Help Needed with Corvette Tones ($$, Standard, Proline)

F

flexo

Joined
Nov 2, 2007
Messages
22
Reaction score
1
Hi,

I'm looking to buy a Warwick Corvette used but I need a bit of advice first. I've read through the other threads comparing the Ash and Bubinga Corvette Standards and they have been very helpful.
The other models that I seem to see often are the Corvette Double Buck $$ and the Corvette Proline.

Could anyone describe to me how these compare tonally to the Bubinga Corvette Standard?

If it helps I'm looking for a tone in the ballpark of Dirk Lance (formerly of Incubus). I want to find my own sound but that's the general area I'm looking anyway!
 
The proline is a very luthier style bass tone, like fodera, except warwick. Thats my take. Its also very similar to a fender jazz bass.

The double buck however... is a complete monster of a bass... i mean a tottal beast. It cannot be tamed...

Id suggest the STD. for the tone your looking for, becausde of the body wood.
 
Doc said:
The proline is a very luthier style bass tone, like fodera, except warwick. Thats my take. Its also very similar to a fender jazz bass.

The double buck however... is a complete monster of a bass... i mean a tottal beast. It cannot be tamed...
Click to expand...

Very nice words Doc: you really make me GAS for a Proline........and a $$ too...... 8)
 
Glad to hear it!

The double buck was one of those basses that are fun to play but not a tone you want all the time... know what i mean? It sounds good and its super fun to jam out on, but its still not the tone i want.
 
Doc said:
The double buck was one of those basses that are fun to play but not a tone you want all the time... know what i mean? It sounds good and its super fun to jam out on, but its still not the tone i want.
Click to expand...

I certainly understand why some players wouldn't be interested in the $$ (BO), it can sound pretty dark - especially if you don't know how to use the coil-tap switches (amazing feature by the way) or always leave the EQ flat. But if you get a chance make sure to check out the $$ NT. It's a completely different beast. And ThirdthumB needs one...
 
So to understand, the proline has a more 'conventional' tone whereas the standard would have more of the warwick growl? (If so its a shame since some of the prolines I've seen have looked magical!)

Also, can the double buck $$ get a sound similar to the standard with its coil tap feature?
 
flexo said:
So to understand, the proline has a more 'conventional' tone whereas the standard would have more of the warwick growl? (If so its a shame since some of the prolines I've seen have looked magical!)
Click to expand...

That sounds about right to me. From clean to "growly" it probably goes Proline, Standard ash, then Standard bubinga.

flexo said:
Also, can the double buck $$ get a sound similar to the standard with its coil tap feature?
Click to expand...

If you're talking PASSIVE ash-bodied Standard, then yes, the $$ BO sounds just like it with both pickups set to single-coil (it excels in the Jazzman tone also: single-coil neck/humbucking bridge). But I think it would be misleading to compare the $$ to ACTIVE pickups - they have their own "preamp" of sorts... In all honesty though, I probably only use the Jazzman configuration about 10% of the time, and a series/parallel setting about 10% - parallel humbucking is too addictive to overcome...
 
EVOLVEBASS said:
If you're talking PASSIVE ash-bodied Standard, then yes, the $$ BO sounds just like it with both pickups set to single-coil (it excels in the Jazzman tone also: single-coil neck/humbucking bridge). But I think it would be misleading to compare the $$ to ACTIVE pickups - they have their own "preamp" of sorts... In all honesty though, I probably only use the Jazzman configuration about 10% of the time, and a series/parallel setting about 10% - parallel humbucking is too addictive to overcome...
Click to expand...

+1!
 
+2

I never actually use the single coil settings on the $$ (except when experimenting at home)

For gigging it's a combination of series/parallel - or most often, all parallel.

I'm hugely impressed by the Corvette STD bubinga though. You really need to try some out if you can.
 
flexo said:
Could anyone describe to me how these compare tonally to the Bubinga Corvette Standard?

If it helps I'm looking for a tone in the ballpark of Dirk Lance (formerly of Incubus). I want to find my own sound but that's the general area I'm looking anyway!
Click to expand...

Hey Flexo, welcome home :-)
If you want Dirk Lance sound, I can tell you what NOT to use: The $$.
Probably the corvette Standard Bubinga is the closest beast for that sound. Maybe if you afford a small customisation, a 3 band eq would help ( those mids work miracles).
 
I essentially agree with what Florin said here (as usual), but instead of "ruling out" basses for the Dirk Lance type of sound, it might make more sense to say that the Dirk Lance sound is all about the Streamer Stage II. Anything else would be a stretch...
 
in my experience,

ash : more round bottom.
bubinga : more low mids, warwick sound.
maple : more fender-ish.
 
flexo said:
Hi,

I'm looking to buy a Warwick Corvette used but I need a bit of advice first. I've read through the other threads comparing the Ash and Bubinga Corvette Standards and they have been very helpful.
The other models that I seem to see often are the Corvette Double Buck $$ and the Corvette Proline.

Could anyone describe to me how these compare tonally to the Bubinga Corvette Standard?

If it helps I'm looking for a tone in the ballpark of Dirk Lance (formerly of Incubus). I want to find my own sound but that's the general area I'm looking anyway!
Click to expand...

Judging by the tone you are looking for I'd go with a STD. Dirk Lance used to have a SSII, out of all the options you mentioned the most similar one is the STD in my opinion.
 
if oli and florin say the same thing, I think the std might be the bass for you :P
 
The prolines still growl.. they just have the growl on a higher frequencies... more bright growl rather than dark growl.
 
Doc said:
The prolines still growl.. they just have the growl on a higher frequencies... more bright growl rather than dark growl.
Click to expand...

I agree with you, it's a very nice sounding instrument, but for someone who's looking for a darker tone, it might not be the right choice. The proline is very popular in latin music because of how clean it sounds for example, but it might not be the bass I pick up if I decide to go play some hard rock.
 
I hear that! I find it sounds good for motown and led zepplin because of its similarity to a jazz bass... its super recordable too...
 
hey doc,

does the proline sounds a lot like the streamer LX non broad neck?
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top