Back from trying out the WAV in a live situation for the first time, and I'm very pleased. I ran it through Channel 2 of the Bassbone, using the K&K Pure Preamp, straight into the church sound system, which is state-of-the-art, less than a year old. Both boxes were set with a very slight bass boost, which I later rolled off because the sound guy found a bit of a problem at around 150HZ, but he said it was a node between cabinets and not a problem. We have no amps -- guitars, bass , drums and keys go straight o the board and we use in-ears.
I love the sound! Massive low end without being woofy, and a nice punch, too. I'd have to guess that it sounds more electric than URB -- I doubt that a URB would have the punch of the WAV -- but it was a very pleasing sound. Songs that I normally would use my Lakland 55-94 on still sounded rockish, although I do miss that low B. But we also do some traditional hymns where the WAV made a big difference. Everyone -- even people who have never said a thing to me in five years -- commented on how great the sound is. The lows are killer, especially in a big system.
How the sound translates for a dedicated URB guy, I don't know, having played only electric bass for 40 years. But for an EB guy making the transition, it's very easy. Not hard to stay in tune, and I had no thumb soreness or other problemsthat some of the players on this board have mentioned. And, assome others have commented, going over to a 41-inch scale with no frets makes you more conscious of the basics. On electric, I don't have to think. On the WAV, I do, but that's a good thing. I also found the stock stand to be solid, but maybe I'm not as aggressive ot active a player as some people who have played URB before.
I had one of the first Steinberger L2s 25 years ago, and I'll have to say that Ned still does things right. A great instrument at a great price.
