Wal Bass Club.

[Les Fret]

Ok just tried Toolmy bass' settings. Maybe not the sound I am after personally (I almost never use the pulled knobs because it sounds to artificial to me) but surely a nice sound. I think he uses really new and bright strings on the Reflection video? It sounds much more metallic then what I am getting.

 

[Toolmybass]

Ok just tried Toolmy bass' settings. Maybe not the sound I am after personally but a surely nice sound. I think he uses really new and bright strings on the Reflection video? It sounds much more metallic as what I am getting.

Yea, probably brand new
He uses brand new strings for every show as well. A friend got his used strings after a show and asked why they took them off, and was told he likes them new

 

[Toolmybass]

Ok just tried Toolmy bass' settings. Maybe not the sound I am after personally (I almost never use the pulled knobs because it sounds to artificial to me) but surely a nice sound. I think he uses really new and bright strings on the Reflection video? It sounds much more metallic then what I am getting.

Can you take a picture showing your pup heights?
Do you know if your pole adjustments and string bridge adj are following the radius of your fretboard?

 

[Toolmybass]

Here is mine

 

[Les Fret]

Can you take a picture showing your pup heights?
Do you know if your pole adjustments and string bridge adj are following the radius of your fretboard?

I have it set so all strings sound in balance and both pickups have equal volume. Nothing wrong there.

 

[mikeswals]

Yup, pickup height settings make a huge difference in the tone of the bass. I like them set raised up as well for the grittier sound.

I dont play any Tool songs, but I do get a little chuckle when folks on the outside think the Tool sound is all effects. That gritty, hairy, 3-D sound is in the bass itself.

It amazes me the cutting clarity these have because of those pickups. Strum more than two strings on any of my other basses tends to sound like mud, but on the Wal you can clearly hear every string, even if you slam all 4 strings.

I love playing these in my r&b/new jack cover band, because I can sound very electronic, and I can make it pound like an 808, or ease off for oldies. All with just hand positions and attack...the dynamics are just so touch sensitive.

 

[Toolmybass]

I have it set so all strings sound in balance and both pickups have equal volume. Nothing wrong there.

No, nothing wrong there. But your radius can be out with volumes all good. It does make some difference, as well as effecting intonation. If you have a radius tool, it doesnt hurt to check it.

 

[Les Fret]

Thanks. Never saw such a tool. Good to know. I always do this by ear though. For me even string balance is very important.

I agree Wals have good string clarity for chords.

 

[bassplace]

Roxy Music is what brought me to Wal.

I bought my Wal around 84 because my keyboard player called and said i just sent someone to see you. He has a bass. You will buy it.

Me: ok

 

[Stachio]

After having sold an MK2 years ago and regretting the decision, I'm back in! 1996 MK3.

 

[mikeswals]

welcome back into the fold!

 

[BWorm]

Congratulations! She is a special bass!

 

[mikeswals]

updated to the club # list

#163. Stachio

 

[LowEndHum]

My onboard settings are
Vol 9.5 (pick attack pulled)
Balance, one notch on the trebel side
Neck pup 6.8 (not pulled)
Bridge pup 9 (pulled)

I went back to do research on which settings he uses for JC's Wal. In the Ernie Ball String Theory video, it's difficult to see, but it's at 50/50 pickup selection, all open (both pups at 10 + volume at 10) and only the volume knob is pulled. Obviously, I've tried it and didn't like the tone all that much. The sound engineers did their best, it sounds totally amazing. Listening to the his tone in Reflection it's very obvious he has the pick attack engaged.

Vol: 8
Bal: 1+ on Neck side
Neck: 6
Bridge: 8 pulled

I found this tone setting to be more useful in my applications. The volume pick attack is crazy aggressive, but the parametric boost on the bridge pickup at 8 has a great sparkly high end without being too harsh.

Anyway, I'm not trying to invalidate the settings you use. If it sounds great, then that's just it. It sounds great!

 

[djaxup]

I found this tone setting to be more useful in my applications. The volume pick attack is crazy aggressive, but the parametric boost on the bridge pickup at 8 has a great sparkly high end without being too harsh.

Anyway, I'm not trying to invalidate the settings you use. If it sounds great, then that's just it. It sounds great!

turn down the pick attack, there is a small screw for that inside the electronics cavity. I always turn it down a bit so it won't sound like broken glass.

 

[TrevorR]

turn down the pick attack, there is a small screw for that inside the electronics cavity. I always turn it down a bit so it won't sound like broken glass.

Yes, I always have the pick-attack trim pot turned down to about 50%. Anything much above that is a bit too scratchy for me.

 

[LowEndHum]

I know about the trim pots and those controls, but the pick attack doesn't seem to be in good taste to me no matter what. However, I love the sound of the pulled pickup knobs.

 

[mikeswals]

It amazes me the cutting clarity these have because of those pickups. Strum more than two strings on any of my other basses tends to sound like mud, but on the Wal you can clearly hear every string, even if you slam all 4 strings.

Quoting myself here on that clarity of these basses. I absolutely love The Scubacult's music, and reminded how you clearly hear every string as he pounds out many strings at once on that Mk3!

 

[Epitaph04]

The pick attack control I found very useful for solo bass playing (chords and stuff). Gives it a piezo like vibe and is the clearest sound I've heard from a bass guitar yet.

 

[Toolmybass]

I went back to do research on which settings he uses for JC's Wal. In the Ernie Ball String Theory video, it's difficult to see, but it's at 50/50 pickup selection, all open (both pups at 10 + volume at 10) and only the volume knob is pulled. Obviously, I've tried it and didn't like the tone all that much. The sound engineers did their best, it sounds totally amazing. Listening to the his tone in Reflection it's very obvious he has the pick attack engaged.

Vol: 8
Bal: 1+ on Neck side
Neck: 6
Bridge: 8 pulled

I found this tone setting to be more useful in my applications. The volume pick attack is crazy aggressive, but the parametric boost on the bridge pickup at 8 has a great sparkly high end without being too harsh.

Anyway, I'm not trying to invalidate the settings you use. If it sounds great, then that's just it. It sounds great!

In that video he is plugged directly into the board/recording device. So the knob settings aren't necessarily what he uses from studio. His live settings are probably a bit different from studio. Also recorded settings vary some from album to album. Woods can have an effect on setting to sound "identicle"
Your settings you listed above are very close to the ones i listed. With my Birdseye, if very obvious that my neck pup needs to be pulled. (Actually all 3 i recorded on, this was pulled)
Then you can add the thousands of different combinations of pole adjustment and pickup heights and tilts, oh and dont forget to add the levels that can be adjusted in the control cavity....as Mike stated on how much pup height effects things.
I have done Tool recordings on 3 different Wals....all were a bit different to achive the same result. But the base settings/setups were all close.
So YRWV