infinity 5 vs. thumb tb 5....new to forum

P

phather phish

Joined
Apr 15, 2007
Messages
6
Reaction score
0
i am in the process of deciding to purchase a 5er infinity or thumb bass..i need some objective advice....my concerns are with the neck thickness and width... and balance between the two..precieved playability...also if anyone has an idea of basic fundimental sound between the two..i am not much of a slapper...mostly blues, hard rock, white guy funk and klezmer... so just personal opinions from players of each make of bass would help....i do not live where there is a music store... so for me to invest a chunk of change, sight unseen is a stretch.....therefore what say yee brothers of the warwick???? i do have a corvett fretless 4 passive bolton, which is great.....thanks
ritch
 
Hello,

I own a pair of Infinities as well as a many Thumb basses and have played every single Warwick model in existence. Here's the objective point of view concerning this matter, the truth is that every instrument we make has a good sound, but the issue here is which one will accommodate to your needs.

The Infinity is a very versatile instrument because of it's construction. The hollow body gives it a really good and very well rounded low end, while the ovangkol body makes the mids stand out a bit to complement, and then you have the maple neck to compensate the high frequencies. Besides all that you get the TJ/J configuration which can be turned into a JJ config with no problem using the MEC built-in 3-way electronics, which will also allow you to have great control over your the sound of your bass.

On the other hand the Thumb is a very good bass, a lot heavier, and with a smaller body, but when you plug it in, you will notice that looks can be deceiving... This bass delivers a very strong mid frequency and rounded highs. I find it a little shallow on the lows (125Hz and down) but this can be good in some cases, as I said before it all depends on the style of music, your playing style and the sound you're looking for with this instrument. Another thing is that the Thumb for some people might be uncomfortable because of the small body and long neck with the 26 frets, while the Infinity has a larger body, more like a common bass.

So it's really up to you, this is all I can say about the sound of these instruments and how they feel, the rest is for you to decide.
 
Not much to be said that odominguez didn't cover, but one question might be what kind of music you play or what players have a tone you like?
 
thanks for the info..i just updated my first entry....music style is more walking blues..really hard rock, white guy funk and eastren european blues..i.e...klezmer...etc...i am searching for a tubaesk sound from my electrics...the warwick fretless comes closest using an old jay terser hardwood grilled 30 watt amp with a bass pandors...both overdriven.....as far as a sound like player...not sure....whats in my head is not what i hear a lot of...maybe more like the bass player from WAR... j.j dickerson?....and the guy on sonny and brownee magee's electric album harry holt....combined.....jaco i ain't..
 
Hi !!

I can't comment on the Infinity, since I've never played one, but there is also a matter of ergonomics that hasn't been discussed yet: The Thumb, mostly due to the short upperhorn, was built to play comfortably on the high frets (past the 12th); you've got to stretch out your arm when you want to reach for the first couple of frets. The Infinity should balance more conventionally, although not similarly like a Fender. You should ask Oliver for verification, again, because I haven't played one. I play my Thumb fairly high, and have verly little/no neckdive problem, but for fun I sometimes hang my Thumb low (like a hard rock bassist), only to find out that balance really really is horrible.
Why I'm writing this ?? well, depending on how you hold your bass (high or low), you may (may, because some players do play their Thumb really low) find the Thumb really uncomfortable.............
This has got nothing to do with sound, but I find this kind of ergonomics very important. Good luck. :D
 
DRXEL

you wanna buy one for me??? certainly would resolve the delemma.....don't own a fender..wouldn't mind an old 51' bass however...if i had the funds i would consider both warwicks.....and my wife, bless her heart would, would consider tying my tired old butt to a sitka spruce tree till i came to my senses.........i suffer as do most players from GAS......and my wife is downwind...........
ritch
 
phather phish said:
DRXEL

you wanna buy one for me??? certainly would resolve the delemma.....don't own a fender..wouldn't mind an old 51' bass however...if i had the funds i would consider both warwicks.....and my wife, bless her heart would, would consider tying my tired old butt to a sitka spruce tree till i came to my senses.........i suffer as do most players from GAS......and my wife is downwind...........
ritch
Click to expand...

Bummer...................I wouldn't mind being tied to a Bubinga tree though.......... :lol:
 
3rd thumb..

i play with the bass on my chest...so the lower bout sits on my leg when i sit...practicing.....so its high or moderatly so....standing up...
i have a tendency to live between the 3rd position to 12th....which really creats a problem as one of our guitar players lives in the 3rd-7th tonal range..with a real fat.... not phat ....sound and he is not willing to change amps or tonal attack....they all like my warwick fretless 4, it cuts..i usually play a dean cabbie for the blues but he kills me in this tonal range..as the dean is not very musicular on the low end,
with my style......the fretless has a great blues feel but is a bear to play standing up for me...tonally..i get very sloppy playing without fret lines...which has brought me to this purchase spot....oh twist my arm eh??? i figuired i could get that faboooliss warwick tone with frets.. one with depth and bite....
ritch
 
the uenarth bassist seems comfortable with his thumb... it's not too high... but not too low.
and it's pretty :)
 
Hey,

just to make sure we're talking about similar "chest height"


In case you don't recognise him; he's Ryan Martinie from Mudvayne. If you play the bass this high, then you should have no problem with neckdive, although I still recommend a grippy strap. Lower fret reach is first a bit akward, but you'll get used to it; it's a bit of a little commitment to the Thumb............ :wink:
Well, this is the only thing I needed to inform you about, because this is a typical matter usually overlooked when hunting for an instrument; indeed, the Thumb is a different instrument balance wise as well as sound wise. And please note as well, this is only my personal experience.........
Again, concerning sound, I have no clue. there are a bunch of soundclips availabe on this forum, but most of them are from Thumbs and Corvettes; you've got to ask Oliver if he's willing to post a clip of his Infinity; I believe he hasn't posted one yet............

Cheers. :D

Edit: Paul Grey from Slipknot played a Thumb as well; I've seen pictures of him playing his Thumb really low; I've NO idea how he was able to play comfortably like that............ :?
 
ThirdthumB said:
Hi !!

I can't comment on the Infinity, since I've never played one, but there is also a matter of ergonomics that hasn't been discussed yet: The Thumb, mostly due to the short upperhorn, was built to play comfortably on the high frets (past the 12th); you've got to stretch out your arm when you want to reach for the first couple of frets. The Infinity should balance more conventionally, although not similarly like a Fender. You should ask Oliver for verification, again, because I haven't played one. I play my Thumb fairly high, and have verly little/no neckdive problem, but for fun I sometimes hang my Thumb low (like a hard rock bassist), only to find out that balance really really is horrible.
Why I'm writing this ?? well, depending on how you hold your bass (high or low), you may (may, because some players do play their Thumb really low) find the Thumb really uncomfortable.............
This has got nothing to do with sound, but I find this kind of ergonomics very important. Good luck. :D
Click to expand...

No neck dive on my Infinity no matter how high or low it's hanging.
 
Paul Grey

i wonder how he does it... maybe he just holds on for dear life?
 

Dangit,

I WANT MY 5 STRING THUMB !!!! I'VE WAITED TOO LONG !!!!!! (see signature)................. :twisted:
 
holy cow, who is that sucker flyin over that bass players head ??? if he landed on that loooong neck.....ouch...
the mudvane guy and i play the bass at about the same chest hight....probablly the only thing we have in common...except my daughters electric blue hair.....if that counts...
...the guy with cocogeejo flyin over his heads bass would be low + me...and the guy with the funky mask on...hep me jesus, he's gotta have gorella arms..either that or a good acupuncturist..if i had to play without my eyes i'd be corned...muscle memory...what a concept....
thanks for all the info.....i think the moderators point that there is little if any neck dive moves me towards the infinity....
this has been great fun.......
i gotta sleep on it
ritch
 
You could have both (more or less) with an Infinity Setneck... just a thought... ~M~
 
Yep.. Id personally go for a Infinity, just the wider range of tones available is more appealing to me.

Always funny seeing the guys from Unearthed.. met them when they were down here, as well as Killswitch Engage, not my type of music anymore but real nice guys, fun to hang around and pretty easy going chatting to randoms hah... Bit nuts but comes with the gig :wink: The guitarist taking that leap is tiny too, only 5'5 odd hah
 
thanks for all the info...i have decided to go with the infinity bass....thanks again....peace and kindness

ritch phillips
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top