Question about price differences between models

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Kurt

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Specifically between the Thumb 4 BO and the Corvette 4 Active Bubinga. So, they're both bolt on, both fretted with the same neck woods, both 4 string, both have similar hardware and 2 pups. They have different pre amps and different (equally valued?) body woods, and different tones. What am I missing to explain the quite large price difference between the 2 models? My nearest W dealer couldn't really explain it and it's now bugging me as I've now got a 'Thumb Savings Plan' in operation and I equally love the tones of that and the Bubinga 'Vette.

Thanks in advance for any input
 
The preamps are the same too. Personally I prefer the look of bubinga, but tonally it's very similar to ovangkol. The only differences that I know of are the pickup positioning and the slightly different body shapes (contoured on the Thumb). If you "love them" equally, you'll save a ton with the Vette...
 
Well,

the contoured body makes a lot of difference. You need a thicker blank of wood for the Thumb, and requires more machining time.
 
ThirdthumB said:
Well,

the contoured body makes a lot of difference. You need a thicker blank of wood for the Thumb, and requires more machining time.
Click to expand...

You know I don't knock the Thumb, it's a spectacular bass. :twisted:

But in this case, Kurt ranks them near equal - which makes for $900 of extra machining. He could buy another Vette (ash) with the difference...
 
EVOLVEBASS said:
ThirdthumB said:
Well,

the contoured body makes a lot of difference. You need a thicker blank of wood for the Thumb, and requires more machining time.
Click to expand...

You know I don't knock the Thumb, it's a spectacular bass. :twisted:

But in this case, Kurt ranks them near equal - which makes for $900 of extra machining. He could buy another Vette (ash) with the difference...
Click to expand...

I couldn't agree with you more. I think that the Bubinga Corvette is one of the most underrated Warwicks/basses taking the price into consideration. Similarly, the Streamer $$ is (was ?) a lot more expensive than the Corvette $$: the contoured body.
A contoured body is a nice feature, but definitely not a must have. How many boutique, high end basses are there that have a "flat" body ?? Even the 100000 Euro Ritter bass doesn't have a contoured body !! 8)
 
True dat. My Wal basses are flat as a pancake too. Of course, like Warwick, they have the nice front and back upper cutaways. I suppose if you're hooked on the contour, it's the price you (gladly) pay... 8)
 
EVOLVEBASS said:
True dat. My Wal basses are flat as a pancake too. Of course, like Warwick, they have the nice front and back upper cutaways. I suppose if you're hooked on the contour, it's the price you (gladly) pay... 8)
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And of course.........it is a Thumb you're getting. :twisted:
Hey, did you know that Pete Stevens (Wal) is most likely not going to be building Wals anymore ?? he seems to be seriously ill, and is looking for a luthier to build Wals for him...............ouch.............The website is shut down too................Looks like prices of Wals will hit the roof (as if that was not the case already).........
 
ThirdthumB said:
Hey, did you know that Pete Stevens (Wal) is most likely not going to be building Wals anymore ?? he seems to be seriously ill, and is looking for a luthier to build Wals for him...............ouch.............The website is shut down too................Looks like prices of Wals will hit the roof (as if that was not the case already).........
Click to expand...

Yep. That's certainly part of the reason I don't play them live anymore. They are almost more of an investment at this point. I like the playability of my Warwicks better anyway, and I can get close tonally with the $$ NT and some compression. Talk about unique basses though, like the Thumb NT, they have a sound that no other bass has...
 
Kurt said:
Specifically between the Thumb 4 BO and the Corvette 4 Active Bubinga. So, they're both bolt on, both fretted with the same neck woods, both 4 string, both have similar hardware and 2 pups. They have different pre amps and different (equally valued?) body woods, and different tones. What am I missing to explain the quite large price difference between the 2 models? My nearest W dealer couldn't really explain it and it's now bugging me as I've now got a 'Thumb Savings Plan' in operation and I equally love the tones of that and the Bubinga 'Vette.

Thanks in advance for any input
Click to expand...

They are similar..Don't get me wrong but they are not the same. I have a Thumb BO4 Bubinga and a Thumb BO5 Ovangkol and they sound different. OI like the Bubinga better it cuts through the mix a little better. Now the sounds from Vette and Thumb are similar but not the same. The Thumb has a compressed sound (I do not know if it is because of the body, or what but the low end is gut rattling. I am not sure if they have the same preamps. from the outside they look the same with the same pick ups. now is like the Bartolinis....they are different ranges and therefore qulities of bartolinis. i do not know if this happens to be the case with the Thumb's and Vette's ones. in case they are the same...then I would say that the preamps are different and not only for the number of knobs they have but also the sounds they amplify. I love the sounds of my Vettes $$ but they can not compare to the Thumbs. If I could pick one bass and my house was going floating away from a flood I would save one of the Thumbs for sure, and if I could save 2... I would save the other Thumb, and if I could save 3 then I would save the Fortress One or the Vette $$.

I love the look of bubinga more than Ovangkol, especially swirl bubinga.

About the body styles ...I like the body of the Thumb and the Vette but I do not like the Streamers. Sorry but I simply do not. they seem to look not original enough to me. I like the contoured body of the Thumb even it is small in size is big in sound and I also like the horn of the Vette as much as the horn of the Fortress for the balance they provide and for the easiness to carry them from here. I have a Vette $$ and if somebody was to trade me for a Streamer $$ I would not do it beacuse I do not like the shape of the streamer (I do not care if it is more expensive or not).

I think this is not a matter of budget but a matter of sound, appereance and also budget pros and cons. I like that Thumbs stay and keep their prices and prestige and also they are not as popular as the Vette. Many people have 2-3 vettes but not many people have several Thumbs (except for the people in this forum).

IMHO if you can get the Thumb.... you'll love the sounds and then use the spare change to gradually save for the Vette. If you get the Vette..I hope you do not start saying right after the purchase in your head...."I should have saved a little more and gotten the Thumb".

Decisions, Decisions.

I hope I am not hurting anybody's feelings but these are my choices.

Good luck with the important decision you have in front of you.

I guess the best advice I could give you is try both of them, see how they balance and sound using the same amp for both and then see the budget and let your heart guide you.
 
search for "quality" and you'll get a very long discussion on this same topic. i asked about a month ago.
 
i post a similar question a while ago, nobody seems to be interested to have a go at that topic -


i hope we can have some answer here :)
 
Hey Kurt

I have a also just started saving for a thumb bo (5 string) and have £100 so I know how you feel. The temptation is to go for the vette Bubinga (a stunning instrument, especially in tone), but the Thumb is something else entirely. Good luck with your savings dude, its gonna take a while

And a note on the vette $$ / streamer $$... are you paying only for contouring and sandwich construction with the streamer?
 
catworm said:
... And a note on the vette $$ / streamer $$... are you paying only for contouring and sandwich construction with the streamer?
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Don't understand the question sorry. What sandwich?

I would say this the best judge about which one you get is to play both (you have to do this since these are expensive instruments and you have to actually see and play with them in your hands to be able to compare which one is you).
I have posed similar questions here but at the end it all comes down to what you're looking for and also which one you can afford and can get your inner voice expressed best through the instrument's sound.
 
I faced the same dilemma recently, went for the bubinga Corvette and couldn't be happier. If you're buying new I would recommend the Corvette every time unless you're put off by the heavier weight. For me the tonal differences are not worth the extra cash but you need to check out both and make that call for yourself.

A tougher question is new Corvette vs used Thumb. Prices are about the same - you might even save a few hundred bucks on the Thumb - and you have a chance to score one of the thinner wenge necks. That's definitely worth thinking about - those old necks are the business!

Try out both if you can. I guarantee you will know whether the Thumb sound is worth an extra grand (USD) of your money in seconds.
 
Sorry, just read your post again and noticed that a) you have already tried both basses and b) you already own a Corvette Standard.

This changes things a bit. Normally my advice to someone who equally loved the Corvette and the Thumb tones would be the Corvette. Unless you absolutely can't live without that Thumb sound there's little reason to get one over the 'vette. Same neck, same electronics and very similar body woods. That's a lot of extra cash for cosmetics (countoured body, ovangkol grain) and slightly lighter weight.

Except you already seem to have a Corvette Standard... In that case I would definitely go with another model. Probably not another bolt-on though - maybe a used Thumb NT or a Streamer Stage II (just my personal faves from the wick line).
 
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