Wal Bass Club, Part 2 - Page 21

4001 · #**401** 01-23-2013, 06:48 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Caca de Kick

What a cute little doggie!

zazz · #**402** 01-24-2013, 01:31 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by kulit17

I pasted a snippet of it in Musicman1901 thread to what it pertained too, but here is the whole transcription that I received.

Just wanted to put this info here:
(I hope Paul H doesn't mind)

Bass-ic Setup of a Wal

Funny thing too I actually had to look up what exactly "proud" meant other then kinda figuring it out by the context....

Found this is the Oxford-British dictionary:

3 [predic.] British slightly projecting from a surface:
balls standing proud of the fabric

Thanks for the post.....I'll give it a whirl.

zazz · #**403** 01-27-2013, 08:31 PM

thinking out loud here....if i get wal to make me a fretless neck for my mkii

how much of a pain is it to swap necks. Obviously ideally i would like a fretless but the cost is putting me off slightly. So as a studio bass i work on one track fretted and then maybe the following week switch necks and the next back to fretted again ...could this all happen without messing with the setup on every change?? i guess this relies on wal necks being consistent.

the other question is does wal put you at the back of the que if its just a neck or could they knock one out quite quickly ...??

ps....anyone got a fretless mkii neck they want to sell??

kulit17 · #**404** 01-28-2013, 06:14 AM

If you order a neck, it'll be like ordering a bass, so Paul does put you in the back of the queue and requires a 300 GBP before putting you on the wait.

swapping necks isn't that hard, it's only the matter of loosening the strings to release the tension and unscrewing the four screws from the back neck plate. from what i've heard (correct me if i'm wrong) but typically good rule of thumb when storing a neck away is to loosen the trussrod, no? so in this case you would need to do a setup after every change.

IMO, my preference between setups on a fretless and fretted are a bit different. Fretted i like my action to be med/low and fretless i'd like it to be low, so if I were to go that route, I would change setups after swapping it out.

djaxup · #**405** 01-28-2013, 06:32 AM

I followed the instructions you have received for doing a setup. While string action was superb before and i decided not to tinker with it the changes for pickup height were baffling. Mine were set up much too high, as in the pole pieces were too close to the strings. Now the Wal sounds a lot more musical and rich without losing bite. Perfect, really. It is not as loud as before (that's a good thing!), otherwise it has just made the sound better all around. I experimented with ~8mm, that began to delute the bite and definition, so i went back to the 6mm / 5.5mm. Especially the bridge pickup now sounds a lot better, not so honky as before and the pickup blend seems to work more seamless.

zazz · #**406** 02-02-2013, 04:36 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by kulit17

If you order a neck, it'll be like ordering a bass, so Paul does put you in the back of the queue and requires a 300 GBP before putting you on the wait.

swapping necks isn't that hard, it's only the matter of loosening the strings to release the tension and unscrewing the four screws from the back neck plate. from what i've heard (correct me if i'm wrong) but typically good rule of thumb when storing a neck away is to loosen the trussrod, no? so in this case you would need to do a setup after every change.

IMO, my preference between setups on a fretless and fretted are a bit different. Fretted i like my action to be med/low and fretless i'd like it to be low, so if I were to go that route, I would change setups after swapping it out.

I'm sure they are but...... Is it generally accepted that new wals are of the same quality as the originals in the 80s.... It would be good to hear opinions.

MC1970 · #**407** 02-02-2013, 04:54 AM

zazz,
new Wals are not the same quality the older are...... They are far better for what fit and finish are concerned; while sonically you can't spot any difference!

M.

zazz · #**408** 02-02-2013, 08:03 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by MC1970

zazz,
new Wals are not the same quality the older are...... They are far better for what fit and finish are concerned; while sonically you can't spot any difference!

M.

So your saying the new wals are of a higher build quality ?

Toolmybass · #**409** 02-02-2013, 08:51 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by zazz

So your saying the new wals are of a higher build quality ?

That seems to be the consensus so far with current new Wal owners who own or have owned the older ones

Tjluke · #**410** 02-02-2013, 01:27 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by MC1970

new Wals are not the same quality the older are...... They are far better for what fit and finish are concerned...

Are you sure?

When you want, give me a call and let's compare mine (1983) and yours.

kulit17 · #**411** 02-02-2013, 01:46 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by zazz

how much of a pain is it to swap necks. Obviously ideally i would like a fretless but the cost is putting me off slightly. So as a studio bass i work on one track fretted and then maybe the following week switch necks and the next back to fretted again ...could this all happen without messing with the setup on every change?? i guess this relies on wal necks being consistent.

Quote:

Originally Posted by kulit17

swapping necks isn't that hard, it's only the matter of loosening the strings to release the tension and unscrewing the four screws from the back neck plate. from what i've heard (correct me if i'm wrong) but typically good rule of thumb when storing a neck away is to loosen the trussrod, no? so in this case you would need to do a setup after every change.

Quote:

Originally Posted by zazz

I'm sure they are but...... Is it generally accepted that new wals are of the same quality as the originals in the 80s.... It would be good to hear opinions.

Are you still referring to storing a neck away for swap?? Or overall quality difference? If overall quality difference, the consensus I've heard as well is Paul basses do not disappoint! I'm hoping some day to get a new build but it's not in the cards right now.

If its the neck, my previous comment is purely just generalized, so I'm not sure how the tension of the truss rod would fair on a Wal if you swap necks time to time. I know other Wal owners do the same thing, but not sure what they do when they store the other neck away.

MC1970 · #**412** 02-02-2013, 02:00 PM

tjluke,

I'de be glad, but I live in Italy so I don't think it would be easy to do ;-)

I've owned only a Wal in the past ( a 1987 shedua, fretted rosewood mkI), but a close friend of mine own 3 Wals to whom I have compared mine......

Tonewise, they all almost sound the same ( though his 80's wenge fretted ebony mkI seems to have more lows than mine), but craftmanship on mine is far superior, especially when looping at fret dressing / crowning and fingerboard edges......

;-)

Tjluke · #**413** 02-02-2013, 02:10 PM

MC1970,
did you read my location?

I'm Lucio, Claudio of YM is a friend of mine.

We spoke of Wal some months ago by phone

Ciao

MC1970 · #**414** 02-02-2013, 03:17 PM

Azz, I send you a PM......

Papersen · #**415** 02-02-2013, 03:51 PM

Bought this last May and I guess it`s time to join the club.
My first Wal

I wanted one since I heard Power Windows 25 years ago.

zazz · #**416** 02-02-2013, 04:41 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by kulit17

Are you still referring to storing a neck away for swap?? Or overall quality difference? If overall quality difference, the consensus I've heard as well is Paul basses do not disappoint! I'm hoping some day to get a new build but it's not in the cards right now.

If its the neck, my previous comment is purely just generalized, so I'm not sure how the tension of the truss rod would fair on a Wal if you swap necks time to time. I know other Wal owners do the same thing, but not sure what they do when they store the other neck away.

Well right now I'm undecided.... I could get a new neck or even a new fretless mk1 or maybe go for secondhand ...just weighing the pros and cons ...

Seen a couple go for 2400 pounds in the uk so I can just about see a logic to not getting new at that price.

From the sound of it maybe paul is the right way to go with a whole bass ....at least the electronics will be be brand new.....and if I have to wait just as long for a neck...might just as well pony up for a mki shedua with ebony fingerboard and chrome hardware ...pay it in full as im scared I will spend it before its finished.

How long is the waiting time these days?....

Toolmybass · #**417** 02-02-2013, 05:31 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by zazz

How long is the waiting time these days?....

About 19 months

zazz · #**418** 02-02-2013, 08:36 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Toolmybass

About 19 months

That should keep the impulse buyers at bay.

AndroWal · #**419** 02-02-2013, 09:58 PM

And the used market vibrant....

mesajoe · #**420** 02-04-2013, 03:02 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by kulit17

If overall quality difference, the consensus I've heard as well is Paul basses do not disappoint! I'm hoping some day to get a new build but it's not in the cards right now.

Paul's craftsmanship is faultless. The "new Wals" that Paul has made for me are better made than the Pro I I bought in 1984 and I cannot find any faults with them, and I am particularly picky.

Both from a wood working perspective and when I open the back cover and look at the electronics, it all looks faultless.

You then need to compare this with other brands, for me only Roger Sadowsky NYC basses match Pauls craftsmanship.