Greetings all

R

RichmanRush

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I'm here in the hopes that the future will make me a Warwick player. I can't currently afford the bass(es) I have my eyes on, so for now I'm here to dream, drool and salivate. But maybe you guys/gals can help me out a bit.

My "dream bass" is either a Thumb NT or a Dolphin Pro 1 NT, fretless of course, and at least a 5-string. Both of these basses have gotten exceptional user reviews, and I know they both would satisfy my urge for a heavy growling fretless.

But anyways, as I said, I'm here just to read and get informed until I get the money for a new bass, which from the looks of it, will be a long ways off (need a new car very soon). But I've read alot of the threads here on the Thumbs and Dolphins, and I feel like a kid again wanting one of these babies so bad it hurts LOL. Here's to one day becoming the proud owner of a Warwick! Cheers!
 
oops, I forgot the "help" part out hehe.

So, I've read enough on the two basses above. Both get exceptional user reviews on every site I've been on, the only downside I've read, is that some of the newer Thumbs can be neck heavy (and that the necks are bulkier than other manufacturers). How do the Thumb NT's balance? How do the sounds of the Thumb and Dolphin differ? Being a fretless player, I love a heavy growl, but I know if I walked into a guitar center and tried either or both out, I'd pull out the credit card and walk home with a new bass (which would be VERY bad LOL).
 
Hi & welcome Rich.You might find,as I did,that the Thumb NT balances fine.As with all heavy basses your going to need a good wide padded strap.I love my Thumb,it feels good,sounds good & looks good.Just plug it & it sounds great all by itself,it helps to have a good amp but that goes for any decent bass.
The best thing to do is risk a trip to a shop & play them both.Proof is in the pudding as they say.Good luck.
 
Good luck, and remember to check out the Secondhand-market. Might save some money for ya.
 
My thumb balances fine, but it has got the heavy brass bridge, which may have something to do with it. It is one heavy bass though, especially considering it's body size.

Charmand is right about the second-hand market, Warwick's aren't currently the fashionable choice (unlike Fender and MM) and as such don't command huge second hand value compared to their new price. I just picked up an "as new" 99 Streamer Stage 1 for £750 on ebay, this bass would have cost me close to £2000 new.

Good Thumb NTs seem to go for around £1000 on ebay at the moment.
 
Hate to bring up my old thread, but figured I'd use this instead of starting a new one...

Are Warwick fretless basses "treated" at all from the factory? I currently play a fretless with a rosewood fretboard and after a year and a half, I'm already starting to see neck wear (round wound strings + a somewhat heavy/hard attack is my guess). I've heard of people getting their necks treated by a luthier or trying it on their own, basically getting it coated with epoxy to prolong the life.

That is something I'm definitely interested in if I purchase a warwick in the future as I'd want the bass to last me a life time or more. As mentioned, my current bass is already beginning to show wear (nothing serious, she's still playable), but new, the bass was $650, and getting her treated is probably $400-500 which obviously I could buy a new one almost for that price.

So do fretless warwicks get any sort of treatment? Or are the wenge and other assorted fretboard woods just that much stronger than rosewood? I know I'm partly to blame for my lousy attack and technique, but that's something that will take me years to develop (maybe by then, I'll have a warwick LOL). Again, thanks for your help. And if anyone knows of a luthier that can treat my current bass' neck in and around the Chicago area, that would be good hehe.

-Rich
 
Hey mate,Warwick uses tigerstripe ebony,(formerly maccassar ebony)for it's fretless fingerboards which is really hard wearing,I've seen fretless Warwicks that are years old & have had nothing but roundwounds fitted with no wear at all.Everything about Warwick basses is pretty heavy duty & will last years with very little maintenance.
Cheers dude.
 
I put flatwounds on my basses at first, but now I've gone back to roundwounds... and no big problems with board wear - ebony is a lot tougher than rosewood... and I play pretty hard!

When you're trying out basses, give the Thumb BO a try... most people reckon the NT is the ultimate for fretless, but for what I play, I actually preferred the punch of the BO. Still might save up for an NT though :wink:
 
The so called neck-heavy basses don't hang the same on everyones' body. I've been hitting the gym again and noticed that as my shoulders grew and my gut receeded that without even holding the bass it hung fine. When a friend tried it on for size, his gut pushed the bass out in front like a rifle. He had to play it vertically like an uprite. :oops: Even if I hadn't been working out for many years I would have started for this bass. Don't get me wrong, others have been fine with the NT5 without all of that, this is just how I do it. My Jazzman for Latin styles and ballads and my NT5 for eveything else.
 
Thanks for all the feedback everyone.

The fact that Ebony/tigerstripe is harder than rosewood (kinda figured it was) puts my heart at ease a little bit hehe.

My main concern regarding balance is if the neck/headstock dives. I simply cannot play a bass like that anymore... trying to hold it up and rehearse/gig for even a few songs and I'm exhausted. As long as it's stable, either parallel to the floor, or raised up at an angle, I'm good.

Again, thanks for the feedback. Now if I can just win the lotto (or find a better job) a Thumb will be mine :D
 
Get a wide leather strap (I use a levys on my thumb) wear it high and it will be just fine :)
 
Hi & welcome Rich.You might find,as I did,that the Thumb NT balances fine.As with all heavy basses your going to need a good wide padded strap.I love my Thumb,it feels good,sounds good & looks good.Just plug it & it sounds great all by itself,it helps to have a good amp but that goes for any decent bass.
The best thing to do is risk a trip to a shop & play them both.Proof is in the pudding as they say.Good luck.
Click to expand...

I agree. Don't find my thumb 5 NT as neck heavy as people say it is... As for weight.... I'm quite the wimp, and going from 4 string Fender to 5 string Thumb NT - thought it would be the death of me... But never had any problems with that at any point. Shows, practise... Never. Feels as natural as having a shirt on. Love this bass! :D
 
Welcome, and my Thumb balances fine. I play with a really short strap with the bass up around my chest and it's perfect for me.
 
definitely keep your eyes on the second-hand market. i picked up my corvette standard in excellent condition for a really good price... around 700 USD. i probably should not have bought it, but the price was so good that i just could not let it go and i am so happy with that purchase. generally speaking, warwick users take care of their instruments so if you see a used one, it will most likely be a really good deal.
 
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