Wal/Jazz mongrel

[White Cloud]

[quote name='Beedster' timestamp='1386682818' post='2303018']
It can't be worse than it is. Of all the questions I have about the modifications to this bass, the one I find hardest to answer is that of why put a rectangular lump of maple in the middle of a beautiful dark wood veneer? Stain's not the best solution for sure, but it's a first step on the path
[/quote]
Listen, the solution is simple. Simply have the maple routed out, source some Wenge (your top is Wenge btw)...match the grain as closely as you can, shape the Wenge, glue into place, plane then sand smooth for a perfect patch up.

Its not exactly the low cost, or simplest way to go...but it is the best way. Any luthier worth their salt could do it in a day. Trust me, I build furniture.

[Beedster]

[quote name='White Cloud' timestamp='1386685367' post='2303058']
Listen, the solution is simple. Simply have the maple routed out, source some Wenge (your top is Wenge btw)...match the grain as closely as you can, shape the Wenge, glue into place, plane then sand smooth for a perfect patch up.

Its not exactly the low cost, or simplest way to go...but it is the best way. Any luthier worth their salt could do it in a day. Trust me, I build furniture.
[/quote]

Thanks for your advice. I agree 100% and I hope the cost is doable. I have a budget for this bass (which is in part why I'm selling the case) and the board and PUPs are the first point of call. The PUPs will require work to the area in question so it would likely be a false economy to do half the job now and then come back to it later (e.g., to install PUPs now and then do the work with the Wenge in a year).

Do you know where I could get the correct wood in such a smal quantity?

[White Cloud]

[quote name='Beedster' timestamp='1386685907' post='2303063']
Thanks for your advice. I agree 100% and I hope the cost is doable. I have a budget for this bass (which is in part why I'm selling the case) and the board and PUPs are the first point of call. The PUPs will require work to the area in question so it would likely be a false economy to do half the job now and then come back to it later (e.g., to install PUPs now and then do the work with the Wenge in a year).

Do you know where I could get the correct wood in such a smal quantity?
[/quote]
It is certainly doable and in theory shouldn't be too expensive at all. I have personally never used Wenge, but it is reasonably commonplace. Why not drop Jon Letts (a member here) of Letts guitars a line...he is a great guy and uses Wenge quite a lot. He will point you in the right direction, and might even have off cuts to offer you of the appropriate size!

[Dingus]

[quote name='Beedster' timestamp='1386685907' post='2303063']
T
Do you know where I could get the correct wood in such a smal quantity?
[/quote]

Just about all the exotic woods used for fancy tops on basses are what are commonly referred to as "fine furniture woods", and are available either as planks or veneers from fine furniture wood suppliers, of whom there are quite a few. It is no coincidence the Wal were based at High Wycombe , which is the epicentre of the British furniture making trade has traditionally been. The basses were, for much of the time Wal were there, made in a corner of a furniture making factory, with the company being able to make use of various facilities that were of common use to both guitar building and furniture making trades. In light of that, if you try searching on the internet for U.K suppliers of fine furniture woods, you should have no problems tracking down a suitable piece of wenge.

[geoffbyrne]

Recently Howard put an unmarked fretless ebony fingerboard on my BBG5 and I can thoroughly recommend this if your budget allows.

G.

Edited December 10, 2013 by geoffbyrne

[White Cloud]

[quote name='Dingus' timestamp='1386692398' post='2303152']
Just about all the exotic woods used for fancy tops on basses are what are commonly referred to as "fine furniture woods", and are available either as planks or veneers from fine furniture wood suppliers, of whom there are quite a few. It is no coincidence the Wal were based at High Wycombe , which is the epicentre of the British furniture making trade has traditionally been. The basses were, for much of the time Wal were there, made in a corner of a furniture making factory, with the company being able to make use of various facilities that were of common use to both guitar building and furniture making trades. In light of that, if you try searching on the internet for U.K suppliers of fine furniture woods, you should have no problems tracking down a suitable piece of wenge.
[/quote]
Wow, I never knew that about Wal...thanks for sharing. Every day is a school day!

[Dingus]

[quote name='White Cloud' timestamp='1386694505' post='2303181']
Wow, I never knew that about Wal...thanks for sharing. Every day is a school day!
[/quote]

That's why when they got serious about making basses they ended up in High Wycombe. Everything they needed in terms of tooling the wood for the basses was in one place . The workshop for most of their time was a space in a pretty big old factory unit, from what I remember( it's twenty years since I was last there , near enough) , and then towards the end, (if I understand correctly because I wasn't playing Wals anymore by this time, ) Pete had a space in the corner of another furniture factory, and I think they let him use some of the machines and woodworking facilities.

Wenge is widely used for marquetry work on fancy furniture, apparently, so should be pretty easy to source as a veneer.

Edited December 10, 2013 by Dingus

[bh2]

Cor... I'd like that very much...

Did the same to the frets on my Jazz btw...

[steviedee]

Too awful to look at. Nice case though.

[White Cloud]

[quote name='Dingus' timestamp='1386695336' post='2303199']
That's why when they got serious about making basses they ended up in High Wycombe. Everything they needed in terms of tooling the wood for the basses was in one place . The workshop for most of their time was a space in a pretty big old factory unit, from what I remember( it's twenty years since I was last there , near enough) , and then towards the end, (if I understand correctly because I wasn't playing Wals anymore by this time, ) Pete had a space in the corner of another furniture factory, and I think they let him use some of the machines and woodworking facilities.

Wenge is widely used for marquetry work on fancy furniture, apparently, so should be pretty easy to source as a veneer.
[/quote]
A visit to that workshop must have been magical.

My current Ibanez Sr1205 has a Wenge neck with stringers and it is a gorgeous wood. I have promised myself a Wal with Wenge facings before I die (still regret moving my old mk1 custom on!).

[Dingus]

[quote name='White Cloud' timestamp='1386702162' post='2303347']
A visit to that workshop must have been magical.

My current Ibanez Sr1205 has a Wenge neck with stringers and it is a gorgeous wood. I have promised myself a Wal with Wenge facings before I die (still regret moving my old mk1 custom on!).
[/quote]

Enough talk about dying! Wals are great basses, but I wouldn't plan the rest of my life round them , that's for sure . By that time you will probably be able to buy a bass as good as a Wal for about a hundred quid that has been made in China by beagles specially trained to operate computerised machinery whilst smoking fags .

I couldn't say it was magical - I had gotten up [i]way[/i] too early to get the train to Wycombe- but the last time I went to the workshop I got to play ( very badly) the prototype for the first ever Wal six string while Paul serviced my bass . That prototype had a solid ash body, from what I remember, and I think it eventually went to Rob Burns. They didn't have a lot of new basses sitting around to try out usually, maybe just one or two at most , but there was usually quite a few basses in for servicing, but they were strictly off-limits. They had an old Jonas Hellborg combo in the room where they kept the basses, if I remember correctly, and a Trace Elliot cab, I think .

What I do remember clearly is they were the nicest, most decent people you could ever wish to meet. They treated everybody as if they were important, and they were generous to a fault in not charging much at all for servicing and repair work quite often, and giving away things like free sets of strings. Pete was a true gent, as well as a master craftsman, and I wish he was still with us.

I had a wenge Wal ,among others, and it had a very agressive sound, from what I remember. It was also very heavy. There is no doubt that wenge is a really remarkable wood for making bassesin terms of the tone it can produce. Warwick basses and similar designs like your Ibanez have a very noticable compression to the sound of the notes as well as a mixture of richness , strong mids and brightness, and I'm sure it must be because wenge is so hard and dense.

Edited December 10, 2013 by Dingus

[White Cloud]

[quote name='Dingus' timestamp='1386703981' post='2303427']
What I do remember clearly is they were the nicest, most decent people you could ever wish to meet. They treated everybody as if they were important, and they were generous to a fault in not charging much at all for servicing and repair work quite often, and giving away things like free sets of strings.[/quote]

That is what I call customer service.

I contacted Wal via the written word (the internet was the stuff of sci-fi then) when I was a young man and they kindly sent me oodles of stuff...I bought my mk1 soon afterwards - I traded my Rick 4001 and put the rest on the never never. I literally did not drink, drive, copulate or socialise for six months to pay it up.

Thanks very much for sharing your experience with us.

[bh2]

I went to the factory sometime in the mid eighties, Electric Wood? High Wycombe with a friend of mine who was getting his Wal made at the time... spent a good few hours in there, met Pete and Wal, lovely guys. Looked, smelt and talked basses all afternoon.

Nearly pulled the trigger on one meself, regret now that I didn't... I had some sponds then!

[Dingus]

[quote name='White Cloud' timestamp='1386705604' post='2303463']
That is what I call customer service.

I contacted Wal via the written word (the internet was the stuff of sci-fi then) when I was a young man and they kindly sent me oodles of stuff...I bought my mk1 soon afterwards - I traded my Rick 4001 and put the rest on the never never. I literally did not drink, drive, copulate or socialise for six months to pay it up.

Thanks very much for sharing your experience with us.
[/quote]

I too remember writing to Wal for a catalogue back in the days when computers were the preserve of kids who couldn't go out of the house because they were at too great a risk of being bullied.

When I left school my main aim was to somehow get my hands on enough money to buy a Wal , but it took me quite a while to save up , from what I can remember, and they were no where near as expensive in those days, even allowing for inflation. I used to go look at the basses in the Bass Centre at Wapping and wonder how I could possibly wait another six months or a year to get my hands on one of the basses I lusted over. Nothing ( nothing) nowadays gets me so worked up. I wish I could get that excited over a bass nowadays, but I just can't, I'm afraid .

I remember I had just saved up just enough to eventually buy one ( £790) and then they went up a hundred quid. I rang Pete to check it wasn't a misprint or something ( it wasn't) , and he sold me a bass at the old price a hundred quid cheaper anyway.

[White Cloud]

[quote name='Dingus' timestamp='1386706925' post='2303487']
I too remember writing to Wal for a catalogue back in the days when computers were the preserve of kids who couldn't go out of the house because they were at too great a risk of being bullied.[/quote]
Lol...nowadays it has bred a bunch of kids (and adults who really should know better) that are invincible, hyper intelligent and all knowing keyboard warriors - just take a look at the Off Topic section here for proof!

[quote name='Dingus' timestamp='1386706925' post='2303487']When I left school my main aim was to somehow get my hands on enough money to buy a Wal , but it took me quite a while to save up , from what I can remember, and they were no where near as expensive in those days, even allowing for inflation. I used to go look at the basses in the Bass Centre at Wapping and wonder how I could possibly wait another six months or a year to get my hands on one of the basses I lusted over. Nothing ( nothing) nowadays gets me so worked up. I wish I could get that excited over a bass nowadays, but I just can't, I'm afraid .[/quote]

I am starting to think that you are actually me in a parallel universe!

[quote name='Dingus' timestamp='1386706925' post='2303487']I remember I had just saved up just enough to eventually buy one ( £790) and then they went up a hundred quid. I rang Pete to check it wasn't a misprint or something ( it wasn't) , and he sold me a bass at the old price a hundred quid cheaper anyway.
[/quote]
That is incredible customer care way above and beyond the call of duty. I am now realising just how decent Pete and Ian were. I paid £750 for mine...the price of a decent 2nd hand car in 85.

[henry norton]

[quote name='Dingus' timestamp='1386706925' post='2303487'] I wish I could get that excited over a bass nowadays, but I just can't, I'm afraid .
[/quote]
HaHa!!! Yeah me too.

[EMG456]

[quote name='Dingus' timestamp='1386703981' post='2303427']
I couldn't say it was magical - I had gotten up [i]way[/i] too early to get the train to Wycombe- but the last time I went to the workshop I got to play ( very badly) the prototype for the first ever Wal six string while Paul serviced my bass . That prototype had a solid ash body, from what I remember, and I think it eventually went to Rob Burns. [/quote]

Ha Dingus - you must've been there about the time I was down for the "fitting" for my 5 String Midi Bass.

Pete showed me the almost finished neck of the 6 he was experimenting with - happy days.

Can anyone remember the name of the guy who was doing the electronics and pickups at that time? As you say they were all nice people. Paul Herman took a fair amount of banter from Pete and the joke of the day was that his only job was to glue in the "boat" which was what they called the little black plastic piece that protects the body from errant truss rod adjustment keys! Now he's the main man.

Cheers

Ed

[Dingus]

[quote name='EMG456' timestamp='1386719584' post='2303796']
Ha Dingus - you must've been there about the time I was down for the "fitting" for my 5 String Midi Bass.

Pete showed me the almost finished neck of the 6 he was experimenting with - happy days.

Can anyone remember the name of the guy who was doing the electronics and pickups at that time? As you say they were all nice people. Paul Herman took a fair amount of banter from Pete and the joke of the day was that his only job was to glue in the "boat" which was what they called the little black plastic piece that protects the body from errant truss rod adjustment keys! Now he's the main man.

Cheers

Ed
[/quote]

Hey Ed, if you still had that Wal MIDI bass now you could probably sell it to a collector and retire on the proceeds! They must be uber-rare now. They have got Pino's one for sale in The Gallery and it is upwards of five grand, I think.

The other guy there at Electric Wood at that time was called Stuart, and he was from Sheffield or somewhere around that area, I seem to recollect. Definitely from up north. They also had a young lad with with long fair hair who was doing something with pickups in a vice, but he seemed to disappear and I don't remember speaking to him. Paul did the work on my wenge Wal that day, and we were chatting about Walton On Thames where I was spending quite a lot of time in those days . Paul is from Hersham right next door to Walton/Weybridge and we knew some of the same shops and pubs ect.

Paul only doing the boats? They let him loose on my bass unsupervised ! I would ask for refund, but they didn't charge me anything. Actually , Paul already had a degree in instrument repair/building from the Guildhall School Of Music and previously to working for Wal had done repairs ect for a major guitar shop that I can't quite remember, but I think it was Chandler Guitars at Kew

That must have been twenty years ago this coming spring . How did that happen? I've still got the same hairstyle. Thank God it's still fashionable!

Edited December 11, 2013 by Dingus

[EMG456]

Well I have a different hairstyle now but I do still have the midi bass. :-)

[mikeswals]

My Midi 4-string was signed off in the control cavity by Stuart.
Stuart Monks is his name.

[EMG456]

Yep, Stuart - that's him. I guess he took over the electronic stuff after Iain Waller's death? Anyone know if he's still involved in any way? I have a picture of the three of them posing with my finished bass...

Cheers

Ed

[Dingus]

I don't think Stuart is involved with Wal basses anymore , but he is still one of top guitar techs in the U.K. He worked for the luthier Roger Giffin before he was with Wal , and was a guitar tech for loads of touring bands going back to the 1970's , and he is still doing repairs for a few different shops, I think .

[silverfoxnik]

A massive +1 to all the above stories about the old WAL workshop in High Wycombe.. It was great customer service!

WAL,Pete the Fish, Stuart and Paul were a great bunch who made me feel really welcome every time I went there.. In particular, WAL himself had a great sense of humour.

Over the years, I remember trying out some of the unique WALs they had there, such as serial number 1111 and their first 5 and first 6 string models; there was no snobbery whereby trying things out was only the preserve of more well-known bassists. They always liked to get feedback from all their customers.

I heard about 4 or 5 years ago that Stuart had a battle with throat-cancer but had come through it and was still doing work as a Luthier, which is good news.

[Roland Rock]

If you want a piece of wenge, send me the dimensions and I'll send it to you FOC. My payment will be seeing this wrong righted ASAP

[White Cloud]

[quote name='Roland Rock' timestamp='1386788876' post='2304609']
If you want a piece of wenge, send me the dimensions and I'll send it to you FOC. My payment will be seeing this wrong righted ASAP
[/quote]
You sir, are a gentleman.