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What are Wal bass electronics and how do I copy them?

Fynn

Fynn

Jan 6, 2022
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Germany
#1
I have a list of basses that I would like to own, that are generally all distinctly different from one another. One of those basses is a Wal bass. A genuine Wal bass isn't totally unobtainium, but it's pretty high up there. With basses like that, I simply try to build a clone myself. That of course has the advantage of being able to customise all the things that I might not like so much about an actual Wal. But one of the main things that I definitely would like to get right, are the pickups and electronics.
So now finally coming to my question, how would I go about copying that? I'm partially looking for specifics on how these electronics work, but also if there's a relatively affordable way to recreate them in a custom instrument. I guess part of that question also is what kind of pickups would be close and affordable. Though basic humbuckers would probably be just fine. I don't think the Wal pickups are a considerably different construction, compared to normal humbuckers. Though if they are, feel free to enlighten me!
 
#3
There are schematics for the early Wal active electronics around, not sure about later versions. I thought about putting one into pedal format but haven't done so yet. The pickups are not like ordinary humbuckers as I believe there is an individual coil for each pole piece, but I'm not about to take mine apart to find out. My Wal Pro 1 certainly has the highest output of any passive bass I have owned and equals many active basses.
 
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#4
Here’s a thread going through the whole thing, available pickups, schematics, wood choises and solutions
www.basschat.co.uk

Building a Wal....ish

Hi all You all know me well, I seem to never be able to stop tinkering. My latest project is something of interest to perhaps some of you. This thread is going to be partly a narrative, and partly a way for me to try and share what I have discovered in trying to get 'the Wal sound' without gettin...
www.basschat.co.uk www.basschat.co.uk
 
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#7
If you search the Pickups/electronics forum for "Wal" this comes up often enough. Multicoil pickups (individual coils per pole piece- so in a 4-string bass pickup, 8 individual coils per pickup) with two different wiring approaches depending on the era and model, paired with dual low-pass filter preamps (an individual low-pass filter per pickup with frequency control and a Q peak switch) with an attack boost switch (apparently a fixed-frequency boost in the high-midrange/treble region). Nobody makes a 1:1 aftermarket copy of either the pickups or preamp that can be bought individually as far as I'm aware. Underhill (check the thread linked by @Passinwind ) makes a preamp that has similar specs, probably the closest you can buy from what I've seen. Similar pickups are made by a small handful of winders (Turner pickups being one who sells on Reverb)- check the Luthier's forum on TB for a thread ("sidewinders, Multicoil, etc" or something like that in the thread title) from a few of them who will sell them.
 
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#9
I always ask in these Wal threads...what Wal tone are you after? I wanted Geddy's.

I tried recreating it with some normal humbuckers and filter preamp in a cheaper bass. Didnt really do it. This was years ago and these days there are more options.
 
#11
While it is possible to clone any pickup and preamp, there’s still enough honor among those with the knowledge and skill to pull it off to decline to build and sell an exact copy of a Wal’s electronics. Your best bet is to buy or build similar enough components (i.e. a pair of multicoil humbuckers and a filter based preamp) and try to get a similar enough sound.

FWIW consensus is that while many have tried, a Wal has yet to be duplicated.
 
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#12
Nordstrand poly vox pickups could get you most of the way there with individual coils. My understanding is that the individual coils all share the same leads so you can use a normal preamp or passive controls.
 
#14
john_g said:
I always ask in these Wal threads...what Wal tone are you after? I wanted Geddy's.

I tried recreating it with some normal humbuckers and filter preamp in a cheaper bass. Didnt really do it. This was years ago and these days there are more options.
Click to expand...
I mainly got this idea from this specific tone:


I'm sure I could get close to something like this by other means, but I also just kinda like the concept of a Wal.
 
#16
40Hz said:
While it is possible to clone any pickup and preamp, there’s still enough honor among those with the knowledge and skill to pull it off to decline to build and sell an exact copy of a Wal’s electronics.
Click to expand...
Not so sure about that, it's definitely not so with all of Alembic's designs. ;)
 
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