This guitar is a commission sale - if you have a high end or vintage instrument you‘re interested in selling, please contact us. 
 
Due to the value & fragility of this bass, it is offered as COLLECTION ONLY from our Ashton-under-Lyne store. Specialist courier delivery is available from £75 - please inquire.
 
Here for sale we have a Wal Pro Bass I in 3-Tone Sunburst finish. Wal basses were the work of Ian Waller, who began producing bass guitars in the early '70s through the parent company Electric Wood, based in High Wycombe, England. The goal he shared with luthier & collaborator Pete Stevens was to produce the finest bass guitar in the world. The pair began by producing one off custom instruments for some of the most popular & revered players of the time, including Roger Newell, John Gustafason, John Entwistle  & Pete Zorn.  One of the most famous examples of these early Wal basses was the Triple Neck Wal, originally created for Rick Wakeman's Journey to the Centre of the Earth gig in 1974. This bass went on to be used by Chris Squire in Yes, and has become one of Progressive rock's most iconic instruments. It is currently on loan to the Hard Rock Cafe, displayed in the New York City restaurant. 
 
This example left Electric Wood in 1981, and of course features a bolt-on construction comprising an Ash body & 6 piece Maple/Mahogany/English Hornbeam laminated neck. This gives the neck & headstock their characteristic striped look. At different times during Wal's history, Mukulungu was used instead of Mahogany, and at other times Rock Maple was used instead of English Hornbeam. Given the year of this bass's production & the appearance of the timber, it certainly appears that this example is made from Hornbeam, Maple & Mahogany. This neck is topped with a Rosewood fingerboard, inlaid with Pearloid dots. Chrome hardware is fitted including a top-loading Wal bridge & Schaller open-gear tuning machines. A single Wal Flat Response humbucking pickup is installed in the middle position, and is wired to master volume & tone controls, along with a series/parallel switch. 
 
The neck plays fantastically well, with a profile which might be described as a moderately-soft 'V' shape. This is a supremely ergonomic design which encourages proper thumb positioning in all registers. The gloss finish to the rear assists with smooth navigation of the 34" scale, whilst the considerable nut width of 1.672" assures that the strings are spaced comfortably for easy fretting & great note separation. The Rosewood of the fingerboard is of excellent quality, with a nice tight grain and dark figured appearance that provides a smooth & durable playing surface whilst adding a luxurious feel to the instrument. The body is well proportioned, sitting comfortably in the arms in both standing & seated positions & allowing for easy tonal control without intruding on the playing experience. Being made of Ash, the body does carry some weight, but it serves to reassure the player & inform the tone of the bass, rather than simply weighing the player down at the back of the stage like a millstone. 
 
The tone of the Wal Pro Bass I is of course the main event. The Wal Flat Response humbucker is one of the innovations that helped the company to develop & maintain their status as one of the most sought after instruments in the world. The pickup features eight independent coils- two per string. The steel pole pieces are combined with large ceramic magnets which increase the inductance of the pickup for a punchier tone. The on-board preamp - passive in this model- allows for series & parallel switching of the coil circuitry, as well as volume, & tone control. The skirts of these controls show numbers so that you can easily recall your settings again. Interestingly the numbers go up to 11, although you cannot reach setting 11 with the control. This design predates the famous quote from Spinal Tap, but is certainly complimented by it. A beautifully preserved example of one of the most sought after basses of the last 40 years.  
 
This guitar is a commission sale - if you have a high end or vintage instrument you‘re interested in selling, please contact us. 
 
Due to the value & fragility of this bass, it is offered as COLLECTION ONLY from our Ashton-under-Lyne store. Specialist courier delivery is available from £75 - please inquire.
 
Please be aware that for international buyers import fees are not included in our postage and packaging cost, this only covers the cost of the guitar being sent to you. Import fees will be charged by Customs upon the guitar's arrival in the recipient country. Due to Brexit, this also applies to EU buyers. We advise checking the total import cost with Customs as this is not information we are able to accurately provide.