Maruszczyk Wal Copy

[john_g]

Wow that's nice. Wasn't the Secret Sauce on a Wal the pups? How do these compare in construction? Like most basses, the bridge pup sounds best to me.

Its both the pups and preamp IMO. There are now several options to get multi coil pickups out there.

 

[phillipkregg]

Definitely less expensive than a Wal, and that bass looks killer!

Had my eyes on Maruszczyk for a long time. Never been able to get my hands on one, but heard nothing but great things about them.

 

[Dr. Cheese]

Definitely less expensive than a Wal, and that bass looks killer!

Had my eyes on Maruszczyk for a long time. Never been able to get my hands on one, but heard nothing but great things about them.

I have played a couple that turned up at a local GC. They seem well made from my quick inspection.

 

[David Vector]

We keep seeing basses that people have put this multi-coil pickup or that into along with filter-based preamps and the majority response is always, "Neat tone but doesn't sound like a Wal." Presumably nothing currently available is really nailing the sound or we would have finally seen a thread where people were oohing and aahing at how it sounded almost exactly like a Wal. To my knowledge, that hasn't happened yet.

It does make one wonder why not. We have a $300 Minimoog clone that sounds almost exactly like a Mini for most practical purposes, but cloning a bass guitar pickup and a lowpass filter circuit are an insurmountable task?

 

[Passinwind]

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.

Thanks for the props. There are two new open source non-commercial ones in the works that may be at least a bit closer in design and intent to the Wal and Alembic implementations. They are physically smaller than the linked design as well. But doing clones isn't now and never will be my jam. I have huge respect for those companies, and for John East and Alan Cringean, please buy their stuff if it suits your wants and needs!

 

[Toptube]

This is a nice bass. But as usual, doesn't sound like a Wal. While the pre-amp is important-----nothing sounds like a Wal pickup.

 

[Maynjo]

That thing sounds amazing! Not usually a fan of the guy in the videos demos because he noodles too much and has too light of a touch, but that bass sounds good anyways.

 

[GHOST AT]

I like the sound and it looks like a well made bass, gotta quote Marvin and Tammi Ain't Nothing Like The Real Thing Baby!!

 

[40Hz]

Thanks for the props. There are two new open source non-commercial ones in the works that may be at least a bit closer in design and intent to the Wal and Alembic implementations. They are physically smaller than the linked design as well. But doing clones isn't now and never will be my jam. I have huge respect for those companies, and for John East and Alan Cringean, please buy their stuff if it suits your wants and needs!

You're more than welcome. It's well deserved praise that's due for your generous contribution.

As far as electronics goes, I don't really care who designs the thing as long as it gets me the sound I want. And I was very happy with what I was hearing plugged into your original preamp. And I'm a fussy person when it comes to EQ stacks, to say nothing of being a bit of a self nominated preamp connoisseur.

Looking forward to seeing whatever else may follow.

 

[songwriter21]

Why do you dread a zero fret? I don't dread a zero fret. ;-)

I, myself, don't prefer a zero fret, either. I like the big distinct and chorusey ring of an open string on the nut, versus the tamer/dampened fretted version...or, from a zero fret.

 

[KJMO]

I, myself, don't prefer a zero fret, either. I like the big distinct and chorusey ring of an open string on the nut, versus the tamer/dampened fretted version...or, from a zero fret.

That makes sense. There are a few songs we do that like that open string sound. Such as "just like heaven" by the Cure. I'm not sure it would be a deal killer for me, but I can see that.

 

[KJMO]

I actually finally listened to the demo with some good headphones, and I know nothing about Wal's, but when I heard it I thought Brand X and looked it up and apparently Percy Jones and Wal are nearly synonymous. Since I didn't really know that, I think that's an indication it must have at least a Walish sound. Even if it doesn't nail the sound (I wouldn't know), it sounds really good and unusual to me. I'd take it! I might even pay for it if I had the money.