lovely Wal BTW! [/quote] My thoughts exactly. It would have had an ebony board if fretless to any degree originally, so is undoubtedly a later conversion. Wouldn't have had dot markers on the fingerboard either. And there's more: Pete didn't like wenge faces on fretless basses (he thought it sounded too middy) so there's very few of them (like mine). Looks a nice instrument though and could be easily re-fretted. Phil Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GeeCee Posted January 7, 2011 Share Posted January 7, 2011 (edited) [quote name='philw' post='1081493' date='Jan 7 2011, 03:26 PM']My thoughts exactly. It would have had an ebony board if fretless to any degree originally, so is undoubtedly a later conversion.[/quote] Purpose-built fretless Wals usually had an ebony board, but not always. Some people (admittedly not me) do prefer rosewood and there are several examples on the Wal serial number database. The time period (1985) would put it around the time that Doug Wilkes was selling basses like this, so maybe it was a custom request. That said, I agree this was probably done after the fact. [quote name='philw' post='1081493' date='Jan 7 2011, 03:26 PM']Wouldn't have had dot markers on the fingerboard either.[/quote] Not true, again owner preference, look at the late Mick Karn's Wals. [quote name='Shaggy' post='1081348' date='Jan 7 2011, 12:52 PM']I'd have thought it would have been an ebony board if that fretting arrangement was original, but could be wrong. It was common on Kramers of that era - can't see the point of it myself.[/quote] Laurence Canty had something similar done, as did Alphonso Johnson I believe using an Ibanez Musician bass. It does make sense, slapping and pulling on the lower notes, fretless on the high notes. Edited January 7, 2011 by GeeCee Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Shaggy Posted January 7, 2011 Share Posted January 7, 2011 [quote name='GeeCee' post='1081531' date='Jan 7 2011, 09:10 PM']Laurence Canty had something similar done, as did Alphonso Johnson I believe using an Ibanez Musician bass. It does make sense, slapping and pulling on the lower notes, fretless on the high notes.[/quote] Quite liking the look of that - I had a fretted one new in '80, but it didn't have that little extended top-string curve at the end of the f/board. Lovely basses. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
noelk27 Posted January 8, 2011 Share Posted January 8, 2011 [quote name='Shaggy' post='1081581' date='Jan 7 2011, 10:15 PM']I had a fretted one new in '80, but it didn't have that little extended top-string curve at the end of the f/board.[/quote] Could be wrong, but think that board (with the scrolled end) was introduced when the design was revamped for the tenth anniversary. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chris2112 Posted January 8, 2011 Share Posted January 8, 2011 As for the question of "is it worth it?", it's definitely at the steep end of the price range for a used Wal, considering new ones start at a little over £3000 now. You'd have to figure in the cost of a new fretboard being fitted, preferably by Wal. That'd ramp the cost up quite a bit. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
franzbassist Posted January 8, 2011 Share Posted January 8, 2011 [quote name='starman' post='1081307' date='Jan 7 2011, 05:20 PM']Is it worth £2750?[/quote] This is an edit of the original post yes? Personally, I wouldn't pay that much for a Wal of that vintage. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
starman Posted January 8, 2011 Author Share Posted January 8, 2011 Thanks for all your replies, they were a great help. I decided to pass on the bass. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chris2112 Posted January 8, 2011 Share Posted January 8, 2011 Maybe if it were a grand or two cheaper it'd have been worth it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
alanbass1 Posted January 9, 2011 Share Posted January 9, 2011 [quote name='Chris2112' post='1081868' date='Jan 8 2011, 10:33 AM']As for the question of "is it worth it?", it's definitely at the steep end of the price range for a used Wal, considering new ones start at a little over £3000 now. You'd have to figure in the cost of a new fretboard being fitted, preferably by Wal. That'd ramp the cost up quite a bit.[/quote] They start at £3200 PLUS VAT which takes them to over £3800. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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