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Wal Bass Club.

#15,301
I use Ken Smith Slapmasters ultralight and Dr Highbeams also ultralight. Loved Fodera strings in the past then like everything else, the price rose into the stratosphere. I read the guy who wound Fodera strings died and DR has taken over. I’m sure as hell not going to pay $12.00 more for Dr strings with a butterfly on the package.
For years I have bought my strings at just strings and decided to try their brand. Buying in bulk with your preferred string gauges in nickel or SS can save you quite bit of cash.
 
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#15,302
bassballs27 said:
I’d be curious if anyone has tried Rotosounds on a Wal?
Click to expand...
My Wal came with Picato strings installed, which I liked a lot, but were not easy to find back then. Rotosound RS66 were the only strings I’d ever used on my other basses, so when it came time to change strings on the Wal I put Rotos on, and that was the only brand I used on the Wal for close to 20 years. Half that time the Wal was fretless, and the other half it was sporting a fretted neck (ebony fb) that I had Pete make for me. I've since moved on from Rotos because they are so abrasive to frets and fretless fingerboards (fingers too) IMO, and there are many other better choices these days IMO (took me a long time to find that out, lol).
YMMV.
 
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#15,303
zombywoof5050 said:
My Wal came with Picato strings installed, which I liked a lot, but were not easy to find back then. Rotosound RS66 were the only strings I’d ever used on my other basses, so when it came time to change strings on the Wal I put Rotos on, and that was the only brand I used on the Wal for close to 20 years. Half that time the Wal was fretless, and the other half it was sporting a fretted neck (ebony fb) that I had Pete make for me. I've since moved on from Rotos because they are so abrasive to frets and fretless fingerboards (fingers too) IMO, and there are many other better choices these days IMO (took me a long time to find that out, lol).
YMMV.
Click to expand...

I used Rotosounds on a 1971 Fender P bass. I believe they were RS66. I’ve used them on other basses too with great success. Abrasive, yes, some stainless steel strings feel similar. I’ve yet to experience any damage caused by these strings on my fretted basses. On fretless, I could definitely see that. I’m a light touch player and I use low action. It’s rare I use slap. However if you’re playing every day for hours, could definitely see how fretwork would be needed.
 
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#15,304
mikeswals said:
Disagree, its all about setup and adjustments.
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I still can't make my Wal as sizzly as my Spector or MM Stingray 2-band, not even like the Jazz Bass. Nor do I want to ;). There are better suited basses for a true open hi-fi sound.
deep end wise the Wal tone knob offers a much better control than either of those, that's true.
And as versatile as it is, it always retains it's tonal character. I think that is a thing of beauty, I love that about it.

what gauge DR High Beams do you use?
 
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#15,314
We have landed! And to think my receiving agent there wasn’t yet even a thought when this process began…

Now my rite of passage of waiting to “acclimatize” begins.

IMG_1128.jpeg
 
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#15,317
mikeswals said:
Thanks! Regret & Guardian. That icy shimmer at the beginning of Guardian is also the Jazz, nearly all my effects on and turned to max.
Click to expand...

given the discussion above on strings and the "dark" tone of Wal's i thought this album did a timely job of showing the familiar wal tone holding it's own against a wall of guitars. i do find myself reaching for my jazz (and an old L2K) when i want the kind of tones you have going on Regret & Guardian. (btw, are you running a mutron or phaser on Guardian most of the time or was that added in the mix?)

Maybe the "dark" aspect of the tone folks are referring to may have something to do with the humbucking aspect which changes the attack and ring that we all know from single coils. There are strings choices that can ring more or sustain more on our Wals, but they never make them sound like Jazz basses.
 
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