According to Paul, Wal ran out of Hornbeam a little over ten years ago. They use maple and mahogony in the necks now and according to Paul they work and sound the same.
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According to Paul, Wal ran out of Hornbeam a little over ten years ago. They use maple and mahogony in the necks now and according to Paul they work and sound the same.
Yes, I was just using that as an example of what they often say on the masking tape inside.
I had a 2005-built Wal with additional maple instead of hornbeam... that neck developed major problems, but I'm hoping that wasn't because of the wood used...
Then maybe there's a bit of Hornbeam in my neck??
Either way, it sounds just like the Rush Power Windows through Roll The Bones albums.
I mean exactly.
This is what I miss by hanging in the amp forum most of the time. Gareth - welcome! Please do join in. Your old beech Wal says hi! You already know that your new one is amongst my all-time favourites.
Is anyone using a nice fitting replacement case for theirs? Preferrably tolex.
I feel the fiberglass case would be best left stored away so it doesn't suffer any more dings or chips.
Some guy somewhere posted an Elrick tolex case that fit perfect, but looks like they cost more than a Wal/Hiscox case.
I feel the fiberglass case would be best left stored away so it doesn't suffer any more dings or chips.
Some guy somewhere posted an Elrick tolex case that fit perfect, but looks like they cost more than a Wal/Hiscox case.
What is it with Wal and all these atypical exotic woods? Every boutique luthier & his brother makes basses with purpleheart, wenge, myrtle, cocobola, burled/flamed/birds-eyed maple etc. But I've never seen any basses except Wals made with yew, or hornbeam, or tulipwood...
Consider that most of the builders you're familiar with are here in the States. The wood selection for builders in the UK is a bit different, with woods like (European) sycamore and beech being a more easily available, and others being somewhat less common.
FWIW, I think Mick Karn's is one of very few (the only?) Wals built with tulipwood, but I've seen several Alembics with tulipwood tops.
Mike
There's a strong tradition of British guitar making that uses unusual woods and locally sourced or reclaimed woods - take Brook guitars for instance
I think I'm ready to join the club 
Here is my 1992 Wal Custom II 5 strings.
Mahogany body, nicely figured Shedua top, Mahogany core and Indian Rosewood fretboard.
Original Wal hardcase.
Let the images do the talking now:
Here is my 1992 Wal Custom II 5 strings.
Mahogany body, nicely figured Shedua top, Mahogany core and Indian Rosewood fretboard.
Original Wal hardcase.
Let the images do the talking now:
THAT is my dream bass. A wal that looks like a P? That's AWESOME.
Better include me!
This has been my only bass for the last 25 years. The facings are sycamore from discarded wood found in a skip in Leeds (quite unique even for Wal). Purchased 1983 and modified by the Wal guys in High Wycombe around '93 with a completely new Fender style body. The original neck was shaved down to Fender Jazz proportions -very slim and even narrower at the nut than a Jazz bass. The neck sits into the body deeper than the regular model also on request. Contouring on the back of the body and the top (where my right hand comes down) is very shapely and very severe - so the bass weighs a lot less than a regular Wal. Pete was surprised I wanted so much wood taken away.
The sound character of this wonderful instrument is sublime and I can honestly say I've never played a better bass guitar...anywhere.
Some songs featuring this bass:
Waiting for Baby
Riker 2
The bass looked like this between 1983 -93:
Link Removed
( So did I... )
Everyone forgets that Wal had a Fender body option. As far as I know I was the only person who took it up!
Come to think of it... they surely still offer the Fender body option, I would have thought....?
SWEET! I think that's at least, if not the prettiest chunk of wood (bass) this poster has ever laid eyes on.
Good on you!
- Apr 29, 2004
- 1,247
- 37
- Disclosures
- Endorsing Artist: Spector Basses & Cort Basses
I've recently landed my dream Wal...
This is a used but MINT Mk1 made in 2000 to the exact specs of Geddy's basses....
Gold hardware, EBONY fingerboard, black finish and with Funkmaster strings on it... just AWESOME!!
Here it is, nestling between it's brothers... both early 80's MK1's, one fretted with Wenge top and the other fretless with Stained Maple top....
This is a used but MINT Mk1 made in 2000 to the exact specs of Geddy's basses....
Gold hardware, EBONY fingerboard, black finish and with Funkmaster strings on it... just AWESOME!!
Here it is, nestling between it's brothers... both early 80's MK1's, one fretted with Wenge top and the other fretless with Stained Maple top....
What I'd like to know is what kind of strings originally came on Wals. Altought I use stainless, I'd like to someday try what the factory intended it to sound like.
rotosound stainless for a while, then picato for a while in the 90s, then nickel rotosound again after that.
