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.
Sure. The upper horn doesn’t reach the 12th fret, so when I strap it on it hangs in a funny spot which makes it feel like the first fret is miles away. Most of the money notes are down there and playing that way for a long time gets uncomfortable for me.
Seated it’s not so bad, though the neck dimensions don’t quite suit me either - I prefer Jazz width nut and a less deep neck/less V shape.
It sounds amazing, but isn’t effortless to play…hence my little project.
Seated it’s not so bad, though the neck dimensions don’t quite suit me either - I prefer Jazz width nut and a less deep neck/less V shape.
It sounds amazing, but isn’t effortless to play…hence my little project.
Just replying to my own post for info of anyone interested.
The response I have had about spacing is this: ‘from 12th fret to centre neck pickup - 303mm. To bridge - 382mm. Just keep in mind that Wal is hand built. So you have to give +/- 10mm in either direction for that.’
Has anyone had any issues using an Octave pedal with their Wal? I just acquired an Aquilar Octamizer pedal and it works pretty well with my P Bass but the low octave tones break up on lower notes (starting around G on the D string) when I play with the Wal. If I play very gently it works much better. But I don’t usually play gently so… there’s that.
I read somewhere this could have to do with the higher impedance of these pickups. Is that a thing?
I’m also wondering if I lower the output adjustment on the preamp if that would help but I haven’t tried that yet. It’s set to about halfway right now. Does making the output very low have any effect on tone? Any reason to keep it high?
Many questions…. Thanks for answers!
I read somewhere this could have to do with the higher impedance of these pickups. Is that a thing?
I’m also wondering if I lower the output adjustment on the preamp if that would help but I haven’t tried that yet. It’s set to about halfway right now. Does making the output very low have any effect on tone? Any reason to keep it high?
Many questions…. Thanks for answers!
fwiw when I've had issues with stompboxes behaving conspicuously differently with one bass versus other basses it's almost always been a result of that one weird bass having a (much) higher than usual output level. Not impedance, just sheer gain...too much of it hitting the input of the problematic pedals. Doesn't surprise me since a Wal puts out significantly more level than a passive P Bass.
The less overtones you have, the better an octave pedal will track. Palm muting is king, but playing lightly near the neck is good. Lots of treble and clank will make an octave pedal unhappy.
OK that makes sense. It does seem to be a little bit better when I turn the volume knob down but not significantly. I will try to turn the gain switch down behind the back plate and see if that makes any difference at all. But then that brings me to my other question, which is… Does it actually matter how the gain is set inside on the preamp? If it’s set really low… Just turn the volume up on the amp and there is no tone degradation? Or is there a sweet spot that actually affects the tone coming out of the instrument?
Oh! I had assumed the opposite. Always seemed like more muddy tones were harder to process. Thanks! I’ll play with this some more in the AM. That could explain why it worked better with a P bass with flats.
I think it is just a volume trim pot. It doesn’t affect the sound as far as I know (?).
If you have the output trim turned down half way, it should be where 'regular' basses are at.
I'm the opposite; if the pedal doesn't like my Wal, I sell it off and look for a pedal that does.
For example I liked the 3-Leaf pedals, but none of them played well at all with my Wals. Moved to others and I'm fine.
I use a EH MicroPOG, tracks perfect up and down, as does the octaver on my Bass Whammy.
I'm the opposite; if the pedal doesn't like my Wal, I sell it off and look for a pedal that does.
For example I liked the 3-Leaf pedals, but none of them played well at all with my Wals. Moved to others and I'm fine.
I use a EH MicroPOG, tracks perfect up and down, as does the octaver on my Bass Whammy.
I'm thinking of selling my Mk3. It has a modern J-width nut, and has a more rounded C shaped profile.
Thank you for the info! I may have to sell the Aguilar and go for the MicroPOG instead then.
Hi all, I’m relatively new to this thread (208 pages in but catching up… 2014 for the win!). I recently bought a really lovely MkIII 5 string and will post pictures of it on here soon. It was bought from a fellow TBer so it’s been seen before but that won’t stop me posting a photo or two!
I’ve skipped forward to 2023 though to ask whether these have been seen before: Wal MKII 2019 - Blue Gloss | Reverb UK It seems quite punchy to describe it as a Wal in the title and on the headstock if it’s not. Again, I’m in 2014 in the thread so apologies if these are old news.
Separately, a MkII seems to have popped up at the London Bass Gallery that I could have sworn wasn’t there a couple of days ago: Wal MK2 5 string
I’ve skipped forward to 2023 though to ask whether these have been seen before: Wal MKII 2019 - Blue Gloss | Reverb UK It seems quite punchy to describe it as a Wal in the title and on the headstock if it’s not. Again, I’m in 2014 in the thread so apologies if these are old news.
Separately, a MkII seems to have popped up at the London Bass Gallery that I could have sworn wasn’t there a couple of days ago: Wal MK2 5 string
Congratulations on your purchase! And yes, by the bylaws of the Wal Bass Club, you are required, until penalty of shunning, to post pics. And let me be the first to tell you, Wal Bass Club shunning is not to be trifled with.
There are some very good Wal copies out there, I have played around with a couple. But, I don't find they sound exactly the same regardless of any claims. I agree, I have a real problem with the Wal logo decal being applied to the headstock of a copy, no matter how good it is.
The bass on Reverb has a bogus logo applied to it. And people wonder why we (or I) dont like these fakes being made!
It appears the listing has been put on restriction, I'm guessing people reported the fake logo.
It appears the listing has been put on restriction, I'm guessing people reported the fake logo.
Last edited:
I understand people wanting a replica but once they slap the Wal logo on it’s just counterfeiting at that point
I personally don't care about the copies... I'm guessing somewhere between 50 and 75% of all basses out there are copies lolol. But the label goes too far. Glad the listing got restricted.
