Geddy Live - Steinberger or Wal?

lijazz · #1 03-11-2011, 10:47 AM

So, the other night, my 10 year old son, also a Rush fan, and I were watching the GuP and ASoH concert DVDs in the Replay X 3 box set, and I started to realize that, I preferred the tone of the Berger to the tone of the Wal. I went further and watched some live vids on YouTube from those same years and confimed it further. Most of us are so entrenched into the Jazz vs. Ric debate that we don't seem to separate and compare the other two basses.

By the way, I was around my son's age, maybe a bit older when I first started to Listen to Rush and now the whole family is going to Rush concerts...how cool is that?

Any opinions on these two basses ONLY?

Richbass101 · #2 03-11-2011, 11:22 AM

RUSH fan here as well. I really liked the sound of the Wal bass just sounds awesome to me imo. I've got a couple dvds ( boots ) of the presto show using Wal bass & power windows using Steinberg bass . To me theres just so much clarity/tone on the Wal. Either way Ged is an awesome bass player hands down.

lijazz · #3 03-11-2011, 11:31 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Richbass101

RUSH fan here as well. I really liked the sound of the Wal bass just sounds awesome to me imo. I've got a couple dvds ( boots ) of the presto show using Wal bass & power windows using Steinberg bass . To me theres just so much clarity/tone on the Wal. Either way Ged is an awesome bass player hands down.

Your point about how clear the Wal is is actually why I like the sound of the Steinberger better. The Wal just seems too clean and sterile for me. The berger is darker sounding and has more bottom end to my ears, which by itself would seem surprising since it is not made of wood. However others have stated how Justine Chancellor of Tool (also a Wal player) has had some bottom end issues with his live tone.

duff2 · #4 03-11-2011, 11:32 AM

I love his J-bass tone, but I wish he'd switch basses more often during the show. Wouldn't it be great if he used the same bass that was used to record the song on each album?

The last time I saw Rush was at the Bell Center in Montreal during the Snakes and Arrows tour . The jazz bass sounded great, but when he whipped out the Rick for the encore (Passage to Bangkok) the sound and the visual blew my mind.

Cheers,
Duff2

markorbit · #5 03-11-2011, 11:40 AM

I haven't watched those gigs in ages but have owned Steinbergers and Wals.

Both have signature tones but I sold the Wal some time ago as it was too 'electric' sounding for what I'm after today. Back in the 80s I was a huge fan of that picked fretted Wal tone and rounds (eg: Leigh Gorman) but not so much now.

I still have an L2 Steinberger and I much prefer that. It seems to have a unique mid-thing going on and contrary to some reports, I don't find it cold sounding at all. It's just a little awkward to play compared to fuller-bodied basses which is a real shame. Every few months I get a real buzz regarding the design of it, I still think the original L2s look cool and tank-like. The XL2s are too neat and plastic looking.

I remember Power Windows has a very cool Wal sound and Grace Under Pressure is Steinberger but it's not a 'wow' sound. It seems a slightly different tone to mine, I think mine is warmer.

coronado3 · #6 03-11-2011, 11:54 AM

I would have loved for geddy to use heavier gauge strings on the wal... I like the tone, but it always seemed too thin.

jgroh · #7 03-11-2011, 12:07 PM

My all time favorite tones of his are from the Wal. When I heard Power Windows for the first time back in the 80's it blew me away. I will say that I have come to appreciate his Ric tone much, much more and its probably my second favorite. However, I watched some old GuP tour videos on Youtube recently, and the Steinberger sounded really good IMO. Much better than his buzzsaw Jazz tone for the last 15 years or so.

lijazz · #8 03-11-2011, 12:13 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by jgroh

My all time favorite tones of his are from the Wal. When I heard Power Windows for the first time back in the 80's it blew me away. I will say that I have come to appreciate his Ric tone much, much more and its probably my second favorite. However, I watched some old GuP tour videos on Youtube recently, and the Steinberger sounded really good IMO. Much better than his buzzsaw Jazz tone for the last 15 years or so.

I actually prefer his present live "Time Machine Tour" Jazz tone as well as his Jazz tone on "Different Stages" with his 1978-82 Ric tone equally. I haven't cared much for the DI Jazz tone of 1998-2009, like the Steinberger live much better. The Wal live tone is my least favorite, although Power Windows was the best studio tone of the Wal era.

perfektspace6 · #9 03-11-2011, 10:38 PM

Geddy's tone with the Berger on the GUP live DVD is fantastic. Very aggressive and very clean sounding. I don't thinks it's all that good on the album. I prefer the Wal overall but the Berger has more balls.

**superdick2112** · #10 03-11-2011, 11:06 PM

Both on DVD and from what I recall from seeing him live during that era, I preferred his tone with the Steinberger. I've owned a Steinberger, and I've played a few Wals, and the Wal bass sound never really grabbed me. Back then, my amplifier was not nearly as nice as the Phil Jones rig I play now, so I would love the chance to try both basses side-by-side through my current rig, and see if my opinion would change or not...

Supa Scoopa · #11 03-12-2011, 01:29 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by coronado3

I would have loved for geddy to use heavier gauge strings on the wal... I like the tone, but it always seemed too thin.

Correct me im wrong but I thought geddy used really light guage on his wal?

coronado3 · #12 03-12-2011, 05:06 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Supa Scoopa

Correct me im wrong but I thought geddy used really light guage on his wal?

Yep...very light "funkmasters". I would like to have heard the walbass with his current rotosounds.

Hobobob · #13 03-12-2011, 09:11 PM

He had two Wals. The black one, which I assume we're talking about here, geddy has said himself that the tone was a little thin. That's why he started using the red one in the early 90's. The red one to him sounded a little meatier and had a little more depth.

Emmaporkchop · #14 03-13-2011, 07:45 AM

My favorite tone from him was on "Big Money", so I guess my vote would go for his Wal bass.

coronado3 · #15 03-16-2011, 10:00 AM

I think he still used the thin funkmasters on the red MK II wal...

Quote:

Originally Posted by Hobobob

He had two Wals. The black one, which I assume we're talking about here, geddy has said himself that the tone was a little thin. That's why he started using the red one in the early 90's. The red one to him sounded a little meatier and had a little more depth.

Hobobob · #16 03-16-2011, 03:02 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by coronado3

I think he still used the thin funkmasters on the red MK II wal...

One less variable. That would actually make his conclusions more acceptable.

I<34080 · #17 03-16-2011, 03:49 PM

He had a five string Wal too, used on Lock and Key.

groovaholic · #18 03-16-2011, 05:10 PM

It's funny; when I owned a Wal bass, it always sounded dark to me -- unless I pulled up the knobs for the treble boost.

Having heard Geddy's trebly tone, I was disappointed not to be getting more gank.

Duke21 · #19 03-16-2011, 05:51 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by lijazz

Your point about how clear the Wal is is actually why I like the sound of the Steinberger better. The Wal just seems too clean and sterile for me. The berger is darker sounding and has more bottom end to my ears, which by itself would seem surprising since it is not made of wood. However others have stated how Justine Chancellor of Tool (also a Wal player) has had some bottom end issues with his live tone.

Agree to that, I find Geddy's tone with the Wal my least favorite. I like best his Rick tone and his Jazz tone on Different Stages, followed by current Jazz tone and the Berger, last comes the Wal which is too "nice"!

type C basses · #20 03-16-2011, 11:38 PM

Of those two, the Wal.
I like the sound of his red Fender, drop-tuned.