• TalkBass has been independent since 1998. Add your voice.
    Create a free account to reply to discussions, view embedded media, and browse with fewer display ads.
    Join free Log in
    Want zero display ads or expanded classifieds tools? Compare plans.

Wal Bass Club.

#4,721
Two price increases of a significant amount in a single year signals a problem in my opinion. As well as the heightened cost, the time to completion has gone from 17 months to just under 2 years. It also signals the end of my dream to place a new order lol, I struggled with the idea when it was £3650.
 
#4,723
MarshallNole said:
What kind of problem?
Click to expand...

I don't know, but when a business increases their cost significantly twice in a year and delays completion, it isn't a good sign. I don't think the business is in jeopardy, quite the opposite, it's fairly clear that he gets a steady stream of new orders, perhaps he's taking on more. A bass sitting on the workbench for essentially 6 months longer than it did last year has inherent costs associated that he needs to compensate for.
 
#4,724
If delays in production aren't deterring customers, they should increase the price until the customer requests decrease.

If they are raising prices without any increase of customers, they may be trying to address manufacturing costs.

If manufacturing costs have increased 5% and they raise their prices by 5% they can monitor to see if the number of customers reacts to that. If not, then it's working within the curve. If it does, then they have to adjust prices or cut costs.

However, the long build wait provides them known cash flow while they monitor the customer response.

It's a good model, if you ask me.
 
#4,725
Then again, if they can decrease build time, they increase cash flow. But, they may have to buy more manufacturing capacity (labor and/or capital). That could be the reason for the multiple hikes. They increased once, monitored the new orders to see if they impacted demand over 6 months. Probably had no impact, so they raised them again.
 
#4,726
I'd have to agree with with Zulu on this Maedros, I don't see 'the problem' that you speak of :confused:... if they increased prices and all of the sudden had a design change or sub'd out for cheaper material, then I think that would be a problem, but don't think that's the case here. The curve in wait time the past two and half years had slowly risen from 17 months to now 22 months, so the first price hike didn't change the demand. You guys who already put a deposit down luck'd out!!! ;)
Wouldn't it be funny if someone sold their spot for £200 or more??
 
Last edited:
#4,727
I recognize that there's a difference between a craftsman operating a small business, and a corporation, but if Starbucks increased their chai mocha latte cost by $0.50, then again by $1.00 6 months later, the general public would be up in arms. I'm not suggesting anything nefarious, but two sizable price increases within a single year is not business as usual, there's a reason for it and I don't think it's simple profiteering due to high demand. And when I suggest "a problem", I simply mean that something outside of the norm has occurred for him to require said increases. I get the supply and demand model, and in business it isn't unwise to raise prices when you can, I'm simply suggesting that perhaps he's taking on too much and it's now affecting his client base, all assumption of course and if people are still willing to pay then all the better for him. It just isn't standard practice for that type and frequency of alteration in cost to occur.

I've owned 2 Wals and don't see myself ever playing any other bass, I understand their merit, but to question is healthy, and questioning cost doesn't detract from the value of the bass, it's simply odd and I wonder what the reasoning is.
 
#4,728
Maedros said:
....I struggled with the idea when it was £3650.
Click to expand...

Man! I still have the original price list from 2009 when a MkI starting price was £3200:
Wal 4-string MkI Bass (21 fret)
Standard
£3,200.00
Wal 4-string MkII Bass (24 fret)
Standard
£3,300.00
Click to expand...

Back then the £ was really low even though the $ was at a low point too, but back then it translated to $4800 for a MkI before shipping! Oh how I wish!!! Yes Sir, I'll take two! :facepalm:
I'm still contemplating a new, but man this is kicking my rear waiting it out.
 
#4,730
mikeswals said:
I'm thinkning that new (apprentice?) that looks like young Obi Wan Kenobi might have something to do with it? Probably had to figure in a full time salary into the mix with him on board?
Click to expand...
You could be right. I know Paul has wanted to increase output and thereby reduce wait times but without sacrificing quality. I don't know everything that Phil is capable of doing, but I'd imagine that it would take a long time to increase output substantially. A lot of the major work is still serialized through Paul. In the meantime the higher prices might slow demand just enough and also cover the lower productivity to hour ratio while Phil is ramping.
 
#4,731
Maedros said:
I recognize that there's a difference between a craftsman operating a small business, and a corporation, but if Starbucks increased their chai mocha latte cost by $0.50, then again by $1.00 6 months later, the general public would be up in arms. I'm not suggesting anything nefarious, but two sizable price increases within a single year is not business as usual, there's a reason for it and I don't think it's simple profiteering due to high demand. And when I suggest "a problem", I simply mean that something outside of the norm has occurre.d for him to require said increases.
Click to expand...

Ah yes! Much like the last two price increases with US postage :eek: - everyone was up and arms.

Anyhu, its all speculation at this point... only one who really know is the man himself.

it does put quite a damper for those of us who wrestled with the idea of putting a deposit down for a build though.
 
#4,732
mikeswals said:
Man! I still have the original price list from 2009 when a MkI starting price was £3200:


Back then the £ was really low even though the $ was at a low point too, but back then it translated to $4800 for a MkI before shipping! Oh how I wish!!! Yes Sir, I'll take two! :facepalm:
I'm still contemplating a new, but man this is kicking my rear waiting it out.
Click to expand...
I shudder to think of the prices back in 1984, that was when I decided to buy my fodera monarch, I grew up a little east of Brooklyn on Long Island and had a friend (who managed at sam ash) take me into their shop to pick out the wood on my fodera, I remember seeing and hearing about Wal basses and I said naaa, what a mistake, I wish I would of played one back then.
 
Last edited:
#4,733
Rickenbackerman said:
Has anybody else had to back down the output level? My '88 MkI is about twice as loud as my Ricks, and they have RI horseshoes which are loud!
Click to expand...

I generally play all my active basses with the volume rolled to about 70%. That gives me some extra volume in case I need it during playing. On the Wals, I generally have the volume knob somewhere around 6 or 7. But naturally, you can adjust the preamp to produce less output as Caca posted.
 
#4,734
j.kernodle said:
I'm guessing that's a one off luthier build. I've seen a few guys do Wal inspired basses as personal projects. I don't guess there's really an issue unless someone decides to market it for sale, or worse, pass it off as a Wal.
Click to expand...

Not really. It's a Wal body to which Günter Eyb made a neck and routed the body for handmade pickups. The history behind it is unknown. Probably someone who got another body for theyr Wal, or relict from an accident. The problem was that a seller actually advertised it as Wal bass, but took down the add after several forumites explained to him that an altered Wal body and a couple of cusomt does not make a bass a Wal.

DigitalMan said:
I just don't get the WhALe...
Click to expand...

"Wal" is the German word for "Whale".
 
#4,736
It was nice out yesterday so wanted some natural lighting family pic.....
 

Attachments

  • 1414627279789.jpg
    1414627279789.jpg
    110.9 KB · Views: 42
  • 1414627387293.jpg
    1414627387293.jpg
    102.5 KB · Views: 44
  • Like
Reactions: rusheroo, Caca de Kick, Musicman1901 and 2 others

Latest posts

Top Bottom
Back