Mutant RB Corvette Classic?

[ggbbguy]

Hi to all from a new Warwick/RockBass fan.

I recently bought a second-hand RB Corvette Classic 5-string from a used musical instruments shop here in Toronto. It's in nice shape and it plays and sounds good to my ears, although I'm a long-time guitar player but not really a bass player. But I've noticed a couple of peculiar things about it, and would like to know what more experienced Warwick users have to say.

The first thing I noticed was that the truss rod cover says "Corvette Standard" in gold. Was the RB Corvette Classic at one time called the Standard? Or is it just that the cover was probably replaced at some point in time?

I also noticed some electronics oddities. The balance pot does not look the same as the other pots - it is larger and looks to have come from a different manufacturer. Is this normal or has it just been replaced?

The biggest concern I have though is that the MEC active J pickups are both longs. I have to assume this is another modification, or was that the standard configuration at one time? How would this sound different than if there were a short J in the neck position as is typical?

I'd also love to find out when it was made - is there a way to do that? The serial number is RB C 015732-04.

Still very happy with it though - now I just have to learn how to play it like a real bass player and not like a guitar player!

 

[boston asphalt2]

post up pictures, its the best way to tell you what is up with your awesome bass

 

[Grgzilla]

Your Rockbass is from March 2004. :wink:

 

[Doog]

Pics would be very helpful Bro. I have a 4 string RB Corvette STD, so I can only base a comparison on that. But looking at the Warwick US site RB section it seems the STD and Classic differ only in the Classic having the maple cap. I'm guessing the trussrod cover would have been replaced if it says STD on it. All the knobs on the STD are the same size, including the pan knob. As for the pups, not sure what you mean by longs and shorts. I have a 5 string RB Fortress and the pups are longer than the 4 string vette, but proportionally they look about the same.

 

[ggbbguy]

C'mon! Can't you guys read my mind?! :lol:

Thanks to those of you who've replied despite not having a clue what I'm talking about. Obviously what's clear inside my head didn't get expressed so clearly in my post. Some clarifications are needed.

My bass matches up exactly with the appearance and description for a RB Corvette Classic in Almond Burst finish such as the one on the website: . Same everything other than what I've described, including the flamed maple top veneer.

About the long/short pickups: AFAIK, a standard jazz bass J/J pickup configuration in general (not specifically Warwick/Rockbass) uses a shorter length pickup in the neck position and a longer one in the bridge position. Note the sizes in the description . The short/neck pickup is 19x91mm and the long/bridge pickup is 19x95mm. These are typical jazz pickup dimensions that many manufacturers offer. On my RB Corvette, both pickups are 19x95mm. They also have "L" printed on the back label beside the model number 60201. But both are the MEC gold active J style. It is visually very difficult to spot 4mm of difference due to the optical illusion caused by the tapering of the string spacing, so one usually has to measure to be sure.

It's not the blend knob that is different, it's the pot itself. I'll work on getting a pic up for this and for the rest of the bass.

Thanks again - I'm enjoying reading through many of the threads here - you're all a great bunch of people.

 

[Doog]

To be honest with you Bro, I've never actually measured the pickups, or torn the bass apart to check the relative sizes of the pots.

 

[trujo777]

04 made for sure. pots... not a pro on this area.

enjoy the vette. Got one myself

 

[Stroud]

I also noticed some electronics oddities. The balance pot does not look the same as the other pots - it is larger and looks to have come from a different manufacturer. Is this normal or has it just been replaced?

are you on about the "pot" which to me means the potentiometer itself or the "knob" that controls it?

if your on about the potentiometer...maybe its has a different range or resistance compared to the others, which might mean a different size

if your on about the knobs...maybe the previous owner lost a knob and brought a new, not identical one. you could buy a new set to insure they are all again the same size

 

[ggbbguy]

Your Rockbass is from March 2004. :wink:

Thanks Greg! And now ... how can you tell? I guess the 04 part is obvious, but what part of the serial number indicates the month? Just curious.

 

[ggbbguy]

If your on about the potentiometer...maybe its has a different range or resistance compared to the others, which might mean a different size.

Yes - I'm on about the potentiometer. Good point about the values and size. To my eyes it looks like it may not be original though. One of these things is not like the other, can you guess which one doesn't belong.

 

[Grgzilla]

Your Rockbass is from March 2004. :wink:

Thanks Greg! And now ... how can you tell? I guess the 04 part is obvious, but what part of the serial number indicates the month? Just curious.

Your serial number is RB C 015732-04.RB=Rockbass,C=March,(a+jan,B=Feb & so on with the exception of the letter I which isnt used as it looks like a 1.The rest of the numbers is internal code.
As for the pickups,they're correct.
Good luck mate.

 

[ggbbguy]

Your serial number is RB C 015732-04.RB=Rockbass,C=March,(a+jan,B=Feb & so on with the exception of the letter I which isnt used as it looks like a 1.The rest of the numbers is internal code.
As for the pickups,they're correct.
Good luck mate.

I would have thought the C was for Corvette - now I know better. Thanks again!

 

[ggbbguy]

As it turns out, it seems that at some time or another at least some of the pots have been replaced and maybe all of them. The volume pot is a 500K audio taper pot, but the specifies a 500K linear taper volume pot. That would explain why most of the volume adjustment occurs in the top third of the control - it is very unevenly distributed.

So now I am trying to find replacement pots, and this is proving extremely difficult. The volume has to go, and the balance is noisy despite Deoxit attempts. The bass and treble are okay but I'd like to replace them anyway - since I'm going half-way I might as well go all the way. Even the authorized Warwick dealer here in Toronto (which is a nationwide chain) doesn't have the right parts and they don't even recognize the RockBass part numbers from the diagram. That doesn't inspire a lot of confidence in them. None of the are the right ones, and even if they were, the cost of shipping to Canada is 95 euros!!!

So the question I have now is - does anyone out there know where to get RockBass pots in Toronto or online that will ship affordably to Canada?

 

[Doog]

RockBass pots are MEC the same as Warwick pots. Might broaden your search a little.