What is it about Wal's.....?

[thestick]

I have a wal mnk2 4 string had from new in 92, used it for many gigs and in studio.
Never let me down always sits great in the mix, in a live situation.
I have and still own fender jazz, a stingray, a precsion , ken smith,
they are all great but the wal is my favourite. The only downsize is because of its value I dont use it for all of my gigs.(not the ruff pubs)
I dont find the weight a problem .
In fact I have a wal mk2 4 string fretless on order at the moment.
But as been said already if one bass suited all ,it would be a dull place.

[Chris2112]

I've always had a soft spot for Wal basses.

I suppose I have had to admit that recently, I've seen them in a more realistic light. The woodworking can be superb, it can be a little less brilliant. They can be heavy. The Mk1 basses can look a bit dumpy.

I think their value ballooned when it looked as though no more were going to be made. A lot of kids wanted them to look like Justin Chancellor so the old guard bought them up and increased their value. As it happens, the ideal bass for sounding like Justin Chancellor is a MM Bongo, as his Wal sound is so slathered in effects and pick noise it could be anything, and the Bongo does a perfect impression for less than 1/3 of the Wal price!

I used to think the Wal sound was some kind of magic, and I worship that Geddy Lee sound. After getting my ACG I realised it was all wood choice and filter preamps! My Harlot has a mahogany body with a amboyna burl top, sycamore back and a maple and wenge neck. The pickups on the front are the ACG RFB 'Musicman' style humbuckers through the ACG filter based preamp. It naturally puts out that burpy, complex midrange that Wal basses do and that sort of shattered the mystique of Wal basses for me a tad. On the other hand, it opened my eyes to ACG and how amazing they are...which sent my plans to buy a mk2 or Mk3 Wal straight back to the shelf. In response to the original question: yes, a good handmade bass with the right woods and preamp can sound as good as a Wal. They can even sound like a Wal - my ACG does. The woodworking on my ACG is better too.

Keep it quiet though, as I plan to buy a few more

[purpleblob]

Interesting read - what it does demonstrate is how different each Wal is and/or how different we are in our requirements.

My MKI was purchased in the early 80's and I played metal/heavy rock with it, funk, fusion, pop and assorted covers when doing the club scene and I never found it wanting. Looks wise, they're not as radical as Alembics or Sei's (for example) but I like them. Sound wise, they are so very versatile. In terms of weight, I've always heard that they're heavy, but my MKI is solid but I never felt it to be heavy. The other issue often levelled at Wal's is the chunky neck, but not everyone likes thin Jazz type necks - so you'll like them or you won't. Since I first bought my MKI I always wanted a fretless and recently got a MKIII which balances better than anything else I've got, sounds better than any other fretless I own (my Vigier comes closest) and is a joy to play. (EDIT: Oh and I was amazed how light it was)

So what can we conclude from all this - I obviously like the look and the sound and the feel of a Wal. Somebody else may or they may not.

Edited August 17, 2011 by purpleblob

[Graham]

I'd love one (or at least I think I would - never played one) as I'm a huge fan of Justin Chancellor and his tone - even with the insane signal chain he has. Looks wise, I think the bodies are great, not a fan of the headstock but I would put up with that to get the tone.

That said though, with my current set-up I get a pretty good approximation - G&L L2000 Tribute into a EBS Fafner via a Tech 21 Sansamp and the G&L cost nearly a 10th of a Wal

[deanovw]

The first 5 string bass I played was a Wal many moons ago. It was awesome. Sound, feel, weight. I wanted to buy it when it came up for sale but I didn't have the funds. Ah well.

Listen to Mick Karns playing. To me, that is a classic Wal sound.

Edited August 19, 2011 by deanovw

[BigRedX]

[quote name='deanovw' post='1345451' date='Aug 19 2011, 02:00 PM']Listen to Mick Karns playing. To me is a classic Wal sound.[/quote]
Except that anything recorded prior to "Tin Drum" is a Travis Bean TB2000.

[Chris2112]

[quote name='Graham' post='1345408' date='Aug 19 2011, 01:21 PM']That said though, with my current set-up I get a pretty good approximation - G&L L2000 Tribute into a EBS Fafner via a Tech 21 Sansamp and the G&L cost nearly a 10th of a Wal[/quote]

I think this was close the general consensus reached at Talkbass a few years ago. An active bass with two big humbuckers through a nice tube modeller would be quite sufficient to get the Justin Chancellor sound. Hence why a Bongo was the perfect choice!

[RhysP]

I've played a lot of Wals & briefly owned one. I swapped one of my Rickenbackers for one in the early 80's and was so unimpressed with it I swapped back again a week later. There was nothing "wrong" with it, I just didn't get on with it.

They are nicely made basses but I have to say I really don't get the mythological status that has built up around them, and certainly can't believe the money they change hands for.

I can't help but wonder how much of this is due to Wal dying, and would they be as sought after today if he was still alive.

At the end of the day they're like any other bass - some people won't like them for various reasons but for some they will be the ultimate electric bass.

[Spoombung]

Quite simply, the Wal pickup has a unique, recognisable tone (at least to my ears). If you think about it, there are only a handful of bass guitars that qualify for this accolade: Rickenbacker, Fender, Alembic and maybe a couple of others. The Wal is there with them. The rest just go boom boom boom and you can only tell them apart by the player (well, that's how it [i]should[/i] be, I suppose).

Wal basses came to prominence at the same time as the bass guitar became a special feature in pop bands (when recordings sold in vast quantities) so everybody heard examples of the Wal sound a lot. The various famous players made a big impression and that has lasted over time.

[Shonks]

just out of interest

I met Mr Wal and went to the workshop, somewhere round Sheperd's Bush, if I remember correctly, and he made my Wal bass specially for me. Nice guy (RIP)
Had it for a few years, and bought another for my, at that time,wife, who also was a pro bassist back then. She still has hers and wont part with it.
I swapped mine with an American guy for an Alembic Series II Omega.
Wal only charged me £350 each for the basses, they were going for about £750 at the time.
I must admit, I found the bass lacking in personality. It was a middley strident sound which is good if your into that. It some how sounded English.
It was heavy, and I didn't particularly like the neck joint. It felt cumbersome.
The Alembic by contrast sounds some how American. Go figure. Over designed, and very heavy too - must say though, the sound was phenomenal!
I was doing a lot of TV sessions at that time, stuff like Spitting Image, and lots of other comedy stuff and had to find sounds that mimicked other players, and the Alembic was more than adequate for that kind of work.
That's me using the Alembic on the 'Chicken Song'! Dont laugh, it reached number one here and all over Europe

After all these years of playing pro, and many many many basses later I play my home made 'bitza' bass 4 string which is essentially a Fender Jazz with J East Retro pre amp and a USA Fender 5 string Jazz bass with a Marcus Miller John East deluxe pre amp I have a four string fretless Fender Jazz and don't miss any of the other stuff.

I played the ex's Wal the other day - a beautifully made bass with a particular sound, although very versatile, gimme a Fender Jazz any day!!!

hope y'all dont mind me blabbing on!!!

PS : good thing about the East preamps, specially the deluxe is that you can go back to basic passive - excellent.

[EBS_freak]

[quote name='Shonks' post='1348380' date='Aug 22 2011, 08:29 PM']That's me using the Alembic on the 'Chicken Song'! Dont laugh, it reached number one here and all over Europe[/quote]

You're my hero

[Bilbo]

[quote name='Shonks' post='1348380' date='Aug 22 2011, 08:29 PM']That's me using the Alembic on the 'Chicken Song'![/quote]

I though that was Carol Kaye?

[Shonks]

[quote name='Bilbo' post='1348745' date='Aug 23 2011, 09:55 AM']I though that was Carol Kaye?[/quote]
Carol wanted to do it, she begged me, but it was a calling!!!

[Pete Academy]

I sold a few in a shop in the 80s. They were about £800 then, so I could have bought one cheaper. If I'd known how much they were going to fetch I'd have definitely bought one.

As a bass they never did anything for me.

[tredders]

[quote name='Shonks' post='1348380' date='Aug 22 2011, 08:29 PM']That's me using the Alembic on the 'Chicken Song'! Dont laugh, it reached number one here and all over Europe[/quote]

I've got that bl**dy song in my mind now. Thanks for that

[TheGreek]

I lusted after one for years, eventually bought a MK1 - I only kept it for a couple of months (I traded it earlier this week).. It was poorly balanced and had, what was for me, a horrible neck profile which I just couldn't get on with.

However it did have beautiful timber and was beautifully made (notice there are no comments about poor build quality), it made all the right noises and had a fantastic range of sounds and tones which I haven't heard from anything else...

Is it twice the bass of say, a Jaydee/Overwater (which I traded for)? I'd say "No" but there are loads of top bassists using them and they all paid for theirs..I suppose this adds to the Kudos..

They're not everybody's dream bass (which I found out to my cost) - I'd recommend borrowing one for a few weeks before parting with any cash...

[JohnR]

I have had my Wal since new and could never part with it.

[Spoombung]

I notice that 3 and a half years later that guy on Talkbass still hasn't reverse-engineered the Wal pickup yet:

[url="http://www.talkbass.com/forum/f38/won-wal-pickup-ebay-432803/"]http://www.talkbass.com/forum/f38/won-wal-...up-ebay-432803/[/url]

[Conan]

[quote name='Happy Jack' post='1342687' date='Aug 17 2011, 08:15 AM']mine was the very bass used on[i] Too Shy [/i]by Kajagoogoo. [/quote]

Really? I always though that was played on a Stingray?

[gjones]

I heard one a few months ago owned by the bassist in a band that was on the same bill as me. It had a great sound on it's own at the soundcheck which made me instantly prick up my ears and head to the stage to find out what the guy was playing. I didn't hear him playing it with the band but I'm sure it sounded good. Great basses but no bass is worth £3000 however well it's put together or how great it sounds. Very few working musicians could afford one. A boutique bass, the preserve of superstar bassists and rich dentists I think.

Edited August 28, 2011 by gjones

[Killerfridge]

[quote name='Spoombung' post='1354341' date='Aug 28 2011, 02:19 PM']I notice that 3 and a half years later that guy on Talkbass still hasn't reverse-engineered the Wal pickup yet:

[url="http://www.talkbass.com/forum/f38/won-wal-pickup-ebay-432803/"]http://www.talkbass.com/forum/f38/won-wal-...up-ebay-432803/[/url][/quote]

You sure? On page 23 someone is offering Wal clone pickups?

[wombatboter]

I've used Wal basses in different bands and each time I'm really pleased with the fact that it cuts through anything while maintaining deepness and character. It just has a sound of its own and it works for me.
This is a youtube-thing of me playing my Wal-bass in a straight forward rock-band.
The clip doesn't have the best sound-quality but it's imo a good example of the bass keeping its definition even in the worst circumstances.. I heard from lots of sound-engineers that they love it in live situations..

[Jimmyp28]

[quote name='Spoombung' post='1354341' date='Aug 28 2011, 02:19 PM']I notice that 3 and a half years later that guy on Talkbass still hasn't reverse-engineered the Wal pickup yet:

[url="http://www.talkbass.com/forum/f38/won-wal-pickup-ebay-432803/"]http://www.talkbass.com/forum/f38/won-wal-...up-ebay-432803/[/url][/quote]


although they will be ready in about a months time and the Wal preamp to follow a little later.

And the pick ups will cost $150 each and so will the preamp, so a wal copy electronics for around $450, looks like the tool youtube players are saved

And me of course

[spiritchaser]

[quote name='wombatboter' post='1355333' date='Aug 29 2011, 04:38 PM']I've used Wal basses in different bands and each time I'm really pleased with the fact that it cuts through anything while maintaining deepness and character. It just has a sound of its own and it works for me.
This is a youtube-thing of me playing my Wal-bass in a straight forward rock-band.
The clip doesn't have the best sound-quality but it's imo a good example of the bass keeping its definition even in the worst circumstances.. I heard from lots of sound-engineers that they love it in live situations..

[/quote]

Yeah Geert! I also remember funky fingers on that Wal

BTW cool that you got that Pro Wal to convert to fretless - great find. Enjoy!

[RichardJFT]

I own two Wal basses, both were custom ordered. My first is a 5 string fretless and it is quite simply the best bass I have ever played...I have had it for nearly 18 years now and would never part with it. My second Wal is a 4 string fretted, and although it is a great bass, it does sound very 80's, which is ok but I tend to play my Fender Jazz more when I am playing fretted.