If anyone is keen I was at the BassGallery in London this morning and they had a used Wal Mk 1 5 string in what looked to be Shedua facings with a walnut core for 2500 pounds in pretty good condition.

Its not listed on their website yet, but if you are keen you could probably pick it up before it goes on there.

http://www.thebassgallery.com/images/walcustom5.jpg

My mistake, its a MKII. I don't know too much about Wals other than they are hyped, rare and expensive! :D

The above pic is from the website which its now up on.

I've tried about 5 or 6 in bass shops in London and have found they are very "over-hyped" - bulky , chunky necks and way too heavy to play long gigs - hated them all! :p

I also hated the counter-intuitive electronics which prevented me getting a decent, usable tone - and even the owners in the Bass Centre couldn't do this when I was there!

There seem to be only two good things about them - nice looks and high re-sale value!

Ideal eBay fodder! :spit:

Rather, "kids who like Tool" fodder.

I just got one last week, and I completely disagree with all comments stated above. :)

That looks similar to my MK1.

I just got one last week, and I completely disagree with all comments stated above. :)

That looks similar to my MK1.

Glad to hear you got that one! I'm with you as well on the above. These basses are defiantly not for everyone though. Either you love them or you hate them. They have a sound all there own. It just takes a little time to get the hang of the electronics.

Glad to hear you got that one! I'm with you as well on the above. These basses are defiantly not for everyone though. Either you love them or you hate them. They have a sound all there own. It just takes a little time to get the hang of the electronics.

Yeah - so if you want a "classic" tone for a particular tune it's impossible to get it and instead you are left with a "unique" tone that sticks out like a sore thumb! :p

And in the middle of a gig I want to be fiddling with complex electronics - no thanks!!

OK for experimenting in studio or bedroom - but the last thing I'd want on a gig! Add to that the weight and bulky neck and you have a recipe for disaster! Totally impractical!

"Classic" tone, of what? A J or P bass? This is fifty times the ax those two are combined.
I can dial up 4-5 useful and usable tones within about 30 seconds. It's not rocket science. Just tone knobs. :p

depending on what kind of music you play, you probably don't need the classic tone for some. We know this is an ax for speicifc types of music, so yes if you are on your jazz gig this is probably not for you.

totally impractical if that is not the kind of tunes you play. Other than that, I have heard them rock on many instances, to say they don't is a little far fetched.

depending on what kind of music you play, you probably don't need the classic tone for some.

But what if you do!! :hmm:

We know this is an ax for speicifc types of music, so yes if you are on your jazz gig this is probably not for you.


Yup agreed and I am!! :p


totally impractical if that is not the kind of tunes you play.


Again agreed! :)


Other than that, I have heard them rock on many instances, to say they don't is a little far fetched.

Who said that...:confused: Not me!! :p

I'm still not clear on what you mean by "classic" tone-
classic to some is the thump/thud of a P bass with flats, a la Jamerson (which the Wal does) or the farty/burpy midrange of Jaco and Stanley (which the Wal does).

:confused: ? :)

I'm still not clear on what you mean by "classic" tone-
classic to some is the thump/thud of a P bass with flats, a la Jamerson (which the Wal does) or the farty/burpy midrange of Jaco and Stanley (which the Wal does).

:confused: ? :)

to be fair, you are classifying the jaco tone with stanley tone as even? Can't see that one.

And yes, classic, for electric, would be the jazz or the p. It's jaco technique that yielded the burpy tone, not the bass itself.

Tone is subjective - tried loads of Wals - didn't like the tone of any of them!

I challenged the manager of the Bass Centre in London to get a usable tone out of a Wal and he admitted he couldn't do it!! :p

How we laughed!! :D

to be fair, you are classifying the jaco tone with stanley tone as even? Can't see that one.

And yes, classic, for electric, would be the jazz or the p. It's jaco technique that yielded the burpy tone, not the bass itself.

No not even, but on the opposite realm of the thump tone, as that's what they both were.

I can get a great P bass tone by switching to the neck pickup, treble at 0, and bass at 0. Awesome thumpy dub tone. And then pull the bass pot to get a little more bite.
Takes all 'o a few seconds! ;)

Tone is subjective - tried loads of Wals - didn't like the tone of any of them!

I challenged the manager of the Bass Centre in London to get a usable tone out of a Wal and he admitted he couldn't do it!! :p

How we laughed!! :D

No substitute for user error! ;) :D

No problems with Laklands,Ken Smith, Sadowsky, Fenders,Tobias,MTD,Status,Yamaha TRBs, and maybe a hundred other types of bass I've played! :p

These basses are defiantly not for everyone though. Either you love them or you hate them. They have a sound all there own.....

I think this is the best thing for everybody to bear in mind!

No not even, but on the opposite realm of the thump tone, as that's what they both were.

I can get a great P bass tone by switching to the neck pickup, treble at 0, and bass at 0. Awesome thumpy dub tone. And then pull the bass pot to get a little more bite.
Takes all 'o a few seconds! ;)

I love Tool's tone, but I think John Wetton's Precision tone runs over Justin's like a big Mack truck in 9th gear - after all, he was one of Justin's big influences:D

...I also liked Paul D'Amour's tone a lot better also - congrats to Justin for using more distorto on that last album - his Wal sounded so much better on 10,000 Days - more like Paul's, but still with that sig "Wal" sound:)

Had my Mach I for about a month now, and if someone can't get a "useful tone" out of this, you and your shop owner shouldn't pick up a bass again. It's killer, especially with the Gain boosted on your amp and wielding a pick.

Sorry, but dems the breaks. :smug:

Rather, "kids who like Tool" fodder.

Or rather kids who like Geddy Lee, Jeff Ament, and Paul McCartney fodder?



I love Tool's tone, but I think John Wetton's Precision tone runs over Justin's like a big Mack truck in 9th gear ...

a big Mack truck in 9th gear at a dead stop or cruising down the Autobahn at 200 kmph? Cause there's a HUGE difference there! :D

I really like the Wals. I haven't played one personally...just been able to pick it out on a few recordings and seen it live. Yes, I love Tool. Yes, I prefer Justin's tone to Paul's although both were pretty sweet. I also like Paul McCartney's Wal-tone and Geddy Lee's as well. And Jeff Ament's fretless Wal is better than any Fender, yet still resembles a good ol' fretless jazz.

From what I hear, it sounds like it is versatile enough to cover just about anything and it definitely takes a LOT of time to be able to coax those sounds out of a Wal. There's a lot more to the electronics than meets the eye. But, as stated earlier, I've never had the chance to have one in my hands. And I realize that not everyone likes 'em, but I do know that if I could get a partial representation of the J.C.'s tone on Aenima or Lateralus, then I'd be happy. :D

EDIT: and ANYONE can get "Jaco-tone" if they wanted. I don't know why they would...but hey, I'm not them. Just a well-known fact to cut some treble, boost low mids, use the bridge pickup, and play close to the bridge. It ain't hard.

Wal's RULE!

Nuff Said!

- Okay that's two too many!

i had a wal all thro the 80s.....and what do i most remember about that bass....yes it had great tone..and yes it was great to play...

but my shoulder man!!!!! ...it ached so bad ...like a deep muscle pin attack to the very core of my arm.

lord only knows what wood it was made out of but it was dense.

i had a wal all thro the 80s.....and what do i most remember about that bass....yes it had great tone..and yes it was great to play...

but my shoulder man!!!!! ...it ached so bad ...like a deep muscle pin attack to the very core of my arm.

lord only knows what wood it was made out of but it was dense.

Yeah it's a heavy bugger. But my Quantums are even worse, so it's not too bad. ;)