Out with the SSII, in with the Vampyre CS

StreamerII84

StreamerII84

Warwick Endorser
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Just traded in my Streamer SSII ( it hurt to do so), and have a Vampyre CS high gloss on the way. I had a dolphin with the same pickup layout and loved the sound, figured a wicked looking body wouldnt hurt either!

I've never played one before, and was wondering how it balanced? I was thinking of moving that upper strap lock a little closer to the end of the horn ( not the tip) to balance it better, but cant help but wonder why warwick didnt do this to begin with?
 
Congrats on the new bass. Love to see some pics when you get it.

I wouldn’t have thought a SSII would be on par with a CS valuewise..?

If it is, I’d be more than happy to trade my SSII for whatever CS is on offer haha
 
thumbface84 said:
Just traded in my Streamer SSII ( it hurt to do so), and have a Vampyre CS high gloss on the way. I had a dolphin with the same pickup layout and loved the sound, figured a wicked looking body wouldnt hurt either!

I've never played one before, and was wondering how it balanced? I was thinking of moving that upper strap lock a little closer to the end of the horn ( not the tip) to balance it better, but cant help but wonder why warwick didnt do this to begin with?
Click to expand...

I am not sure, probably because the horn is pretty thin. Another reason can be that all our basses (except Fortress) have a shorter horn, so with the button placed like that it will feel (more) familiar to a streamer guy :-)
 
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Looking forward to the pics :) High Polish is not my choice for an instrument but Vampyres do look cool :)
 
Oh, there was cash involved on my end! :( Better pics coming soon.
 

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Florin said:
I am not sure, probably because the horn is pretty thin. Another reason can be that all our basses (except Fortress) have a shorter horn, so with the button placed like that it will feel (more) familiar to a streamer guy :-)
Click to expand...

The streamers strap button sits at the 13th fret, the vampyre button is near the 15th, wouldn't hang the same.
 
Would it be safe to move the strap pin to the end of the horn?
 
The Vampyre balances as poorly as, if not worse than, the Thumb.

However, there's a bit of a belly cut on the back, so you might be able to finagle it into a certain spot. Most curved body basses don't have belly cuts at all.

The strap button attaches to the bass horn just before it starts tapering, so I think that's deliberate. I wouldn't/haven't moved it.

Alternative option - wrap your strap around the horn. Instead of putting the front strap lock on backwards, put it on normally, and wrap the strap around the horn. Sure, it'll rotate the bass towards you a little too much, but it'll balance better.
 
I'd think if F bass puts their straplocks on those skinny top horns, the vampyre would be OK as well. There is a guy on talkbass with a whole vampyre collection, and he puts all his straplocks on the tip.
 
To put it AT the tip, like a normal strap button, should be fine. Moving the strap button towards the tip, but still on the back of the horn, isn't a good idea.

I'm going to go on the record and say there's a fundamental issue with balance on instruments who have their bass-side neck joints past the 21st fret, particularly when it joins around the 24th.
 
thefitz said:
To put it AT the tip, like a normal strap button, should be fine. Moving the strap button towards the tip, but still on the back of the horn, isn't a good idea.

I'm going to go on the record and say there's a fundamental issue with balance on instruments who have their bass-side neck joints past the 21st fret, particularly when it joins around the 24th.
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Agreed. Warwicks "unique" balance issues used to irritate me, but the sound is worth the work around. I'll probably have a pro install the new button, that should put it near the 12th fret for killer balance. My thumb 6 has a button drilled into the neck at the 13th fret, been like that for 5 years with no issues. Hurts resalr, but I got it for $1500 and don't intend on selling it.
 
I would have thought the Vampyre to balance well, with that long upper horn.
That's what I love about Dolphins (Pro 1 or Pro2) : low neck joint but that phallic horn blances it perfectly.
 
Henrythe8 said:
I would have thought the Vampyre to balance well, with that long upper horn.
That's what I love about Dolphins (Pro 1 or Pro2) : low neck joint but that phallic horn blances it perfectly.
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You'd think so, but it comes stock with the button on the back of the horn, and not near the tip either.
 
Wear it Ben Shepherd style - body hangin' somewhere around your kneecaps. Any Neckdive will be stopped by err well the floor.
 
That's a nice bass man! I would suggest maybe moving the rear button up around on to the curved section..?
That alone or combined with moving the front one on to the end of the tip would make it a no hander!
 
AdzNadz said:
That's a nice bass man! I would suggest maybe moving the rear button up around on to the curved section..?
That alone or combined with moving the front one on to the end of the tip would make it a no hander!
Click to expand...

I think the horn tip should be more than enough to balance it out, it'll bring the headstock in towards me and shorten the reach. And it will be one less new hole in my brand new bass :) Ill post pics when its done next week.
 
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