Well...I finally played a Wal!!!

[BrentSimons]

Hi All
I played a Wal!

Soooo since about ohhhh 1985-1986 I have wanted to play a Wal bass. Ever since I saw Geddy playing his black Wall MK1 in the video for The Big Money! I even bought my first bass, a black Ibanez Roadstar Ii because I thought it looked kinda like Geddys Wal!
Well fast forward through several decades and I had never had opportunity to even see or touch one let alone have the play funds to throw down and buy one! I spoke to Beaver Felton once about getting one and I think he quoted me $2200-2300 for one with Geddys specs at the time. Incidentally Wals might be a sore spot for Beaver as he had several ordered but never received them ? Yikes! I think that may have been when Paul passed away?
Anywho I was going to be in the Clifton Park\Albany NY area today and GC Albany had a 1978 Wal Pro listed . I figured what the hell? Waa it fate ? When would I have another chance? So I stopped by the store. The staff were super nice and grabbed the Ole Girl from their locked vintage area. A hefty price tag of $7500 I believe. Certainly the most expensive bass I've ever played!
She was a hefty girl. I'm guessing in the 10.5 lbs range? I've read and reread about the Wal neck being a pronounced V shape? Is this what most Wals feel like? I kinda liked it. Very different than all of my basses for sure. Comfy though. She really needed some TLC though. The neck needed some tweaks and the electronics were scratchy. Granted this wasn't a Mk1 but I was able to get a slightly Fleaish Blood Sugar Sex Magicish tone as I ran up the neck? She needed some new strings too! Maybe some of the Wal owners could chime in on the controls? I assumed it was volume and a filter\tone knob? Passive?
Well I played a Wal! I can scratch that off the list. Who knows maybe a perfect Mk1 will present itself and I can borrow from my 401K!


Good health to all!
Brent
[Invalid or Expired Link Removed]

 

[madmaskbass]

Boggles my mind that a business wont invest a few $$ in strings and a maintenance setup on something that would be such a huge investment for them. Especially when the strings are at cost price to them. So hard to get a feel for an instrument when you are fighting to play it. Sounds like despite that it was a decent enough experience.

 

[Les Fret]

Ask here Wal Bass Club.

 

[ModuMan]

Congrats! At least you got to play one first.

It is unfortunate that the store didn't take the time to put new strings on and do the basic things. Since it's in the GC system they probably just expect it to be sold online.

Betcha wish you got that Geddy back in the day! I know I do...

 

[kulit17]

I think that may have been when Paul passed away?

I think you meant Pete "the fish" Steven's. Paul Herman is still alive and kicking and dealing with a backlog that's doesn't seem to be improving.

The Wal that GC is a Pro (even though they have it listed as an Mk1). I callee the store once to notify them and the guy i was talking to was in disbelief - i was like it clearly says it on the headstock.......Tbh, that bass is overpriced on how the market is for a passive Wal Pro.

Again, this is the passive version Pro I since there is only one switch near the pickup. Typically if there is a second switch, it would indicate its the active flavor since the switch will activate pick attack. Anyhu the one switch that one has toggles the pickup between series/parallel. The controls are volume/tone.

A HISTORY OF WAL BASSES: Pro Bass series

As far as neck profile....for the most part - Wal have a soft V profile....but depending on owner spec, they can range from a medium V profile to a C profile.

I'm sure that Wal is going to sit in that store for a very long time at that price... its already been there for a few months already. A few passive Pro's have been sitting in Reverb for a long while too......

 

[BrentSimons]

I think you meant Pete "the fish" Steven's. Paul Herman is still alive and kicking and dealing with a backlog that's doesn't seem to be improving.

The Wal that GC is a Pro (even though they have it listed as an Mk1). I callee the store once to notify them and the guy i was talking to was in disbelief - i was like it clearly says it on the headstock.......Tbh, that bass is overpriced on how the market is for a passive Wal Pro.

Again, this is the passive version Pro I since there is only one switch near the pickup. Typically if there is a second switch, it would indicate its the active flavor since the switch will activate pick attack. Anyhu the one switch that one has toggles the pickup between series/parallel. The controls are volume/tone.

A HISTORY OF WAL BASSES: Pro Bass series

As far as neck profile....for the most part - Wal have a soft V profile....but depending on owner spec, they can range from a medium V profile to a C profile.

I'm sure that Wal is going to sit in that store for a very long time at that price... its already been there for a few months already. A few passive Pro's have been sitting in Reverb for a long while too......

Thank you for the information! And yes my apologies I meant Pete "The Fish" Stevens. Long drive yesterday but sunny and warm nonetheless! I think it was 65 in Albany when I left GC.
Thanks again!
Brent

 

[Mike Vee]

Boggles my mind that a business wont invest a few $$ in strings and a maintenance setup on something that would be such a huge investment for them. Especially when the strings are at cost price to them. So hard to get a feel for an instrument when you are fighting to play it. Sounds like despite that it was a decent enough experience.

Lol GC is bottom of the barrel man - they care about nothing but money, but are more lazy and unknowledgeable than they are greedy.

 

[MotorCityMinion]

Just saw this last weekend.

 

[john_g]

Hi All
I played a Wal!

Soooo since about ohhhh 1985-1986 I have wanted to play a Wal bass. Ever since I saw Geddy playing his black Wall MK1 in the video for The Big Money! I even bought my first bass, a black Ibanez Roadstar Ii because I thought it looked kinda like Geddys Wal!
Well fast forward through several decades and I had never had opportunity to even see or touch one let alone have the play funds to throw down and buy one! I spoke to Beaver Felton once about getting one and I think he quoted me $2200-2300 for one with Geddys specs at the time. Incidentally Wals might be a sore spot for Beaver as he had several ordered but never received them ? Yikes! I think that may have been when Paul passed away?
Anywho I was going to be in the Clifton Park\Albany NY area today and GC Albany had a 1978 Wal Pro listed . I figured what the hell? Waa it fate ? When would I have another chance? So I stopped by the store. The staff were super nice and grabbed the Ole Girl from their locked vintage area. A hefty price tag of $7500 I believe. Certainly the most expensive bass I've ever played!
She was a hefty girl. I'm guessing in the 10.5 lbs range? I've read and reread about the Wal neck being a pronounced V shape? Is this what most Wals feel like? I kinda liked it. Very different than all of my basses for sure. Comfy though. She really needed some TLC though. The neck needed some tweaks and the electronics were scratchy. Granted this wasn't a Mk1 but I was able to get a slightly Fleaish Blood Sugar Sex Magicish tone as I ran up the neck? She needed some new strings too! Maybe some of the Wal owners could chime in on the controls? I assumed it was volume and a filter\tone knob? Passive?
Well I played a Wal! I can scratch that off the list. Who knows maybe a perfect Mk1 will present itself and I can borrow from my 401K!


Good health to all!
Brent
[Invalid or Expired Link Removed]

Glad you got to try a Wal, although its not exactly like Geddys. I cant talk to the controls as I have a MKI which is Volume, PUP Blend and two filters, but at the end of the day, its just a bass. Still, a bass i lusted after for 30 years too! The neck profile and overall weight did take some getting used to though. Just did a nice sized gig with mine last weekend and no one even knows what it is lol Its all good, i do. My bandmates look at me like Im nuts to bring out such an expensive bass but they are more paranoid than i am.

 

[bassbrad]

Wals along with Ritters, Pedullas and Alembics always make my heart skip a beat. I was blessed to play a Wal Mk1 on a tour that belonged to the guitar player and have dreamed of one since, but they are way out of my budget. They are certainly up to the hype.

 

[Spidey2112]

Ever since I saw Geddy playing his black Wall MK1 in the video for The Big Money!

Yeah, boy!

 

[JRA]

i don't have that particular experience to cross off my list, but if i did = i'd want it to be just like yours! cool adventure --- congrats on finally playing a wal!

 

[jimmydean]

Played a Wal , I want a Wal , but I will never have one..........okay , glad to have that out of my system .

 

[SirMjac28]

That's my dream one day congrats and GC will not do anything to the instruments they bring in especially the vintage ones because they rather have you do something to screw it up and you only get three days to return it.

 

[bobyoung53]

Lol GC is bottom of the barrel man - they care about nothing but money, but are more lazy and unknowledgeable than they are greedy.

GC is the Walmart of musical instrument stores.

 

[Queue]

Just saw this last weekend.

That was fun. Had to stop what I was doing and jam along for a bit!

 

[eriky4003]

Congrats on playing a Wal, Brent. I did love Geddy's tone during his Wal years so getting that close to the man's tone must have been damn cool!

 

[AlexanderB]

They could give the neck a tug as well....

 

[BrentSimons]

Red-white-blue-gold = La Bella.

I would guess they're the RX Nickels.

I think you meant Pete "the fish" Steven's. Paul Herman is still alive and kicking and dealing with a backlog that's doesn't seem to be improving.

The Wal that GC is a Pro (even though they have it listed as an Mk1). I callee the store once to notify them and the guy i was talking to was in disbelief - i was like it clearly says it on the headstock.......Tbh, that bass is overpriced on how the market is for a passive Wal Pro.

Again, this is the passive version Pro I since there is only one switch near the pickup. Typically if there is a second switch, it would indicate its the active flavor since the switch will activate pick attack. Anyhu the one switch that one has toggles the pickup between series/parallel. The controls are volume/tone.

A HISTORY OF WAL BASSES: Pro Bass series

As far as neck profile....for the most part - Wal have a soft V profile....but depending on owner spec, they can range from a medium V profile to a C profile.

I'm sure that Wal is going to sit in that store for a very long time at that price... its already been there for a few months already. A few passive Pro's have been sitting in Reverb for a long while too......

Glad you got to try a Wal, although its not exactly like Geddys. I cant talk to the controls as I have a MKI which is Volume, PUP Blend and two filters, but at the end of the day, its just a bass. Still, a bass i lusted after for 30 years too! The neck profile and overall weight did take some getting used to though. Just did a nice sized gig with mine last weekend and no one even knows what it is lol Its all good, i do. My bandmates look at me like Im nuts to bring out such an expensive bass but they are more paranoid than i am.

Wals along with Ritters, Pedullas and Alembics always make my heart skip a beat. I was blessed to play a Wal Mk1 on a tour that belonged to the guitar player and have dreamed of one since, but they are way out of my budget. They are certainly up to the hype.

Yeah, boy!

i don't have that particular experience to cross off my list, but if i did = i'd want it to be just like yours! cool adventure --- congrats on finally playing a wal!

Played a Wal , I want a Wal , but I will never have one..........okay , glad to have that out of my system .

Congrats on playing a Wal, Brent. I did love Geddy's tone during his Wal years so getting that close to the man's tone must have been damn cool!

Thank you Fellas!
Yes the tone was really nothing like Geddys Wal era unfortunately. It was only when I did a run up high on the neck where I got something like Fleas BSSM tone. But i was really digging in! Being passive it didn't have the twang that Geddy had going on? Still you could tell it wasn't a P or J bass. Something different altogether.



I played a Wal !

 

[groovaholic]

I owned a Mach I for about 3 months.
I was in the Air Force at the time, enjoying 6 days in Scotland en route to Turkey during the Kosovo conflict.

Music shop loafing was how I passed daytime hours in new cities. So I walked into a store in Glasgow and saw a Wal for 680 pounds (roughly $900, at the time) and knew I would not have another opportunity like that!

I had it for the 2 months that I was in Turkey, playing it acoustic.
When I got home, I restrung it and set it up, but I never really bonded with the feel or tone.
I put it up for sale, and when I doubled my money, I felt like I made out pretty well!

Ah, hindsight...

 

[Spidey2112]

I played a Wal !

One... Little... Victory.

 

[bassplace]

I owned a Mach I for about 3 months.
I was in the Air Force at the time, enjoying 6 days in Scotland en route to Turkey during the Kosovo conflict.

Music shop loafing was how I passed daytime hours in new cities. So I walked into a store in Glasgow and saw a Wal for 680 pounds (roughly $900, at the time) and knew I would not have another opportunity like that!

I had it for the 2 months that I was in Turkey, playing it acoustic.
When I got home, I restrung it and set it up, but I never really bonded with the feel or tone.
I put it up for sale, and when I doubled my money, I felt like I made out pretty well!

Ah, hindsight...

Bonding is the final level. I have basses I love, Rick4000, Birdsong, ACG fretless, but my Wal ProIIe has a neck, feel and sound I always go back to. The neck is perfect but it’s a less common C profile.

 

[JimmyM]

Boggles my mind that a business wont invest a few $$ in strings and a maintenance setup on something that would be such a huge investment for them. Especially when the strings are at cost price to them. So hard to get a feel for an instrument when you are fighting to play it. Sounds like despite that it was a decent enough experience.

Whoever buys will put the strings on it that they want, and it’ll probably sell quickly because it’s a Wal. I wouldn’t do it either.