wal bass - are they really worth the premium?

[4000]

[quote name='witterth' post='871479' date='Jun 19 2010, 08:21 AM']Allways wanted one but never in the right place at the right time.
I read somewhere Mark King Bought his first JD because a wal was out of his price range at the time BTW.
he has one now.
lovely Bit of kit....anyone who wants to trade a wal for a 2003 stingray? [/quote]

Actually it's because an Alembic was out of his price range. I believe he tried a Wal and wasn't keen.

[Ruck]

Apparently Flea used a Wal bass to record the whole of Blood Sugar Sex Magic. Saw some video on youtube with him talking about his wall of basses

[Lfalex v1.1]

I often wonder what the Wal electrics package (pick-ups/eq) would sound like in a different body with a different neck.
Imagine something like a Jazz with all the right bits in. Still cheaper than the original, but how close would it get?

[Nostromo]

[quote name='Bloodaxe' post='674286' date='Dec 4 2009, 05:21 PM']I'm not a Wal owner, never have & am unlikely ever to be - but I have played a couple (Walman's & Silverfoxnik's) at a Bash acouple of years back.

My opinions?

A bit Marmite tbh - I can see why people love them with a passion & they're exceptional instruments, but they're not for me. I had difficulty with the neck profile, a Wal neck has a profile unlike anything I've ever met, it definitely works, there's absolutely nothing wrong with it, but it just felt wrong in my hand - kind of the opposite to a Warwick (another excellent, but Marmite, bass in my opinion) with its flat D profile, a Wal has a sort of "hump". Tonal versatility? buckets of it! Ease of playing? Segmentised Urea.

I'm sticking with my old Aria SB's - they just fit me, physically & sonically (more Marmite as well!)

Try a Wal, they are very, very, good & if you fall in love with it then you'll justify the expense - but try one first.

Pete.[/quote]


Can any of you WAL owners out there have a go at describing the WAL neck profile ?

Is there a custom order neck profile choice or are they all more or less the same ?

Ive never even seen a Wal in the flesh, let alone played one, but am really intreagued to know what the neck profile is like ?

[AndroWal]

[quote name='Nostromo' post='903965' date='Jul 24 2010, 05:05 AM']Can any of you WAL owners out there have a go at describing the WAL neck profile ?

Is there a custom order neck profile choice or are they all more or less the same ?

Ive never even seen a Wal in the flesh, let alone played one, but am really intreagued to know what the neck profile is like ?[/quote]


Here you go! It is quite like this....

Edited July 24, 2010 by AndroWal

[Spoombung]

[quote name='AndroWal' post='904274' date='Jul 24 2010, 07:55 PM']Here you go! It is quite like this....[/quote]

They do vary a bit. I played one in a shop recently that was very unlike mine - in fact it was quite horrible!

The other thing to bear in mind is that the neck is mounted in a very shallow neck pocket (it's quite unusual) and some people don't like this because it feels like the neck and body are on two different levels.

[RhysP]

[quote name='Nostromo' post='903965' date='Jul 24 2010, 01:05 PM']Can any of you WAL owners out there have a go at describing the WAL neck profile ?
Ive never even seen a Wal in the flesh, let alone played one, but am really intreagued to know what the neck profile is like ?[/quote]
The ones I've played have had very narrow necks that have quite a pronounced "V" profile.
I've really never got on with Wals. They are beautifully made basses, they're just not right for me.

[chris_b]

Wal's will vary because they were all handmade. I've got a 5 string Custom and I find the neck very comfortable to play. Probably because it's a 5 string, mine is wider and shallower than the drawing above.

I don't know what a "neck and body on two different levels" means! Anyway I find Wal to be one of the easiest and most comfortable basses to play and one of the best sounding.

[Spoombung]

[quote name='chris_b' post='904636' date='Jul 25 2010, 11:42 AM']I don't know what a "neck and body on two different levels" means![/quote]

The body on one level with the neck mounted high above the plane of the body in a shallow pocket. When I had mine modified I asked for a deeper neck pocket so the neck sits further into the body. It feels more unified.

[Nostromo]

Thanks for the info so far guys.

Must say I'd love to play a Wal, I've listened to quite a lot of stuff recorded with them and they do sound amazing.

I'm very much a "Jazz bass" neck profile player. I learnt to play bass on a Jazz, and one with a very shallow and narrow neck even for a Jazz ! . . It felt the right shape to me having migrated from 6 string playing to bass learning/playing, and, though I have a precision, I have never ever felt any where near as comfortable with the precision sized and profile neck as I am with the Jazz one ?

All this being the case, I'd sort of thought I probably wouldn't like a Wal, as I'd assumed they had really chuncky necks the thinckness and profile of which would be similar to a precision or even bigger ? . . . . . . . . ( big and fat does seem to be the in thing these days both with guitar and bass necks ? ) . . . . . however, the discriptions above seem to suggest that maybe they are not so chunky as I'd anticipated ? . . . I guess I need to search one out and play it ! ! . .

Cheers all,

Edited July 25, 2010 by Nostromo

[matski]

[quote name='blind pilot' post='870805' date='Jun 18 2010, 01:10 PM']still havent found a wal, but still want one!

missed out on one on the bay a few weeks back, went for £3100.00 crazy![/quote]

To go back to what others have already said: TRY BEFORE YOU BUY!! Especially as Wals are frighteningly expensive.

The Wal Custom was my dream bass back in the early 80s - which was a time when they were hugely popular AND available - and there was a music store in London called Allbang & Strummit which regularly had about 6 or 7 Wals in stock. I visited that place about 3 or 4 times, trying out the different Wals and testing the patience of the staff, but always left the store disappointed.

Don't get me wrong, the Wals were lovely looking instruments and extremely well made, but as others have said, they either work for you or they don't. They definitely didn't work for me. It's hard to say why exactly, but I could never quite get a sound I liked from them, they were bloody heavy and prone to neck diving, and I found them uncomfortable to play.

[tonyy]

Hi and sorry for butting in but if anyone can tall me where I'd get advice about the value of a Wal I'd appreciate it.....

About 15 years ago I bought a Wal from a friend. I havn't been doing much with it recently and a session player I know asked if i was interested in selling. I have no idea what it's worth and was wondering if anyone could help with a ballpark figure.

Manufactured in 1984 (serial no. W2361) it's a fretless with active electronics / pickups and balanced output. Schaller machine heads, 21 frets on a marked ebony fingerboard. Mahogany core with wenge outer body and a canadian maple/mahogany neck.

Could probably do with a bit of a service but is working fine.

I'm inclined to sell to this guy as I know the bass will be well used by him but I don't want to give it away or ask for a crazy price so any ballpark advice would be welcomed.

regards


Tony

[blind pilot]

ah that serial number was a mis-build, and as such not really worth any thing, tell you what, to help you out, i will give you £50.00 and my old nez in part ex

lol

[chris_b]

It could be worth between £1500 and £3000. Some photos would be helpful.

[Vibrating G String]

[quote name='BB2000' post='674223' date='Dec 4 2009, 07:58 AM']Why do people comment on the £2000+ price tag of a Wal but nobody blinks an eye at a £2000 late 60's Fender? I know which one I'd rather (and do) have![/quote]
I blink at $200 for an old Fender

I've played a handful of Wals and even ordered one once. I find most of their magic in the electronics and nothing special in the woodwork. The pair of coils per string pickups and "filter" EQ seem to bring out some aggressive tones not found in more standard gear. But I think you can get a tone that would work just as well, though maybe not sound exactly like someone else, for a fraction of the money. Fun, worth the money, not needed IMHO.

[tonyy]

Sounds like a deal

[tonyy]

[quote name='chris_b' post='905793' date='Jul 26 2010, 01:34 PM']It could be worth between £1500 and £3000. Some photos would be helpful.[/quote]


Here's a couple of photos - I havn't got a camera to hand so there's taken from the laptop so excuse the quality.


Tony

[cetera]

You're probably talking £2k for that...

[blind pilot]

lovely looking bass, but shame its a left hooker, i will have to retract my offer, sorry

[blind pilot]

ah, the logo is backwards, on the headstock, are the pictures reversed?

there was a rather nice one on t bay, sold for £3100.00, and last week another one went for £1800.00.

i think its a sellers market, and you should get £2000.00 easily, and i think to be honest, looking at what they sell for, is a more than fair asking price!

[tonyy]

Thanks to all of you for the advice!

[fingerz]

I've not played a Wal. I know a pro who has had one for all of his working life and loves it, he has other basses but that one hasn't gone anywhere. They always sound great when i have heard them. The point is, if you want one, get one. The price is obviously high but as mentioned in this thread, there is loads of stuff that is really expensive for what it is out there. Sadowsky tokyo basses come in around 2 grand for 5 stringers - god only knows what it costs to manufacture those basses. Wals are hand built, and have their own vibe that is unique - that is very rare these days. If you love a bass, you have to have it, and that's the only value you need to worry about.

I worked with a drummer who was telling me about a bass player he works with who plays a Wal. Everyone asks him to bring the Wal when they gig with him. He said it was heavy, but sounded so fat that it just blows everyone away. I've never heard a story like that from another musician, people normally only pay attention to the player. That bass has had a big influence on all who've been around it.

[blind pilot]

Time to bring this one back -Why, well, I finally played a Wal, and I was not impressed, maybe it was a bad'un, who knows?

The sound was massive for sure, but as for satisfying my tone chasing - nope, Sansamp Bddi, new strings got me the tone I was looking for.

I still love the look of the MK2, but now i am happy to wait until they become more affordale or money more abundant!

Just to say thanks again to you lot for your advise - very glad I did not buy one blind! (I bid up to 1500 on ebay before re-thinking!)

[Chris2112]

I can remember when Wals were considered old hat and sold for next to nothing! They were like the ultimate pub bassists instrument, naffer than naff!

Of course, I do not subscribe to this school of thought. They are amazing, utterly unique basses. However, in terms of just how good they are, I do feel their prices have been vastly over-inflated and this has had a knock on effect to the new build ones.

[chris_b]

[quote name='blind pilot' post='978456' date='Oct 5 2010, 03:33 PM']....I finally played a Wal, and I was not impressed, maybe it was a bad'un, who knows?....[/quote]
Being unimpressed doesn't make it a bad instrument. Wal's will not suite everyone, no one bass does, but that’s hardly the fault of the bass.