How Do I Get the Wal Bass Tone?

Donald Cajonn · #1 03-02-2011, 06:20 AM

I have a Fretless washburn t-24 with a line 6 bass pickup running through a markbass 2x10

Nightlyraider · #2 03-02-2011, 06:21 AM

A big part of the secret lies in the custom made pickups and electronics of the Wal itself.

Goodluck.

thunesBARROW · #3 03-02-2011, 06:26 AM

I believe Geddy Lee used Rotosound Funkmaster strings on his Wal basses.

Donald Cajonn · #4 03-02-2011, 06:26 AM

Well I can almost get the sound, the pick up isn't limiting or anything. Any recommended EQing?

kraigo · #5 03-02-2011, 06:27 AM

The answer you're going to get is "get a Wal". The pickups are probably pretty hard to find - their proprietary and no one swaps them out. I think David of SGD (http://www.sgd-lutherie.com/pages/pickups.html) is trying to make a clone of a Wal pickup. I can tell you that SGD makes really good pickups. I'm thrilled with the ND3 I have in my Ibanez Artcore.

Two Minneapolis replies. Good morning Nightlyraider!

KO

Nightlyraider · #6 03-02-2011, 06:35 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by kraigo

Two Minneapolis replies. Good morning Nightlyraider!

KO

Glad to see I'm not the only crazy one up this early. A little more coffee and its time for work!

droopyheads · #7 05-12-2011, 02:41 AM

i had a failed attempt once that i sold and wish i hadnt. it was a 2000ish squier jazz bass with 2 dimarzio model ones. it made it super fat but it came nowhere close to the wal sound. although it sounded cool so i might do it again.

FunkMetalBass · #8 05-12-2011, 10:29 AM

Whose Wal sound are you trying to emulate? Geddy? Flea? Chancellor?

stratovani · #9 05-12-2011, 11:00 AM

I've always liked the Wal tone Geddy has on the song Open Secrets. A nice, full yet clean tone with a lot of mids, almost sounds like a P-Bass tone to me. Definitely within reach for most players, although in truth only a Wal sounds like a Wal, much like only an upright sounds like an upright.

YouTube - Rush - Open Secrets

jgroh · #10 05-12-2011, 11:11 AM

For Geddy Wal tones, get an G&L L2000/L2500.

AltGrendel · #11 05-12-2011, 11:38 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by kraigo

The answer you're going to get is "get a Wal". The pickups are probably pretty hard to find - their proprietary and no one swaps them out. I think David of SGD (http://www.sgd-lutherie.com/pages/pickups.html) is trying to make a clone of a Wal pickup. I can tell you that SGD makes really good pickups. I'm thrilled with the ND3 I have in my Ibanez Artcore.

Two Minneapolis replies. Good morning Nightlyraider!

KO

The SGD Wal thread is here. It's an interesting thread in it's own right.

Keep in mind he's a busy guy.

fenderlover77 · #12 05-12-2011, 01:51 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by FunkMetalBass

Whose Wal sound are you trying to emulate? Geddy? Flea? Chancellor?

Flea's Wal sound on blood sugar sex magic is amazing!

Wal's are really hard to find and expensive. It also would probably be a chore to try and find the right pickup, electronics and amp/cab combination that could emulate it. The best bet would be to try and find and buy a Wal.

Technique also has alot to do with getting the right tone you want also. I've read that Flea only uses a couple of basses on tour and the Wal isn't one of them (correct me if I'm wrong). He only used it for recording. He still gets the correct tone for the songs recorded with the Wal though. Just my humble opinion.

Aunell · #13 05-12-2011, 01:54 PM

Oh this might be an interesting thread

I love the Tool tone, and I read he also uses wal basses

any tips or tricks how to get that sound?

FunkMetalBass · #14 05-12-2011, 02:06 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Aunell

Oh this might be an interesting thread

I love the Tool tone, and I read he also uses wal basses

any tips or tricks how to get that sound?

The Tool tone is most easily achieved with a Stingray through an array of effects. In fact, that's what he used for a few recordings.

Aunell · #15 05-12-2011, 02:17 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by FunkMetalBass

The Tool tone is most easily achieved with a Stingray through an array of effects. In fact, that's what he used for a few recordings.

yeah I use an Ibanez ATK for most of the things I play,

but even with my neck pickup on, I can never really get as much low out of it, even when boosting the lows

well it sounds low, but it doesn't sound Tool

FunkMetalBass · #16 05-12-2011, 03:10 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Aunell

yeah I use an Ibanez ATK for most of the things I play,

but even with my neck pickup on, I can never really get as much low out of it, even when boosting the lows

well it sounds low, but it doesn't sound Tool

Justin Chancellor actually has an EQ pedal that he uses when he wants to give a low end bump. For the most part, I feel like his one is quite lacking in the low end (like a low mid drop, and boosted high mids).

Aunell · #17 05-12-2011, 03:36 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by FunkMetalBass

Justin Chancellor actually has an EQ pedal that he uses when he wants to give a low end bump. For the most part, I feel like his one is quite lacking in the low end (like a low mid drop, and boosted high mids).

tried boosting some mids and cutting the very low part (30 to 60hz)

and it's beginning to sound quite close, soloing the bridge pickup of the ATK, and also boosting some of the higher frequencies

and is it me, or would a Rickenbacker also be quite good at the Tool sound?

(or is that just me looking for another excuse to get a rick

)

FunkMetalBass · #18 05-12-2011, 04:05 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Aunell

tried boosting some mids and cutting the very low part (30 to 60hz)

and it's beginning to sound quite close, soloing the bridge pickup of the ATK, and also boosting some of the higher frequencies

and is it me, or would a Rickenbacker also be quite good at the Tool sound?

(or is that just me looking for another excuse to get a rick

)

I don't think a Rick would be good for any sound, but I'm rather biased against them.

Have you tried boosting the volume just a hair on the neck pickup? That might help cut out some of the low mids naturally. Are you running through a 32-band EQ to make these subtle changes?

Also, I think most of us here would consider anything under 100Hz to be the bass frequencies.

Bigjohn · #19 05-12-2011, 06:19 PM

Actually, Tool's entire UNDERTOW album is a Rickenbacker 4001.
Sober is a Rickenbacker.

Quote:

Originally Posted by FunkMetalBass

I don't think a Rick would be good for any sound, but I'm rather biased against them.

Have you tried boosting the volume just a hair on the neck pickup? That might help cut out some of the low mids naturally. Are you running through a 32-band EQ to make these subtle changes?

Also, I think most of us here would consider anything under 100Hz to be the bass frequencies.

Gasman · #20 05-12-2011, 06:30 PM

Chancellor's tone on 10K days is very Ric-esque. His other albums with Tool, not so much. Probably because he used Mesa Boogie for he the first two and GK for the last. G&L L-2000, MM Stingray, or Ibanez ATK are probably your best bets (in that order) for that.

For Geddy's Wal sound I think only the G&L will get you close. Just my opinion.