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Wal Bass Club.

#10,021
mikeswals said:
I spent years tuned to drop C# in my last original band, so yes half step std tuning: D# G# C# F#, and drop C# G# C# F#. No mud at all with my 4 strings, and I used 45-105 gauge strings, which means for std E-G tuning I use 40-100 sets. Although maybe a 110 might be better for some players.
Like anything its all in your set up.
Maybe its the cab that doesnt speak clearly down low?

5 string is a bit of a different world. The B is killer. But if trying to match the tuning of a guitarist, yeah you're not going to easily bounce riffs off open strings like metal/heavy rock guitar tends to do.
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Long story - i will condense: A good friend of mine is a manager for a Long n Mcquade franchaise here in Canada - also he happens to be a pro bassist - having every brand imaginable go through his hands at some point through the store, i told him about my Wal. He didnt quite say "mehhhh" out loud, but he DID say he has tried two others in the last five or six years and said they were nice but didnt totally WOW him. (for whatever reason - possibly the guys amp/cab combos, i didnt ask)...anywaaaayyy, i brought it to show him at his store - he opened the case and his eyes lit up. He hands me the bass and runs away - (i DID have burritos that day, sooooo...maaaybe?) lol...he comes back, pedals, a berg forte, through (i think) was a 212 Berg cab. He does his own personal quick set up (drop D#G#C#F#) and plugs in and adjusts the amp.

Assuming he would keep volume relatively low (i forewarned him about the Wal volume ahead of time)...this buggar sets the Wal knob to 8, the amp to above half - and starts playing and i mean ear pounding in this small room. Walls and ceiling shaking - people walking by the room with squinting eyes. I leave the room as my aging ear hair sprouts were vibrating (when the hell did i even GET ear hairs??)...i let him have his moment.
(yes this is the short version)

Once he has had his fill, he asks if he can borrow the bass overnight to record a song in his home studio - he is a good friend - so i oblige. He apparently records the same track with every bass he digs, then compares them etc.

Next day, im there - his perma grin said it all. He says: This bass absolutely BLEW every other bass ive brought home to record by a landslide margin. So THAT was great too hear - But he DID say it is probably the best drop tune bass he has had his hands on. He went on - but im just an afterwork hack - whereas he plays a LOT of gigs.
So to just get to the point - Im thinking the Wals have a bit of an edge in many areas of the bass world. My own personal hiccup is the neck shape - i have carpal tunnel - so i do tend to struggle from time to time with it.
If this was long winded and boring - any mod can delete it. lol Cheers
 
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#10,022
Thanks guys, this wasn't through a cab, but through some JBL monitors and headsets. I do see that perhaps an appropriate set up could make this better for me. I really enjoy the thick low mids that this bass produces, and I've grown accustomed to it, but I thought my friends were crazy. Thanks for your elaborations. I was wondering if it was too extreme to tune to BEAD on my future Wal, but now I see it's just a matter of having a good setup.

For reference, I have a MusicMan style HH ESP bass, and tuned to C# it is one of the brightest basses I've ever heard. Crazy shimmering sound, and is an interesting juxtaposition to the very deep sound the Wal produces.
 
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#10,025
LowEndHum said:
Does anyone here drop tune their Wals any lower than Drop D? A few friends have said that the Wal sounds really deep and almost muddy at C#. This concerns me, since I want my upcoming Wal to be a downtuned 4 string. I was wondering, I've never heard a B string on a Wal myself, is what my friends say sound about right to you 5 string Wal owners? This is before effects and EQing. Thanks in advance.
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The band and I in Drop C 105-45 dunlop's. FWIW my Wal sounds better dropped for some reason. I wish i had a second Wal. most of the bands songs are in Drop D and that's what i use the Wal for. the few songs in Drop C i use a vintage Gibson RD Artist

 
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#10,026
LowEndHum said:
Does anyone here drop tune their Wals any lower than Drop D? A few friends have said that the Wal sounds really deep and almost muddy at C#. This concerns me, since I want my upcoming Wal to be a downtuned 4 string. I was wondering, I've never heard a B string on a Wal myself, is what my friends say sound about right to you 5 string Wal owners? This is before effects and EQing. Thanks in advance.
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Is that more of a string gauge issue than a Wal one?
 
#10,028
bigsnack said:
Hi everyone! My NBD is close, I hope. I’m two days into a “clearance in progress” status, so I’m not sure if I just wait it out or if I should call. Has anyone had their bass held up in clearance / customs? Anyway, it should be soon!
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call. they might be waiting for something that needs attention.

have you sent or filled out this form for UPS yet?

Link Removed


this is just allows UPS to be the clearing agent to get it passed customs in your behalf.
 
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#10,030
bigsnack said:
Thanks for the heads up! Paul shipped FedEx, but there might be something for me to do on my side. I’ll ring them up and see what they say.
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wow, ok. ya the past couple shipments i got from Paul have all been UPS. hopefully you'll get it soon and clear up any causing delays out quickly and smoothly.

actually last time i had a bass from UK shipped using Fedex was when i bought a bass from thebassgalllery. they wanted me to fill out a POA form as well
 
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#10,032
LowEndHum said:
Does anyone here drop tune their Wals any lower than Drop D? A few friends have said that the Wal sounds really deep and almost muddy at C#. This concerns me, since I want my upcoming Wal to be a downtuned 4 string. I was wondering, I've never heard a B string on a Wal myself, is what my friends say sound about right to you 5 string Wal owners? This is before effects and EQing. Thanks in advance.
Click to expand...

Sure it is possible. I have tuned to C# and even B with the same string. It's kind of loose but that's part of the fun!

Made this track "OB Wal Kenobi" many years ago with a fretless 4 string Wal with the lowest string tuned to C. Bass is much too prominent in the mix I feel now. But what the hack! :)...

 
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#10,033
Les Fret said:
Sure it possible. I have tuned to C# and even B with the same string. It's kind of loose but that's part of the fun!

Made this track "OB Wal Kenobi" many years ago with a fretless Wal with the lowest string tuned to C. Bass is much too prominent in the mix I feel now. But what the hack! :)...

Click to expand...

Awesome! Beautiful musical piece, this even sounds great through my laptop speakers.
 
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#10,036
Les Fret said:
Sure it is possible. I have tuned to C# and even B with the same string. It's kind of loose but that's part of the fun!

Made this track "OB Wal Kenobi" many years ago with a fretless 4 string Wal with the lowest string tuned to C. Bass is much too prominent in the mix I feel now. But what the hack! :)...

Click to expand...


Great music! Have you created more in that style? We have a nice long running pen&paper Cyberpunk group, I'd love to use the music as ambience, if you are ok with that.
 
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#10,039
Any Wal 6string players around here? Since I own a fretted and a fretless Wal mk3 sixer I am curious to know how many of them are around? Over the last decade I`ve spotted around 25 including mine. I would estimate there are not more than 30 or 40 been build? Who knows more? Pictures are welcome.
P1090918.JPG
 
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