Any advice and/or wisdom for a first time Warwick Thumb NT 5 owner?

Negyuh said:
GAS King, you made a good trade, the Thumb NT is the flagship of Warwick, have fun with it!
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I thought it was okay too....I traded a beat up SR5, KSD605, and a little cash for it. Hard to do, but well worth it IMO.

That said, I don't think I have the balls to gig with it. :d
 
(side discussion: Has anyone tried flats with the Thumb?)
 
unless its a fretless thumb, I don't like flats on it
I think it lose too much definition with flats, but doesn't give you back the "tud" on a thumb ...
 
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Florin, you were right. A VERY different tone. The thumb is the most unique sounding bass I've come across.

focused in a very different part of the mix. I really liked it though.
It doesn't have all that low end washout that most basses have.
Curiously tight and punchy, yet musical and sweet sounding.

Playing in a stoner rock/metal band......the thumb really isn't the right bass for that sound.....but I doubt I'd enjoy taking a $1700 instrument to some of the back alley dives we play.:)
 
My advice: Play and enjoy her. Forget about other BS.

My 2 euro cents. :)
 
My best tip is learn to use the mid control to your advantage. Most of the time it is the only control you'll ever need to adjust on stage or in the studio/rehearsal, It can really make the difference between an awesome and an average tone!
 
GAS KING said:
Florin, you were right. A VERY different tone. The thumb is the most unique sounding bass I've come across.

focused in a very different part of the mix. I really liked it though.
It doesn't have all that low end washout that most basses have.
Curiously tight and punchy, yet musical and sweet sounding.

Playing in a stoner rock/metal band......the thumb really isn't the right bass for that sound.....but I doubt I'd enjoy taking a $1700 instrument to some of the back alley dives we play.:)
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Believe it or not, the thumb's sound is a very CORRECT sound, likte the pro bassists are making with a lot of tweaks on their basses. Give some time with this sound, use no controls, and get used with this placement in the mix, because, this is how a bass should sit in the mix normally :-)

BTW, you will realize this later, the thumb's sound is perceived as "very low and punchy" in the mix :-)
 
you can set how loud the active sound is. i set mine for a hair louder then the bypassed sound.so i have a passive sound a little boost and then i can tweek the controls.
 
james brunnning said:
you can set how loud the active sound is. i set mine for a hair louder then the bypassed sound.so i have a passive sound a little boost and then i can tweek the controls.
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GREAT! That's what I was hoping it would be! Thanks.;)
 
I hate to be fickle, but I'm not sure the Thumb tone is for me? :(
 
Two pickups slanted at the bridge will do that to you. It does, however, carry the best "Jaco 2.0" tone on the market, particularly when you favour the neck pickup considerably.

If you find that this bass is still not your sound, I'm sure you won't have too much trouble finding someone whose tone it is, and should be willing to trade with you for something that is your sound (can't go wrong with a SSI, for example)!
 
noodles said:
Yes, it is. You just don't know it yet.

Seriously, what do you find it lacks or has too much of?
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It's not a bad sounding bass.....at all.

Plays amazingly well too. I think it's just so much tighter, clear, punchy, and "active" sounding than I'm used to?

thefitz said:
Two pickups slanted at the bridge will do that to you. It does, however, carry the best "Jaco 2.0" tone on the market, particularly when you favour the neck pickup considerably.

If you find that this bass is still not your sound, I'm sure you won't have too much trouble finding someone whose tone it is, and should be willing to trade with you for something that is your sound (can't go wrong with a SSI, for example)!
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Yeah, I'm not really a Jaco fan. Great artist, but his music doesn't do much for me.

Hmmm....something to consider......the bass plays soooo well, and the neck is divine. Just not the tone I'm looking for right now.
 
GAS KING said:
I hate to be fickle, but I'm not sure the Thumb tone is for me? :(
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I did a love/hate thing with the NT5 for years. Funny thing is, when I joined a band, I was always asked to turn down because I was filling the room with bass but I couldn't hear it. It was probably the sexiest bass I've owned to date but couldn't keep it based on that. When you first play the Thumb, you will know if it's for you right away. There are forum members (Alex, Mr. Rabble) that play this bass exclusively. I would try it with an outboard pre. If not, sell it. Warwick makes plenty of excellent models. Thumb club=exclusive!
 
Shoewreck said:
Play closer to the neck. You may want to install a thumbrest there.
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That does help.

I'm primarily a pick player, but picking with my fingers certainly fattens it up too.

Gerry said:
I did a love/hate thing with the NT5 for years. Funny thing is, when I joined a band, I was always asked to turn down because I was filling the room with bass but I couldn't hear it. It was probably the sexiest bass I've owned to date but couldn't keep it based on that. When you first play the Thumb, you will know if it's for you right away. There are forum members (Alex, Mr. Rabble) that play this bass exclusively. I would try it with an outboard pre. If not, sell it. Warwick makes plenty of excellent models. Thumb club=exclusive!
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YEP!!
That exact same thing happened to me at rehearsal.
I couldn't hear myself but the guitar player kept giving me the "turn it down" face?

When I played the thumb acoustically for the first time, I really really enjoyed it.
Plugged in it's just not what I look for in bass tone. :( Even though, it sounds great.
 
Whenever anyone tells you to turn down, go to where they're standing to hear what they're hearing. It's not uncommon for you to be heard better further away from your cab(s), than right up close.
Depending on the room, it's sometimes good to turn your cab(s) round to face into a corner or wall, & get the bass to bounce off a surface. Some of these things sound utterly rediculous, but can work wonders.
 
Greg said:
Whenever anyone tells you to turn down, go to where they're standing to hear what they're hearing. It's not uncommon for you to be heard better further away from your cab(s), than right up close.
Depending on the room, it's sometimes good to turn your cab(s) round to face into a corner or wall, & get the bass to bounce off a surface. Some of these things sound utterly rediculous, but can work wonders.
Click to expand...

Typically, with my other basses.....I can hear myself in the mix and don't get asked to turn down.


The Thumb is the first bass I've used that cuts so well.....you can't even hear it!! :lol:
 
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