New to collection. This WAL bass started its life as an initially fretless Geddy Lee model bass commissioned in all-black with gold hardware by Jürgen Dehmel of the “ Neue Deutsche Welle” or Germany’s New Wave, Nena became worldwide known as the band with 99 Luftballons, 99 Air Balloons. The serial number W2053, can be found in theWAL database as being made in 1983 for Nena. As such the bass has been played on recordings and in live appearance throughout 1983-1986 with Nena.
In the collection an all original early WAL Mark 1, 4-string bass guitar. Handcrafted in the Electric Wood Co, at High Wycombe, Now considered a vintage classic amongst bass players. This is a hand-made, custom, bass numbered WAL crafted by Wal / Electric Wood in 1982. The bass body and neck are composed from a mixture of high quality materials. Woods used are Brazilian mahogy core, American walnut/ Wenge facing and Indian rose fretboard. The backplate has a Serial number PB-1780 engraved. Lives in original WAL hard case
According to the History of Wal Basses website, the bass has “twin pickups with a powerful active circuit offering volume, pickup pan and separate tone controls for each pickup. The volume included a push/pull knob which also activated the ‘pick-attack’ feature. This adds a narrow band of high frequencies to the overall tone setting to provide a more dynamic, percussive attack – ideal for helping the bass cut through a muddy live mix. The tones are low-pass shelving controls governing each pickup. They also each have a push/pull switch which engages an active boost (quasi-parametric) giving a more distinctively ‘active’ tone. A balanced XLR output comes as standard on all ‘Custom series’ basses”.
