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Has anyone used Labella Black Nylon Tape Wounds on their Wal? I’ve got them on my one and only 2020 fretless. Quite impressed. Thinking the flats that came with it never had the sound I was looking for or their just old. Keeping them…but these LaBella’s sound good!
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Yup been preaching em when I can here and at the FB Wal group over the years!! I've tried a few other tapewounds and these were the best IMHO
Has anyone used Labella Black Nylon Tape Wounds on their Wal? I’ve got them on my one and only 2020 fretless. Quite impressed. Thinking the flats that came with it never had the sound I was looking for or their just old. Keeping them…but these LaBella’s sound good!
Always rounds for me. On any bass. But especially on a Wal since they tend to sound a bit dark, so for me it needs the extra highs of roundwounds. But each his own of course.
Interesting that you state a Wal being dark. I find for what the woods contribute (i.e. Mahogany body, Ebony or Rosewood Fretboard) “darken the tone” and the pickups add a little brightness. Not much but a little. Rosewood being the darkest sounding of the two commonly used fretboard woods, however it depends on more factors than just the wood itself (density, stiffness, etc)
With the preamp default mode with tone knobs on “10” for both pickups, the tone darkens much further with the filter roll off at 5 or 6, even 7 or 8 gives a slight “passive” roll off, but it’s not like the passive tone knob on Fender Jazz bass. This is part of what makes Wals so cool.
Then there’s all unique functions of the preamp that if you don’t use them often, they’re always there if you want to add a subtle change or drastically different like an onboard effects pedal. I’m not a pedal guy for the most part and rarely use more than one, so not often I use the Wal preamp.
Are there specific rounds that you use Lesfret? Have you ever used other brands or different versions of rounds that didn’t work on your Wal but may have on other basses?
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Others in the Wal Club, what are your favourite strings and why? Have you tried others in that case why or why not?
I am using d'Addario NYXL 45-130 at the moment and I do not think they are the best fit for my MK2.
A touch dark and the B could be more defined.
I need to change them but would prefer sticking to nickels. I often see recommendations for stainless steel strings like DR, but I would prefer not.
Has anybody tried Dunlop Superbright nickels ? They work great on other basses but may be a tad heavy on the mids for a Wal.
A touch dark and the B could be more defined.
I need to change them but would prefer sticking to nickels. I often see recommendations for stainless steel strings like DR, but I would prefer not.
Has anybody tried Dunlop Superbright nickels ? They work great on other basses but may be a tad heavy on the mids for a Wal.
If you compare it to a Jazz bass or a Stingray or many other basses a Wal has a much darker tone. Not muddy or bass heavy but less 'open'. It doesn't have much to do with the woods, every Wal I have played has that, it's just the nature of the beast. Sure you can get it brighter with pickup attack and setting the filter knobs to the max but it is still night and day with a jazz bass if you AB it. But that's the tone I like, so I am not complaining.
I completely agree. Not much in the deep bass or sparkly treble department, but that pummeling mid grind and low grunt are just so good. And imo they always keep their dark voice even with all the tone and treble tools dimed. And that's exactly what I love about it.
Disagree, its all about setup and adjustments. I can make a Wal sound like an 808 when I want to, it lights up soundmen when I do. I primarily play in a dance/r&b band, so mainly low synth like lines.
The pickups are fully adjustable if the Wal isn't bassy enough. I've destroyed a couple of different speakers with pumping lowend.
As for strings: DR Hibeams have been my favorite for years, they last and last and their surface feels great.
I also found it a real treat whenever I could find R Cocco stainless, just a wonderful very-flexible playing and feeling string. However, R Cocco B strings suck and they don't match the E-G sets at all.
I also have used with good results: Ernie Ball slinkys, GHS boomers, and Galli.
SIT foundations is another I still have a Mk2 strung with for 2 years now and they still sound bright.
I don't currently have any Wal fretless, but when I did I used the same rounds...my fretless heros all used rounds, and thats the sound I like.
The pickups are fully adjustable if the Wal isn't bassy enough. I've destroyed a couple of different speakers with pumping lowend.
As for strings: DR Hibeams have been my favorite for years, they last and last and their surface feels great.
I also found it a real treat whenever I could find R Cocco stainless, just a wonderful very-flexible playing and feeling string. However, R Cocco B strings suck and they don't match the E-G sets at all.
I also have used with good results: Ernie Ball slinkys, GHS boomers, and Galli.
SIT foundations is another I still have a Mk2 strung with for 2 years now and they still sound bright.
I don't currently have any Wal fretless, but when I did I used the same rounds...my fretless heros all used rounds, and thats the sound I like.
I had pretty good luck with Fodera Nickels. I much prefer Fodera strings over many, but they’re not for every bass or player.
Yeah, I found a difference between the Polyester Finish and the Standard Finish (always forget what it is). The Polyester was more compressed, a little more modern and would provide a little more focus to the tone. The Satin finish is quite decent on my fretless allowing it to be a little more open sounding. I think some Wals sound so open that a finish may actually suit them. The Wal preamp is by far the hottest in the business.
Definitely agree with you on the darker point now that you’ve explained further.
With the lows a Wal can produce I’m so surprised the R&B world bring Wals into their mix. I know lots are using basses with flats lately but a Wal adds another dimension.
Cool string choices! I’ve heard GHS makes nice stuff.
I’d be curious if anyone has tried Rotosounds on a Wal?
That’s interesting! And those are hexcore made in England too. Very nice.
While my fretted ebony-boarded poly-finished Mk1 is a far more flexible instrument than I expected, it is indeed a hooligan's delight.
The magic for me is in how clearly and articulately the thing speaks WITHOUT tizzy top end -- regardless of whether your approach is gentle........or not.
Does this dovetail into what y'all are describing as the "dark" character?
The magic for me is in how clearly and articulately the thing speaks WITHOUT tizzy top end -- regardless of whether your approach is gentle........or not.
Does this dovetail into what y'all are describing as the "dark" character?
Yeah, this is along those lines.
If bright is considered to be a 1970s Ash / Maple Jazz bass…many would say maple fretboards are bright but I’ve found more neutral sounding. New strings on a maple board are always harsh for me. Try flats and that’s a different experience.
Ebony fretboards have a ping going on with it and tend to have some highs too. Almost like the ping is natural compression. I find Ebony sits between Maple and Rosewood.
Rosewood can be really “warm” sounding, East Indian RW being the warmest typically. You can get some brightness from some RW. Brazilian is a great experience and my favourite all time, but I don’t own any BRW now.
I have a tweaked Marcus Miller Jazz and can confirm!
Agree on fingerboard tones. That springy "ping" is signature Ebony. I'm sure I'll get to try a Wal with a rosewood board some day -- for now, mine's the only one I've ever had my hands on!
I definitely got lucky in my time, owning as many Wals as I’ve owned. That won’t happen again unfortunately.
I’ve owned more Fodera and Alleva Coppolo’s than Wals, however enough to have experienced all string configurations, 80s, 90s, 2000’s.
Awesome! Beautiful basses. The Wal is my first foray into this echelon... I sort of regret breaking the seal
