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Wal Bass build - what do you think?

wolfbass82

wolfbass82

Aug 26, 2016
59
90
#1
Hi! I am a bit lost on this subject so I'm seeking your help. I bought a 1983 Wal bass neck some time ago and had a luthier bulid me a body for it. It took some time and today finally I get a pic of the finished result. My bass is the one on the right. I supplied neck, pickups, electronics and the bridge (yeah, I know, Sandberg ... but it was the closest I could find for the moment).

Well ... without telling you too much about my initial reactions: What are yours? What are your opinions on this build?

Thanks very much!
 

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#4
Mike Vee said:
Looks pretty cool to me! Did you want the body smaller?
Click to expand...
That's exactly the thing. I didn't want it smaller. It's an obvious mistake on their part and now they're like 'oh c'mon, it sounds really fantastic!'.

The measurements are seriously off (look at the upper horn and the strap button at the 15th fret!) If I had wanted a mini-Wal, this would've been a cool example but I just wanted the original size.

Not sure what to do about it now ...
 
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#6
The smaller size jumped out at me immediately. That's tough, especially if you're averse to confrontation. Did you discuss specific measurements when commissioning the build? If you did then you clearly didn't receive what you ordered and you're perfectly within your rights to demand another body or a refund.
 
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#8
That's just ridiculous . Looks like they made you the correct body for a Wal style Banjo but not for a Wal bass guitar This guy is a Luthier ?. This is amateur ..If he has any integrity he should make you the correct body..It's his screw up .It's not rocket science to get Wal body dimensions and diagrams from the internet..
 
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#9
Thanks for your answers. As you rightly assumed, I am averse to confrontation. I don't know this guy. He has put a lot of time and effort into this project. But it's clearly not what I ordered and I don't think I will ever get used to how it looks.

When we first discussed the build I made it clear that I want a replica as close as possible. How do I get out of this? Request a new body? But I'm not entirely sure I would want them to build it ...
 
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#13
If the builder sent you the picture then they obviously have the real Wal to compare it to, which means they know it’s not the same.

Sorry, builder, size matters. If you asked for a replica and they had access to the real thing and still built something different they have not upheld their part of the bargain.

The fact that they clearly put a lot of time and effort into the wrong result is on them, not on you.
 
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#14
I think what happened is that I the guy I assumed to builder commisoned the bass to be built by another guy. The Wal on the left belongs to the guy I talked to. But the one that built the bass never had access to it. He sent me a cnc-pdf very early on but of course these things don't contain measurements so I couldn't see that it was the wrong size.
 
#15
If it weren't next to the actual Wal to compare, it wouldn't look that bad. But if it wasn't what I had specifically asked for, I wouldn't have paid the balance due. Maybe they didn't want to get into a copyright situation?
On the other hand, does it at least weigh less than the usual 10 pounds? :)
 
#17
wolfbass82 said:
He sent me a cnc-pdf very early on but of course these things don't contain measurements so I couldn't see that it was the wrong size.
Click to expand...
This could turn out to be the one thing that the builder will use to deny any claim you have to it not being what you wanted. If you approved it without verifying the specific measurements than that's an OK for them to proceed as laid out in the pdf.

Not being confrontational, just my two cents. I've never delved into commissioning work like this and probably never will. But I've been in disputes over what I ordered and what I got so just coming at this from that angle.

Best of luck to you getting a satisfactory resolution.
 
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#18
wolfbass82 said:
Hi! I am a bit lost on this subject so I'm seeking your help. I bought a 1983 Wal bass neck some time ago and had a luthier bulid me a body for it. It took some time and today finally I get a pic of the finished result. My bass is the one on the right. I supplied neck, pickups, electronics and the bridge (yeah, I know, Sandberg ... but it was the closest I could find for the moment).

Well ... without telling you too much about my initial reactions: What are yours? What are your opinions on this build?

Thanks very much!
Click to expand...

I would have issue with the small body, just look at the bridge placement. Otherwise it’s very pretty.

Where did you source the knobs?? I can’t tell if they are aluminum or the 3s printed ones everyone is getting.
 

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