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Wal Bass Sound...Without the Wal?

#43
Geddy used to use Rotosound Funk Masters which are .30-.90. I think they stopped making them for a while and I think he went to the Swing bass. They started making them again at some point, I have a set on my Ric right now but they are too light for me. I like .40 - 100



Toolmybass said:
These look pretty light gauge, or he plays hard.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HW3b50egxGw




Tom in the above YT vid says he uses Roto Swing Bass strings @ .45-.105

He seems to have done his research to a tee, but dont know if the size is personal choice or what Geddy used.









:bassist:
Click to expand...
 
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#44
I think Benjamin Strange was right when he said that there's more to it than the bass itself. Playing style, amps, effects, strings all factor into the tone.

I get the closest to the Tool Wal tone with my G&L L-2500, Nickel roundwounds==> SansAmp BDDI ==>Delay as needed ==> GK 1001RB==> RBH cabs. If I play with any other setup it's not quite right. The bass also has to be set up correctly with pretty low action to get a bit of fret noise to add to the attack. To get the older Paul Rick' sound I use a Fender P/J with SD quarter pounders and a SansAmp and it does the job.

While I agree with the fact that nothing sounds quite like a Wal, I believe you can get damn close with a bit of playing around. Your best bet would be a MM Bongo or G&L.. The StingRay/Sterling HH doesn't quite do it. A Spector was mentioned, and while I believe it'll do the Hi-Fi attacky thing very well it lacks a little push and girth that the above basses will give you. You could probably take a Plain old P-Bass with new strings and get close if you tried a bit.
 
#49
Caca de Kick said:
Um I'm not really buying that vid. The guy did a great job playing along with the original song, *BUT, we are also hearing Justin's bass track loud and clear there. So we are still hearing a Wal.
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Considering you own both a MM and a Wal im surprised by your comment.

Mind you i have listened/played this song a million times, so for my ear, its it easily distinguishable between his bass and the orig recording.

My point here is still the same.....this is as CLOSE as your going to get to a Wal with out a Wal.

It would also sound even closer with my set-up and a proper dirty channel.
 
#51
Toolmybass said:
These look pretty light gauge, or he plays hard.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HW3b50egxGw


Tom in the above YT vid says he uses Roto Swing Bass strings @ .45-.105

He seems to have done his research to a tee, but dont know if the size is personal choice or what Geddy used.

:bassist:
Click to expand...

That's the gauge that Geddy uses on the jazz basses that he plays
 
#53
Ric5 said:
Geddy does tour with a couple of DEtuned basses ... some of the songs that used to be in E are now played in D.
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IIRC it was one detuned (red jazz) bass with E down to D for one instrumental song (Leave that thing alone?). None of the live songs are played in keys other than their original recordings.

Also, it seems to me some of their older stuff (circa Farewell to Kings) is a tad sharp. Not tuned up. Just sharp. Maybe A442? Dunno.
 
#54
DigitalMan said:
IIRC it was one detuned (red jazz) bass with E down to D for one instrumental song (Leave that thing alone?). None of the live songs are played in keys other than their original recordings.

Also, it seems to me some of their older stuff (circa Farewell to Kings) is a tad sharp. Not tuned up. Just sharp. Maybe A442? Dunno.
Click to expand...

The Red Jazz detuned to D was also used for "Driven"
 
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#55
DigitalMan said:
IIRC it was one detuned (red jazz) bass with E down to D for one instrumental song (Leave that thing alone?). None of the live songs are played in keys other than their original recordings.

Also, it seems to me some of their older stuff (circa Farewell to Kings) is a tad sharp. Not tuned up. Just sharp. Maybe A442? Dunno.
Click to expand...

I did see an interview recently where the interviewer joked with Geddy about not being able to hit original keys as he got older. Geddy responded and said "well, there are a few of them that are like that already. I'm trying to make them my own in their new keys.". It's on YouTube somewhere.

Geddy had a twinkle in his eye when he said it - I think he was serious, but didn't take it seriously. If you get my meaning.

EDIT: Here's the interview. Go to about 2:45.

 
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#58
Toolmybass said:
These look pretty light gauge, or he plays hard.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HW3b50egxGw




Tom in the above YT vid says he uses Roto Swing Bass strings @ .45-.105

He seems to have done his research to a tee, but dont know if the size is personal choice or what Geddy used.

:bassist:
Click to expand...

Hey!
That's me!
Yes the strings I use on my Wal in that vid are the Rotosound 66 Swing Bass 45-105.
I use the Rotosound 66's on all of my basses. Personal choice due to the fact that nothing else sounds like Rotosound.
I used to use the Funkmasters when I first got that bass back in 1993 but I found them to be way too light, like rubberbands. I DO play pretty hard and that was sometimes even changing the pitch of the notes I was playing when I used those Funkmasters.
 
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#59
Also wanted to say that Wal basses seem to have a million different sounds in those electronics. One tick one way or another with the tone pots and even with the push-pull pots can change the bass' tone drastically. BUT, the unmistakable Wal sound is still there no matter what you do with the controls.
That bass is really awesome and I've never played anything that even comes close.
If you want the Geddy Lee Wal sound, you will need a Wal. And even more probably one with the same woods too.
 
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#60
DigitalMan said:
IIRC it was one detuned (red jazz) bass with E down to D for one instrumental song (Leave that thing alone?). None of the live songs are played in keys other than their original recordings.

Also, it seems to me some of their older stuff (circa Farewell to Kings) is a tad sharp. Not tuned up. Just sharp. Maybe A442? Dunno.
Click to expand...

Are you sure about this? IIRC the detuned red Jazz was/is used for 2112 live. Also, I am pretty sure that I read somewhere that when they played Circumstances on the Snakes and Arrows tour it was tuned down so Geddy could sing it.
 

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