Really nice! Don’t have it fretted. Keep it fretless!
Enjoy the benefits of a premium membership!
Upgrade Account
-
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.
Really nice! Don’t have it fretted. Keep it fretless!
Thanks!
In an ideal world I would have a second fretted neck (anybody have a spare MK2-4 laying around?). I know this is going to sound sacrilegious to some, but I'm not particularly enjoying the "mwah" tone that's most pronounced on the D and G strings because the fretted Wal tone is what I've been dreaming about.
In the meantime, I'm getting just a touch of buzz on the G string, so it's time to tweak the setup a bit.
Nice!!! Plenty of people have converted their fretless Wals. Since yours is unlined, you'll have to find a luthier that has a jig that can notch where the frets will precisely go.
Oh also , Do what's best for you - after all it's YOUR Wal. Anyone who gives their take on not to get it converted to fretted should also offer to GIVE you their fretted neck lol.
Nice score by the way - I had to deep clean one of the Wals I acquired once.... it had also been permeated with a "incense" smell to it too....took almost a month to get it all cleaned up and rid of the smell. It also included cables that were just as filthy too....think I ended up with 5-6 total dirty rags like you have pictured lol
I would TOTALLY send that out to a respectable luthier and get it fretted! (and increase it's value) - great lookin Wal.
I hear ya about the grime too - been there done that with a couple basses - i would be embarassed to send a gross bass (or anything) to someone...maybe OCD.
How much do you think it would increase the value when you have it fretted?
I think it is strange that the value increases. I know fretted ones are more sought after but it would make more sense if the value would decrease because it's not 100% original anymore. Works that way on other basses like Fenders. Why is it different for Wals?
Im not speaking from personal experience but i thought fretless tend to go for less on average by around $1000 ....so doing a pro fret job i would think brings it back to typical fretted territory. Again...using a reputable luthier that we all know. Ive almost pulled the plug on a fretless with full intent on sending it to George at Fbass. I cant see too many people scoffin at their work. imo
Wals aren't like vintage Fenders and there's more demand on fretted Wals whether their original or not - demand is still very much there.....its been like this the past 8 years i've been follow Wals and pricing.... adding a Jazz pickup or fiddling its electronics in any way though is a totally different story, thats where value starts to decrease since thats where all the sauce is lol
Thanks!
I bought the fretless with every intention of getting it fretted even though there is still a part of me that hates to modify a rare "vintage" instrument. Since I should *eventually* get my fretted MK2 that's on order, I was hoping to enjoy the fretless tone and that would keep me satisfied for the 2+ year wait. Best laid plans, right?
Getting the fret locations marked is the simplest part of the process.
The side dots interfere with the fret installation on an unlined, so there's the additional effort of removing them and installing new ones between the adjacent fret. The holes can be filled with ebony wood shavings - ideally from cutting the channels for the frets, superglued, and sanded. That looks seamless in the end, but it's going to force some degree of refinishing the clearcoat.
I'm guessing these necks (mine is from Nov '91) were finished in polyurethane?
That would probably make it best to just refinish the whole neck, which has the benefit of fixing a small stress crack in the finish from my low e tuning key. I've noticed that on a few other Wals. Is that somewhat common?
Then there's the nut, which is likely too low for a proper setup on a fretted. Rather than build up the original nut (I'm not sure what material it is), I'd probably have a black tusq blank custom fitted.
I agree with a number of members that have suggested going fretted won't negatively impact the value. If anything, it might be a break even for what I'd be paying for the modification. The demand for fretted MK2 basses and general preference for fretted over fretless all but assures that.
I've got an inquiry into one of our best local luthiers that does great fretwork and did a total refinish on a Gibson RD for me a couple years back with excellent results.
It would be 1000 to 1500+ depending on the bass.
There is a pecking order in Wal models, and the 4 string Mk2 is still the top of the pyramid. He could easily fetch 7500 for that bass all day long after its fretted, maybe even 8k, which fretless would keep it down in the mid 5k range.
Now I do have to mention, there are also fretless Wals floating around that were fretted originally. Not as many, but it does go both ways.
Fenders and Gibsons are a different market, a very broad market where lots of scams, fakes, swapped reissue parts, and hidden holes live. So the original the better.
Wals are niche, very small market very specific player wants that. If you swiss cheese holes into a Wal body and neck, sure you're going to destroy it value. But frets or no frets hasn't stopped anyone. Over on Basschat seemed like 40% had fret jobs done by the Gallery, those never flinched.
Last edited:
Wow! This seems very odd to me. Why would anyone pay 1500 more for it when it has frets? Especially if it wasn’t fretted originally. Doesn’t make sense because for 300$ or so you can have it fretted by a luthier yourself.
supply and demand..... more people would rather have the work already done then deal with it getting fretted? and where can you get a fretless bass fretted for $300?!? thats a smokin' deal. last conversion awhile back ago was $550 and that was the lowend of the spectrum. Lull was asking $900+ and i had another luthier (forget who) quoted me $750.
True. I thought a fretless to fretted conversion was less. Over here I thought it was something like 300 or 400 euro, but that was some years ago. If that would increase the value of your bass by say 900 euro you win 500 euros by doing nothing.
For me personally the fretless Wal sound is THE Wal sound. I grew up with Karn, Percy and John Giblin. That’s also why it is hard for me to understand why someone would pay 1000 more for a fretted Wal. Maybe it is because of the popularity of Tool or something.
Last edited:
I find it unusual that the fretless sells for less, what voice fretless Wals have! Wal just seems like it was made for fretless (that's just my feeling though). But I guess that's the market, I love both my fretted and fretless MK1 Wals, I clearly favor playing the fretless, and don't anticipate having to sell it (or the fretted one for that matter).
Leave it fretless and sell it to me! 
The mighty Alan Spenner (RIP) on his Wal JG Series Bass with Roxy Music. I just love this! 
What a jam groove at the start!
What a jam groove at the start! The mighty Alan Spenner (RIP) on his Wal JG Series Bass with Roxy Music. I just love this!
Wal's are clearly made for fretted too, what incredible tone.
I have the same. I play my fretless Wals much more than my fretted. I would say 80/20%. I love my fretted Mk1 too but when I want to play fretted I mostly grab my other basses. Not sure why.
I guess before the 90s or so fretless Wals were more popular. But after Geddy and Tool the fretted ones became more popular? Especially Justin C contributed much to the popularity and price increase of Wals. I think he is the reason more people want a fretted one. Besides the general preference for fretted over fretless.
