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Maruszczyk Wal Copy

It's a versatile bass for sure but I don't know if it really sounds like a Wal. That said, I also think the coolest part of a Wal is this:

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My new favourite bass! I even bookmarked it. Love that deep warm sound - and what an amazing variation of tones available!

$5000 Aussie before shipping.

Ibanez SR755NTF my new favourite bass! Oh. It already was. :bassist:

(Crazy times. Don’t delete bookmark just yet.)
 
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Sounds pretty decent - but not even remotely similar tonally to a Wal - I will also add this, (also respectfully) I owned a Marusczyk, and I was very impressed with the Haussen (?) P pickups - but the bass 'felt' cheap and by that, I mean the wood had a plastic feel too it - that was when I found out that it was chambered (when that wasn't disclosed too me initially) ...so I traded it in at a local retailer(shipping it back was almost as bad cost-wise, and I was worried about it suddenly 'having shipping damage' and losing the full amount)- i lost over half the money I paid for it...so I ended up feeling beat-up by it (as a brand)...I guess live and learn - I do think they are decent basses though for the money...and I would chance them again, with more research.
 
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Very pretty bass. Sounds really good too. And for $2700 at current exchange rates it seems like a pretty good deal for a boutique-y bass.

But to my ears, it doesn’t sound like a Wal.

Looks like they’re using a multi-coil pickup design. But Wal’s preamp is pretty unique in that it’s based around a pair of LPFs rather than your typical boost/cut shelving EQ. And that preamp is a lot of what makes up the Wal sound.
 
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Very pretty bass. Sounds really good too. And for $2700 at current exchange rates it seems like a pretty good deal for a boutique-y bass.

But to my ears, it doesn’t sound like a Wal.

Looks like they’re using a multi-coil pickup design. But Wal’s preamp is pretty unique in that it’s based around a pair of LPFs rather than your typical boost/cut shelving EQ. And that preamp is a lot of what makes up the Wal sound.

The bass that was featured on the OP was using an ACG/East EQ-01 preamp, which has dual LPF's, blend, and a HPF treble control that can be blended however you'd like between each pickup.
 
The bass that was featured on the OP was using an ACG/East EQ-01 preamp, which has dual LPF's, blend, and a HPF treble control that can be blended however you'd like between each pickup.

Maybe it’s what YT does with compression on the video. But it didn’t sound like a Wal to me. At least not like the two I got a fortunate chance to play.

Glad to see the ACG/East preamp is making an appearance again. For awhile it seemed like it had disappeared. Or at least it seemed to be perpetually out of stock over on Best Bass Gear last I checked. I was thinking of pairing one with a set of Alembic Activators I have.
 
Maybe it’s what YT does with compression on the video. But it didn’t sound like a Wal to me. At least not like the two I got a fortunate chance to play.

Glad to see the ACG/East preamp is making an appearance again. For awhile it seemed like it had disappeared. Or at least it seemed to be perpetually out of stock over on Best Bass Gear last I checked. I was thinking of pairing one with a set of Alembic Activators I have.

It has pretty much disappeared from retail locations, but it is still available on a build from ACG. Totally guessing here, but I would think some sort of licensing agreement was put into place with Marusczyk.

I had an ACG EQ-01 in one of my basses for a brief period of time and it could sculpt some cool Wal-like sounds with Bartolini soapbars. However, and I think Alan from ACG will agree with me about this, it's only going to be as good as what the pickups can deliver into it. They are the deciding factor part of the equation. Even though those are multi-coils in the Marusczyk, they still aren't Wal pickups and it will never sound totally like a Wal just because of that. It might get close though. The EQ-01 is also the first generation of the filter preamp from ACG/East and, while good, it has some quirks that I didn't care for. ACG is now up to the improved DFM model that looks to have fixed those things. I have to give a hand to ACG and East for continuously innovating on their original design.
 
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They don't sound like a Wal at all to me plus they have the dreaded Zero-Fret. No Thanks.

Not following you on this. A zero fret is nothing to dread. Sandberg uses them, and I've seen guitars built by master custom shop luthiers with a zero fret that sounded incredible. I wouldn't turn anything down that has one.
 
I am no expert on Wal, but calling this bass a copy might not do it justice. The Maruszczyk Jazzus bass is their own design inspired by the jazz bass and has been in production for years. The first ones hat MM style or JJ pickups.

One of the advantages of this company is that many custom options are available. I would say that the bass in the OP is inspired by Wal basses, but is still different enough not to be seen as a pure copy.

For further reading on the Jazzus (scroll down for English):

Link Removed
 
I think it sounds good but doesnt have the Wal tone IMO, but its just one video so who knows. I have a Wal now, and I put an ACG preamp into a G&L L2000 years ago, and I found the preamps to be similar in theory but different in sound. Yes the pickups are different, but the ACG could get very bright...not a bad thing...just different. If was going to attempt a poor mans Wal now, I would either get a Stingray HH and put either an ACG or a Wal replica preamp in it (this is theory of course)
 
If was going to attempt a poor mans Wal now, I would either get a Stingray HH and put either an ACG or a Wal replica preamp in it (this is theory of course)

This. I can actually get pretty close to a 'Justin Chancellor' tone with my single pickup Stingray running through my modeling amp (Rumble Studio). I am really interested in the work that Casey Nordstrand has been doing with his blade pickups and he even has a ''Justin Chancellor" signature pre-amp. The cost of two of his pickups and the signature preamp would be about $500 and an HH Sterling can be had for as cheap as $400 as well....
 
It has pretty much disappeared from retail locations, but it is still available on a build from ACG. Totally guessing here, but I would think some sort of licensing agreement was put into place with Marusczyk.

I had an ACG EQ-01 in one of my basses for a brief period of time and it could sculpt some cool Wal-like sounds with Bartolini soapbars. However, and I think Alan from ACG will agree with me about this, it's only going to be as good as what the pickups can deliver into it. They are the deciding factor part of the equation. Even though those are multi-coils in the Marusczyk, they still aren't Wal pickups and it will never sound totally like a Wal just because of that. It might get close though. The EQ-01 is also the first generation of the filter preamp from ACG/East and, while good, it has some quirks that I didn't care for. ACG is now up to the improved DFM model that looks to have fixed those things. I have to give a hand to ACG and East for continuously innovating on their original design.

TB member Passinwind designed a really interesting and great sounding filter based preamp and made it available as a DIY project if you’re handy with a soldering iron. I put one together but put it in a box rather than install it in a bass so I could try it with a variety of basses I own. My only mistake was I took it to a gig of sorts and promptly had it stolen. So I guess I wasn’t the only person who really liked what it could do. :(

I’ve got the parts and another board so I’ll build myself a second one eventually. Figure I’ll put it in my Spector fiver this time around. The circuit really does work some magic with a 5-string.

Project is in the TB wiki if you’re interested. Link here.