smrdo Posted June 28, 2011 Share Posted June 28, 2011 (edited) I have a Wal pro bass custom im trying to find out more about., history, value etc I've had it for many years now, its in pretty good condition, there is some crackling when its plugged in so I suspect the electrics may need re-soldering in places, and two of the control pots need tightening up as they are a bit loose. There is also some minor scratching etc as its obvioulsy been gigged a fair bit. It was given to me in payment for a whole load of web design work by a professional musician friend of mine. The serial number (well what i can find on a metal plate insisde the control panel) is ew003 a3 Many Thanks Mark Edited June 28, 2011 by smrdo Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RhysP Posted June 28, 2011 Share Posted June 28, 2011 WOW! An old Wal pro without a scratchplate - never seen one like that before. Best bet is to email Wal with the serial number & some pictures - they should be able to give you more detailed information on your lovely bass. Link to website: [url="http://www.walbasses.co.uk/"]http://www.walbasses.co.uk/[/url] Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ras52 Posted June 28, 2011 Share Posted June 28, 2011 Very interesting! The control layout is the same as the Pro IIE, but it's scratchplate-less, like the later Custom. I'd say it was a transitional model between the Pro and the Custom - possibly a very rare specimen. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
smrdo Posted June 28, 2011 Author Share Posted June 28, 2011 thanks, i'll try emailinm Wal with the details, I've had it now for about 10 years, but would love to find out more about it, im convinced its not a fake, it plays beautifully,, i've just never been able to match it up to anything Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RhysP Posted June 28, 2011 Share Posted June 28, 2011 Don't forget to keep us updated with any information you may get from Wal. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
smrdo Posted June 28, 2011 Author Share Posted June 28, 2011 will do :-) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
philw Posted June 29, 2011 Share Posted June 29, 2011 Now that's an interesting and unusual Wal. Try joining and posting on the Wal basses Yahoo group (http://launch.groups.yahoo.com/group/walbassesnaturally/). Phil Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
smrdo Posted June 29, 2011 Author Share Posted June 29, 2011 thanks Phil, i'll try the yahoo group too Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Spoombung Posted June 29, 2011 Share Posted June 29, 2011 [quote name='ras52' post='1285769' date='Jun 28 2011, 09:52 PM']Very interesting! The control layout is the same as the Pro IIE, but it's scratchplate-less, like the later Custom. I'd say it was a transitional model between the Pro and the Custom - possibly a very rare specimen.[/quote] I agree with this assessment.. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BassBod Posted June 30, 2011 Share Posted June 30, 2011 Looks like they ran out scratchplates.....but still had Pro bass circuits to use up.... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
smrdo Posted June 30, 2011 Author Share Posted June 30, 2011 maybe the scratch plate was taken off somewhere along the line, although theres no indication of this Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
smrdo Posted June 30, 2011 Author Share Posted June 30, 2011 Hi, I've spoken with Peter at electic wood and it looks like it is dated around early 80s - 80 -81's and a tranistional model with the Pro electronics. Could be a pretty rare model as there doesnt seem to be hardly any like it. Anyway, if he finds out anymore info he'll let me know, so will keep you posted. Esitmates to get the electronics fixed etc, im possibly thinking around the £300 mark as i dont think i needs a lot doing. (so possilby less) I am thinking of selling it so who knows...still keen to find out more, ive had estimates from close to us3000 so far, anyway i love it so still not complete sure about selling it, but hey sometimes needs must, and I do have an old squire as a spare :-( Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
smrdo Posted June 30, 2011 Author Share Posted June 30, 2011 [quote name='smrdo' post='1287764' date='Jun 30 2011, 02:19 PM']Hi, I've spoken with Peter at electic wood and it looks like it is dated around early 80s - 80 -81's and a tranistional model with the Pro electronics. Could be a pretty rare model as there doesnt seem to be hardly any like it. Anyway, if he finds out anymore info he'll let me know, so will keep you posted. Esitmates to get the electronics fixed etc, im possibly thinking around the £300 mark as i dont think i needs a lot doing. (so possilby less) I am thinking of selling it so who knows...still keen to find out more, ive had estimates from close to us3000 so far, anyway i love it so still not complete sure about selling it, but hey sometimes needs must, and I do have an old squire as a spare :-([/quote] Sorry, Paul not Peter Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
smrdo Posted June 30, 2011 Author Share Posted June 30, 2011 and some further info, "It must date from early 1980, as that's when Wal was beginning to think about moving away from the "production line" Pro basses to the Custom range we still see today. The electronics are from a Pro 2e, but normally they would have been part of the front-mounted scratchplate. With this bass Wal has moved them to the internal cavity but retained the three mini switches in what would have been their usual position, so it dates it in that interim period between the end of the Pros and beginning of the true Customs (I know because I have the first Custom ever built)." agreed with by Paul at electric wood Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
smrdo Posted July 6, 2011 Author Share Posted July 6, 2011 added one more pic Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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