Wal Sound - Do they sound like Wals?

[4 Strings]

[quote name='tom5string' timestamp='1372342054' post='2124560']
Well, ahm, .... no :-) That is a Zon Sonus, the Wal is the melody voice.
[/quote]

Haha, oh, of course, now that you mention it!

I'm surprised, the second bass seemed the less runnery/pwoupy of the two. Shows how much I've learnt! Or does that mean a Zon sounds like a Wal?

(Nice playing by the way, enjoyed it and forgot what I was listening for, had to start again)

[mikeswals]

I've always liked the sound Mike Hogan got with his. Not a fancy player, but easy to grasp.[url="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=q_Xxj2UNB84"]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=q_Xxj2UNB84[/url] [url="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CT_PBM57RUg"]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CT_PBM57RUg[/url]

[mikeswals]

[quote name='chris_b' timestamp='1372288450' post='2124003']
I believe you can choose your wood, and maybe alter the position of the pickups, but everything else, including neck profiles, comes as it is.

I've never played a 4 string, but the 5 string necks are thin (front to back) and really fast and easy to play.
[/quote] I've had eight Wals pass through here: six of them 4str and two 5str, and the necks varied on all. Two of mine have Fender style C shapes, while others had V shaped and different front/back thicknesses. My newer Paul era bass I did not order, but it has a thin neck with a very mild V. But from my other build inquiry with Paul, he will not build the neck until you specify your neck profiles. BTW, I don't think he'll let you alter the pickup positions anymore.

Edited July 22, 2013 by mikeswals

[miles'tone]

Check out this first part of the Chili Peppers 'Funky Monks' doc.
At 6.51 Flea and Anthony are working on Sir Psycho Sexy acoustically and Flea's Wal still sounds like a Wal UNPLUGGED!
All that brass hardware must really play its part too.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4hubUewYfGQ

Edited March 24, 2014 by icastle
Link fixed.

[Qlank]

This may well what you are after regarding the fretless sound-
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=W14YmRABFFg

[BigRedX]

Perhaps but IMO Mick Karn's fretless sound was always more about the player and less about the bass. He sounded pretty much the same when he was using his Travis Bean TB2000 before he got the Wal.

[Qlank]

This neat as well
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0kw0ltIsRvI

[Qlank]

[quote name='BigRedX' timestamp='1374505358' post='2149457']
Perhaps but IMO Mick Karn's fretless sound was always more about the player and less about the bass. He sounded pretty much the same when he was using his Travis Bean TB2000 before he got the Wal.
[/quote]
Very true, I wonder what sounds he got out of his Ibby Rick copy.

[Bilbo]

Every electric sound on my soundcloud page is my Wal. I have no idea if that is a 'Wal' sound; they all sound remarkably like me so could be nothing more than a Bilbo sound. None of them sound like Geddy Lee. I'm not helping, am I?

[4000]

Yes, they sound very much like Wals IMO/IME. Like Alembic, they have a broad spectrum of tones (which will vary slightly from bass to bass) and can be made to sound less distinctive, but IMO 'that' tone is always there to some degree; the main reason I got rid of my Custom was because 'that' sound didn't suit my band at the time and I couldn't get rid of it. However I'll let you know if I've changed my mind in the next week or so.

[AndroWal]

[url="https://soundcloud.com/user537693"]https://soundcloud.com/user537693[/url]

"Falling Face the Sun" and "Protected" are my Wal Mark III Fretted 5 with Shedua facings. No pick-attack...bridge pickup favored, tone shaping flat.

[url="https://myspace.com/androkotula/music/songs"]https://myspace.com/...ula/music/songs[/url]

On most of the tracks I use my Wal Mark II Fretless 5 with English Sycamore Facings (Bridge pick-up only with pick-attack engaged, tone shaping flat). "Cathedral" is my Wal Mark II Fretted 5 with Maple facings (I recall bridge pickup favored slightly but maybe both on full...pick-attack engaged...tone shaping flat). "Protected" and "Falling Face the Sun" are again the tracks on Soundcloud.

All examples of great Wal sounds!

Edited July 27, 2013 by AndroWal

[miles'tone]

[quote name='Qlank' timestamp='1374505507' post='2149459']
This neat as well
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0kw0ltIsRvI
[/quote]

Oooh I really liked that!

[Happy Jack]

[quote name='miles'tone' timestamp='1374652981' post='2151244']
Oooh I really liked that!
[/quote]

Agreed - very nice piece of work, may need to nick bits of it.

[DiMarco]

This thread is becoming a wal of sound.

[Stan_da_man]

Tool?

[LukeFRC]

Wal i think....
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6m_8a4xrQ6k