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Wal Bass Club.

A shim is to tilt the neck angle.
When you remove the neck, make a shim sort-of rectangular: I like to go from the end of the pocket to the first set of neck screws. Some people cut up business cards, but to me thats too thick. I like to use construction paper as its a little thinner than a business card, I only want to lift the neck as little as needed.

But on the saddles: yes make sure they are sitting flat on the bottom plate.
Clean as best you can with the bridge in place.

If you absolutely have to remove them, they must be dropped out from underneath the bridge, those bridge slots are actually tapered, so removal of the bridge and prying off the bridge plate would be required.

Just make a simple shim like this
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Anyone own both a Wal fretless and a Music Man fretless who might be able to give a real world comparison? Thanks! I have a Wal but considering a MM as a backup...

Totally different sound. Musicman fretless is a bit more mellow sounding with more lows. Both sound nice and have a signature sound. Plenty of Musicman fretless videos on YouTube so you can check and see how it compares to a Wal.
 
I had a fretless SR4, it was mellow compared to Wal. I wish I had kept it, only because it was a Dargie, but wouldn't serve as a backup. Love my MM's, but I don't take em to the same gig as a Wal.
However, I had a G&L L1505 fretless and that high output in series mode easily worked as a backup, I didnt have to change any amp settings.
 
Thanks guys! Yeah there are lots of videos of course but you know how that is. They’re all taken with different phones and rooms and styles so it’s hard to compare if it’s not the same video, gear, etc…. They do sound nice though not the same. I would imagine one could get close with a little EQ when playing live with a loud band.
 
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Finally got my Wal Mk 2 on Wednesday. Hands down the best instrument I’ve ever played. Crazy after all the years of trying to emulate a Wal’s tone through other basses. I just plug this in and it’s there lol.
Gorgeous. Congratulations.

I know what you mean... all that time and effort trying to will this sound out of other instruments... and it just leaps out of the real deal. I'm about 2 months in with my first, a Mk1. I find it a lot more flexible than I expected... and now I really want a 5 string Mk3 :bassist:
 
ha.... I ordered a fretless neck for my Mk3.....however, after some thought, i didn't like the thought of a spare neck just sitting in a case. so I emailed Paul about pairing the neck to a new body lol. will be sending out this fretless neck to Paul soon.

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I fully support your decision:D. Your Mk2 should be ready any day now? Looking forward to seeing the MK3 fretless any ideas for facings?
 
I fully support your decision:D. Your Mk2 should be ready any day now? Looking forward to seeing the MK3 fretless any ideas for facings?

I actually picked a facing already after picking a facing for my mk2 build.

It's one of these guys ;)

Had most of those as a selection... my first initial facing I had wanted was a high figured camphor burl, initially Paul said yes when I placed my deposit, but when it came time for obtaining the facing, where he gets his timbre no longer had any available - so he sent several options to see it any tickled my fancy.... guess I didn't post this here and only at the Wal FB group...my apologies!

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But on the saddles: yes make sure they are sitting flat on the bottom plate.
I know you were referring to the 'blocks' rather than the actual saddles, but I just wanted to clarify for anyone that didn't get that. When all's said and done, each of the saddles should end up raised above their individual blocks to allow for adjusting the action either way (higher or lower). I know you knew that too, I just wanted to be thorough.

After raising the A saddle a bit (because you don't want it bottomed out on its block), and then raising the other three saddles to match it (observing neck radius), a shim will definitely be necessary as already stated by you and others, afterwhich the action can be fine tuned up or down using the saddle screws.

I didn't mention a shim in my initial reply, because at that time I only meant to point out that one or more of the blocks looked raised up off of the bottom plate. Sorry for not being more thorough in that initial reply.
 
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